Sleep and its Multiple Challenges

 Anne Salazar, RH (Clinical Herbalist)

  Sleep issues can run deep and complicated. They can also be fairly simple.  The challenge is figuring out which one you are experiencing, and how to go about resolving it. In this article, I will address the most common underlying issues and symptoms, and how to handle them. Before we dive into the various scenarios, let’s explore why sleep is so very important. 

Why Sleep is Important

 The benefits of sleep are ubiquitous (1). Without it, we cannot survive long.  With an insufficient amount, we suffer. To say that we rejuvenate and reboot when we sleep is putting it mildly. As a clinician, I can only help so much if my client is not sleeping well, whatever their concurrent challenges are. Sleep must always be addressed to correct any challenge a person is facing. No amount of medicine can help without sleep being facilitated. Sleep supports immunity, heart health, cognition, memory, concentration, mood, weight management, blood sugar, muscle repair, hormone balancing and metabolism, longevity, etc. We have an unfortunate tendency to take sleep for granted, in our push to be productive and active. Because of this, we are a culture overwhelmed with chronic conditions. 

Sleep Hygiene

  I think most people are aware of these points, but it never hurts to re-visit. 

  • Create a relaxing routine 1 hour before bedtime.  This can include reading or meditation, a warm bath (using this lovely botanical mix in your bath) or shower. Turn off the TV and other screens.  Avoid heavy meals and liquids several hours before bedtime.

  • Create a relaxing sleep environment; a cool, dark room. Sometimes blackout curtains, ear plugs, white noise can be helpful. You can take a calming relaxing botanical supplement before bedtime, to encourage relaxation and a deeper, more rejuvenating sleep. 

  • Regular exercise encourages healthy sleep (2), but do not do intense workouts a few hours before bedtime.

  • Try to sleep consistent hours.  Prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep.

  • Get regular daylight exposure. It helps to regulate your circadian rhythm; your body’s internal 24 hour clock (3). 

  • If you find yourself wound up during the day, you can drink a relaxing nervine tea in the latter part of the day (not too late, or you will have to get up and pee). This will help to prep you for a good night’s sleep.

Occasional Sleep Issues?

  There are multiple options for the occasional sleep disturbance. If you feel you are physically restless or have tight muscles, and/or you have a bit of restless thoughts, magnesium glycinate would be a great option. We all need magnesium for various reasons (see more info in this blog on magnesium).

  If you just need a little push into sleep due to some struggle with general relaxation, you could take a supplement like our Sleep with Valerian and Melatonin liquid capsules that has nervines and a small amount of melatonin, or this Gaia Pro Sleep Formula option that is a great combination of relaxing and calming herbs without added melatonin.

  Occasional anxiety can interfere with a good night’s sleep. In this case you could use Calm Restore to facilitate grounding and induce calm. This effective supplement can work day or night to assist with acute anxiety. 

Is it “Monkey Brain”?

  Does your brain race as soon as you lie down to sleep? Does this keep you struggling to fall asleep in a reasonable amount of time? This issue, in and of itself, is fairly easy to handle. Using a good quality L-Theanine at bedtime can help by promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety (4). It is not a sedative but rather helps to create a mental state of ‘calm awareness’ that is conducive to falling asleep and achieving a better quality of restorative sleep. L-Theanine is an amino acid found naturally in green tea leaves, which elevates levels of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine. It also enhances alpha brain waves. It can be taken at any time of day (even middle of the night, if needed), since it is non-sedating.

Is Melatonin a Sleep Panacea?

  In a word, no. Although it can be very helpful in certain situations, it can also further disturb your sleep, causing nightmares, restlessness, and groggyness in the morning. Unfortunately, social media has presented melatonin as the cure-all for sleep. It decidedly is not. Keep in mind, melatonin is a hormone that affects circadian rhythms. However, unlike L-theanine, it will disturb sleep if not needed. As we age, our melatonin levels naturally decrease, and often the need for it increases as we age. But this is not a hard and fast rule; it varies with each individual. Sometimes a small amount of melatonin blended with a good botanical sleep formula is very helpful. Everyone is different. 

  If you do feel you need melatonin, start with the lowest dose. You will then be able to see how it works, and be able to build up the dose, if necessary. 

