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NATURAL SLEEP SUPPLEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

Even if you've tried the usual sleep supplements you can get in a natural food store, this paper contains information about a highly effective sleep supplement you've likely never heard of.

Ultimately SleepEasy is a medication-free method. However, in the beginning, you want to use everything you can to help you sleep well as soon as possible.

If you've previously tried sleep supplements and they weren't effective, here's one possible reason why: When you're anxious, a sleep supplement needs to use some of its potency to first calm your anxiety, so it doesn't retain as much potency to get you to sleep. However, when you use the SleepEasy method along with the supplement, SleepEasy calms your anxiety and eases you towards sleep, so the supplement retains its potency to further help calm you toward sleep.

Because we want to get you sleeping well and as soon as possible, consider trying one of these supplements soon in combination with the SleepEasy method. This combination will help you achieve your goal more easily and deeply.

As you continue to use the SleepEasy method, you'll then be able to gradually reduce and eliminate the need for a sleep supplement. In this session, I'll give you simple steps on how to comfortably do that. Then you can reserve the sleep supplement for if you are experiencing a particularly stressful or challenging time or event.

If you're currently using pharmaceutical sleep medication, the SleepEasy program provides you with an easy way to gradually reduce and eliminate the need for pharmaceutical sleep medication, often with no withdrawal symptoms. You can find that program at

https://www.sleepeasymethod.com/medicationreduction

Near the end of the process of reduction, it can be useful to use a natural sleep supplement to replace the pharmaceutical sleep medication. After you've eliminated the need and use of sleep medication, you then can gradually reduce and eliminate the use of the sleep supplements.

Do not use any of these supplements during pregnancy or lactation. If you are currently taking pharmaceutical medication and wonder if it is okay to take these supplements along with your medication, it seems that would be okay, but no studies have been done on that. If you are concerned you have a condition that would indicate you shouldn't take this supplement, consult with your physician or healthcare provider in advance. I am presenting information for you to consider. It is your choice if you want to use this or any supplement. If either of these supplements has any undesirable side effects—and that is very, very rare-immediately discontinue using it.

Sleep Relief

As you continue to use the SleepEasy method and gain confidence in your ability to sleep, the need for a sleep supplement gradually falls away. You'll then be able to gradually reduce and eliminate the need for a sleep supplement. Then you can reserve the sleep supplement for if you are experiencing a particularly stressful or challenging time or event.

Over the years, I have tested many, many natural sleep supplements, and Sleep Relief is by far the most effective natural sleep supplement I have found.

It contains ingredients found in other sleep supplements, plus ingredients rarely found in other supplements. First, ingredients found in other sleep supplements:

  • L-tryptophan. An amino acid that changes into serotonin, a brain chemical that helps induce sleep.
  • Glycine. An amino acid that elevates serotonin and helps induce sleep.
  • GABA is an amino acid that calms the nervous system.
  • Skullcap. Reduces anxiety by stimulating gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that helps calm nerves.
  • Ashwaganha. Promotes relaxation.
  • Melatonin. Has been shown to help adults fall asleep slightly faster and stay asleep slightly longer.

Ingredients rarely found in other supplements:

  • Pinus massoniana, also known as pine bark, or pycnogenol. Has been shown to help induce sleep.
  • Ziziphus Jujube. Calms the mind and relieves mental tension.
  • Magnolia. Contains polyphenols honokiol and magnolol that have been found to help induce and improve sleep.

This is a proprietary combination of ingredients is different from anything I have ever come across.

If you are currently taking pharmaceutical sleep medication and want to gradually reduce and eliminate the need for that many people use Sleep Relief to help them sleep during and after the medication reduction process. If you want to do that, do online research to learn if the above-listed Sleep Relief ingredients are okay to take at the same time as the ingredients in your pharmaceutical sleep medication.

Recommended dosage is two tablets. If your challenge is waking too early and having difficulty falling back to sleep, you can take two tablets in the middle of the night any time before three hours before desired final time to awaken to begin your day. When your challenge is waking too early and having difficulty falling back to sleep, I recommend taking one tablet at the beginning of the night, even if you don't need help initially falling asleep. Then some amount of the supplement's ingredients will still be in your system in the middle of the night. Take 1-2 tablets in the middle of the night.

