Insomniacs

There are days that I can’t go to sleep for the life of me.  I always figure that if I just go to bed, and lay there, that eventually, my eye lids will close, and sleep will overtake me.  That is not always the case.  Whether it is because of multiple combat tours, and all the details that come with combat, or, the day-to-day events that take place, and add stress to my daily life, a lack of sleep has a direct effect on my day, if not my entire week.  I never feel like I am able to “catch up” on sleep, and therefore I feel tired all the time.

  The science behind the ability to sleep falls on Melatonin. Melatonin, besides being a sleep hormone, is a very powerful antioxidant, anti-aging agent, immune-regulator, anti-depressant and sexual dysfunction regulator.

  As we spend more and more time in bright light, which inhibits the production of Melatonin, the ability to get on a sleep schedule gets further and further from our goals.  This body produced drug can also provide benefits against the production of cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease, as it keeps the neurotransmitters in the brain from becoming tangled, allowing for memory and the blockage of the tau protein to continue at a normal living rate, and reducing memory loss. 

  Now, I won’t lie to you, I do take an over-the-counter sleep aid to assist in my sleep, because it also contains some key ingredients that assist in other areas of my life, that have a direct effect on my sleep patterns, and it is all natural with no side effects.  The sleep aid that I take has the following ingredients:

A.      Valerian, which studies show produces significant improvement in sleep quality and relieves stress related insomnia and Anxiety.

B.     Hops, which are beneficial in relieving symptoms of agitation including restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, nervous tension, and irritability.  It is also a mild sedative.

C.     Passion Flower, which helps to relieve pain associated with day-to-day work.

According to Endocrine, Because enhanced oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the aging process and chronic diseases, the administration of melatonin may become a promising, safe, and effective intervention strategy to slow aging and the initiation and progression of age-related disorders.

  So, now, I take my sleep aid about a half hour before going to sleep, slip on my CPAP mask, and drift into a quality of sleep that I would not normally get.