SLEEP IS AMAZING... when you get deep restorative sleep every night.
However, a recent survey suggests around 45 percent of Australian adults now have insufficient quality sleep.
In this short article we are going to look at the problems a lack of sleep can cause and the solutions that will give you the best nights sleep of your life!!
Poor sleep is associated with...
- Increased sugar cravings
- Increased weight gain
- Muscle loss or sarcopenia
- Poor gut health
- Lowered sex drive
- Lack of energy
- Lapses in attention
- Reduced motivation
- Compromised problem solving
- Confusion, irritability and memory lapses
- Impaired communication
- General health impacts
- Diminished reaction times
- Indifference and loss of empathy
That is a long list! So you definitely want to make sure that you are getting enough good quality sleep each night.
Key points
- Sleep matters. Around 45 percent of Australian adults have insufficient quality sleep.
- Quality and quantity. Adults need 6-8 hours, with deep (delta) and REM sleep doing the heavy lifting.
- Build small habits. Reduce cortisol and increase melatonin naturally before bed.
- Top five tips. Morning workouts, limit afternoon caffeine, key supplements, a regular schedule and early sunshine.
- Consider a nap. Keep any siesta shorter than 30 mins.
What is considered poor or inadequate sleep?
Anything less than 6-8 hours in adults and less than 8-10 hours in children and teenagers is considered too little sleep. However, the length is only part of the problem. The quality is as important as the quantity.
Sleep quality can be affected by things such as waking up during the night or breathing issues such as snoring or disrupted breathing during sleep. These will prevent you from completing the cycles that are important for good quality sleep.
Each sleep cycle consists of 4 stages over a 90-minute period. The two most important for providing the benefits of a good quality sleep are delta (deep non-REM sleep) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. These two stages provide the best benefits in terms of detoxification, recovery, memory and overall physical and mental health.
Did you know? Sleep facts
- Delta sleep stores information from the day in your brain as knowledge
- REM sleep catalogues knowledge converted during delta sleep with other knowledge you have learnt and provides wisdom
- Sleep before midnight is 200% more restorative than sleep that occurs after midnight
- Research suggests that consistently reduced sleep may have a significant impact on general hormonal health in men.
- Research suggests that consistently reduced sleep may be associated with increased health risks.
- Research suggests that reduced sleep quality may be associated with impacts on general mental health and wellbeing.
- You are likely to eat on average 500kcal more the day after 1 night of poor sleep quality or quantity
How do we get better sleep?
Quality sleep is an accumulation of small habits that together will ensure the most restful & restorative experience. You need to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) and increase melatonin (sleep hormone) naturally before you can ensure the best night's sleep. Here are the top 5 ways to have the best sleep of your life and wake up with energy and enthusiasm...
1. Work out in the morning
That rush of endorphins and adrenaline you feel after a solid workout is awesome - until it's the reason you can't sleep at night. Try shifting your workout schedule to the mornings. You'll feel great having completed your exercise session bright and early, and it'll be easier to unwind at night.
Research suggests working out in the morning may help support better sleep quality and reduce sleep complaints.
2. Limit caffeine after 2 p.m.
Although many of us love a coffee and sometimes feel like we are building a tolerance to caffeine, the sleep disrupting effects can last for 6 - 8 hours even if you feel tired. If you're having a coffee make it a COFFEE SWITCH. This product isn't too high in caffeine and the natural combination of whole coffee berry fruit extract (NeuroFactor) and Alpina Galanga (EnXtra) help to reduce the jitteriness and over stimulated feeling.
Alternatively, late in the day try a greens powder instead of caffeine. The uplifting herbs will nourish your energy system without the stimulation of your central nervous system (CNS). Also, the product may help support general gut health and overall wellbeing as part of a balanced daily routine.
3. Use key supplements
There are many different herbs and supplements that you can use for sleep. However, some of them will leave you feeling drowsy or sedated the next day. The following 3 supplements are the most effective way to support quality sleep and overall recovery.
Magnesium
Many Australians may not get enough magnesium from diet alone, and adequate magnesium intake is important for general health and restful sleep.
While there are plenty of magnesium-rich foods you can eat naturally (leafy green veges), adding a supplement can help jump-start your levels and support better sleep.
Some research suggests magnesium supplementation may help support sleep quality and general restfulness. The magnesium found in ADRENAL SWITCH is a citrate which is one of the most bioavailable. Try to avoid magnesium oxide as it has poor absorption.
Ashwagandha
This Ayurvedic herb found in ADRENAL SWITCH has been used for centuries as a calming adaptogen. The Latin name of this herb (Withania somnifera) translates to "help sleep". Ashwagandha is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine as a calming adaptogen and may help support general relaxation and restful sleep. Ashwagandha may help support relaxation and restful sleep as part of a healthy nightly routine. You will wake up feeling refreshed.
Glycine
Glycine is a super important amino acid. Glycine is an amino acid found in the body and may help support general health and restful sleep as part of a daily supplement routine.
