What is Sleep?

What comes to mind when we think of the word sleep? Most people will comment that they both sleep great and get plenty of it or more common they never seem to get enough and the quality of their sleep leaves a lot to be desired. The importance of sleep is something we all know but what actually happens when we sleep?

Wikipedia says that sleep is a heightened anabolic state, accentuating the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems.  So then as we sleep our body rejuvenates in both mind and body!

There are numerous scientific studies have shown the effects of sleep deprivation on working memory. Working memory is important because it keeps information active for further processing and supports higher cognitive functions such as decision making, reasoning and episodic memory.

REM sleep or deep sleep has four levels. It is important to reach all four levels to have beneficial recuperative sleep. If a person takes a medication for sleep it will certainly alter their consciousness but produce something more like a coma state than actual sleep. Sleep is an active state of mind. This is why people often comment that they wake up groggy or feeling not themselves after taking a pharmaceutical sleep aid.

Cortisol levels play a big part in a person obtaining a good night’s sleep.  If a person has adrenal fatigue their cortisol levels become unbalanced and sleep becomes more elusive.  Allergens and toxicity can also play a big role in sleep. For example if someone has a wheat or dairy allergy and continues to eat these foods the body will produce more inflammation making them more toxic. This toxicity in turn will interfere with the hypothalamus, adrenal, pituitary axis, causing more sleep difficulties.

Fortunately there are some natural remedies that can help. I highly recommend the Lifewave Glutathione patch as the best remedy for gently removing toxins from the body. This is a small bio-energetic patch that you wear on your body three times a week. It causes the body to manufacturer more glutathione. Glutathione is a super anti-oxidant that is important for life and longevity. Calming of the mind is often helped with a product by Neuroscience called Kavinace. Kavinace contains amino acids that help calm a racing mind. Travacor also by Neuroscience increases serotonin production which converts into melatonin that is essential for sleep.

Of course all of these products will not do much good if one does not make some lifestyle changes. It is important to have the same bed time every night just like when you were a child! Eating healthy foods and avoiding high allergen foods such as wheat, soy and dairy will keep toxins at a minimum. Keeping a pad and pen by your bed at night and writing down your thoughts before sleep can quell that racing mind. Taking responsibility for your health and not waiting until your body is in crisis mode will make all the difference in a long healthy and prosperous life. We had OVitaminPro wish you sweet dreams and goodnight!