11 Essential Vegan Products to Help You Get the Best Night’s Sleep of Your Life

From vegnews.com

Tossing and turning is so last year! From weighted blankets to bath bombs, these soothing items will help you fall, and stay, asleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is as important as ever—and harder than ever too, due to the unrelentingly plugged-in nature of our society. Adequate deep sleep helps ease stress, anxiety, and aging effects and has many healing benefits. These 11 vegan products will help soothe you to sleep—and perhaps more importantly, help you stay asleep. But first, can vegan foods help you sleep better?

ACHIEVING BETTER SLEEP WITH PLANT-BASED FOODS

The much-beloved avocado can carry sleep benefits. Their magnesium content means regular consumption may help with relaxation and sleep efficiency, and their potassium levels will also help with nerve, muscle, and heart function. They also contain biotin, which is good for healthy hair, and carotenoids, which are beneficial for the immune system.

Olive oil has also been associated with a better night’s sleep. Drinking olive oil before bed has risen in popularity on social media. Many maintain that this is the best way to enjoy many of the benefits associated with olive oil and that it can also help you feel fuller, which means if you drink it right before bed, you may reduce the risk of being woken with hunger pains. It may also help to relieve other sleep-disrupting issues, like bad digestion and constipation. The truth is, there is little research to suggest that this is necessary. Instead, you can boost your levels of healthy fats by simply consuming it with food, or cooking with it, as extra virgin olive oil retains its health benefits even when it is heated.

Outside of whole, plant-based foods, edible vegan products—such as CBD gummies—can also help achieve a full night of sleep. In 2019, the brand CBDistillery conducted a customer survey, which revealed that 88 percent of consumers found CBD helped with temporary anxiety. Plus, 89 percent said it helped calm their mind and helped them to get better sleep, and 84 percent said it helped to manage pain after physical activity. Studies have also linked CBD with improved sleep, as it is associated with temporarily reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

VEGAN PRODUCTS FOR BETTER SLEEP.

These 11 cruelty-free products will help bedtime feel more restful, luxurious, and cosy than ever before. 

Cozy Earth

1COZY EARTH’S BAMBOO VISCOSE COMFORTERS

These sustainably made, down-free, bamboo viscose comforters are temperature-regulating and perfect for sweaty sleepers. It comes packaged in a reusable weekender bag for an ultimate eco-finish from start to finish and we love how buttery soft they feel. Plus, Cozy Earth uses total transparency from the production to the textiles used to make each piece of bedding, so we can feel extra good about snuggling up at night. 

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Yana Sleep

2YANA SLEEP 360 BODY PILLOW

This 360 degree, weighted, whole body hugging pillow is so dreamy that you’ll be slipping off into blissful sleep in no time. Not only that, but Yana Sleep is AAPI- and women-owned, made from organic cotton and bamboo velour that’s both sustainable and luxe, and made with cooling technology. This VegNews Editor can personally attest to its quality and zzz-inducing effects.

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TruSens

3TRUSENS ULTRASONIC HUMIDIFIER

Avoid waking up with a dry, scratchy throat and irritated, dry skin when you have this quiet device humming by your bedside. A high-performance water filter emits a clean, soothing mist and a UV-C light kills bacteria in the mist. We love that we can keep a remote on our bedside table to control it to our liking from the comfort of our bed. 

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Loftie

4 LOFTIE BLUETOOTH ALARM CLOCK

Say goodbye to your harsh, blaring smartphone alarm clock forever with this two-phase alarm made with professionally crafted non-alarming alarm tones. Plus, the white noise and soundbath functions help ease you into a deep night’s sleep and ensure you stay peacefully asleep through the night.  

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Honeydew

5 HONEYDEW PILLOW

The ideal balance of soft, cool, and responsive no-pressure-support is achieved in this next-level pillow. Specifically designed for side sleepers, this neck-supporting pillow eliminates painful neck aches from sleeping and ensures a restful night’s sleep. Even better? It’s made from synthetic materials so no animals were harmed in the making of your much-needed R&R.

