Sleep is like really important.  Lack of sleep is linked to neurodegenerative disorders, lack of focus, higher stress levels, hormone dysregulation, and just about every bad thing under the sun.  In fact researchers have even compared a lack of deep sleep as damaging your brain as badly as being heavily impaired by alcohol.

In other words not getting deep sleep can have catastrophic health effects.  Many people I coach do not get deep sleep, they have trouble staying asleep, and as a result they end up chronically stressed.  I personally do not like walking around brain-damaged from lack of sleep, and I personally have suffered from sleep issues in my life.  Through my years coaching and researching I have found an awesome supplement program that works for me and most others.

The Principals of the Yin and the Yang.

When we are chronically stressed, we look for ways to self-medicate the fact that our cortisol is through the roof and our nervous system is overstimulated.  We have two branches of our nervous system, the parasympathetic and the sympathetic branch. The sympathetic branch relates to our active mind, stress hormones, fight or flight response, exercise, stimulation etc.  The parasympathetic branch relates to relaxation, rest, recovery, tissue and brain repair, hydration, digestion and elimination, and creativity.

The way our brain and nervous system works is we have neurotransmitters and hormones that hit certain switches for each branch of the nervous system.  A great analogy is the Yin and Yang symbols. Yin symbolizes the feminine and restorative energy, or the parasympathetic nervous system, while Yang symbolizes fire and the masculine energy, or the sympathetic nervous system.

The yin and yang symbol represents the duality that flows through all life, including our very being and physical body. We must learn to relax and cool the body instead of always being in “go mode”!

Yin = Parasympathetic Nervous System:

Feminine, Rest, sleep, hydration, moist, recovery, rest, digestion, elimination, creativity.

Yang = Sympathetic Nervous System:

Masculine, active, thinking, fire, activity, exercise, logic

It is not that difficult to see that most of society these days is stuck in a chronic state of being too Yang, or having too much fire and stress, and not enough Yin and calm and coolness.

This leads to a state of burnout, fatigue, relying on caffeine and sugar, and ultimately a very poor sleep cycle.

The unfortunate problem many have is that once their sleep is dis-regulated, their brain function and neurotransmitters go out of whack, leading to depression or anxiety and eventually worse illnesses and disease.  Sleep is the most restorative or Yin function the body has, without it you will not recover from workouts, repair your brain from stressors, and you’ll ultimately function less optimally in relationships, work, and life in general.

Elevated stress hormones and cortisol then begin to drain the adrenals and hormonal systems, which can lead to disruptions in the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain, leading to restlessness at night, and you may even feel exhausted and still be unable to sleep.

The key in my opinion is learning how to activate and stimulate the Yin part of your brain and nervous system, the parasympathetic branch.  For this I use a combination of natural herbs and supplements, and other techniques such as meditation, stretching, and foam rolling.

The Key Natural Supplements for Healthy and Deep Sleep

1. Melatonin

Melatonin is naturally produced by the brain and is a hormone that pushes down cortisol (stress hormone) naturally, and tells our body that it is time for bed.  Normally melatonin would begin to be released on a natural cycle when the sun goes down. Unfortunately modern living has us using screens late into the evening and night time, being exposed to artificial light, and disrupting this natural melatonin production.  Because of these unnatural stimuli, I believe melatonin can be an extremely beneficial supplement for people to push down their cortisol and get a better night’s sleep.

Literature on melatonin remains unclear, although it appears to be reasonably safe, although longer term studies have yet to be done.  Personally, I am inclined to believe that it does little to interfere with our bodies natural processes and simply helps us lower cortisol and get better sleep.  I recommend taking as little as possible, 1mg or less, and using it in combination with calming teas, magnesium, etc. it has worked tremendously for me to reset my sleep rhythm.

Some people fear using melatonin will stop their body from producing it.  I personally do not agree with this assessment. Our sleep cycles are pretty poor to begin with, meaning our natural melatonin production is low anyway.  The negative effects of poor sleep and the associated brain damage and decline in nervous system function would be far worse than simply supplementing with a low dose of a natural hormone.  This is my personal opinion, I am not a medical professional and you should consult with your doctor before trying melatonin.

Source Link.

