Sleep better: these tips help you fall asleep
Do you often suffer from sleeping problems and wake up regularly during the night? Then you are one of around a third of Germans who have trouble sleeping.
This can be quite frustrating in the long run, because without sufficient rest you feel tired and listless in everyday life. Your health also suffers from a lack of sleep: the immune system is weakened and various illnesses - such as diabetes, high blood pressure or migraines - are favoured.
Table of contents
- Lack of sleep: when exactly do you suffer from sleep disorders?
- Sleep is important
- Lack of sleep leads to increased cortisol levels
- 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day is healthiest
- Melatonin - the gentle sleep aid
- Sleep better: nutrients for the night
- 6 tips for a better night's sleep
Sleep deprivation: when exactly do you suffer from insomnia?
Most people who have sleep disorders suffer from insomnia. As the name suggests, insomnia is characterised by too little sleep due to difficulty falling asleep and/or sleeping through the night or early morning awakenings. Sleep disorders can be caused by external factors such as noise or lighting conditions as well as organic complaints.
It should be noted that restless nights (due to personal problems or stress, for example) are also normal. However, if the sleep disturbances occur at least three times a week over a longer period of time, you should get to the bottom of them and see a doctor.
Sleep is important
Sufficient sleep is particularly important for our health. This is because hormones are released during the deep sleep phase that are responsible for both regeneration and tissue growth. In addition, certain substances (interleukins) are released that play a role in immune reactions. These inform the immune system that inflammation needs to be combated. If you don't get enough sleep, the immune system can no longer work properly, meaning you fall ill more often.
High levels of growth hormones during sleep also help to build muscle mass. Sufficient sleep therefore has apositive influence on muscle growth. If you sleep restlessly or too little, this means stress for your body. A lack of sleep causes the body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol, while testosterone levels in the body are often reduced at the same time. In the worst case scenario, the body even loses important muscle mass.
Lack of sleep leads to increased cortisol levelsCortisol is, however, necessary to prepare the body to wake up in the morning. This is why cortisol concentrations in the blood are highest in the morning and decrease again in the evening. If you sleep too little or are under constant stress, the cortisol level remains elevated even at night. If the levels are too high over a longer period of time, this can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and concentration problems.
In addition, information is processed by the brain during sleep. In the deep sleep phase, information is transferred to long-term memory and stored.
So only those who sleep well are fitter, more stress-resistant and more rested the next day.
7 to 8 hours of sleep a day is the healthiest
Scientists have found that 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day is the healthiest. Studies on cardiovascular disease and sleep found that people who slept 7 to 8 hours were significantly less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who slept less than 7 or more than 8 hours. This finding applies to both obesity and life expectancy. People who sleep an average of 7 to 8 hours live longer and also do not gain weight as quickly as the two comparison groups.
Here, of course, there are individual differences in how much sleep a person needs per day to be fit.
Melatonin - the gentle sleep aid
When the daily grind makes it difficult for you to rest, melatonin can help you fall asleep faster. The body's own sleep hormone controls the day-night rhythm as a messenger substance. Daylight inhibits the production of melatonin - you feel alert and fit. The hormone is produced in the dark and acts as a natural sleep signal. You become tired and can fall asleep easily. You can support this natural process with nutri+ melatonin drops . Melatonin helps to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. The positive effect is achieved by taking 1 mg of melatonin shortly before going to bed. The melatonin is broken down by the body overnight so that you wake up feeling rested and fit the next morning.
Sleep better: nutrients for the night
Do you already know our Sleep mode capsules? The special combination of nutrients with magnesium, the amino acids L-glycine and L-tryptophan as well as valerian root and hop flower powder will help you to sleep better. The capsules should be taken daily 15 minutes before bedtime
Tryptophan
The proteinogenic amino acid tryptophan is required for the production of serotonin. The so-called sleep hormone melatonin is then formed from serotonin. Melatonin regulates sleep and controls the day-night rhythm. It is therefore essential for optimal sleep.
Read more about tryptophan in the blog post Tryptophan - the amino acid for a good mood and healthy sleep.Magnesium
Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system. Studies show that people who have a magnesium deficiency are significantly more likely to suffer from sleep disorders. A study at Max Planck University showed that an additional intake of magnesium improved the quality of sleep in older people. The positive effects are due to the binding to the receptor of the neurotransmitter GABA GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid) is an important neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, which is formed both in the brain and in the pancreas. Various studies have shown that it has a calming effect, as it suppresses the transmission of stimuli in the brain and thus slows down stress signals or prevents them from being transmitted in the first place. If not enough magnesium is taken, the function of GABA is impaired. Magnesium is also involved in the conversion of serotonin. Serotonin is converted into melatonin as described above.
BaldrianThe essential oils in valerian inhibit certain messenger substances in the central nervous system and therefore have a calming effect. Valerian is said to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and prolong the deep sleep phase. 600-800 mg valerian per day is ideal for sleep disorders. Regular use is necessary, otherwise there will be no effect
.Hop blossom
Hop blossom was already used as a sleeping pill in the Middle Ages. The contained bitter substances are said to have a relaxing effect and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. Hop flowers are thought to have a similar effect to melatonin.
6 tips for better sleep
1. make sure you have a regular day and night rhythm. It is therefore best to always go to bed at around the same time, even at the weekend.
2. don't drink any caffeinated drinks from the afternoon onwards and avoid alcohol and nicotine.
3. exercise regularly, as this keeps you healthy and fit. But try not to do your sports session right before going to bed.
4. calm down half an hour before going to bed. For example, by listening to relaxing music, doing relaxation exercises or yoga and putting electronic devices to one side.
5 Ensure a pleasant temperature and dark lighting conditions in the bedroom.
6. take two capsules of our nutri+ sleep mode and/or six drops of the nutri+ melatonin drops around 15 minutes before going to bed every day.
Sleeping capsules vs. sleeping tablets
| nutri+ sleeping capsules | Common sleeping pills |
| natural | synthetic |
| over-the-counter | on prescription |
| well tolerated | quickly addictive |
| no side effects | various side effects |
| One disadvantage: regular intake is necessary for the effect to materialise | One advantage: immediate effect, but although falling asleep and waking up at night are improved, the deep sleep phases are reduced |
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