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Gaia Herbs

6GAIA HERBS SLEEP GUMMIES

The powerful combination of ashwagandha and passionflower in these chewy, gelatine-free gummies combine to get you ready to drift off to dreamland in no time at all. Sweetened with apple and tart cherry and flavoured with sweet orange oil, these all-natural sleep aids are as tasty as they are effective.

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YES Cacao

 

7BLISS OUT CHOCOLATE BARS

Skip the melatonin. Eat chocolate instead! These YES Cacao bars turn to three key ingredients to help consumers achieve a more restful, peaceful slumber. Gaba, Blue Lotus, and Kava help reduce anxiety, boost mood and cognitive function, and aid in accessing a tranquil state when consumed. They also use high-quality, organic, raw, wild-harvested cacao so you can reap the health benefits of cacao while getting a good night’s sleep. 

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Bearaby

8BEARABY CHUNKY KNIT WEIGHTED BLANKET

This thick, chunky knit organic cotton throw weighs up to 25 pounds (depending on the weight you choose) and feels buttery soft! The breathable knit prevents you from overheating in any season while the even weight distribution makes you feel all the calming effects of a weighted blanket. 

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Madison & White

9BEDTIME BEAUTY SATIN PILLOWCASES

Many consumers turn to silk pillowcases to protect their precious locks, but this cruelty-free alternative utilizes satin to achieve the same effect without the dehydrating and friction-building effects of cotton. They help your hair retain moisture, save you from daily washes, and promote healthier locks so you can sleep deeper knowing you’ll wake up feeling great. 

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Osea

10OSEA’S VAGUS NERVE PILLOW MIST

Lightly mist your pillows with this soothing, nerve calming mist before bed for a moment of aromatherapy. The vagus nerve activates the body’s relaxation response and helps regulate stress, so each spritz of this luxe spray ensures relaxation and calm.

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Hum Nutrition

11HUM NUTRITION BEAUTY ZZZZ GUMMIES

Melatonin, prebiotic fibre, and calming botanicals (think chamomile, lemon balm, and passionflower) are packaged up in one soft, sweet, and chewy gelatine-free gummy that’s ready to drift us off into dreamland. Not only are they helpful for a good night’s sleep, but they’re also kinder to the environment, by preventing the equivalent of 4 plastic bottles from littering the ocean with each one bottle of gummies. 

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https://vegnews.com/vegan-health-wellness/wellness/vegan-products-best-night-sleep  

Don't Let Your Insomnia Worsen As You Reach Old Age: 5 Tips for Better Sleep

From cnet.com

Almost half of adults over 60 years old have insomnia, but these tips will help you combat poor sleep 

Insomnia can strike anyone regardless of age, but research shows it's an especially prevalent issue among older adults. About 50% of adults aged 60 and up experience poor sleep. Our bodies are constantly changing as the years pass, and our sleep tends to be an unfortunate casualty of ripened age. There seems to be multiple explanations of this. 

The natural processes that occur as you get older combined with common external factors is a recipe for worsened sleep quality, and it's important to understand what's happening so you can get ahead, and try to put poor sleep to rest. 

Sleep plays a key role in maintaining our mental and physical health. Habitual sleep deprivation increases the risk of significant health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, depression and even dementia. With so many older adults living with insomnia, it's important to practice healthy sleep habits. For help getting you back to a healthy sleep schedule and more information about the effects of aging on sleep, continue on below. 

How sleep patterns change as we age

Putting external factors aside, it's common for older adults to experience a change in sleeping patterns because of disruptions to the circadian rhythm. The area of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus responsible for regulating our body's circadian rhythm, otherwise known as our internal clock, weakens in older age. As a result, it disrupts your usual rhythms causing changes in your sleep and hunger cycles.  

Aging also seems to affect the body's production of important sleep-inducing hormones. In old age, the body produces less melatonin, a hormone influenced by darkness that's released around bedtime and promotes feelings of sleepiness. 

