Everyone does it – so why are we so bad at it?

Thomas Edison hated sleeping because he thought it was a waste of time – and it was one of the few areas where he was totally out to lunch. It wasn’t his fault, though. We know a lot more about sleep now than we did then. A good night’s sleep is crucial to immune health and long-term memory formation. You might be dreaming, but your body’s busy preparing you for another day.

You’d think that knowing the importance of sleep would help us take it more seriously, but sleep disorders are more common than ever. We sleep badly for a bunch of reasons, but one of the most common is irregular melatonin production levels. Melatonin is your natural timekeeper. The light-sensitive pineal gland regulates melatonin production throughout the day. High levels make you sleepy – and the pineal gland likes to boost your melatonin in the dark.

The pineal gland hasn’t quite caught up with the age of electric lighting. Artificial lights fool it and depress melatonin production. It’s no wonder Edison hated sleeping – all those light bulbs probably put him in the world’s worst sleep environment.

Natural Sleep Aids

You can use two methods to regulate your melatonin levels better. The first is obvious: Sleep in a dark place. Lower light levels around the house before you go to sleep. When you turn in, make sure to minimize indirect lighting. That glow from the bathroom light down the hall might depress your melatonin levels.

The second option is to take a melatonin supplement. It’s a proven sleep aid. Immunotec’s Concentrated Tart Montmorency Cherry Juice is a melatonin supplement that has several advantages over capsules or tablets. It’s naturally sourced, definitely tastier and you can prepare it however you like.

Not Just Sleep

Melatonin’s more than just a sleep aid. It’s an antioxidant that appears to influence proper immune functioning. Low melatonin levels are associated with immune deficiencies. Melatonin-depleted blood is associated with an increased risk of cancer, too, so supplementation does more than help you sleep – it might just help you live longer.

Tags: cherry concentrate, immunotec, melatonin, melatonin supplement, natural sleep aids, trouble sleeping

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 10:41 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.