You know the drill. The blaring alarm jars you from your few minutes of sweet slumber after you’ve been tossing and turning much of the night. You’ve already hit the snooze button twice. The clock’s display: 6:21 a.m. You know if you don’t get up right this minute, you’ll be late again. But you’re still tired.

You hesitantly peel yourself from that warmly embracing mattress. You hardly feel excited about the long day ahead, full of responsibilities and deadlines. But that’s morning and that’s life. Isn’t this how everyone feels?

It is the way many of us feel because we’re not getting enough quality sleep.

Overall Health

A lack of good sleep plays an important role in our overall health and the aging of our bodies. Increasingly, many scientific studies show associations between lack of sleep and health problems:

• Increased risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems.
• Overeating and weight gain, especially belly fat.
• Mental decline and memory problems.
• Increased risk of viral infections and decreased immune response.
• Impaired ability of the body to use insulin.
• Serious tolls on our mental outlook and even our rate of aging.

Lack of sleep simply makes us look older, feel older and actually be older than we really are.

Sleep Solutions

Most likely, though, there’s a solution to your sleep problems within easy reach.

Sleep difficulties usually result from stress, tension, anxiety or depression. Today’s hectic lifestyle has overstimulated and overwhelmed the human nervous system. Poor diet, alcohol and caffeine-containing foods and beverages only add to the difficulties.

Understanding The Body’s Natural Sleep Cycles

Sleep occurs in a series of cycles. Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes and, on average, we have five or six cycles during a night of normal sleep.

During each 90-minute cycle of sleep, we enter two major states: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and non-REM sleep. There are four stages of sleep in non-REM, plus stage 5, REM sleep:

• Stages 1 and 2 — Light sleep
• Stage 3 — Deep sleep
• Stage 4 — Deep sleep
• Stage 5 — REM sleep

Even more important than REM are the deep sleep stages 3 and 4. During deep sleep, the body produces growth hormone. The benefits of this hormone are numerous:

• Restores physical energy.
• Increases blood flow to the muscles.
• Improves immune system function.
• Boosts repair of internal organs, skin and muscles.
• Supports memory, reasoning and reaction time.
• Drops blood pressure and heart rate.
• Increases lean body mass and decreases abdominal fat.

My Best Tips for Falling Asleep Fast

• Get physical.
  Exercising regularly in late afternoon or early evening is an excellent way to make your body tired and to encourage sleep.

• Pick a bedtime that works for you.
  Decide what time you need to go to bed in order to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep.

• Develop a sound sleep ritual.
  We all have a sleep ritual whether we realize it or not. This is the routine you follow every night before going to bed.

• Pay attention to what you eat.
  You can’t fall asleep if you’re hungry. But eating too much disrupts sleep. Avoid large or heavy meals within two to three hours before bedtime.

• Avoid stimulants before bedtime.
  Avoid snacks high in tyramine, a substance that stimulates your brain and perks you up. Foods high in tyramine include cheddar cheese, chocolate, wine, potatoes, ham, bacon, sausage, sugar and tomatoes.

• Banish technology from the bedroom.
  Your bedroom is for sleeping and sex. Period.

• Adjust your body temperature.
  Try a relaxing, hot bath before bedtime to bring on sleepiness.

• Sleep in total darkness.
  Your body depends on the release of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone, to carry you into deep delta sleep. Light disrupts the secretion of melatonin.

My Best Tips for Staying Asleep

• Don’t be a clock-watcher.
  When you awaken, there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to fall back asleep while watching the clock.

• Keep distractions to a minimum.
  If you find yourself awake for 15 minutes or longer, get up and move to another room.

• Above all — don’t fret it.
  Come back to bed when you feel tired. Don’t stress out about wakefulness.

The Best Natural Sleep Supplements

Store shelves are loaded with natural sleep aids claiming to be effective in promoting sleep. But I have identified four all-natural sleep ingredients that truly stand out from the rest. All are proven effective and safe through clinical trials.

5-HTP
Stress, poor diet and lack of exercise all affect the brain’s ability to produce enough serotonin to get regenerating deep sleep. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that controls mood, appetite and sleep. 5-Hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP) effectively raises serotonin levels in the brain.
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Passionflower
Passionflower was widely used by the Aztecs as a pain reliever and sedative to promote sleep.

It has been discovered that passionflower actually enhances the actions of 5-HTP. At the same time, it contains compounds that protect serotonin from breaking down.

Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural hormone made by our brains. Higher levels of melatonin in your body improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Valerian root
Valerian root is widely used in folk medicine as a sedative and relaxant. Clinical studies abound demonstrating valerian’s ability to relieve sleeplessness and improve sleep quality.

Putting all the sleep pieces together is certain to take the frustration out of trying for a good night’s sleep. Sleep answers usually are hidden in your daily routine. Take a close look. You owe it to yourself to start enjoying the deep and rejuvenating sleep your body and mind deserve!