It can be helpful when crossing time lines while travelling. Alternatively, you could use this homeopathic remedy that supports healthy circadian rhythms while travelling, if you prefer. 

Do You Wake Up and Struggle to Get Back to Sleep?

  This is the more complicated issue. This is true insomnia. It can start with struggling to fall asleep, but then will involve waking in the very early hours without being able to get back to sleep. This can get so bad, that you end up basically not sleeping much at all. This situation creeps up on you usually, and is a result of either long term stress, or acute life circumstances that cause anxiety and other imbalances. What is indicated in these circumstances is deep adrenal exhaustion, which also involves the entire endocrine system (5). Because this is a chronic issue, it takes time to resolve. This is due to the fact that a rejuvenation of the endocrine system is required. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix here; no botanical sleep aid will be able to get you the kind of sleep you need at this point. Oftentimes, people are put on sleep medications when this occurs. They can get you to sleep, but do not provide the kind of restorative sleep you need. And eventually you will have to wean off of these.

  In my practice, I often suggest a good adaptogenic formula. This is the first and most important step to getting your endocrine system up and running again. Adaptogens (like Ashwagandha and many others) work together synergistically by influencing the body's neuroendocrine and immune systems to improve resistance to stress, maintain balance, and support overall vitality (6).  Quality of product and formulation is KEY!  To see improvement can take up to six weeks of consistent intake; after that things will continue to improve with continued use.  Eventually, you should be able to sleep well again. I will often suggest a good botanical sleep formula taken concurrently, to allow for better traction with the sleep you are getting while this process is happening. You will not get a deep, regular sleep at first (until the adaptogens kick in), but it will help you get more benefit from whatever sleep you are getting. It all helps.

  As with almost any challenge, there are individualized factors that need to be taken into account. Digestion can definitely play a role in sleep, for instance (7). So can lifestyle choices, hormonal imbalances (menopause for one), etc (8).  

We are here to help, and scheduling a consultation to get to the root causes can get you to that good night’s sleep sooner.

Sweet Dreams!


References:

  1. Worley SL. The Extraordinary Importance of Sleep: The Detrimental Effects of Inadequate Sleep on Health and Public Safety Drive an Explosion of Sleep Research. P T. 2018 Dec;43(12):758-763. PMID: 30559589; PMCID: PMC6281147.

  2. Alnawwar MA, Alraddadi MI, Algethmi RA, Salem GA, Salem MA, Alharbi AA. The Effect of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorder: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2023 Aug 16;15(8):e43595. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43595. PMID: 37719583; PMCID: PMC10503965.

  3. de Menezes-Júnior, L.A.A., Sabião, T.d.S., Carraro, J.C.C. et al. The role of sunlight in sleep regulation: analysis of morning, evening and late exposure. BMC Public Health 25, 3362 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-24618-8

  4. Hidese S, Ogawa S, Ota M, Ishida I, Yasukawa Z, Ozeki M, Kunugi H. Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 3;11(10):2362. doi: 10.3390/nu11102362. PMID: 31623400; PMCID: PMC6836118.

  5. Hirotsu C, Tufik S, Andersen ML. Interactions between sleep, stress, and metabolism: From physiological to pathological conditions. Sleep Sci. 2015 Nov;8(3):143-52. doi: 10.1016/j.slsci.2015.09.002. Epub 2015 Sep 28. PMID: 26779321; PMCID: PMC4688585.

  6. Panossian A, Wikman G. Effects of Adaptogens on the Central Nervous System and the Molecular Mechanisms Associated with Their Stress-Protective Activity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010 Jan 19;3(1):188-224. doi: 10.3390/ph3010188. PMID: 27713248; PMCID: PMC3991026.

  7. Hyun, M., Baek, Y. & Lee, S. Association between digestive symptoms and sleep disturbance: a cross-sectional community-based study. BMC Gastroenterol 19, 34 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12876-019-0945-9

  8. Annika Haufe, Brigitte Leeners, Sleep Disturbances Across a Woman's Lifespan: What Is the Role of Reproductive Hormones?, Journal of the Endocrine Society, Volume 7, Issue 5, May 2023, bvad036, https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvad036