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The importance of sleep
Quality sleep is one of your body’s most important ways to rest and repair itself. A regular night’s sleep of seven to nine hours is an important fundamental human need to function optimally.
Adequate sleep, a healthy mood and your mental health are intrinsically linked to one another. A poor night’s sleep or long-standing sleep problems can have a large impact on your cognitive function, lowering your ability to cope with everyday tasks and affecting your work productivity and daily energy levels.
There are many possible contributing factors that may impair a good night’s sleep. You are often surrounded with electronic stimulation which may have a lasting impact on your neurotransmitter production. Reducing activity and electronic devices one to two hours prior to sleeping can be useful as your sleep-inducing neurotransmitter, melatonin, relies on darkness to help stimulate its production for a restorative sleep.
Setting a consistent daily routine can support your natural circadian rhythm. Waking or rising at the same time and getting a dose of sunlight or morning light is essential for your serotonin production. Serotonin helps you to relax and supports a happy mood. Over 90 percent of serotonin is manufactured within your gut; therefore, gut health is a vital factor in supporting your mood and sleep. Your gut bacteria are also compromised by inadequate sleep.
Both serotonin and melatonin are important ingredients for normal day and night cycles within your body, and they support a balanced sleep pattern. Melatonin is one of your natural antioxidants that helps fight free radicals and further supports your immune health. Melatonin also helps support deep rapid eye movement (REM) which is shown to support healthy cognitive and immune functions. 5-HTP supports your body’s production of serotonin and melatonin. It may be helpful if you have poor-quality sleep or experience long-standing difficulties getting to sleep. Herbs such as California poppy, Jamaican dogwood and passionflower all support healthy sleep patterns. Magnesium also supports adequate production of serotonin and melatonin, assisting in healthy neurotransmitter production for your sleep, mood and general wellbeing.
