A good night's sleep improves health, but what if sleep does not come easy for you? Headlines remind us how important sleep is, and doctor visits inevitably discuss how well you sleep. It is no surprise since sleep is the body's built-in system for restoration and repair. Many processes we rely on daily require sleep to rebalance and re-energize. Our mental health has a very intricate relationship with sleep. When we are deprived, we feel it with a lack of physical energy and mental stamina to manage stress and life's daily demands. Lack of sleep also threatens the body's physiological processes and can negatively affect blood pressure, decrease pain thresholds and even lead to weight gain.
No one goes out of their way to get as little sleep as possible, but life and its circumstances often get in the way of a good night of Z's. Daily stress can be just as challenging to manage as life's circumstances; there will always be stressors from work, health, family, etc. However, what is within our control is recognizing that we may not be handling day-to-day stress, which has now started affecting our sleep quality.
Unmanaged daily stress negatively affects the central nervous system, causing the body's neurons to keep firing well into the night long after the perceived threat has been removed. Everything from a stressful day at work to managing children and family life shows up unconsciously at night when the body is trying to heal.
Ashwagandha has fast become one of the most popular adaptogenic herbs to help manage stress by maintaining balance with the chemicals, hormones and processes that run the human body's stress response systems. Naturally occurring compounds in Ashwagandha have been shown to increase GABA levels in the brain significantly. The brain requires GABA to reduce the over-firing of neurons that cause stress, anxiety and nervousness. Ashwagandha has also been shown to induce sleep and positively interact with our circadian rhythm, regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Ashwagandha supplements can be taken during the day to help manage daytime stress and before bed to help produce a better night's sleep.
L-theanine is another popular supplement for managing mental stress. L-Theanine is an amino acid derived from green or black tea leaves and is linked to improved concentration, cognitive performance, memory retention and emotional well-being. It's best to take Theanine during the day to achieve this effect. L-Theanine also boosts calming neurotransmitters in the brain, helping to promote relaxation and lower brain chemicals associated with stress and anxiety. L-Theanine has a chill-like impact on the mind. It takes the edge off without making you drowsy. To achieve the chill-like benefits of L-Theanine, it can be taken before bed or used for individuals with an erratic sleep-wake schedule or who wake in the middle of the night.
Magnesium supplements are not revolutionary. Magnesium is one of the most popular and needed minerals to help the body perform hundreds of different enzymatic actions. However, as a sleep supplement, magnesium is often overlooked. Magnesium regulates GABA, which could help promote calm and act as a sedative to promote sleep. Some evidence suggests magnesium positively interacts with melatonin and the body's circadian sleep-wake cycles. Magnesium promotes muscle relaxation and reduces inflammation, coaxing muscles into a more sedate state and allowing for less interrupted sleep. Magnesium Threonate is a specially formulated magnesium for superior absorption and one of the few forms of this mineral that can cross the blood-brain barrier and get right to work.
Collagen is one of the hottest supplements, reported to be used for skin and joint repair, healing and enhancing health. So when Organika developed their Enhanced Collagen Relax and Enhanced Collagen Sleep, we were all in as one of our favourite supplements.
Enhanced Collagen Relax is a one-of-a-kind blend of stress-relieving magnesium and L-Theanine with amino-rich collagen. Benefiting not only hair, skin, nails, gut health and joints but also inducing a more relaxed, alert state. During the day, Enhanced Collagen Relax is an excellent option for clear thinking and concentration; it provides relaxation without drowsiness. It is also an excellent tonic to take when you get home from a stressful day to take the edge off and ease into your night.
Enhanced Collagen Sleep is formulated with the amino-rich enhanced collagen Organika is known for with the addition of GABA and Melatonin to support a deeper, more restful sleep.
If you are unsure what keeps you up at night, consider a combination formula such as Organika Bedtime. is a comprehensive formula that provides a "do not disturb" approach to sleep and enhances and protects all sleep systems. This herbal formula can ease nervous tension, quiet an overactive mind, shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and help you stay asleep longer, improving overall sleep quality.