Research shows that seniors spend more time in lighter sleep stages and less time in REM or deep sleep, which causes more frequent wakeups.

When poor sleep seems more common in your older age, follow these tips to help. 

JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images

5 ways to get better sleep

• Curate your bedroom for good sleep: Your bedroom should be a distraction-free zone that limits sleep disruption and promotes total comfort. Have a mattress that's comfy and accommodating for your specific needs, whether it helps improve back pain, cools down hot sleepers or provides a soft pressure relief for those who struggle with joint pain. It should also be dark and cool. Cover windows with curtains and reduce light in your bedroom as much as possible.
• Practice good sleep hygiene: Help maintain your circadian rhythm and promote sleepiness by following a nightly routine. Go to bed at a regular time each night. Have a bedtime routine where you practice a relaxing activity like reading, taking a bath or stretching. Stay off tech devices an hour and a half before bed and avoid substances like alcohol or tobacco that might disrupt your sleep.
• Exercise: Just 30 minutes a day of exercise can help promote better sleep in older adults, alongside other benefits such as improved mental health, disease prevention and increased social engagement.
• Participate in local activities or clubs: Anxiety is a huge detriment to sleep. If you feel lonely and think low social-interaction is leading to poor sleep quality and general mental health, seek out a local group or club that practices activities you enjoy. According to Harvard, spending time with others can help improve well-being, decrease risk of depression and even increase lifespan.
• Adopt a pet: If medical conditions or other limitations keep you from moving as much as you'd wish, adopting a pet to keep you company inside the home can help decrease loneliness. Pet owners are less likely to experience depression, feel less anxiety, increased serotonin and dopamine, and even make 30% fewer visits to the doctor than those without.

Common sleep disruptions in older adults

Becoming older in itself isn't the cause for poor sleep. Other factors like health conditions and daily habits can contribute to the development of sleep disorders. Let's take a look.

Health conditions

boonchai wedmakawand/ Getty Images

Physical and mental health conditions also play a significant role in an aging adult's sleep quality. A study by the Sleep Foundation found almost a quarter of adults between the ages of 65 and 84 were diagnosed with four or more health conditions and received less than 6 hours of sleep a night.

Pain-inducing ailments like arthritis and fibromyalgia cause discomfort and sleep disruptions in older adults, in addition to other medical issues such as sleep apnoea, diabetes, stress, anxiety, heart disease and depression. For those diagnosed with a combination of these conditions, a night of restful sleep may feel difficult to achieve. 

Medications

Almost 9 out of 10 adults aged 65 years or older report taking prescription medication, and not all meds are sleep-friendly. Certain prescriptions like amphetamines, antidepressants and beta-blockers or medications for high blood pressure can harm your quality of rest, while antihistamines and antipsychotics can cause daytime drowsiness. 

Daily habits

With older age comes a slower routine and daily habits that play a part in reducing quality rest. Daytime naps, less time spent outside and low exposure to natural light can disrupt your circadian rhythm. People who feel loneliness from low social interaction may also feel increased anxiety and stress, playing a part in poor sleep.

For more help getting better sleep, try these six natural sleep aids and ways to help relieve anxiety before bed.  

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

https://www.cnet.com/health/sleep/dont-let-your-insomnia-worsen-as-you-reach-older-age-5-tips-for-better-sleep/

Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, can be sign of more serious illness – doctor

From newtimes.co.rw

Nearly everyone has a once in a blue moon sleepless night, awakening in the night and hardly falling asleep.

Insomnia, a common sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep, can get in the way of your daily activities and make you feel sleepy during the day. Most people think of insomnia as a challenge for adults only but children can also develop sleep issues.

Dr Chaste Uwihoreye, a psychotherapist in Kigali, told The New Times that insomnia, itself is not a disease but it can be a sign of various other diseases.

He said: “It can be a sign of depression, stress or even trauma as well as anxiety. People should be careful as insomnia can also be a sign of physical diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and heart disease.”

“Normally a person should sleep eight hours at night. However, sleeping between six and eight hours can be untroublesome.

