SYSTEM; SKIN.
YOU MAY FEEL BENEFITS TO: ENERGY LEVELS;
CONCENTRATION LEVELS; WEIGHT BALANCE; MOOD.
Trouble sleeping – an issue that just isn’t going away.
Research over the last 5 years has consistently reported that up to a third of people are found to struggle with at least one sleep issue such as chronic insomnia.1,2
Interestingly, whilst the pandemic seems to have varying degrees of impact across the board, actually the effects seem to have somewhat balanced out. Whilst some people have benefited sleep-wise from the home-working and less demands from commuting, for others the uncertainty and worry of recent times have only made sleep issues more pronounced than ever.
Ultimately, it seems like a similar proportion of people are still struggling to nod off: a proportion much too high.
We’ve always known that sleep is a time for restorative processes to flourish. But recently we’ve begun to understand a bit more about what really happens at the level of your brain whilst you enjoy some shut-eye.
See, your brain has a clever blood-brain-barrier which acts as a gateway into the brain. During the day this is very tightly sealed, meaning only ‘approved’ substances can pass through, such as glucose and other nutrients your brain needs to keep on top of its tasks for the day.
However, come night time, the primarily ‘entry only’ policy becomes a little more relaxed. This is your brain’s only time to offload, and the tight seal becomes a little more permeable – a bit more sievelike. It’s your brain’s opportunity to offload any waste metabolites it has accumulated that day (and there are a lot, since this fascinating organ is so metabolically active), and you can think of it like your brain’s time to go to the loo! All those toxins and waste materials are successfully excreted and your brain is cleansed and ready for a new day – amazing!
If this process as described above isn’t happening optimally, then there’s a risk the junk could build up, leading to symptoms such as brain fog, lack of concentration, poor memory or mood swings. Longer term, if we are failing to have adequate clearing consistently, this may start to mark the way for more inflammatory or even disease states.
Sort out stress
Stress can undermine a number of our bodily systems, including the immune system and our skin; but stress and sleep complaints also consistently go hand in hand.
Whilst we can’t always control the source of our stress, we do have more control over which self-care practices we partake in to help neutralise the effects of the stress.
From moving gently but often, to being outside more or tuning into more meaningful music, we could help to sufficiently switch our mindset – crucially, in the lead up to bedtime.
Valerian and Hops are the perfect duo to help tackle sleep issues head on, and can be found in combination in A.Vogel’s Dormeasan Sleep Drops. Take 30 drops, 30 minutes before bed in a small splash of water or juice. You can take another dose in the night, if night time awakenings affect you too.
Dormeasan® Sleep Valerian-Hops oral drops A traditional herbal medicinal product used for the temporary relief of sleep disturbances caused by the symptoms of mild anxiety, exclusively based upon long-standing use as a traditional remedy. Always read the leaflet.
