With our busy lifestyles and increased stressors, sleep can often become a real concern. If you are not catching enough zzz’s , this can unfortunately spill over into other areas of your life, eventually becoming a health issue. You may begin to notice dark circles forming under your eyes. Your skin may become dull and lack luster. Your memory may even seem a little foggy; something you usually recall easily suddenly seems more difficult to retrieve. Your love life may even suffer because insufficient sleep lowers sex drive. The endless list of negative effects rolls on. According to Statistics Canada, millions of Canadians suffer from insomnia. If you are included in this statistic, here are a few tips to consider.
Darkness is your friend:
We live in a world where technology is constantly becoming more integrated with our daily lives. There are however, drawbacks when it comes to our sleep. Before bed, it is best to power down electronics and cover small lights in your room. Your body craves darkness that in turn stimulates melatonin production. Incorporating black -out curtains can also prevent light from entering your room.
Pumpkin Seed Powder:
According to Naturopathic doctors Pina LoGiodice ND, Lac and Peter Bongiorno, pumpkin seed powder packs a potent punch of tryptophan; you know the same ingredient that lulls you to sleep after a turkey dinner. Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body uses to produce serotonin(the feel good hormone). Pumpkin seed powder is a high natural source of tryptophan. Zinc is also found in pumpkin seed powder allowing your body to more easily convert Tryptophan into serotonin, which equals a good night sleep. Combining pumpkin seed powder with a carbohydrate will also help increase absorption and availability in your body.
Acupuncture:
Insomnia is a very common complaint among my patients. Thankfully, Acupuncture is able to help. Insomnia has several different patterns in Traditional Chinese Medicine, each tailored to the individual. If you are waking up at a specific time each night, this corresponds to a specific organ and can indicate a body not in balance. By stimulating your parasympathetic system, we are enabling the body to enter a relaxed state thereby further inducing sleep. Patients often say that their sleep has improved following a treatment. From my experience, insomnia can be treated with a combination of regular Acupuncture treatments, diet, and lifestyle changes.
If you suffer from insomnia, instead of becoming dependent on sleep aides, consider natural options that do not cause side effects. How do you treat your insomnia?
Written By Registered Acupuncturist Kelsey Shaw
Sources:
1.http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/051116/dq051116a-eng.htm
2.http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/health-headlines/sleep-aid-from-the-pumpkin-patch-ontario-doctor-crates-all-natural-solution-1.1387065
3.http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/what-eat-deep-sleep
4. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss
Darkness is your friend:
We live in a world where technology is constantly becoming more integrated with our daily lives. There are however, drawbacks when it comes to our sleep. Before bed, it is best to power down electronics and cover small lights in your room. Your body craves darkness that in turn stimulates melatonin production. Incorporating black -out curtains can also prevent light from entering your room.
Pumpkin Seed Powder:
According to Naturopathic doctors Pina LoGiodice ND, Lac and Peter Bongiorno, pumpkin seed powder packs a potent punch of tryptophan; you know the same ingredient that lulls you to sleep after a turkey dinner. Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body uses to produce serotonin(the feel good hormone). Pumpkin seed powder is a high natural source of tryptophan. Zinc is also found in pumpkin seed powder allowing your body to more easily convert Tryptophan into serotonin, which equals a good night sleep. Combining pumpkin seed powder with a carbohydrate will also help increase absorption and availability in your body.
Acupuncture:
Insomnia is a very common complaint among my patients. Thankfully, Acupuncture is able to help. Insomnia has several different patterns in Traditional Chinese Medicine, each tailored to the individual. If you are waking up at a specific time each night, this corresponds to a specific organ and can indicate a body not in balance. By stimulating your parasympathetic system, we are enabling the body to enter a relaxed state thereby further inducing sleep. Patients often say that their sleep has improved following a treatment. From my experience, insomnia can be treated with a combination of regular Acupuncture treatments, diet, and lifestyle changes.
If you suffer from insomnia, instead of becoming dependent on sleep aides, consider natural options that do not cause side effects. How do you treat your insomnia?
Written By Registered Acupuncturist Kelsey Shaw
Sources:
1.http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/051116/dq051116a-eng.htm
2.http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/health-headlines/sleep-aid-from-the-pumpkin-patch-ontario-doctor-crates-all-natural-solution-1.1387065
3.http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/what-eat-deep-sleep
4. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-results-sleep-loss
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