“But when a person starts sleeping less than six and five hours, and starts sleeping four or three hours, it starts to become a serious problem. The good thing will be to consult a doctor so that they can check exactly what is causing you to lack sleep. Doing sports and socializing can help in overcoming the situation,” he added.

What causes insomnia?

More medications. Older people typically use more prescription drugs than younger people do, which increases the chance of insomnia associated with medications

Poor sleep habits. An irregular bedtime schedule, naps, stimulating activities before bed, an uncomfortable sleep environment, and using your bed for work, eating or watching TV. Computers, TVs, video games, smartphones or other screens just before bed can interfere with your sleep.

Eating too much late in the evening. Having a light snack before bedtime is OK, but eating too much may cause you to feel physically uncomfortable while lying down.

Medical conditions. These may include chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), overactive thyroid, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Coffee, tea, cola and other caffeinated drinks are stimulants. Drinking them in the late afternoon or evening can keep you from falling asleep at night. Actually, insomnia can be caused by a lot of different things just like there are also many ways you can cope with insomnia.

How you can deal with with insomnia

See a doctor. If you haven’t already, discuss your insomnia with a doctor to make sure there is no treatable medical reason for your poor sleep.

Avoid limit naps. Though you may be tempted to take a quick nap during the day, and many people can do so effectively, napping may be counterproductive for the insomniac sufferer.

Learn to cope with the stress that causes insomnia. It is important to deal with your stress and get back to a regular sleep schedule.

Eat small meals regularly throughout the day. Getting little bursts of carbohydrates and protein throughout the day will help you stay awake and alert.

Uwihoreye also explained that: “Sleeping pills can be good and may help a person with, maybe three-month of sleeping disorder, where the person should first see the doctor.

“But it is not good to take pills if they haven't been prescribed by the doctor or you have an addiction to them.”

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/6054/news/health/insomniaa-common-sleep-disorder-can-be-sign-of-more-serious-illness-doctor

Insomnia Linked to Increased Risk of Heart Attack, Especially for Women

From health.com

• People with insomnia may be more likely to have a heart attack, compared to people without the sleep disorder, new research shows.
• Women with insomnia and people with both diabetes and insomnia appear to be at the greatest risk.
• The new findings suggests insomnia should be considered a risk factor for heart attack.

People who experience insomnia may have a greater risk of having a heart attack, compared to those who don’t have the sleep disorder, new research shows. Women with insomnia seem to be at an even greater risk, as are people with both diabetes and insomnia.

The findings come from a new study, presented earlier this month at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology. The research was also published in the journal Clinical Cardiology in February.

“Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, but in many ways it’s no longer just an illness, it’s more of a life choice. We just don’t prioritize sleep as much as we should,” first study author Yomna E. Dean, a medical student at Alexandria University in Alexandria, Egypt, said in a news release. “Our study showed that people with insomnia are more likely to have a heart attack regardless of age, and heart attacks occurred more often in women with insomnia.”

It’s estimated that about 30% of adults experience insomnia—or trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep—and the condition often affects more women than men. Past research has also linked insomnia to other conditions like cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and the new findings suggest that insomnia should be considered a risk factor for heart attack.

“Based on our pooled data, insomnia should be considered a risk factor for developing a heart attack,” Dean said in the news release, “and we need to do a better job of educating people about how dangerous [lack of good sleep] can be.”

Here’s what to know about the link between insomnia and heart attack risk, and how to better prioritise healthier sleep habits.

LUIS HERRERA/STOCKSY

Insomnia and Risk of Heart Attack

For the study, Dean and her research team sought to assess the potential of insomnia being a risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI), known more commonly as a heart attack. To do that, they pooled data from nine studies—originating from the U.S., U.K., Norway, Germany, Taiwan and China—which included data from more than one million adults.