Once you have confidence in the effectiveness of Sleep Relief, then if you don't need help falling asleep at the beginning of the night, you can eliminate that dosage and just use one tablet if you awaken too early.

Sleep Relief takes about 30 minutes to begin to have an effect. During that time, knowing you have the "safety-net" support of the supplement, use the SleepEasy method to ease yourself toward sleep.

Sleep Relief on Amazon

Sleepy Nights

If you awaken within three hours of your desired final time to awaken to begin your day: Along with this new sleep process, I recommend using Sleepy Nights, a special blend of herbs to help you fall asleep or fall back to sleep. The bottle recommends, “Use 3 ml (two droppers) right before bed or upon unwanted wakefulness. If not asleep in 10-15 minute, repeat (up to four times in a row).” My recommendation: If you do repeated dosages, once you have found the number of dosages to be effective, then add the total amount you used and use that all in one dosage the first time. Because of the particular herbs in this formula, you won't experience a hangover, even if you awaken 90 minutes later to start your day. If you do feel any residual effect of the formula, it will be very minor and certainly much better than the discomfort from not enough sleep. Sleepy Nights contains very little alcohol, so people find it pleasant to squeeze the dropperfuls right onto their tongue. Start with getting the 1 oz bottle. If you find it to be effective, then you can get the 4 oz bottle, which is more economical.

Sleepy Nights on Amazon – 1 oz

Sleepy Nights on Amazon – 4 oz

SLEEPING WELL WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTS

When you are ready to have your first night sleep without the aid of supplements, place the supplement dose on a surface near your bed, along with a glass of water. This will be your backup, for peace of mind.

Use the SleepEasy method, with or without the recording.

If you haven't drifted off to sleep within an hour, feel free to take the backup dose of the sleep supplement you placed near your bedside. This will enable you to take the backup supplement without needing to turn on the light and walk to get some water. These subtle, helpful bedtime behaviors further aid your body to ease into natural restful sleep patterns.

If you need or want to temporarily return to use this backup dose, you need not criticize yourself. You are on the path and are being guided by your own nervous system to proceed gently and slowly towards the ultimate goal of creating deep, long and rejuvenating nightly sleep patterns.

Knowing that you can take the backup supplement if needed can be a tremendous source of ease and comfort, which in turn can help diminish and wash away anxiety, and help you sleep better without needing the additional backup supplement.

When you have a night sleeping without the aid of supplements, if your sleep is not quite as good as with the supplement, but it's not a terrible night, give yourself another night without the supplement. That gives your body and mind the opportunity to become more comfortable with sleeping well without the supplement.

You are moving in the right direction.

By your third night, and if your sleep is not satisfactory enough without the supplement, or if your sleep is disturbed by increased stress, anxiety, then it's okay to use the supplement again. If you need to do so temporarily, be gentle with yourself. You are proceeding gradually toward your goal.

Then when you're ready, come back to sleeping free from the supplement. Sleep well!

Pain-Relief, Anti-Inflammatory Supplement Advanced Bio-Curcumin

If pain interferes with sleep, it is good to avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), because those can be harmful. There are highly effective, safe herbal pain-relief anti-inflammatory supplements. Advanced Bio-Curcumin is the most effective we have found.

People take herbal pain-relief anti-inflammatory supplements along with other sleep supplements I've recommended and find the combination very effective. You are welcome to discuss this with your physician or healthcare provider and also do your own online research and make your own informed decision.

If you're concerned you might have a condition with which you might not want to take anti-inflammatory herbs, consult with your physician or healthcare provider.

Link to purchase Advanced Bio-Curcumin

Menopause

Dr. Christiane Northrup is perhaps the nation's leading expert on menopause. She has written several books and also offers a line of natural supplements that are very helpful for menopause and other health issues.

Dr. Northup's website

My female clients have reported great benefit from a product line called Femmenessence, which Dr. Northrup also recommends.

Link to Femmenessence

Restless Legs

It has been shown that many people with restless legs have low levels of magnesium and potassium, and supplementation with magnesium and potassium can reduce symptoms of restless legs. We recommend MG/K Aspartate from Metagenics.

