Three solutions to help you get some shut eye.
According to the UK Sleep Council working from home is having a negative impact on our sleep.
This is due to working longer hours, juggling childcare, looking after our parents and the demarcation lines of when work begins and ends becoming blurred.
There’s also the emotional stress of dealing with the fallout of a global pandemic.
Help is at hand though and this is without sleeping pills or over the counter sleeping aids.
Magnesium
The role that magnesium places in a good night’s sleep is often overlooked.
Responsible for over 300 processes in the body and it prepares the mind and body for sleep as well as never relaxation, energy maintenance and heart function.
You can take a supplement and also bathe in Epsom salts and of course you can ensure that your diet is topped up with magnesium rich foods which include
seeds, whole grains, bananas, dark chocolate and leafy green vegetables.
The science part is that Magnesium helps by maintaining healthy levels of GABA which is a sleep inducing neurotransmitter.
Magnesium relaxes by promoting the release of muscle aches and removes tension from the body helps us to sleep more soundly.
Cherries
Cherries are naturally rich in melatonin, the sleep hormone which helps regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle.
If you don’t feel tired enough to sleep in the evenings, try eating cherries a couple of hours before bed or, even better, drinking cherry juice.
Valerian
Valerian helps to boost production of GABA, which as we know is a calming brain chemical that promotes sleep.
Valerian has been shown to help people fall asleep more quickly, reduce restless sleep, increase sleep amounts and improve symptoms of insomnia.
As always with supplements if you’re unsure check with your GP.
Visit out earlier blogs on more tips on sleep and you can visit this site for more tips on sleep satisfaction.
Keep Well
Dr Clara Russell