Of those people—who were an average age of 52 years old—almost 154,000 people had insomnia, which was characterized by having any of the three following symptoms:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Difficulty staying asleep
• Waking early and not being able to go back to sleep

All told, 2,406 people with insomnia had a heart attack during an average of nine years of follow-up; meanwhile, just over 12,000 people in the non-insomnia group had a heart attack during that same time period. Ultimately, people with insomnia were 69% more likely to have a heart attack, compared to those who did not have insomnia.

“Not surprisingly, people with insomnia who also had high blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes had an even higher risk of having a heart attack than those who didn’t,” Dean said in the news release. “People with diabetes who also have insomnia had a twofold likelihood of having a heart attack.”

The specific amount of sleep people reported mattered too: People who said they typically got five or fewer hours of sleep each night were more likely to experience heart attack, compared to people who got six to eight hours of sleep. Heart attack risk was also elevated for people who got nine or more hours of sleep, suggesting that both too little and too much sleep can be detrimental to heart health.

How Might Sleep Affect Heart Health?

“There is no question that for many years as cardiologists we have recognized the link between sleep disorders and cardiovascular illness,” said Dennis Finkielstein, MD, associate chair of cardiology at Lenox Hill Hospital, who was not involved in the new study.

“If we think about insomnia and restful sleep, it’s physiology,” Dr. Finkielstein told Health. “It is a period of restoration for the body and if that’s removed with insomnia, you can imagine that it can invoke a fight or flight response throughout the night. Over the long run, I’m not surprised that it can lead to a heart attack.”

Another potential mechanism is the lack of sleep’s impact on cortisol levels—widely known as the body’s stress hormone. “Sleep deprivation, a consequence of insomnia, puts the body under stress, triggering cortisol release which could accelerate atherosclerosis,” said Dean. Atherosclerosis—known more commonly as plaque buildup in the arteries—can lead to blockages which can cause heart attack among other cardiovascular complications.

Still, certain limitations to the study suggest that much more research is needed to prove a link between insomnia and heart health risks.

“There is a lot of interest in sleep health with relation to cardiovascular disease,” said Anais Hausvater, MD, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. “The study is hypothesis-generating, but I think there have to be more studies to see how much the risk is attributed to insomnia, and how much to other mechanisms.”

Dr. Hausvater pointed out that measured insomnia through surveys, or self-reported data, which is less trustworthy due to human error. “There’s a bias in that measurement because it relies on people to recall how much they have slept, which is quite difficult for some people,” said Dr. Hausvater. “It would be valuable to have studies that use technology to measure sleep to objectively measure levels of insomnia in relation to a heart attack.”

https://www.health.com/insomnia-heart-attack-7368320

These 5 Common Health Issues Could Be the Culprits Behind Your Insomnia

From cnet.com

Can't sleep? You may have an underlying health issue you don't know about 

There's nothing more frustrating than losing sleep night after night and not knowing why. Sure, sometimes everyone has an off night or two -- but if it's a consistent problem that's affecting your quality of life, it could be something that needs more attention.

Besides making you feel just plain blah, missing sleep isn't great for your health, especially if it's chronic. Lack of sleep is linked to serious health problems like obesity, heart disease and mood disorders. 

Whether you have full-on insomnia, or have noticed that your sleep quality is taking a hit lately, there could be underlying issues that are impacting you. In honor of Sleep Awareness Week, let's explore five common health issues that could be keeping you from good rest.

"If sleep has become problematic, and you either can't fall asleep, are waking up in the middle of the night or are waking up still tired, definitely check into what's going on inside of your body," said functional medicine nurse practitioner, Maggie Berghoff, MSN, FNP-C. Berghoff, who works with patients facing sleep issues, recommends seeking out testing with your doctor to try to get a bigger picture of what's happening in your body to help detect any issues that could be messing with sleep. 

Everyone is unique and you should seek out medical attention if you can't sleep. Below are common (but sometimes undetected) health issues that are often lurking behind a sleep problem. 

Your diet

Poor nutrition habits can affect your sleep for a variety of reasons. If you're not eating a proper balance of protein, fat and carbs your blood sugar could be all over the place. And if you're blood sugar isn't regulated throughout the day, it can spike and fall again at night, which may wake you up. 

