Insomnia Research
Diet & Lifestyle
Dairy food
& Insomnia
Researchers in Belgium found that intolerance to cow's milk
and dairy products may be a cause of insomnia. Once the dairy foods were eliminated from
the patients' diets, their sleep pattern dramatically improved. (2)
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Tryptophan
& Insomnia
Tryptophan is an amino-acid which is synthesised by your body
into a substance known as serotonin, a compound which induces sleep. Dr Julius Segal of
The National Institute of Mental Health (USA) found that when volunteers were given
tryptophan they fell asleep with unusual speed, awoke less during the night, and spent
more time than usual in deep phases of sleep.(3) Pecan nuts, walnuts and brazil nuts as
well as baked beans all contain Tryptophan. A light snack or including one of these foods
in the evening meal may well help.
NB. DO NOT TAKE TRYPTOPHAN IN SUPPLEMENT FORM AS THE
SUPPLEMENTS ARE BELieVED TO CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS.
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The B Vitamins
& Insomnia
The B Vitamins help your body cope with stress and tension, a
common cause of insomnia. B Vitamins are required for the proper functioning of your
nervous system and thereby influence your levels of stress. Therefore, if stress is a
factor, it is therefore important to consider your intake of vitamin B which is found in
brewers yeast, yeast extracts, nuts, seeds, pulses, molasses, eggs,
wholegrains,
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Reduce/avoid
alcohol consumption
& Insomnia
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol is NOT a solution to
insomnia. Getting 'drunk' will of course eventually cause anybody to 'pass out' but even
then quality sleep is not achieved. Alcohol inhibits sleep rather than induces it
and it is best avoided when one suffers from insomnia.
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Sugar
& Insomnia
Irritability and wakefulness at night can be caused by erratic
blood sugar levels. People can wake up in the night because their blood sugar level has
suddenly dropped. It is therefore best to avoid sugary foods in the evening and rather eat
complex carbohydrates which help stabilise and maintain blood sugar levels. Complex
carbohydrates are found in wholegrains, pulses and vegetables.
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Vegetarian
Diet & Insomnia
Hypertension can be caused by and lead to a feeling of tension
and so result in insomnia. Research has shown that a vegetarian diet (i.e., no meat,
poultry or fish) helps control hypertension (4).
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Selenium
& Insomnia
An epidemiological study conducted by Dr. R Shamberger and Dr.
C Willis, revealed that people living in an area where the soil has a low concentration of
selenium are three times more likely to die from hypertension related diseases than people
who live where the selenium level in the soil is higher (high levels of selenium in the
soil tends to lead to high levels of selenium in the food). Dr. Shamberger said "Our
study strongly suggests that it (selenium) has a beneficial effect on hypertensive
problems in man". (5)
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Coffee
& Insomnia
Chemical caffeine in coffee causes an increase in blood sugar,
a small rise in blood pressure due to spasm of the arteries and a slight heart
contraction. It is for this reason that when one drinks coffee, one often finds that the
heart beats faster and one feels more nervous. Coffee also causes a rise in blood fats,
including cholesterol and, according to Dr. Richard Mackarness, a pioneer of food allergy
in the UK, coffee is one of the main foods causing an allergic reaction in vulnerable
people. High doses can even cause feelings of panic and anxiety. (See effect of allergies
on hypertension above).
Footnotes
(1) Heart Corps, December 1989, V3, N3, P67)
(2) Kahn A et al Pediatric Sleep Unit, University Children's Hospital, Brussels Pediatrics
Oct 1989 p595
(3) Reported in The Practical Enecyclopedia of Natural Healing (Rodale Press)
(4) (The Lancet 1st January 1983 "Blood Pressure Lowering Effect of Vegetarian Diet:
Control Trial in Normotensive Subjects" Rouse IL and Others
(5) The Cleveland Clinic March 1976 "Selenium and High Blood Pressure"
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Sleep
disorders & Hops-Valerian
This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical
trial in parallel group design demonstrated equivalent efficacy and
tolerability of a hop-valerian preparation compared with a benzodiazepine
preparation in patients suffering from sleep disorders according to DSM-IV
criteria. Sleep quality, fitness and quality of life were determined by
psychometric tests, psychopathologic scales and sleep-questionnaires at the
beginning of the therapy, end of therapy (duration 2 weeks) and then 1 week
after cessation of therapy. Patients' state of health (4-point scale) and
medication tolerability (occurrence of adverse events) were documented.
Using the following as parameters "Alphabetischer Durchstreichtest,
Feinmotoriktest, Befindlichkeitsskala, Beschwerdeliste, Schlaffragebogen A
and B" the differences between beginning and the end of the therapy
were analyzed by simultaneous testing of the equality or superiority of the
test preparation. The equivalence of both therapies according to sleep
quality, fitness and quality of life was proven by a Mann-Whitney-Statistic
of 0.50 with a lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval of 0.46. The
patients' state of health improved during therapy while showing a
deterioration after cessation with both preparations. Withdrawal symptoms,
however, were documented with benzodiazepine. Only one adverse drug reaction
was reported during this study, namely stomach complaints from both the test
and reference medication. This study shows that the investigated
hop-valerian preparation in the appropriate dose is a sensible alternative
to benzodiazepine for the treatment of nonchronic and non-psychiatric sleep
disorders.
Schmitz M, Jackel M,
Institut fur Psychosomatik, Wien. Schmitz @ ins.at Wien Med
Wochenschr 1998;148(13):291-8
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