2. Calming herbal teas

There are many herbal teas that I use for their calming effects that have been used traditionally for thousands of years. Herbs like chamomile, passionflower, lemon balm etc. may help stimulate GABA production in the brain and have a calming and cooling effect to help activate the sympathetic nervous system.  Using these herbal teas is a great way to tell your body to start winding down. I suggest creating a bedtime ritual about an hour before you go to bed. I personally use Yogi Bedtime Tea, Chamomile, and Licorice teas.

Yogi makes great organic teas. Find the (caffiene free) herbal blends that your unique system responds best to! I love licorice and chamomile personally. Herbs can have powerful relaxing and anti-inflammatory affects on the human body.

3. Magnesium – Research shows that nearly 68% of Americans are deficient in their intake of Magnesium.

Magnesium is a critical nutrient that plays an essential role in over 300 cellular reactions.  In fact, studies have shown Magnesium can directly help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is exactly what we need for better sleep.

A nutrient that is so important for so many vital cellular reactions, and that so many of us are deficient in, is something that can be extremely powerful for those suffering from a severe magnesium deficiency.  I’ve seen all sorts of odd symptoms with clients who had low magnesium. Poor sleep, muscle cramps, anxiousness, depression, there is an endless list of issues that can occur from being low in this critical nutrient.

I recommend taking a natural source of food based magnesium, eating more quality meats and green leafy vegetables, and supplementing with Calm Magnesium powder, this powder has worked tremendously for me and literally knocks me out at night when I go to bed.

Magnesium supplementation has been shown to have links to decreased inflammatory markers in adults experiencing insomnia and improve testable levels of magnesium in the body.  In my experience supplementing with magnesium is beneficial for most people, especially if you consider yourself particularly stressed, consume too much caffeine, have a high activity level, or get poor sleep.  This truly is a miracle nutrient and mineral that many of us are deficient in.

It is called Calm for a reason! This magnesium form agrees with most and can help aid in a magnesium deficiency many of us most likely suffer from. This potent mineral is CRUCIAL for helping the nervous system relax at night. I can barely keep my eyes open after it.

4. Zinc

Zinc is the second most abundant trace mineral in the body according to the literature, and can have beneficial effects on the depth and quality of sleep in humans.  The crucial role Zinc plays in the proper function of the nervous system, and thus our sleep, is being better understood constantly by science. Its importance should not be understated or minimized for those who consider themselves stressed or suffering from poor sleep.

A good whole-foods based Zinc, roughly 30mg is a basic dose that is considered safe, can also help aid in relaxing the system. I believe many of us are low in Zinc due to a variety of factors, the synergy of Zinc with Magnesium is outstanding.

In fact one study showed that those who had the highest concentrations of Zinc in their hair reported getting the longest amount, and deepest sleep!

5. Valerian Root

Valerian root does not have too much research backing its efficacy, but nonetheless it has been used since the times of the Greeks and Romans for its medicinal and sedative properties, and I definitely have noticed its beneficial effects on aiding in sleep personally.  A high quality organic Valerian root is an excellent way to relax the mind and body, I have personally even used it for bad muscle spasms.

Although the mechanism of action is not entirely understood here is an excerpt from a study explaining why it may be effective at stimulating GABA production (a calming neurotransmitter) in the brain. I personally believe it greatly stimulates GABA somehow since its calming effects are similar to Valium or alcohol, again this is my own anecdotal experience.

I recommend 500-1000mg of organic Valerian root.  Gaia herbs makes an excellent product that has worked well for me.

“A possible mechanism by which a valerian extract may cause sedation is by increasing the amount of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter) available in the synaptic cleft. Results from an in vitro study using synaptosomes suggest that a valerian extract may cause GABA to be released from brain nerve endings and then block GABA from being taken back into nerve cells [23]. In addition, valerenic acid inhibits an enzyme that destroys GABA [reviewed in 24]. Valerian extracts contain GABA in quantities sufficient to cause a sedative effect, but whether GABA can cross the blood-brain barrier to contribute to valerian’s sedative effects is not known. Glutamine is present in aqueous but not in alcohol extracts and may cross the blood-brain barrier and be converted to GABA [25]. Levels of these constituents vary significantly among plants depending on when the plants are harvested, resulting in marked variability in the amounts found in valerian preparations [26].”

Valerian is a calming herb that has been used for its medicinal purposes for aiding in sleep for thousands of years. The research is not conclusive, but it most likely affects GABA receptors in the brain. Anecdotally it has helped many including myself.