Some research suggests glycine supplementation may help support sleep quality and next-day alertness. The participants also experienced greater sleep efficiency and greater alertness the next day. You will find Glycine along with L-Leucine and L-Theanine in ADRENAL SWITCH to support healthy restful recovery.
4. Maintain a regular sleep schedule
Keeping your circadian rhythm regular even on weekends can be hard to do. However it is highly beneficial. As your body becomes used to getting into bed and waking up at the same hours, you'll find it becomes easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. Aim for an average of eight hours of quality sleep a night. You shouldn't need an alarm clock to wake if you get to bed 8 hours before you need to wake.
5. Get some early day sunshine
Starting your day with natural light exposure helps reset your biological clock. It may also help support your body's natural melatonin and cortisol rhythms, and serves as a natural source of vitamin D.
In fact, Research suggests adequate vitamin D levels may help support general health and restful sleep. Try going for an early morning walk or leaving the office during your lunch break to get your dose of sunshine. Vitamin D from sunshine may help support general health and wellbeing as part of a balanced lifestyle. You can find a clinical dose of 1,000iu of Vitamin D in a daily serving of a daily vitamin D supplement. These are the most effective tips for supporting sleep quality and improving your overall health, body composition and wellbeing.
6. Try a nap
However, if you can't implement all of these tips and you still struggle to get a good night sleep and wake up feeling tired you may wish to have a siesta (short mid-afternoon sleep). Try to keep this shorter than 30 mins or you may cycle into a deep (delta) sleep which will be difficult to wake out of and your productivity may fall.
Sleep affects every hormone and every system of your body and all poor health outcomes can be linked back to poor sleep, inflammation, stress and toxicity. Keep in mind Quality sleep is associated with general health and wellbeing, including supporting the body's natural recovery processes.
We all want to be successful and productive. This doesn't come from hustling long into the night and working later than our competitors. It comes from getting a good night sleep, feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.
PRO TIP: Having ADRENAL SWITCH as a dessert by mixing 1 serve into coconut or Greek yoghurt is not only delicious but may help support a satisfying end to the day and a restful night's sleep.
Important: You should always consult with a qualified health care provider before changing your supplement, training or nutritional strategy.
Disclaimer: The above article is merely a guide and is in no way a recommendation or a treatment protocol for any health conditions or diseases. You should always consult with a qualified health care provider before changing your supplement, training or nutritional strategy. Supplementation should not be attempted by pregnant or breastfeeding women, anyone on prescription medication or children under the age of 15 unless advised by your qualified health care provider.
What are the most effective ways to sleep better?
Ranked by how much difference they actually make, which is not the order most sleep advice uses:
- A consistent wake time, including weekends. The single most effective change, and the one people are least willing to make. Your body clock anchors to when you wake, not when you go to bed.
- Morning daylight. Ten to twenty minutes outside within an hour of waking. Sets the clock for that night. Free, and consistently underrated.
- A caffeine cut-off. Caffeine has a half-life of roughly five to six hours, so a 3pm coffee is still substantially present at 9pm. Eight hours before bed is a reasonable rule.
- A cool, dark room. Core body temperature needs to drop for sleep to initiate. Around 18 degrees suits most people.
- Alcohol earlier, or less. It helps you fall asleep and wrecks the second half of the night. This is why you wake at 3am after drinking.
Everything else, including supplements, operates well below these five.
What is the 4-7-8 breathing technique?
A simple breathing pattern often recommended for winding down: breathe in through the nose for four counts, hold for seven, exhale slowly through the mouth for eight. Repeat four times.
The mechanism is not mysterious. A long exhale relative to the inhale engages the parasympathetic nervous system, which lowers heart rate. It is genuinely useful for the racing-mind problem, and it does nothing for sleep debt.
Similar counting and grounding techniques work the same way. Whichever you use, the value is in interrupting rumination rather than in the specific numbers.
What is the strongest thing to help you sleep?
Prescription medication, which is a GP conversation rather than an article, and generally a short-term measure rather than a solution.
Among things you can buy:
- Magnesium has modest evidence, mostly in people who are deficient. Widely used, gently supportive rather than sedating.
- Ashwagandha has reasonable evidence for perceived stress and sleep quality, from trials that are mostly small and often industry funded.
- Melatonin is prescription-only in Australia for most people. It is genuinely useful for shifting a body clock, such as jet lag, and much less useful as a general sedative.
- Valerian, glycine, L-theanine all have some supportive research and modest effects.
None of these outperforms a consistent wake time and a caffeine cut-off. If you are sleeping badly and have not addressed those, a supplement is treating the symptom of a habit.
If you want one anyway, Sleep Aid and Adrenal Switch are options, and the sleep range has the alternatives.
When to see a doctor
Sleep advice has limits, and some problems are not habit problems.
Worth a GP appointment if you snore heavily or stop breathing in your sleep, if you are exhausted despite adequate hours, if you cannot sleep despite doing everything above, or if poor sleep has persisted for months alongside low mood. Sleep apnoea in particular is common, underdiagnosed, and not something a supplement addresses.