There is a well-respected study called Restless Legs Syndrome - Theoretical Roles of Inflammatory and Immune Mechanisms.

Here is a superb website with information about how to reduce inflammation in your body and how that can relieve restless legs.

Adrenal Fatigue

High stress and poor sleep can weaken the adrenal glands, which then create too much cortisol (the "fight or flight" hormone) and night, making sleep more difficult. Josh Axe, DC, is perhaps the nation's most highly-respected authority on adrenal fatigue.

Sleep Washes Toxins Out of the Brain

Research, published in the prestigious journal, indicates when you sleep, brain cells shrink a little, resulting in an increase in the space between brain cells. This causes an increase in the flow of cerebrospinal fluid between and around brain cells, which allows for enhanced removal of potentially toxic waste products that accumulate in the brain when you are awake.

Jeffrey Iliff, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, University of Rochester Medical School. Talking about the team's revolutionary findings.

Another fascinating brief video:

Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain

Earplugs

Sleep Easy recommends use of an earplug, not to block outer sound, but for two deeper purposes:

1. Amplify the sound of your Inner Sleep Breath, making it easier to hear.

2. Using one earplug gives you a feeling of being inside yourself, protected and safe, away from other things in your life. That feeling of inner safety makes it easier to sleep.

Insta-Putty, by Environmental Acoustic Research, are specialized, soft earplugs that comfortably shape to your ears.

These are very different from other earplugs, so here are instructions for use:

Earplug Instructions

If you would like a small sterling silver hinged box to keep your earplugs in, click here.

Eye shades

Being in complete darkness will help you sleep. Blackout window shades are excellent, yet an inexpensive solution is eye shades, which are sometimes called sleep masks. Look for eye shades that are lightweight, adjustable and have a cup design to keep the material from touching your eyelids. Be sure to use eye shades that are contoured to fit the curve between the top of your nose and the top of your cheek.

If the first light of dawn awakens you and you don't want that, wearing eye shades can help you sleep longer in the morning.

Eyeshades also help you have a feeling of being inside yourself in a place that is safe and protected, away from everything else in your life.

The best eye shades we have found.

Pillow

When sleeping on your back, pillows that have a raised roll to support your neck are excellent. However, when you then turn to sleep on your side, those pillows can be uncomfortable. After searching extensively, we finally found a pillow that has neck support for back sleeping, and yet is also comfortable for side sleeping.

It's called the Tri-Core Cervical Orthopedic Pillow by Core Products, Inc. When you sleep on your back, the center of the pillow has an indent for your head, leaving a raised part of the pillow to support your neck. This raised area is a little smaller on one side of the pillow and a little larger on the other side, so fits small and large bodies. This is truly an amazing design, wonderfully comfortable, and we consider it to be the best pillow available.

The Tri-Core Cervical Orthopedic Pillow

This comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Most people prefer the gentle firmness.

White noise generator

One of the best white noise / pink noise generators.

Blue-blocking glasses

At nighttime, the properly functioning brain begins producing melatonin, the hormone that helps you feel sleepy. However, since the invention of electric lights, and especially now with people often watching television and looking at computer screens at night, the bright light actually shuts down your brain's production of melatonin, making it more difficult to sleep.

In recent years, scientists discovered it is not actually bright light in and of itself that stops the brain's production of melatonin, but a particular frequency of blue light within bright light, which is the frequency put off by computer and phone screens. There are glasses that block that particular frequency of blue light, but allow other light in, so you can see well and function without interfering with your brain's production of sleep-inducing melatonin.

The most effective, scientifically-proven blue-blocking glasses.

Blue-blocking computer screen filters

High intensity blue light from a computer screen throughout the day can cause eye strain, create tension and can also be damaging to your eyes. Rather than wearing blue-blocking glasses during the day, there are blue-light blocking computer screen filters. When you put the filter on, you need to increase the brightness of your computer. You will find the light soothing and using this screen filter during the day, your eyes, and the rest of you, will feel more relaxed.

From our research, this is the most effective blue-blocking screen filter.

