To sleep well? Essential for mental and physical well-being
Overall, chronic insomnia is often responsible for hormonal imbalances that result in a stressful state for the body and mind.
Disturbed or even absent sleep can actually cause a general feeling of uneasiness and discomfort.
In most cases, sleep problems occur when falling asleep, but it is very common to also experience continuous awakenings throughout the night or the inability to sleep for more than a few hours.
Insomnia is now a widespread problem that affects the majority of adults: around a third of the population suffers from sleep disorders.
In some cases it is necessary to consider medical treatment to limit these problems, but often natural supplements prove to be a useful choice as alternative means to medication.
Melatonin for good sleep
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the body that regulates sleep.
It particularly affects the pineal gland, a gland in the brain that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
The amount of melatonin the body produces at night affects sleep, and a deficiency can cause sleep disorders.
This hormone regulates the so-called circadian rhythm, i.e. the change between sleep and wake phases.
When external factors such as stress, ambient light, noise, age, etc. come into play, the body's natural rhythms are disrupted, making restoring balance more complicated.
How to take melatonin
Taking melatonin in the form of a natural supplement helps combat sleep disorders by providing an effective solution without the typical side effects of sleeping pills.
In particular, taking melatonin helps with:
Promote the initiation and facilitation of sleep: it signals to the brain that it is time to sleep;
Regulate the sleep-wake cycle;
Reduce sleep disturbances and night wakings;
Minimize the feeling of anxiety and stress.
Valerian: Natural remedy for insomnia
Valerian is a plant native to Europe and some parts of Asia.
It is a naturopathic remedy that has been used since ancient times to treat sleep disorders.
An extract is obtained from its root that has calming, pain-relieving, antispasmodic and anti-anxiety properties.
This is mainly due to their high content of flavonoids and valeric acids, active substances that act in the nervous system and mimic the sedative effects of benzodiazepines.
Valerian is an effective support, especially when falling asleep: taking its root extract (approx. 300-600 mg) daily in the form of tablets seems to significantly improve the quality of sleep.
What does valerian contain? The substances contained in valerian root actually inhibit the activity of the enzyme responsible for breaking down GABA, a neurotransmitter important for inducing sleep.
This results in an increase in its concentration in the body and thus a positive effect on sleep.
Another benefit of valerian is its ability to naturally promote sleep without affecting the person's mental and physical state and without producing the typical feeling of dizziness and numbness that occurs with sleeping pills.
Melatonin and Valerian: The perfect combination to promote sleep
People with sleep disorders are often recommended to take preparations based on melatonin and valerian together.
The taking of one does not exclude that of the other; on the contrary, the combination of these two remedies can increase the effectiveness of both.
Melatonin promotes longer and uninterrupted sleep, while valerian makes it easier to fall asleep naturally and shortens the time it takes to fall asleep.
When taken together, they improve overall sleep quality and have a restorative effect on the body and mind.
The combination of melatonin and valerian allows the body to rest and people to sleep peacefully and wake up full of energy.
Harnessing the effects of valerian and melatonin together is the perfect natural solution for restful sleep.
References:
Valerian for Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 119, Issue 12, December 2006
Miyasaka LS, Atallah AN, Soares BG. Valerian for anxiety disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006
Houghton PJ. The scientific basis for the reputed activity of Valerian. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999