"Diet plays a large role in sleep regulation. Decreasing inflammatory foods that spike blood sugar levels such as sugar or simple carbs may improve sleep. Ridding the body of processed foods and items one is intolerant to (these can even be "healthy" foods like lettuce or lemons!) will also improve sleep quality and quantity," Berghoff says. If you think you're eating pretty healthy, but still experiencing problems, you can ask your doctor for a food intolerance test which can help you pinpoint potentially problematic foods.

A diet too high in processed foods can sometimes cause problems with sleep

Getty Images

Specific vitamins and minerals are needed for good sleep, so if you have any type of deficiency, it could be affecting your sleep. "Vitamin B is typically linked to sleep quality, but if a person's vitamin B is actually optimal, the culprit for that individual may be magnesium, zinc, or other nutrient deficiencies they may have.  

Another tip is to reconsider that bedtime snack. "I recommend avoiding eating just prior to bedtime. In fact, if you really want to raise your standards, stop eating three hours prior to going to bed," Berghoff said.

Hormonal imbalance or thyroid issues

Your hormones are like little messengers in your body that tell it what to do, and that includes sleep (among other vital functions). If you suspect you may have hormonal balances or even a thyroid issue, you should ask your doctor about getting tested.

"If hormones are not properly regulated, it could impact sleep and your body temperature throughout the night. The same can be said for those racing thoughts keeping one from falling asleep," Berghoff said.

Another issue to look out for is overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. "If your thyroid gland is overactive, it can be especially problematic for a restful night of sleep, as your body is essentially in overdrive and not conducive to sleep," Berghoff says.

Using tech at night can disrupt your circadian rhythm

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Circadian rhythm disruption

Many people know that tech is messing with our sleep, and one of the biggest culprits is thought to be blue light. 

"The circadian rhythm is the biological clock of the body. It helps to regulate your sleep and wake cycles. When it is improperly wired, such as when one has irregular sleep habits, or is exposed to blue light all day long and before bedtime, it will negatively impact sleep," Berghoff says.  

One way to help "set" your circadian rhythm properly is by going outside and getting sunlight in the morning, afternoon and in the evening before it gets dark.

"Wearing blue light blocking glasses in the evening, turning your phone on night-time mode, and using f.lux to red tint your computer screens in the evening will help," Berghoff says.

Sleep apnoea 

Sleep apnoea is a serious condition that can not only affect your sleep quality, but can also put you at risk for different types of other health issues, like stroke. Sleep apnoea causes you to stop breathing throughout the night. Oftentimes when you stop breathing you briefly wake up, which is not good for promoting deep, restorative sleep.

If you have sleep apnoea a doctor may have you use a C-PAP machine that helps you breathe at night. Sleep apnea is associated with being overweight, and oftentimes people find relief after losing enough weight to help them breathe better. Sleep apnoea requires testing to confirm, so check with your doctor if you suspect you may have it.   

Feeling constantly stressed or overwhelmed can affect your sleep at night

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Anxiety and stress

A stressful day or week can keep anyone up at night, but sometimes it can lead to more chronic sleep problems. Even though everyone experiences stress, if you aren't dealing with it in a healthy way or are too overwhelmed, it can put your body into a chronic stress state. 

"A heightened sympathetic nervous system can impact sleep. This means your body is in "fight or flight" mode often, and you may not be properly balancing that stress-inducing system properly," Berghoff said. 

It can be helpful to try incorporating relaxing activities before bed, like reading or journaling.

"Before bed, activate your parasympathetic (rest and digest) system with breathing techniques. I recommend to breathe in through your nose for five seconds, hold for five, exhale for five, and hold for five.  Repeat this two to three times to relax your body and calm your mind in preparation for healing sleep," Berghoff suggests. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

https://www.cnet.com/health/sleep/these-5-common-health-issues-could-be-the-culprits-behind-your-poor-sleep/