Scroll down that web page to find the filter for your computer.

Bright Light Therapy Lights You Clip onto Your Glasses or Frames

So you can get the benefit of bright light therapy while you are in daytime activity.

Click here

Battery-powered alarm clock (for travel or as a backup alarm) with alarm that gets progressively louder.

Battery-powered alarm clock.

Night Writing Pen

Click here

Humidifier

The Honeywell Warm Moisture Humidifier model # HWM 950 is one that creates a steady, quiet sound, like a quiet white noise generator. You can find this on many websites.

Water Filter

Berkey water filter

Oral appliance that can, in some instances, be an alternative to a CPAP device.

For an in-depth description, on the Sleep Easy app, listen to the session, "Sleep Apnea." Oral appliances should be fitted only by a dentist specializing in dental sleep medicine. To find one in your geographic area, go to the website of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. Click on "For Patients" and drag down to "Find an AADSM dentist." There you can enter your zip code.

Newborn Sleep

This self-guided sleep plan is described in the Sleep Easy session, "Newborn Sleep."

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Reducing EMFs in Your Life, Home and Bedroom to Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Sanctuary

© 2019, Richard Shane, PhD

The discussion and steps below might not seem to apply to the general public. This paper is for people who feel, or even wonder about, if technology, devices and EMFs might be interfering with their sleep.

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Here is a link to thousands of studies presenting extensive evidence of the damaging health effects from human-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This link sorts those health effects into 12 categories.

The paper below focuses on the fact that EMFs can interfere with sleep, and steps you can take to reduce EMFs in your bedroom to make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary.

There is evidence that EMFs cause the pineal gland to shut down secretion of melatonin, the hormone that helps us feel sleepy.

Halgamuge, M.N.(2013). Pineal melatonin level disruption in humans due to electromagnetic fields and ICNIRP limits. Radiat Prot Dosimetry, May;154(4):405-16

Because we want the paper below to focus on solutions, it does not list numerous other studies that present evidence that EMFs interfere with sleep. We invite you to do your own research, typing in keywords ""EMFs and sleep."

With any of the steps below, if you want more information, type in keywords from the some of the description of that step.

Steps You can Take to Reduce EMFs in Your Life, Home and Bedroom to Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Sanctuary

If any of these ideas seem unusual to you, try any of them and evaluate for yourself if this helps you sleep better. Taking steps to support good sleep will help you feel healthier and stronger in your life.

  • Never hold your cellphone next to your ear (close to your brain). Use speakerphone instead.
  • If you use a headset, use a wired one, not Bluetooth.
  • Do not use Bluetooth earbuds
  • Connect your computer to the Internet using an ethernet cable rather than wi-fi router.
  • Bluetooth devices transmit EMF that can interfere with health and sleep, so eliminate them wherever possible. Get a mouse and keyboard that have wired connection to your computer.
  • Stop using your phone, computer or other electrical devices one hour before bed.
  • Using your phone actively at bedtime for talking, texting, email and being online can interfere with sleep. Therefore, use your phone only as an audio player to listen to the sleep recording.
  • If you do not have to be able to receive calls at night, turn your phone off. If you are going to be using your phone as an audio player to play the Sleep Easy recording, turn your phone on Airplane Mode so it is not connecting to wi-fi or cell towers. With the Sleep Easy app, download the sleep recordings, rather than streaming them. Then you can listen to the recordings when your phone is on Airplane Mode.
  • The bluish-white light of screens on electrical devices blocks the brain's production of melatonin. On www.sleepeasymethod.com, you will find a link to glasses that block that particular frequency of blue light, but allow other light in, so you can see well and function without interfering with your brain's production of sleep-inducing melatonin. You will also find a link to blue-blocking filters you can put on your computer screen.
  • Online video news uses graphics and other aspects of media to deliberately increase the intensity of the message, sensationalizing it to increase fear beyond the already fearful content of the story. If you feel that you must watch online video news and have to watch it after work hours, watch the evening news, not the late-night news close to bedtime. Do not watch online video news while in your bed. Do not look at any devices while in bed, except your phone briefly if you are using it for a sleep-supporting function.
  • If you do not have to be able to receive calls at night, turn off your wi-fi router before bed. If you are skeptical this might have a beneficial effect, go online and search with the keywords "wi-fi interferes with sleep." Gather information and from that make your own decision. Still, don't just believe what other people say. As an experiment, turn off your router at night for a week and evaluate for yourself if this helps improve your sleep.

