How Do You Sleep at Night

Researchers are taking a closer look at the corona virus pandemic and how it has led to disruptions in our work, in our homes and in our family life.  And, subsequently, how it has affected the one requirement for health that many of us take for granted, sleep. 

According to an article published at the NIH, at the molecular level, studies show that poor sleep disrupts the immune system by interfering with disease-fighting factors, including certain proteins called cytokines. That means that if you are sleep deficient, you may have more trouble coping with the lifestyles imposed by the pandemic and with fighting infections.

While poor sleep habits reduce your body’s ability to respond to vaccines, making them less effective, many studies have also linked poor sleep to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and obesity.  And those with insomnia are four times more likely to suffer from depression than those who sleep well at night. 

Healthy sleep habits, by contrast, build a stronger immune system while improving your energy level and emotional wellbeing.  While there are many products on the market designed to help you fall asleep, herbal extracts are becoming the preferred choice for many people.  If you can stick to an herbal regimen and avoid stimulants, with a little patience and changes in your daily rituals, you may be able to alleviate sleep deprivation and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face another day. 

Here are some tips to reshape your sleep habits, some individual herbs you may find useful and a wonderful formula blend of complimentary herbs, Insomnia Liquid Herbal Formula that offers a well-rounded solution to for a more restful night.

Insomnia Liquid Herbal Formula Ingredients: Hops Flower, Valerian Root, Lobelia Herb, Cayenne Pepper

Hops Flower is a fast-acting nervine and sedative, that is found as an ingredient in most quality natural sleep aids. It has a bitter quality for calming digestive tract spasms and helps relax muscles and soothe anxiety.

Valerian Root is one of the most commonly used sleep-promoting herbal supplements in the United States and Europe.  And it is considered to be a good sedative without any of the groggy side effects found in some sleep enhancers. Over time, Valerian root can help you establish a regular sleep pattern and reduce anxiety related sleep disorders. It is commonly used as a natural treatment for symptoms of anxiety, depression, and menopause.  And both menopausal and postmenopausal women have seen their sleep quality and sleep disorder symptoms improve after taking valerian.  For some, though rare, Valerian root may have the opposite effect on some people and act as a stimulant. It is critical to pay close attention to how your body is responds to the herb.

Lobelia leaf contains lobeline and isolobelanine, both properties that act as powerful respiratory stimulants, and as an excellent emetic and nervine. The overall action of Lobelia is believed to be a combination of stimulation and relaxation.  It carries the herb to the parts of the body that are in need of a remedy, determines if toxins need to be purged and eliminates the toxins through the bowels or the skin. Lobelia leaf has a general depressant action on the central and autonomic nervous system.

Cayenne Pepper is considered to be a catalyst for other herbs in this formula, as well as providing its own unique medicinal qualities. Herbalists have used the cayenne traditionally to strengthen arteries, nerves, and the heart, reduce inflammation and regulate blood flow. It is extremely beneficial for arthritis joint pain, treating the pain of gout and shingles, as well as pain in the muscles and tissues. Cayenne tincture can cleanse and heal every part of your body, when taken daily.

Violet Leaf has been used for centuries to relieve pain and soothe the nerves, it is a calming herb that has been helpful in cases of insomnia, anxiety, hysteria, grief and other emotional and nervous disorders. Violet Leaf acts as a pain reliever (a natural forerunner of synthetic aspirin).  It has been used to relieve body pain, including rheumatic, limb, pain in the extremities and joint pains, and headaches (even severe headaches).

Violet Leaf has a reputation for cleansing the blood, but, it is also an effective expectorant that can work to clear your upper respiratory system of phlegm and relieve chronic and dry coughs, bronchitis, whooping cough, and asthma. This herb is generally thought to improve the body’s resistance to disease and infection and has been used to alleviate abscesses, boils, pimples, psoriasis, eczema, acne and other skin problems caused by polluted blood.

This herb’s traditional use was as a detoxifier, many herbalists think that Violet Leaf’s actions as a blood cleanser may have some effects in warding off infection; uncontaminated blood may promote a higher resistance to disease and infection.

Used externally as an herbal antiseptic, Violet Leaf’s disinfectant properties are often included in eyewashes and mouthwashes for infections of the eyes, mouth, and throat.

Here are Some Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep:

• Make sleep a priority

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day

• Try a relaxing bedtime ritual; meditation, soothing music, or reading.

• Avoid television, tablets or computers that lack a blue-light filter

• Reduce caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol before bed

• Spend some time outside every day

• Stay physically active

• Take a nap but avoid long naps and avoid taking them later in the day

• If you can’t fall sleep, try a relaxing activity until you feel sleepy.