I am the sort of person who bottles up my stress. I avoid conflict in general, and try to stay quiet. When I start to get stressed, I notice that my sleeping patterns go crazy. My life is fairly routine, and I try to follow the same schedule every week:

Monday/Wednesday - wake up at 7am, go to bed between 10pm and 11pm

Tuesday/Thursday = wake up at 6am, go to bed at 11pm-

Friday - wake up at 7am, go to bed between midnight and 2am

Saturday - Wake up between 8am and 10am, go to bed whenever

Sunday - No alarm clock, wake up by 11am, go to bed around 11pm

When I start to get stressed out, I can spend hours tossing and turning in bed while trying to fall asleep. I also wake up as many as five or six times a night. Each and every time I wake up, I start to get ready for class (thinking my alarm clock went off). I then have to convince myself that I still have a few hours to sleep. These problems can put a huge toll on your system. Not going into the deep sleep cycles can really mess up your day.

I saw my doctor last week, and got some non-prescription medicine advice for how to fall asleep, and stay asleep. I was given an article from Holistic Primary Care, Spring 2005 issue. The article lists a lot of different types of vitamins and other supplements that can improve sleep. Vitamin B12 is used in Japan to help restore normal sleep-wake patterns. However, in order to be effective, Vitamin B12 has to be administered in fairly high doses, on the scale of 3-5mg. Magnesium is considered to be one of the best nutrients for sleep aid. it is especially helpful for people who wake up repeatedly in the middle of the night. Melatonin is a supplement that many physicians are in debate about. Studies show that melatonin can improve sleep as well as daytime alertness. What is known about melatonin is that it is absorbed by the body very well. A 3mg tablet can raise melatonin levels in the body by a factor of 30.

I decided to try the melatonin, as it is readily available in the drug store, and it is fairly inexpensive. The first night I took the melatonin, I slept like a baby throughout the entire night. So it seems to be working.

So, if you are one of the 35% of Americans (according to Bettersleep.org) who are losing sleep due to stress, perhaps you should try one of these herbal supplements before jumping for the prescription drugs from your pharmacy. Please note that I am not a doctor, and if you are having sleep problems, you should consult your physician to discuss which treatment would be best for your you.

-Justin

[tags]Sleep, Stress, Vitamin, Prescriptions, jfcapasso[/tags]