If you find this helpful, then instead of unplugging your wi-fi router and plugging it back in in the morning, get an electronic timer you plug your router into and then plug the timer into the wall outlet.

  • Many electric clocks produce strong magnetic fields and research has shown exposure to high magnetic fields can disturb sleep. Get rid of your electric alarm clock and get a battery operated one.
  • Do not use an electric blanket or waterbed (which has an electric heater).
  • Make sure that the area around your bed and on the other side of the wall from your bed is free of motorized equipment and electrical devices such as a refrigerator, freezer, electrical meter, entertainment center, or electrical baseboard heating. The magnetic fields from these devices drop away quickly so distance makes a difference.
  • An article in Scientific American states that box springs act like an antenna that amplifies the intensity of the broadcast FM/TV radiation. If your mattress has metal springs or you have a box spring underneath it, get a mattress without springs and do not use a box spring underneath.
  • If this next step seems too unusual, we invite you to try it for a week and evaluate for yourself if it helps you sleep better. Before bed, shut off the circuit breaker to your bedroom. Smoke or fire alarms should be battery powered, but double check, so they aren't affected by turning off the power. Also make sure your bedroom circuit breaker is not the one that gives power to your refrigerator or heater or anything else absolutely essential.

Another step is before bed turn off all circuit breakers except the ones for the refrigerator and heater. You can purchase a switch that enables you to shut off circuit breakers from inside your home, without having to go out to the breaker box. Do an online search with keywords "demand switch to shut off circuit breakers."

  • Get rid of compact fluorescent light bulbs in your home, but especially in your bedroom. Do online research with the terms, "compact fluorescent bulbs and dirty electricity."
  • Behavior changes that support good sleep are usually called, "sleep hygiene." In the Sleep Easy app, you will find 38 sleep hygiene topics, with most containing information not found in usual presentations on sleep hygiene.

The telecom industry has been promoting 5G as having faster speeds and making many things (like the Internet of Things) possible. What they don't tell you is there have been thousands of studies with strong evidence about the damaging health effects of wireless radiation. There are thousands of doctors and other professionals stating that before 5G should be allowed to be rolled out, there should be studies conducted to prove 5G is safe.

At a congressional hearing on February 7, 2019, Senator Richard Blumenthal said to telecom executives, "I believe that Americans deserve to know what the health effects are. How much money has the industry committed to support independent research? Has any been completed... on the biological effects of this new technology?" Telecom executives replied, "There are no industry backed studies to my knowledge right now." Senator Blumenthal replied, "So we are flying blind here on health and safety."

For excellent information about 5G, go to www.SafeG.net

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Studies Presenting Evidence that Electromagnetic Frequencies Decrease Melatonin Production and Interfere with Sleep

Since the beginning of humanity, and up until the invention of artificial light, when it was dark, humans got ready for sleep and when daylight came, humans woke up. Our bodies are physiologically programmed to do so. Darkness signals the pineal gland to secrete melatonin, the hormone that signals the body to prepare for sleep. Light signals the pineal gland to stop secreting melatonin, and that signals the body to prepare for the day.

Many studies have proven that exposure to the bluish-white light of the screens of electronic devices decreases pineal secretion of melatonin. However, the focus of the document below is to present studies that have shown that exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) also decrease pineal secretion of melatonin. In the study referenced below, Pineal melatonin level disruption in humans due to electromagnetic fields and ICNIRP limits, Malka N. Halgamuge, PhD theorizes, "The pineal gland is likely to sense EMFs as light." The pineal gland then reacts to EMFs by shutting down secretion of melatonin and the decrease in melatonin contributes to difficulty sleeping.

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Evidence that low frequency EMF exposure and temporally stable magnetic field exposures are associated with reduced nocturnal 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate (6-OHMS) (melatonin) excretion in humans.

