Better Sleep for Teenagers and Adults - Studies Give Tips

Sleeping well is a highly valued thing.  According to an article in the United Kingdom’s “Daily Telegraph”, a good night's sleep has been voted life's “Greatest little pleasure”.  The poll, which interviewed 3,000 people in the UK, asked them what their greatest little pleasures in life were.  The British company “Bachelors” conducted the survey.  The sleep theme showed up in other places as well, with “Little pleasure” number three being “Sleeping in newly laundered bedding.“  Number six was “Cuddling up with a loved one in bed”.

Chronic insomnia contributes to sleepiness during the day, increased accidents and illness, and may have an adverse effect on concentration, interpersonal relationships and the ability to handle stress.  Because good sleep is so vital to health, scientists continue to pursue the trail of finding things that enhance its quality and quantity.  Dr. Ramakrishnan, a professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, says, "Exercise improves sleep as effectively as sleeping drugs in some studies.”  His study found that on average, exercise increases total sleep time by 42 minutes.

Studies at the University of Arizona found that walking more than six blocks a day at a normal pace significantly improves sleep at night for women.  Scientists suspect that exercise helps set our biological clock into a consistent wake/sleep pattern, or it may boost the brain's production of serotonin, a neurochemical that encourages sleep.

A drop in body temperature may help you fall asleep.  According to a study in the Journal “Sleep”, making a special effort to cool down before bedtime may be of particular benefit to insomniacs. Sleep specialists have long debated whether the nighttime drop in temperature induces sleep or follows it. To investigate this question, Doctors Murphy and Campbell of the New York Hospital’s Cornell Medical Center in White Plains, recruited 21 men and 23 women, aged 19 to 82.

The researchers identified the time at which the subjects' body temperature fell most sharply. This point almost always occurred in the two hours before sleep began.  Therefore, people with trouble falling asleep might benefit from taking hot baths about 90 minutes before bedtime, the researchers speculate. When they get out of the bath, body temperature will drop rapidly, and this might help them to fall asleep faster.

Warm milk has long been a highly recommended folk remedy for insomnia. Regarding this, William Sears, M.D. says: "Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods."

Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep.  In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase.  The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.

Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and President of http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com in Glendale, CA., is someone who fought her own battle against sleeplessness and insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural insomnia remedies for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals II, a sleep remedy which contains six forms of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.

One mother of a teenage son who was suffering with insomnia, was grateful to find Sleep Minerals II.  She says: “Our son began to have trouble sleeping about a year and a half ago. He was up until 2:00 a.m., and then he got up at 5:00.  This continued for quite a while.  He was miserable and so were we.  He’s an athlete and a student and we just couldn’t live like this.”

“We had spent hundreds of dollars on testing and supplements with a naturopath and it just didn’t work.  I searched on the Internet and found Sleep Minerals II.  I thought to myself, ‘I’ll give it a try, there’s nothing harmful in it’.  Well, from the get-go it helped Mitchell sleep better.  He’s been using it as a sleep remedy for some time now.  He is sleeping well and is so happy and healthy.  He’s a normal teenager again.  I just can’t say enough about what this product has done for us.”

So if you need help with getting better sleep, take the tips of recent research studies and do some form of exercise during the day, keep yourself cool before bedtime, and use an effective form of calcium as a sleep remedy to relax yourself into a deep, restful sleep.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html

Sleep Minerals II - A Powerful Natural Insomnia Remedy for Teenagers Sleep

Nutrition Breakthroughs of Glendale California is providing a natural alternative to sleeping drugs with Sleep Minerals II, a potent weapon in the war against insomnia and its many side effects. This next generation of Sleep Minerals features fast absorbing forms of nature’s best-known minerals for relaxation – calcium and magnesium. A recent National Sleep Foundation poll reports that American insomnia rates have increased from 51% to 64% in the last few years.

According to the National Institutes of Health, insomnia can wreak havoc on the health and lives of its sufferers, causing excessive daytime sleepiness and extreme lack of energy.  The sleep-deprived can become irritable and depressed and may have trouble focusing on tasks, paying attention, learning and remembering.  Insomnia can contribute to accidents with machinery, accidents from poor balance, and accidents on the road while driving.

The use of prescription sleeping drugs has steadily increased, and most sleeping pills, especially when taken over long periods of time, stay in the bloodstream, give a hangover effect the next day and beyond, and impair performance on the job and at home.  Insomnia is a major problem for millions of Americans, with 25% of the U.S. using sleeping drugs in an effort to get some rest.  Because of the drug side effects, an increasing number of people are reaching out to find an effective insomnia remedy .

Sleep Minerals II has stepped forward as a potent natural alternative.  It can help the restless sleep whether they are unable to fall asleep at the beginning of the night, or they habitually wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep.  It is an effective insomnia remedy due to its unique combination of ingredients.  It contains highly absorbable forms of minerals, including six types of calcium (carbonate, citrate, gluconate, aspartate, malate, micronized hydroxyapatite), three forms of magnesium (oxide, aspartate, citrate), boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils.  Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.

Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. One study found that calcium levels were higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase.  Calcium is one of the few minerals that acts as a natural sedative, because it causes the release of the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan. The well-known nutritionist Adelle Davis says: "A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the thousands of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate."

Insomnia is also one of the main symptoms of a chronic magnesium deficiency. Sleep in magnesium deficiency is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was proven in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center called "Effects of trace element nutrition on sleep patterns in adult women."

