It can improve your mood, fend off illness and help you perform better at work. Is it a magical potion? No, it's an old-fashioned, healthy night's sleep that many of us take for granted. Nevertheless, for the millions worldwide who suffer from chronic insomnia, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, the daily pursuit of a healthy nightly shut-eye can become a frustrating, elusive dream.
'Sufficient sleep is vital for a healthy body and mind,' says Hong Kong sleep expert Graeme Bradshaw. 'Shakespeare called it 'the chief nourisher in life's feast''. Bradshaw is a Hong Kong naturopath and homeopath, and the founder of the Integrated Medicine Institute. 'Most people in Hong Kong find it very hard to relax and this substantially affects their ability to sleep,' he says. 'They can become hyperactive due to heavy workloads or too much activity and there is a hyper secretion of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.'
Although the direct link between vitamins and insomnia is unclear, studies show an association between vitamins and other sleep disorders. Studies have reported that B12 shortens the length of the sleep-wake rhythm and affects the circadian aspect of sleep propensity. Studies have also identified vitamin B complex as a helpful treatment of nocturnal leg cramps. Deficiencies in iron may be related to restless leg syndrome or periodic leg movement disorder, both of which may have an effect on sleep maintenance. Evidence points to the possibility that sleep may be affected by vitamin and mineral intake, or lack of these substances.
One night without sleep can throw off your health and wellness for up to three days. Chronic sleep conditions that affect the amount and the quality of your sleep put you at an increased risk of health problems, according to the American Heart, Lung and Blood Institute which, in its publication Your Guide To Healthy Sleep, points out that lack of sleep affects the immune system, hormone production and contributes to obesity. Luckily, thanks to natural treatments now available, sufferers are no longer doomed to lie in bed counting sheep, or forced to sedate themselves with sleeping pills.
Bradshaw's top three favoured 'go-to' natural sleep-enhancing treatments are melatonin supplements, the Indian hormone balancing herb - marketed under the brand name Sensoril - and a synergistic combination of magnesium and vitamin B6. Melatonin is a hormone which maintains the body's 24-hour clock and plays a critical role when we fall asleep and wake up. People older than 50 experience a drop-off in melatonin levels, so a supplement can help get body clocks back on track.
Sensoril is a patented proprietary extract of roots and leaves from withania somnifera, a plant known as ashwagandha obtained from northern India. It is used for the treatment of chronically hyperactive people by balancing the hormones.