Wellness Blog
The content on this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine or taking new supplements.
Tips to get restful sleep at night
Have trouble sleeping? Sleep is vital for staying healthy. It aids in the recovery and restoration of the body and the brain's functions. Not getting enough sleep can result in poor mental performance and physical well-being.However, getting a good night's sleep presents its own set of challenges. Sleeping disorders and problems occur in 4 out of 10 Australians (1), but there are measures that can be taken to improve the quality of sleep we receive. Having good sleeping habits and tweaking your lifestyle a bit can significantly make your nights more comfortable.How to sleep wellHere are a few tips you can follow to get more refreshing sleep at night:Tip #1: Stick to a good scheduleTry to aim for at least 7 hours of sleep to avoid lack of sleep and to get better quality of sleep. Getting used to a regular bedtime makes it easier to prime your body for sleep. To have your measure of healthy sleep every night, you will need to reset your sleep-wake cycle.It is recommended to keep to the same hours of bedtime as a person's sleeping cycle can be affected by plenty of factors, including changes in each season. Some sleep cycles last longer during the winter, with summer having shorter cycles (2). Keep a sleep schedule and tuck yourself in at the same time everyday.Tip #2: Clear your mindIt is more difficult to sleep if your mind remains busy. For instance, even if you aren't doing work in bed, continuing to think of work keeps you awake. Instead of lying down in bed and thinking of work, try writing down everything you need for tomorrow and leave it at that. Close to bedtime or about 30 minutes prior, pull down your blinds and keep your room dark and comfortable, put on some soothing meditative music, plus a diffuser with lavender oils works like magic in getting those eyelids to droop. Be indulgent about making a fuss over your sleep routine. Sleep hygiene is putting yourself first, ahead of all distractions and optimizing your sleep schedule. Follow the simple routine enumerated above to ensure you have no disrupted sleep or encounter none of the sleep problems.It can also help to do some relaxing exercises. You do not need to stand up for these. Keep a relaxed body, wiggle your toes, and gently move around your arms and legs. You can also consider meditation to help with mindfulness. Focusing on breathing or the classic sheep counting may also help you ease into a good night's rest.Tip #3: Reduce screen timePart of how to sleep better is letting go of distractions. It is a good idea to keep cell phones, laptops, televisions, and anything with a screen away if it isn't urgent. Staring into the bright light from a screen can delay and decrease total sleeping time (3). This is due to the psychological stimulation caused by the exposure to light, which keeps the brain alert and awake (4).Tip #4: Be mindful about what you consumeThe food you eat is known to affect the quality of your sleep you receive (5). Consuming fruit, fatty fish, and milk can significantly improve your sleep duration. This is due to certain vitamins like vitamin D and B-group vitamins which help in serotonin production, which provides better sleep quality (6). And definitely no big meals before bedtime. A light, fulfilling supper at least a few hours before bed, works well to prevent the brain from interpreting it to be time for wakefulness.Taking herbal tea may also be helpful. For instance, some people take Ashwagandha, a plant extract found in tea, for better sleep. Ashwagandha is used in Ayurvedic medicine as a multipurpose treatment. It promotes refreshing sleep because of its alkaloids, which are considered to be a sedative (7). This sleep medicine can also be taken in the form of supplements to help you get a good night's rest.Getting a good night's sleep can be tough. But Vitable has you covered! Ashwagandha for sleep comes recommended by medical practitioners as a safe choice to get you back to bed. You now get the chance to customise your vitamin packs to help you sleep better at night. If you're looking for delivery as well, we cover this in the personalised vitamin package. Get to know more about Ashwagandha and its great effects on your sleep, stress, and overall quality of life.References: Healthdirect. Sleep. Healthdirect. Published August 2020 on https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/sleep. Accessed September 12 2021. Banks, Siobhan & Dinges, David F. Behavioral and physiological consequences of sleep restriction. National Institutes for Health. Published August 15 2007 on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17803017/. Accessed September 12 2021. Hale, Lauren & Guan, Stanford. Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review National Institutes for Health. Published June 2015 on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25193149/. Accessed September 12 2021. Munezawa, et al. The association between use of mobile phones after lights out and sleep disturbances among Japanese adolescents: a nationwide cross-sectional survey. National Institutes for Health. Published August 1 2014 on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21804663/. Accessed September 12 2021. St-Onge, Mikic, Pietrolungo. Effects of Diet on Sleep Quality. National Institutes for Health. Published September 7 2016 on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015038/. Accessed September 12 2021. Hansen et al. Fish consumption, sleep, daily functioning, and heart rate variability. National Institutes for Health. Published on May 15 2014 on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24812543/. Accessed September 12 2021. Vitable. Ashwagandha Plus. Vitable. Published (n.d.) on https://research.get.vitable.com.au/ashwagandha-plus. Accessed September 17 2021.
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What Is REM Sleep & How To Get More Of It
Do you know what REM sleep is? Or what healthy bedtime habits you should have to ensure a good night's sleep? Let's uncover everything you need to know about REM sleep together, so you feel energised from a good night's sleep every day.