Putting it all together, the power of Zinc, Magnesium, and Melatonin.

The reason this protocol will work so well for so many, is that it fills many of the nutritional and mineral gaps that are caused from poor diets, stress, and toxicity in our modern lifestyles.  Many Americans do not get enough Zinc and Magnesium, and their melatonin production gets thrown off. I learned of combining these tools through trial and error and much research. In fact, I just found a study that shows combining Zinc, Magnesium, and melatonin at night greatly improves sleep quality in those suffering from insomnia!  The study also showed that the depth and restorative quality of the sleep was improved markedly.

It is not just about how much sleep you get, but the quality and depth of your sleep.  Even if it may be hard for you to sleep more than 6 hours per night lets say due to a hectic schedule, there are switches we can for our body on a cellular, mineral, and nervous system level, that can help us get much deeper and better quality sleep time.  When you begin to restore your sleep naturally, your body begins to heal on a much deeper level than simply dosing yourself with Ambien or self-medicating with alcohol etc. Our body needs certain minerals and hormones to function and turn on our “off” switch so to speak.

This sleep protocol covers all of our bases.  If you create a night-time ritual of putting some Calm Magnesium in your relaxing herbal teas, taking a high-quality Zinc supplement, and using melatonin to push down cortisol levels and restore your circadian rhythm, it can be life changing.

I personally went from being overly-stressed, over trained, and literally lying in bed all night long a couple of times a week thinking about the previous day.  Before I knew it I had to get up for a demanding day all over again. Unfortunately these same complaints I get often from clients who suffer from being overly stressed and may be lacking these key nutrients.

When you do not realize just how much deeper your sleep could be it is hard to compare your current lack of quality sleep to anything.  It becomes the norm! Using the minerals Zinc and Magnesium, combined with Melatonin, and creating a night-time ritual of using historically calming herbs that may help stimulate GABA production in the brain is a HOME RUN.

So here is the run-down of what my night time routine looks like.

1.   About an hour before bed I first I make my hot-tea of Bedtime tea with Licorice Yogi tea, and I put 1 tablespoon of Calm Magnesium powder in my tea.  I drink this calmly.

2.   Right before I brush my teeth, I take 500mg Valerian Root, then I dissolve 1mg of Source Natural Melatonin underneath my tongue and do my oral care routine.

3.   Then I hop in a contrast shower of hot and cold water to relax my body and stimulate the nervous system.

4.   After I get out of the shower, I stretch my hips and other muscles or foam roll for about 15 minutes.  Then I go to bed a read until I cannot keep my eyes open! I typically fall asleep within 10 minutes.

I used to never be able to fall asleep, have trouble staying asleep, and feel like crap in the morning.  Now I feel as if I am healing deeply, can beat the crap out of my body with workouts, and my stress is much more manageable.  Learning how to activate my parasympathetic nervous system and supply my body with the nutrients it needs has changed my sleep and my life.

One last thing I would comment on is the fact that when you get good sleep, it actually becomes easier to fall asleep.  I also believe that ritual is extremely important. I never break my winding down ritual now, no matter how long it takes me I will not rush it.  Building a night-time ritual helps signal to yourself that it is time to wind-down, turn off from the day, and go to BED!

When my sleep improved, I can fall asleep much easier even if I do not take any of the aforementioned supplements. I can just have some tea, shower, stretch, and fall asleep.  However, I personally believe if you currently suffer from poor sleep you should work on resetting your sleep rhythm using the minerals and supplements described. Your Zinc and Magnesium levels for example increase over time, and once you are no longer deficient you can get away without taking them daily or at all.  Simply eating better and more quality organic foods and eliminating harmful processed foods could be enough to get enough of these minerals and sleep better.

Melatonin is something I use sparingly, mainly just when I feel like my sleep schedule is getting thrown off or when traveling, but once my sleep cycle is reset I can go off it without the use of it.  These are all tools that become key in my opinion though when we are suffering from poor sleep and stress.

This is my night-time sleep inducing routine, it is based on science, the human body, and a deep understanding of how the nervous system functions.  Sometimes we need help turning ON our OFF switch!

Get a little more Yin in your life, so you can better handle the stress.

References:

Magnesium Related:

://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21199787

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933574

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1855626/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15930481

Zinc:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933574

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27933574

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govund a study/pubmed/21226679