Wouldn’t You Like To Sleep Like A Baby?

Ah, the blessing of sleep. Some people can just doze off immediately when their heads hit the pillow. They sleep peacefully, straight through the night.

Others have fitful sleep because of racing minds or thoughts about problems. Many have chronic insomnia, and get terrible sleep most nights of the week. In either case, when they wake, the feel like they haven’t had any sleep at all.

Sleep is a crucial part of our 24-hour jam-packed days. We need sleep to recharge our bodies and our minds. In Dr. Tenpenny’s recent substack, The Blessing of Sleep, she wrote about a system in the brain’s anatomy called the glymphatic system. This system cleanses the brain and primarily operates ONLY when we sleep. The physiology of sleep studies the fact that sleep acts as a daily reset for our brains. Our need for sleep is like our need for food and water. Sleep recharges our body, mind, and spirit.  It is a way for us to be replenished.

Find what works best for you. For Dr. T, she gets comfortable, snuggles up with Teegan (her love-bug puppy), and recites scripture over and over until she drifts off. What works for you?

Other suggestions for a great night’s sleep are: (1) create a quiet space free of electronic devices like laptops, phones and tablets and (2) listen to relaxing music or generate white noise (like the noise from a fan).

If you still have trouble sleeping, a supplement may help. Dr. Tenpenny never had trouble sleeping, but she did after her stroke, and supplements really helped. Dr. Tenpenny offers her private label Opti Natural ZZZs. This supplement is formulated to induce the relaxation needed to support better sleep for those experiencing temporary sleeplessness. The formula is especially suited to help those with difficulty falling asleep due to restlessness.

Busy and stressful lifestyles can cause sleep patterns to become disrupted, leading to over-stimulation and restlessness. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the brain’s primary neurotransmitter which helps to counteract stress by promoting a sense of relaxation. In the evening, GABA activity should increase in the brain, triggering the sleep cycle. The ingredients in Opti Natural ZZZ’s work in synergy to support GABA activity and allow for optimal relaxation. Opti Natural ZZZ’s includes valerian root, a well-known herb used to help with sleep-related issues and to produce a state of relaxation. Passionflower and jujube have been used historically to produce a state of relaxation, and have been used in those with overstimulation and scattered thoughts. L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, supports resilience to stress by increasing alpha brain wave activity. Two capsules of Opti Natural ZZZ’s include 450 mg valerian root extract, 200 mg jujube seed extract, 150 mg passionflower extract, 150 mg L-theanine and 100 mg hops strobile extract.

Remember, sleep is so important. It helps your body and brain recharge for better functions, such as learning and memory, emotional processing, temperature control, pain control, inflammatory and immune responses, and eating. Get better sleep to detox your brain. And while you’re at it, have sweet dreams while you are sleeping like a baby!