J.B. Burch, J.B., Yost, M.G., Keefe, T.J., Pitrat, C.A. (1998). Nocturnal excretion of a urinary melatonin metabolite among electric utility workers. Scand J Work Environ Health, 24, 183-189

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This study conducted on electric utility workers found that magnetic fields they were exposed to from their work on electrical equipment induced melatonin suppression.

J.B. Burch, J.B., Noonan, C.W., Yost, M.G. (2000). Melatonin metabolite levels in workers exposed to 60-Hz magnetic fields: work in substations and with 3-phase conductors. J Occup Environ Med, 42, 136-142.

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In the following study, more than one hundred experimental data of human and animal studies of changes in melatonin levels due to power-frequency electric and magnetic fields exposure were analyzed. The results show the significance of disruption of melatonin due to exposure to weak EMFs, which may possibly lead to long-term health effects in humans.

Halgamuge, M.N.(2013). Pineal melatonin level disruption in humans due to electromagnetic fields and ICNIRP limits. Radiat Prot Dosimetry, May;154(4):405-16

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An in vitro exposure facility was used for 12-h overnight exposures of primary pinealocyte cultures to 0.05 mT, 60 Hz, vertical AC and 0.06 μT, DC fields. Data from 10 experiments demonstrated an average 46% reduction in norepinephrine-induced production of melatonin in the pinealocytes.

Rosen, L.A., Barber, I., Lyle, D. 1998) A 0.5 G, 60 Hz magnetic field suppresses melatonin production in pinealocytes. Bioelectromagnetics, 19(2):123-127.

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The following study was conducted with participants using a cell phone more than 25 minutes a day. They had lower nighttime 6-OHMS (melatonin) concentration compared with those without cell phone use.

Burch, J.B., et al. (2002). Melatonin metabolite excretion among cellular telephone users, Int J Radiat Biol, 78, 1029-1036.

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The study below found that exposure to EMFs was associated with reduced: total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, stages 3 & 4 slow wave sleep (SWS), and slow-wave activity (SWA). The results suggest that commonly occurring low frequency electromagnetic fields may interfere with sleep.

Akerstedt T., Arnetz B., Ficca G., Paulsson L.E., Kallner A. (1999) A 50-Hz electromagnetic field impairs sleep. J Sleep Res, Mar;8(1):77-81.

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The study below showed that exposure to 60 Hz, magnetic fields at night resulted in less total sleep time, reduced sleep efficiency, increased time in lighter (stage II) sleep, decreased time in rapid eye movement (dreams). Study participants reported sleeping less well and feeling less rested in the morning.

Graham C., Cook M.R. (1999) Human sleep in 60 Hz magnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics, 20(5):277-83.

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This study showed that exposure to extremely low electromagnetic fields causes an increase in free radicals in the bloodstream, causing oxidative stress. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. The other studies in this document show that EMFs decrease production of melatonin. That further increases the level of free radicals in the bloodstream, causing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been shown to contribute to sleep difficulties.

El-Helaly, M, Abu-Hashem E. (2010) Oxidative stress, melatonin level, and sleep insufficiency among electronic equipment repairers. Indian J Occup Environ Med, 14(3):66-70.

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The above studies present evidence of EMFs interfering with sleep. A related factor is the amount of time spent using electronic devices directly correlates with decrease in sleep duration. The study below includes this verbatim statement from the study's results section:

Compared to 2009, adolescents in 2015 were 16%-17% more likely to report sleeping less than 7 hour a night on most nights, with an increase in short sleep duration after 2011-2013. New media screen time (electronic device use, social media, and reading news online) increased over this time period and was associated with increased odds of short sleep duration, with a clear exposure-response relationship for electronic devices after 2 or more hours of use per day. Other activities associated with short sleep duration, such as homework time, working for pay, and TV watching, were relatively stable or reduced over this time period, making it unlikely that these activities caused the sudden increase in short sleep duration.

Twenge, J.M, Krizan, J, Hisler, G. (2017) Decreases in self-reported sleep duration among U.S. adolescents 2009-2015 and association with new media screen time. Sleep Medicine, 39:47-53.