IMPROVING YOUR SLEEP

Most young people sleep well: only around 10 per cent report regular sleep problems. But with increasing age more people, especially women, experience sleep disturbances. The amount of sleep that individuals need can vary greatly: some people require at least 8 hours, but other people can do as well with 6 hours. Scientific studies have shown that the quality of sleep changes with increasing age. Dreams become less frequent and the deep restorative sleep, revealed by slower brain activity, diminishes. In particular the secretion of the hormone melatonin may decline.

Physical changes can also be a factor. Bladder weakness, stiff or painful joints, the increased likelihood of disturbance from snoring, either yours or your partner's, all change the quality of sleep. Sleep can also be disturbed throughout life by anxiety and worry, which can be worse if you start to worry about not sleeping. If you have recently started to take medication and your sleep pattern has changed, you should discuss this with your doctor.

Natural Ways To Improve Sleep

• After the middle of the afternoon avoid stimulants such as alcohol, tobacco smoke and caffeine, which is found in tea, coffee, chocolate, carbonated soft drinks and certain over- the-counter medicines.
• Include tryptophan-rich food in your evening meal. Tryptophan enhances the production of serotonin in the body, a chemical that induces sleep. Tryptophan is best absorbed from a meal that is richer in carbohydrates than in protein and its converson to serotonin requires vitamin B6 and magnesium, so include bananas, nuts, seeds or green leafy vegetables.
• Go to bed and get up at regular times, even after a bad night. Wind down slowly before going to bed. Have a warm bath and add a few drops of calming aromatherapy oils to the water or sprinkle some onto your pillow. Use a pillow that contains herbs.
• If you or your partner snores heavily, talk to your doctor. A few people suffer from sleep apnoea, a condition in which breathing stops and which can cause dangerous drowsiness during the daytime. Surgry may cure the problem, and weight loss can help if you are overweight.
• Regular exercise can improve the quality of sleep.
• Use aids that help you sleep. Reading or listening to music or the radio can be valuable, as can autogenic relaxation. If you are disturbed by early sunlight, buy thicker curtains or install a blind or shutters. Use earplugs if you are disturbed by noise.

Foods That Provide A Good Proportion Of Tryptophan

Alfalfa - chicken

Beans and bean sprouts - fish

Beef - milk and milk products

Beetroot - nuts

Broccoli - oats

Brussels sprouts - spinach

Cauliflower - watercress

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, and should not be confused with melanin, which gives colour to the skin. The exact function of melatonin is poorly understood, but it is known to govern the internal 'clock' that regulates the secretion of a number of hormones, and to regulate sleep and wakefulness. The amount of melatonin produced can change with altered day length, which may be the reason why light therapy is beneficial in seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Melatonin supplements may improve the symptoms of jet lag. Chronic use of melatonin can cause depression. Dosae should be from 0.5 to 3.0mg and taken at bedtime. Government regulation of melatonin supplements varies from country to country.