The secret to a long life may come with just enough sleep. Less than five hours a night is probably not enough; eight hours is probably too much. The best survival was seen in women who slept 5-6.5 hours, women who slept less than five hours a night or more than 6.5 hours were less likely to be alive at the 14-year follow-up.
Sleep often takes a backseat to parenting, a career that requires long hours, or the aging process. New research suggests that sacrificing slumber is a bad trade-off.
The amount of sleep we get also has a correlation to our immune system. Surveys of 22,000 Americans show that people who slept five hours or less on average weeknight were 28 percent more likely to have had a cold in the past month than those who averaged at least seven hours. Worse still, Reuters.com reports, the sleep-challenged subjects were 82 percent more likely to report battling the flu, pneumonia, or an ear infection.
The study doesn’t prove that sleep loss increases susceptibility to infections, but researchers note that sleep deprivation does hinder infection-fighting white blood cells. Moreover, people who are chronically tired may also be less likely to exercise or follow a healthy diet. Says study author Aric Prather, “It is our hope that this work will help raise the profile of sleep as a critical health behavior.”
We all remember what it was like when we were younger and “slept like a baby”. Unfortunately as we age, physical and mental changes occur that affect our sleep patterns dramatically. About half of all adults over the age of 65 have some sort of sleep disorder. It is not clear if it is a normal part of aging or a result of medications that older people commonly use.
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry recently published that older adults with poor sleep habits have an altered immune system response to stress that may increase their risk for mental and physical health problems. Stress leads to significantly larger increases in a marker of inflammation in poor sleepers compared to good sleepers; a marker associated with poor health outcomes and death.
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As we age, sleep seems to become more of an issue. As the research indicates – too much or too little of a good thing is not healthy. It has long been known that Melatonin is an excellent natural sleep aide that serves as a synchronizer of our internal clock. It is also a produces powerful antioxidant activity in the body.
Of course, as mentioned above, stress and worry contribute to our inability to get a good night sleep.
Many of you know the power of Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. The neurotransmitter tryptophan is a precursor. It is a superior antioxidant that also helps restore sleeping patterns.
The NIH (National Institute of Health) has found that generally, administering 0.5 to 50 mg of Melatonin can help an individual fall asleep. Some studies suggest sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) is reduced when Melatonin is taken 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. This is true for adults over 18.
Low levels of Melatonin in humans have been associated with depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia, some seizure disorders, and other conditions.
Fortunately, Melatonin supplements can safely and effectively restore balance to the body’s circadian rhythm of this important hormone—helping achieve a restful night’s sleep and keeping your biological clock ticking throughout a long, healthy life span.
Melatonin is a powerful and versatile antioxidant produced within the body. Melatonin protects both lipids and proteins against damage, and can scavenge some of the most dangerous free radicals in the body—including hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide.
Unlike other antioxidants, Melatonin easily diffuses into all cells, and even crosses the blood-brain barrier to protect the delicate brain.
If you are experiencing a lack of sleep in the nocturnal hours, you may want to consider our Melatonin Capsules (3mg) or for those that have been encouraged by their doctor or health practitioner, we have Super Melatonin Drops that provide up to 50 mgs per dropper.