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You’ve heard it all before; sleep is important to overall health. But many women still fail to give themselves the sleep their body needs.
Women often take longer to fall asleep than men. In addition, women tend to be more sleep deprived and their risk for insomnia is increased. The reasons why women sleep differently than men are biological and physiological.
Hormones can be the cause
Estrogen plays an important role on sleep patterns in women. Women commonly suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia and restless leg syndrome and these disorders tend to coincide with hormonal changes. For instance, women are at an increased risk for developing insomnia at the beginning of menses and menopause. Pregnant women are at an increased risk for RLS, which increases with subsequent pregnancies. With the on-set of menopause, this risk increases two-fold.
The normal sleep of a woman can be affected by hormones especially during menses, perimenopause, post-menopause and pregnancy/lactation. This can lead to sleep disorders and disturbances during these periods. Some psychosocial issues can also affect sleep health in women. These include depression, stress, and pain.
The importance of quality and regular sleep cannot be over-stated. Women who suffer from sleep disturbances will also suffer from other consequences such as:
- Increased production of stress hormone
- An increase in inflammation in the body
- Weight gain
- An increase in fatigue during the day and short term memory loss
- An increase in the risk of cardiovascular conditions
- An increase in cravings for sweets
- Altered thyroid metabolism
- A decrease in melatonin and high evening cortisol levels which may also increase the risk of breast cancer
- A decrease in the production of HGH (human growth hormone)
Treatment Options
That being said, there are a number of supplements available today that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Many of these are homeopathic. Here are some of these supplements:
Magnesium Glycinate – The glycinate salt aids in relaxing all muscle tissue which will promote sleep. It also helps with muscle cramping and restless leg syndrome.
5-HTP – Assists with increasing serotonin. This helps with the regulation of sleep.
Melatonin Sustained Release – This helps to keep you asleep and prevent waking in the middle of the night.
Neurexan – This supplement is homeopathic and is taken 3 times over the evening to help regulate cortisol levels and promote a regular sleep cycle.
Benesom – This is a combination of passion flower, melatonin, and LactiumPure which will help to promote a relaxed and restful state.
Seditol – An extract of the ziziphus and magnolia plants, it will help to normalize DHEA and cortisol levels. It will also decrease fat deposition and increased appetite caused by stress. It works by helping to calm the mind so that you can fall asleep.
Relora – An extract of phellodendron and magnolia plants, this is used during the day to assist with calming excess cortisol production and will prevent elevated nighttime levels.
L-Theanine – This is an amino acid which is present in green tea. It can increase dopamine levels in the brain will help with insomnia and restlessness. This supplement acts by calming the mind and increasing alpha brain wave activity. This will promote a deeper sleep.
Somnolin – A combination of theanine, B vitamins and 5HTP, this promotes deep sleep to help keep you asleep.
Pasconal – A homeopathic remedy which works over time to assist with calming cortisol levels, nervousness, reducing exhaustion, and restlessness.
Sleep Tonight – An herbal blend which includes magnolia, ashwagandha, theanine, and phosphatidylcholine. The effect improves with use over several nights.
Serenagen – This supplement assists with calming a tired/wired mind so you can fall asleep.
Orthosleep – Taken before bedtime this will help to improve overall sleep.
AdrenaSmart – Taken during the day with a snack this product will assist with improved sleep.
If there are any further questions on this matter, visit or contact us today and our team will be happy to provide you with guidance and suggestions.
