8.25.2012

Are You Getting 8 Hours of Sleep?

I'm not a morning person.  I'm the type who can stay up late until dusk... just don't let me go hungry!  I'm also not the type who can just doze off anywhere.  It takes some time for me to get sleepy.
Wish I could sleep like a baby!
When I was still single, I'm able to get my 8 hours on most days.  After I had kids and started doing some work from home, I'd be content with a full 6-hour sleep.  Less than that, I'd be a zombie the rest of the day... sluggish and unproductive.  You get the picture.

For the past year, I've been more active on social media for both my personal blog and for projects on the side.  During the day, I attend to my various responsibilities on the homefront and with the business.  But my early mornings and late evenings are mostly spent online.  I've long recognized that I am sleep deprived. Not good.

To illustrate, here are some general effects of sleep deprivation, all of which I have experienced and continue to experience:
  1. daytime sleepiness
  2. aching muscles
  3. memory lapses, forgetfulness
  4. headaches
  5. impaired attentiveness and alertness
  6. sallow skin
  7. dark circles and puffy eyes, or "eye bags"
  8. hand tremors
  9. malaise (an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness - from Merriam-Webster)
  10. stimulates cravings of high-carb, high-fat foods
A few times, my headaches become so bad it almost make me puke. Migraine? Maybe.  And of course, my omnipresent raccoon eyes are hopeless.  My husband, on the one hand, is an early riser.  However, he experiences disrupted sleep.  Sometimes, he'll wake up middle of the night, or before dawn.  So he gets an average of 6 hours as well.

To remedy, all I do is to try to sleep as early as I can. But I'd be tossing and turning for at least an hour before I could fall asleep.

We never turned to any form of medication.  We don't even know what to take - not until Health Express tapped me for this post and sent me a bottle of Melatonin supplement weeks ago.  I looked it up and was pleased to find out that it will actually help our sleeping problems!  To be honest, I never knew melatonin is widely used by people suffering from insomnia.  I'm so clueless! Of course, after I showed it to J, he remembered it was the same stuff that our friend suggested he take for him to sleep better.  Melatonin is it.  Perfect timing.
SRP @ PhP 285.00 / bottle of 60 tablets

Benefits of Melatonin:
  • acts as natural sleep aid
    • helps with sleep disorders like acute insomnia and Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS), a condition in which people have trouble falling asleep
    • also helps with jetlag
  • a neurohormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland at night
    • regulates our sleep pattern - the sleep-wake cycle
    • also helps regulate menstrual cycle
  • a powerful antioxidant supplement (it's not an herb or vitamin) that help strengthen immune system that can even help inhibit cancer growth
  • a preventive treatment for migraines and cluster headaches
  • has anti-aging effects 
Note that it's best to take 2.5 - 10mg melatonin 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime.  It will make you sleepy.  Therefore, don't take it during the day, or before driving.

For almost a month now, both of us are taking one tablet of Melatonin before bedtime.  So far, it's been very effective in making me sleep faster, and more soundly.  I'm hitting 7 good hours now.  I believe I had been suffering from DSPS (as described above).  As for J, he's had better uninterrupted sleep for days.  In effect, we are more refreshed and energized during the day.  I am still hoping I can get back my 8-hour sleep cycle. =)

All of us need to get enough quality sleep, for better overall health. For someone like me who has difficulty falling asleep, melatonin is the answer.

Do you have a similar experience? What do you do about it?

It's always best to consult your doctor before taking any supplements or medications. Learn more about melatonin here.

Be a Health Express Card Platinum member and get 20% discount on all regular products!
Pay only PhP450 annual membership fee. Plus, get 15% discount on all Pascual products and receive monthly newsletter updates and health tips.

Like Health Express on Facebook:  facebook.com/HealthExpressPhilippines
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Find the right supplements for you at www.healthexpressph.com

For inquiries, call their Customer Service Hotline: (02) 892-7978/ (02) 846-9364
Get some Melatonin, and other supplements at Health Express, your natural store.
Alabang:
  Makati Supermarket, Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City - Tel.: 842-4332
  013 L-3 Festival Supermall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City - Tel.: 850-4069
Makati:  2/F Glorietta 3, Ayala Center - Tel.: 892-7978
Quezon City:
  Eastwood City Walk 2 - Bagumbayan, Quezon City - Tel.: 687-3799
  Level 2 #0214 Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao - Tel.: 911-4763
  Stall F01 Shopwise, Don Antonio, Commonwealth - Tel.: 931-8853
San Juan:  S-1030 Ground Floor, Shoppesville Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Center - Tel.: 571-5719
Bacolod:  Robinsons Supermarket, Lacson St. Mandalagan - Tel.: (034) 441-1000
Cagayan:  Level 2 Robinsons Big R Supercenter, CDO - Tel.: (088) 8520400
Cebu:
  Stall 215, 2nd Level Ayala Center - Tel.: (032) 231-6575
  2103-A Northwing, SM City - Tel.: (032) 236-6486
Davao:  Lower Ground Level, Gaisano Mall - Tel.: (082) 297-6528

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_deprivation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/10-surprising-results

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