A good night sleep

By Steve VanWilliams

Having a good night sleep is one of the most important and very over looked building blocks for optimal health. We all need it and most of us do not get it, or enough. While there is no proven scientific data that says exactly how many hours we need, each person is different. The needs are primarily based on two factors. One that is called basal sleep or need. Which mean the amount of sleep our bodies need on a regular basis for optimal health. The other is called sleep debt. The accumulated sleep that is lost due to poor habits. While me may not know what the magic number is for us, we do know that if you do not get a good night sleep it can lead to several alarming health factors.

• A greater likelihood of obesity due to an increased appetite caused by sleep deprivation
• Increased risk of diabetes and heart problems
• Increased risk for psychiatric conditions including depression
• Decreased ability to pay attention, react to signals or remember new information

A few factors may contribute to a poor night sleep. Stress, vitamin deficiencies, lack of exercise, lack of potassium. I am sure there are other, but these are a few you may want to look into. So how do we get a good night sleep? A few ways that have always helped me, especially through very stressful are the following.

• A nice strong brewed Chamomile tea before bed
• No carbs at night time or for dinner 
• Eat 3 - 4 hours before bed
• Take a walk after dinner
• On the worst times a melatonin supplement