Over half of Canada’s population has difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep and experiences stress-related sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome and insomnia. While this may not come as a shock to you based on the modern day chaotic lifestyle, it’s important to emphasize the serious and dangerous impact sleep deprivation has on health. The reason why so many people have difficulty sleeping is linked to high levels of stress. Ironically, a lack of sleep creates even more stress on the body- forming a vicious cycle that appears impossible to break.
How Sleep Deprivation Destroys Your Health
Aside from feeling groggy and far from refreshed, sleep deprivation has serious negative internal effects as well. When your body receives less than eight hours of quality, restful sleep each night, the following symptoms can result in a very short period of time:
- Increased cortisol levels (your stress hormone), which promotes midsection weight gain and craving for stimulants such as caffeine and sugar
- Impaired focus, memory and concentration
- A suppressed thyroid and/or a slowed metabolism
- Caffeine, alcohol and sugar dependency
- The impaired ability to repair and regenerate tissues and cells
- Digestive issues such as constipation, acid reflux and bloating
- In prolonged cases, adrenal fatigue and extreme burnout/exhaustion can result
In 2011, CBC News published an article calling lack of sleep a “global epidemic”. The article stated that according to the World Association of Sleep Medicine, 60% of Canadians feel tired most of the time and get less than seven hours of sleep each night. Since it seems our lifestyles have become increasingly busier since 2011 and continue to fuelled by caffeine, stress and sixty hour work weeks, we can only speculate that this percentage has increased. It’s no wonder we have difficulty turning off our mind when our heads hit the pillow.
Are Sleeping Pills the Solution?
Since sleep related problems could stem from many variables, such as finding the time to sleep, being able to fall asleep and the ability stay asleep, the most common and sensible solution seems to be strong prescription sleeping pills. And while sleeping pills can serve a positive purpose in the short term, they have undesirable side effects, the potential for addiction and often create long-term dependency. But it’s better to sleep than not to be sleep, isn’t it? This is where weighing the lesser of the evils becomes challenging. Yes, it’s better to sleep than not to sleep. But while sleeping pills induce sleep quickly and effectively, they tax your liver and cause new symptoms and dependency in the process.
What About Natural Alternatives?
Natural herbs and supplements are favourable for the body over prescription medication because they don’t cause nutritional stress or typically have any negative side effects. However, when someone has elevated and/or prolonged levels of stress, a single herb may not be strong enough alone to induce restful sleep. Furthermore, natural alternatives tend to have a slower, gradual mechanism of action that works well over longer periods of time with continued use. Since adequate sleep should be treated with a sense of urgency, this time frame is not ideal for someone who is suffering from prolonged sleep deprivation and stress. Finally: A Natural Sleep Supplement that Actually Works With the struggle to find an effective, fast-acting natural sleep supplement, we eventually discovered Sleep-FX. And after testing it for efficacy, we can’t rave about it enough. Sleep-FX is a 100% natural alternative to conventional sleeping aids that takes effect when taken within an hour before your desired bedtime. Sleep-FX has been carefully formulated with a unique blend of herbs that act as natural sedatives to create the strong drowsiness you need to fall asleep when your head hits the pillow. The reason Sleep-FX works so well despite being a natural formula is because of the ability of the ingredients to work synergistically. When taken individually, each herb or amino acid may not act strong enough to create quick drowsiness, but when combined they form a powerful natural sleep aid.
A Revolutionary Blend of Natural Ingredients for Restful Sleep
L-theanine and GABA are two key ingredients that allow Sleep-FX to act quickly on calming the nervous system to promote relaxation. L-theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid found in various foods and green tea and is well known for having a deep calming effect. GABA is a neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, and when GABA receptors are activated in the body your nervous system receives signals for relaxation and sleep. GABA has even been proven effective for patients with insomnia who are being treated in sleep clinics. Sleep-FX also contains melatonin, a hormone you may be familiar with. Melatonin is released in your pineal gland to regulate your sleep and wake cycle. Its release is triggered by darkness. The amount of melatonin you produce will depend on your age, your hormonal health and the amount of light you are exposed to. Melatonin can be taken on its own, but may have a stronger impact when combined with other natural ingredients. The herbal ingredients found in Sleep-FX are valerian, passionflower and lemon balm extract. Valerian originates from a flower and has been used traditionally in herbal medicine to reduce anxiety and help with insomnia. It’s not uncommon to see valerian mixed with lemon balm and other herbs that cause drowsiness to increase its ability to act as a sedative. Passionflower originates from Peru and has also been used traditionally as a sleep-aid and for anxiety relief. It’s often seen combined with valerian root in herbal supplements for stress relief and relaxation. Like passionflower, lemon balm has many uses for anxiety as well as restlessness and stress. Don’t give up on finally achieving restful sleep and waking up each morning feeling rejuvenated. With Sleep-FX as part of your nightly routine, you can count on falling asleep, experiencing an increased quality of your sleep and begin to watch the bags under your eyes disappear. Before you know it, you won’t even remember what coffee tastes like. Important Note: Always check with your doctor before introducing a new herbal supplement into your diet. Valerian may have negative side effects when mixed with certain prescription medications or alcohol.
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