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What happens if you don't get enough sleep? Sleep deprivation effects and top tips for quality sleep
Until the 1950s, most people thought of sleep as a passive, dormant part of our daily lives (1). Today, we understand that our brains remain active during sleep, and that sleep is essential to forming memories, and keeping our brains healthy. Read on to learn more about sleep, sleep deprivation effects, and what you can do to get optimal rest.How sleep worksThere are four stages of sleep, divided into two categories; REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM.Stage 1 non-REM sleep is the lightest stage as the body's muscles and breathing activity start to relax. During stage 2 non-REM sleep, you enter deeper sleep and your body's heart rate and temperature drop. Considered the deepest stage of sleep, stage 3 non-REM has the greatest arousal threshold. If someone is awoken during this stage, they will experience a phase of mental fogginess and have moderately impaired have mental performance for 30 minutes to an hour (2).Stage 4, also known as REM (rapid eye movement) is when brain activity peaks during sleep. During this time, most of the body, except the eyes and breathing muscles experience temporary paralysis. Although dreams can happen during any stage, the most intense dreaming takes place during REM sleep. The REM sleep stage is believed to be essential for the brain in enhancing learning and memory (4).How the body regulates sleepThe body has two biological mechanisms that tell the body it needs to sleep. Circadian rhythms control your timing of sleep and cause you to be sleepy at night as well as your tendency to wake in the morning without an alarm, in tune with your body clock (5). This is best described by the feeling of increased energy in the morning while under the daylight and sleepiness at night especially after we turn the lights off.Sleep-wake homeostasis is the body's internal sleep tracker. The homeostatic sleep drive reminds the body to sleep after a certain time and regulates sleep intensity. This sleep drive gets stronger every hour you are awake and causes you to sleep longer and more deeply after a period of sleep deprivation (6).Adults are recommended to get at least seven hours of sleep (7). But besides the number of hours, there are also other factors that affect our sleep quality. Poor sleep quality leads to easily interrupted sleep and fatigue while awake. Sleep deprivation effects can be caused by bad sleeping habits or even sleep disorders. For the latter, seeking medical treatment may be helpful.Sleep deprivation effectsAccording to the Sleep Health Foundation, four out of ten Australian adults experience poor sleeping quality (13). Loss of sleep may result in the following:Reduced mental performanceNot getting enough or good quality sleep can lead to experiencing problems like grogginess, tiredness, and reduced mental performance.Health concernsPoor sleeping habits can negatively impact blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and blood sugar levels. Inadequate sleep can also result in psychological conditions.Workplace problemsIn the workplace, sleep deprivation may result in loss of productivity due to fatigue. It may even lead to absenteeism, as a worker has to take time off to recover from poor sleep habits (13). Another possible result is workplace injuries due to the lack of focus that arises from less sleep (13).Tips on how to sleep betterCreate a relaxing bedtime environmentStress during bedtime can come from several sources and encourage the heart rate and blood pressure to increase (7). Try taking a warm bath an hour or two before bed. When you wake, make sure to get some natural light in your room to tell your body clock: it's time to wake. This will also tell your brain to hold off on producing melatonin until it gets darker and it's time to sleep again. Always remember that consistency is the key.Exercise regularlyThe connection between sleep and exercise has been well studied over the years. Major sleep deprivation effects can be mitigated with regular exercise that promotes better sleep quality and even increase the amount of time a person sleeps (8).Opt for supplementationYou can ensure the body receives sufficient nutrients through a well-balanced and healthy diet plan. Supplementation can help you achieve your daily requirements of these nutrients when paired with a well-rounded diet. Ashwagandha has been used in Ayurvedic (Indian) and Chinese medicine as a natural remedy for sleep, stress and overall vitality.Ashwagandha's herbal substance aids in reducing the time taken to sleep and promotes better sleep quality. It naturally contains alkaloids that act as a sedative and help in reducing sleep deprivation effects.Ashwagandha also contains the active sleep-inducing component triethylene glycol in its leaves. This component was seen to induce significant non-REM sleep, as well as slight changes to REM sleep (14).Vitable Australia's Ashwagandha only uses high quality plant extracts, made using gentle solvents. Take the expert quiz and learn how ashwagandha can support your sleep as part of your Vitable custom supplements. What's better, our services also come with vitamin delivery where you can get your vitamin packs anywhere in Australia.*Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Vitamin and/or mineral supplements should not replace a balanced diet.References: American Sleep Association. What is Sleep and Why is It Important? Published on https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/what-is-sleep/. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. Aakash K. Patel, Vamsi Reddy, John F. Araujo. Physiology, Sleep Stages. NCBI. Updated April 22, 2022 on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. Eric Suni, John DeBanto. How Sleep Works. Sleep Foundation. Updated Oct 23, 2020 on https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Sleep, Learning and Memory. Published Dec 18, 2007 on http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. NIH. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. Published on https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. NIH. Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. Published on https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much Sleep Do I Need? Published on https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. Danielle Pacheco. “Exercise and Sleep”. Sleep Foundation. Published Jan 22, 2021 on https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/exercise-and-sleep. Accessed on Oct 27, 2021. Mayo Clinic. Sleep Disorders. Published on https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354018. Accessed Oct 27, 2021. Sleep.Org. How Sleep Works. Published Mar 12, 2021 on https://www.sleep.org/how-sleep-works/. Accessed Oct13, 2021. Christopher E. Kline, Ph.D. “The bidirectional relationship between exercise and sleep: Implications for exercise adherence and sleep improvement”. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Published Nov1, 2015 on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341978/. Accessed on Oct 27, 2021. Kumar, A., Kalonia, H.. Protective effect of Withania somnifera Dunal on the behavioral and biochemical alterations in sleep-disturbed mice. Indian Journal of experimental biology, Published 2017 on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17585686. Accessed Oct 27, 2021 Sleep Health Foundation. Asleep on the job: Costs of inadequate sleep in Australia. Published August 2017 on https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/files/Asleep_on_the_job/Asleep_on_the_Job_SHF_report-WEB_small.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2021 Kumar, A., Kalonia, H. Effects of Withania somnifera on Sleep-Wake cycle in Sleep-Disturbed Rats: Possible GABAergic Mechanism. Published November 2008 on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3040882/ . Accessed Nov 24, 2021
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