At The Gut Co, we adore sleep- and not just a few hours snatched as a necessity between commitments. We’re talking about the kind of rest where you wake calm, cantered, and renewed.

We’re talking about deep, restful, luxurious, restorative sleep. 

Yep, it's a lot of adjectives- we know! But this experience exists - even though to some of us it may seem like an elusive and mythical creature that seems too good to be real (not unlike a unicorn. Or Henry Cavill).

High quality sleep is non-negotiable for overall health and staving off the effects of premature aging. The consequences of rubbish sleep can range from fatigue and poor immunity to dull skin, mediocre memory and of course, a lower stress threshold.

Ironically, stress itself is a known player in sleep disruption through the interplay of adrenal stress hormones and the production of neurotransmitters responsible for either feeling heightened stress or a sense of zen.

If this is sounding all too familiar, it may be time to consider the negative impact of stress and anxiety on the quality and quantity of your sleep. 

The Stress-Sleep Connection

The most obvious tell-tale signs?

Difficulty falling asleep, light sleep and frequent waking.

Sadly, garnishing this situation with caffeine to make it through the AM fog just exacerbates the ‘tired and wired’ sensation, drives up the production of stress hormones and pushes sleep further into the distance.

On the flipside of the day, distraction after a long 9-5 can probably be dubbed the world’s most commonplace routine- aka immersing in a fascinating (yet incredibly tense) docuseries on the Flix with a glass of wine and a good scrolly-scroll when the plot gets dull.

The trouble with this is that this pre-sleep routine is thoroughly anti-sleep. Blue light, overstimulation from media and alcohol can all be a spanner in the works for legitimately decompressing and supporting mental tranquillity and deep sleep.

Is there a better way? Yes! 

By placing emphasis on ‘resetting’ how we approach our routine, we can target the downregulation of stress hormones whilst supporting the production ‘inhibitory’ (or calming!) neurotransmitters which help us with relaxation and sleep.

 

Make Friends with Sleep Hygiene

This ritual of creating habits and a calm environment conducive to a stress-free mind and deeper sleep are simple yet invaluable.

Exposure to morning sun, ensuring that caffeine is always after food/before midday, choosing warm light bulbs over cool/white (check your phone for warm light settings too!), ditching screens an hour before bed and ensuring a cool, dark environment in the bedroom are all foundational for supporting melatonin production and restful sleep.

Sticking to this schedule and being consistent is essential!

Manage Your Stress

Making and honouring space for daily decompression and self-care is a must for building resilience to anxiety and supporting better sleep. Deep belly breathing, meditation, yoga, a warm bath, or scheduling in a regular massage are all wonderful ways to help with the burden of daily stress and allow us to drop back into ‘rest and digest’ mode. 

Add Sleep {well} 

So if the toss-turn cycle has you wondering what good sleep ever even felt like, The Gut Co. has your back with the newest addition to our family, Sleep {well}.

Naturopathically formulated to feature a combination of botanicals including Passionflower, Ziziphus, California Poppy and Lavander, Sleep {well} is designed to reduce restlessness as well as symptoms of mild anxiety and support a better night’s sleep.

Passionflower, Lavander and California Poppy have long been hallowed in Western Herbal Medicine for their deeply soothing effect on the nervous system, their ability to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, and to promote a better night’s sleep. Similarly, Ziziphus is renowned in its long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its capacity to relieve nervous energy and (as well as sweating!) and sleeplessness.

Last, but certainly not least, magnesium glycinate is our favourite mineral for supporting relaxation. This form is known for its ability to be easily absorbed where it can then support nervous system function and help to regulate sleep and energy cycles.

Here’s to a calm mind and a better night’s sleep (you’re welcome!)

Buy The Gut Co. Sleep {well} here

 

References

van Dalfsen JH, Markus CR. The influence of sleep on human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. 2018 Jun;39:187-194. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2017.10.002. Epub 2017 Oct 18. PMID: 29126903.

Farshbaf-Khalili A, Kamalifard M, Namadian M. Comparison of the effect of lavender and bitter orange on anxiety in postmenopausal women: A triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 May;31:132-138. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.02.004. Epub 2018 Feb 20. PMID: 29705445.

Zhang M, Ning G, Shou C, Lu Y, Hong D, Zheng X. Inhibitory effect of jujuboside A on glutamate-mediated excitatory signal pathway in hippocampus. Planta Med. 2003 Aug;69(8):692-5. doi: 10.1055/s-2003-42786. PMID: 14531016.

Janda K, Wojtkowska K, Jakubczyk K, Antoniewicz J, Skonieczna-Żydecka K. Passiflora incarnata in Neuropsychiatric Disorders-A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(12):3894. Published 2020 Dec 19. doi:10.3390/nu12123894