A good night of sleep is one of the most important things you can give yourself when it comes to your health. However, many people do not realize how important sleep is until they cannot get it. If you find yourself having difficulty falling or staying asleep, you may be one of the millions of Americans suffering from a sleep disorder. Melatonin is the natural solution to this problem.
Symptoms of Sleep Disorders
Many people who have sleep issues go undiagnosed. This is because the signs of sleep disorders are often confused with the symptoms of ADD and ADHD. If your symptoms include agitated or impulsive behavior and difficulty paying attention, you may be suffering from a lack of quality sleep, not a behavioral disorder.
Melatonin for Adults
Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the body to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production can be disrupted by a number of things, including artificial light before bedtime, certain medications, and shift work.
Though healthy sleep habits are important, you can give yourself a boost with melatonin. Melatonin is available in pill, capsule, and liquid form. You can also increase your intake of melatonin-containing foods to help improve the quality of your sleep at night. By combining this with other effective sleep habits, you may see a drastic improvement.
To avoid damaging your health, choose a melatonin supplement that does not contain fillers or preservatives.
Melatonin for Children
As a parent, you may think that children just have difficulty sleeping. However, you do not have to relegate yourself to 18 years of sleepless nights. For many children with ADHD, ADD, or sleep issues, melatonin can be a natural solution.
In addition to making sure that your child’s diet is full of melatonin-containing foods, you may also give them a supplement shortly before bedtime to clue their body into their natural sleep cycle. Melatonin is available in gummy and liquid form for children.
As is the case with any supplement you choose to use, ensure that your melatonin supplement is free of fillers, toxic preservatives, and unnecessary ingredients.
Getting Melatonin in Your Diet
Melatonin supplements can be extremely helpful when bedtime rolls around in your body doesn’t seem to know that it’s time for sleep. However, it is always better to get your nutrients from food and from artificial supplements. Throughout the day, try to fill up on these foods containing melatonin for a better night of sleep:
- Bananas
- Pineapples
- Oranges
- Oats
- Tomatoes
- Cherries
- Nuts: walnuts, cashews, almonds
- Rice and barley
- Pumpkin
- Winter squash
Improving your quality of sleep is one of the best things you can do to boost your immune system and improve your overall health. Melatonin has many neuroprotective benefits, so it can protect your body cells from damage and free radicals.
It is important to note that melatonin production decreases with age, so you may need to tackle this problem head on if you are an aging adult. Act now; a full night of sleep is the best gift you can give yourself.
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-06-melatonin-adhd-bedtime-shuteye.html
http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2007/6/nu_melatonin/Page-01