However, no matter how many studies support the use of these ingredients and their unique formulation, the proof is in the pudding.  Lyn K. of Los Angeles, CA. says “I’ve had chronic insomnia for some years now and had been taking other calcium products to help with my sleep. None have worked as effectively or consistently as Sleep Minerals II. I can count on it whenever I need help falling asleep at night or going back to sleep during the night. This is what sets it apart from the rest – it works reliably. And in my life, I need to be well-rested 7 days a week, so I call this product my ‘Sleep Insurance’.  It also eases my menopause symptoms, evens out my hormonal changes, and seems to put my body into a healthy balance."

Veronica R. of British Columbia, Canada says: “This product has worked wonders for me. Before I started taking it, I would fall asleep and wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep (after going to the bathroom). When I got the product, I started taking two of them, and have had no problems going back to sleep. Now I don’t have to be awake for two or three hours every night. I’m so happy I took the chance to try it. I don’t like taking over-the-counter drugs. With Sleep Minerals II, I don’t feel sleepy at all during the day.”

So if you or someone you love is suffering with sleeplessness and insomnia, try putting some Sleep Minerals II into your arsenal of effective natural remedies.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II visit the insomnia remedy web page or the Nutrition Breakthroughs web site.

Insomnia in Teenagers – Studies, Remedies and Tips

Teenagers are a special breed, having to face all the challenges of being in an in-between stage of life; not quite a child anymore and not yet an adult.  Along with an acceleration of social interests and activities, they also sustain accelerated physical growth and increased nutritional needs. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 90% of teen girls and 70% of teen boys aren’t getting enough calcium.  Their bones are growing the fastest during the teen years and they need more calcium than at any other time of life.  The calcium deficiency can translate into irritability, nervous tension, hyperactivity, and insomnia.

Adelle Davis was the first nutritionist to base her recommendations on scientific research studies.  She says: “If these hyperactive kids were recognized as victims of malnutrition and given, instead of drugs, a completely adequate diet, especially high in calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and D; the majority might soon be as relaxed as sacks of cotton, their minds far more alert, their energies restored to normal.  I have seen it happen many, many times.”

To shed some light on teenage sleeping habits, a study was published in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health,  Researchers found that two-thirds of teenage high school students are sleeping less than they need to, when they actually need 9.5 hours of sleep.  Danice Eaton, author of the study and a research scientist in Atlanta said, "….Research (on teens) has shown that a lack of sleep can increase depression, negative physical health, headaches, poor school performance, school absenteeism and drowsy driving.”

There is a correlation between electronics use and insomnia in teens.  A study from the Journal of Pediatrics published a survey of Philadelphia-area teens.  It was found that two-thirds had a television in their bedroom, one third had a computer, 90% had their own cell phone and 79% had a personal music device.  "These technological devices activate the mind. It's like having a stressful work conversation just before getting into bed," said Dr. Jonathan Pletcher, at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.  

Dr. Pletcher doesn’t recommend sleep medication for teens, saying that,  "The risks for this age group far outweigh the benefits.”  He recommends shutting down the computer, TV, and cell phone well before bedtime and doing some relaxing and calming activities before bed.  

Due to a deficiency of crucial minerals at the teenage time of life, calcium and magnesium supplements can be an effective sleep remedy. One natural insomnia remedy that’s gaining in popularity for all ages is Sleep Minerals II from http://www.NutritionBreakthroughs.com.  It contains six forms of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D and Vitamin K, all combined in a rapidly absorbed softgel.  One mother of a teenage son who was suffering with insomnia, was grateful to find Sleep Minerals II.  She says: “Our son began to have trouble sleeping about a year and a half ago. He was up until 2:00 a.m., and then he got up at 5:00.  This continued for quite a while.  He was miserable and so were we.  He’s an athlete and a student and we just couldn’t live like this.”

“We had spent hundreds of dollars on testing and supplements with a naturopath and it just didn’t work.  I searched on the Internet and found Sleep Minerals II.  I thought to myself, ‘I’ll give it a try, there’s nothing harmful in it’.  Well, from the get-go it helped Mitchell sleep better.  He’s been using it as a sleep remedy for some time now.  He is sleeping well and is so happy and healthy.  He’s a normal teenager again.  I just can’t say enough about what this product has done for us.”

Besides supplementing with key minerals, there are additional tips to help teens sleep better.  Here is a summary from the Mayo Clinic and National Sleep Foundation:

-- Consuming caffeine close to bedtime can interfere with one’s sleep, so avoid coffee, tea, soda pop and chocolate late in the afternoon.  Nicotine and alcohol will also interfere with sleep.
-- Limit stimulating activities and the use of electronics right before bedtime.
-- Reduce extracurricular activities. Sometimes teens are overextended and participate in too many after-school activities, too late into the evening.
-- Practice relaxing and calming activities before going to bed. For example, do gentle stretches, take a warm bath, or read a pleasant book.
-- Make the bedroom a sleep haven. Keep it cool, quiet and dark. If needed, get eyeshades, earplugs, and blackout curtains. Let in the bright light in the morning to signal the body to wake up.
-- Get regular exercise during the day, but not closer than 3 hours before bedtime.
-- Establish a regular bedtime and wake-time schedule and stick to it, coming as close to it as possible on the weekends. A consistent sleep schedule makes it easier to fall asleep.

Let’s help our teens get the sleep and nutrition they need!

For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_for_insomnia_help.html