It is estimated that 65 percent of American adults get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. If you’re one of them, there’s a good chance you weigh more, have higher stress levels, and suffer greater dissatisfaction with your personal relationships than your more sleep-savvy counterparts.
With our busy schedules, more and more people forsake a couple of hours sleep in order to work more or get more done throughout the day. Recent evidence suggests this may contribute to more than just a bit of drowsiness. Some additional effects of sleep deprivation include:
- Impaired memory
- Hypertension
- Decreased concentration
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Irritability
- Slower reaction time
- Slurred speech
- Tremors
Not only does lack of sleep have detrimental effects, but getting your eight hours can lead to positive physical changes, including weight loss. A recent experiment conducted by sleep and medical experts Michael Breus, PhD, and Steven Lamm, MD, found that getting seven and a half hours of sleep per night, without changing diet or exercise habits, can lead to weight loss. The experiment took place over a ten-week period, with one participant losing fifteen pounds simply by making over her sleep habits.
Not convinced? The folks at www.webmd.com did some research on this phenomenon and found that sleep deprivation causes an increase in the hormone ghrelin-an appetite stimulant-and a decrease in leptin-a hormone that signals your brain when you’re full, meaning that when you sleep less, you eat more. Given the variety of risks associated with an unhealthy body weight-such as diabetes and heart disease-there’s no doubt that increased importance should be placed on getting adequate rest.
Expertly-formulated, SleepEssence contains lavender, valerian, vetiver, and ruta essential oils , each with a rich history of promoting a restful night’s sleep:
Lavender: The Annals of French Pharmacology found that lavender affects the body similarly to powerful sedatives.
Valerian: Has one of the longest histories of reducing stress and mitigating anxiety.
Vetiver: One of the most studied herbal sedatives, this oil has been shown to improve sleep quality.
Ruta: Gary Young has used the essential oil of Ruta graveolens at the Clinica Nova Vita in Ecuador and found that it has properties that may help promote the onset of sleep.
In addition to Young Living Therapeutic Grade( YLTG) essential oils, SleepEssence contains melatonin, another natural sleep aid. Dr. Dan Purser, MD, author of the physician’s textbook Program 120 A Physician’s Handbook on Proactive Preventive Medicine, consulted with Young Living when SleepEssence was in the developmental stages. Dr. Purser feels that, “Natural solutions should always be a first choice:’ And according to Dr. Purser, melatonin-one of the ingredients in SleepEssence and a chemical made by the brain-not only naturally encourages sleep, but also works in conjunction with the essential oils in this supplement to do more than just help you get some rest.
“Melatonin can decrease the risk of breast cancer, lower blood pressure, cure insomnia, and is safe to take and doesn’t interact with anything;’ Dr. Purser says. He continues, “It’s also good for restless leg syndrome, especially in conjunction with valerian root, and is great for people under stress when combined with lavender and valerian:’
Containing a mixture of YLTG essential oils renowned for their sleep-enhancing benefits and naturally-occurring melatonin, SleepEssence is the natural, essential oil-infused way to ensure you’re getting the rest your body needs.
IN ADDITION TO INCORPORATING A NATURAL SLEEP AID INTO YOUR ROUTINE , THESE TIPS MAY HELP YOU GET THE REST YOU NEED:
- Exercise
- Reduce caffeine intake
- Drink plenty of water
- Regulate your sleep schedule
- Don’t nap
- Unwind before bed
FINALLY, IF YOU DO DECIDE TO TAKE A SLEEP SUPPLEMENT:
Avoid over-the-counter sleeping aids: Most nonprescription sleep drugs rely on antihistamines, which have sedative side effects and make you drowsy. While they work for some people, about one in four people has side effects, including dry mouth, dizziness, urinary retention, constipation, nausea, blurred vision, or increased heart rate.
