Sleep: A Commodity You Can’t Afford to Lose

“. . .  sleep, ‘tis a blessed thing, beloved from pole to pole”

                                                 Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Depending upon which report you hear, 75-90% of all adults in the United States purportedly are “losing sleep” over the uncertain economy, and the detritus thereof.

We’ve all experienced it; suddenly we find ourselves awake in the middle of the night, with no promise of getting to sleep anytime soon.  On top of that, we find ourselves thrashing to and fro, thinking about everything from that next deal we’re going to close, or how we’re going to pay for little Johnny’s braces, or all of the above.

Certainly now, more than ever before, there are sleep medications out there that your doctor can prescribe for you to try.

The problem with that, however, is that for many people, the side effects are too difficult to cope with, and are as trying as lack of sleep.  “Julie” T, grandmother of 5, works two jobs every day; she owns her own cleaning business, and she delivers newspapers in the early, predawn hours.   In order to help her fall asleep early enough to compensate for her 3:00 a.m. wake up time, her doctor prescribed a popular sleep aid.

After taking it the first evening, Julie says, “My husband swears I came in to the living room, filled a pail of water, and told him I was going to soak my feet.  I have no memory of that conversation, at all.”  The rest of the sleep aid she was prescribed is sitting atop her medicine cabinet.

“Mona” bemoans the fact that she feels hung over if she takes the medication her doctor prescribed: “I simply do not wake up and feel alert until around noon.”  Like the rest of us, Mona doesn’t have the luxury of being distracted by fatigue until her workday is half over.

So what’s a stressed, 21st century American to do? Unfortunately, when we find ourselves strapped for time, sleep is the first thing we typically cut back on. This is a serious mistake. According to Prevention Magazine, a normal, healthy person can live for one month without food. But (here's a shocker) human beings die after only two weeks without sleep! The first night of sleep missed, we become tired and cranky. The second night, we suffer lack of concentration. And the third night, delirium sets in.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, which is located in the brain.  It helps regulate the sleep/wake cycle, or circadian rhythm.  For most people, melatonin begins to rise in the early to mid-evening hours, remains elevated through the night, then declines toward morning.  In a perfect world, that is.

The good news is that even if our bodies don’t produce the right amount of melatonin at just the right time, there’s an alternative.  A melatonin supplement may be just what the proverbial doctor ordered.  According to Dr. Corwin Petty, Northwest Arkansas internist, melatonin can act as a “natural” sleeping pill (who knew?) that induces sleep without many of the side effects produced by both prescribed and over the counter sleep aids.[1] Your doctor can advise you on the amount you should take.

In addition to the melatonin, try to incorporate some behavioral changes that support sleep.  Allow some time to "wind down" after a particularly stressful day or social occasion. Dim the lights, sip on some chamomile tea. If crochet or needlework helps you relax, work on a favorite project for awhile, or read a magazine or book. It's difficult to make an abrupt transition from party mode to mellow mode, so engage in quiet activities that will slowly quiet your mind before bed, and. . . sweet dreams. . .

By Rachel Stockton