A quarter of Austrians suffer from sleep disorders. Women between the ages of 25 and 44 are particularly affected. Medicines that help you fall asleep or stay asleep are among the most frequently requested products in pharmacies. 
Do you also have trouble getting enough sleep?

What does “healthy” sleep actually mean?

There is no exact definition of “healthy” sleep. Good/healthy sleep is a very individual experience and cannot be generalized for everyone. Some people are fit and productive after six hours of sleep, while others need nine hours to feel good. The American National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep for an adult’s health. Researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Wuhan recently found that seven hours of sleep is ideal for cognitive performance, general well-being and mental health in middle-aged and older people.

And be careful: too much sleep is not good either. Those who sleep too much also have reduced performance.

27 years in bed

We spend a third of our lives in bed—ideally asleep—which means that with an average life expectancy of 81.1 years (men and women combined), we spend 27 years asleep. If you’re now wondering why we waste so much time “doing nothing”:

Rest is the source of (renewed) strength!

During sleep, the body regenerates: metabolic waste products are flushed from the brain, the liver detoxifies, tissue is repaired, what we learned during the day is consolidated during sleep, the immune system is strengthened and antibodies are produced.

Anyone who sleeps poorly over a long period of time will become ill. Poor sleep or sleeping at the wrong time (for example, due to shift work) has been shown to lead to obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases; it promotes inflammation, atherosclerosis, gastrointestinal diseases, insulin resistance, depression and much more.

And those who stop sleeping altogether can even die—not because of sleep deprivation itself, but because the body’s immune system is severely weakened, making it more vulnerable and unable to fight infections.

By the way, for all night owls: unfortunately, you can’t stock up on sleep or catch up on it to recover .

Our nervous system, day and night

Our nervous system consists of two main systems: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

The sympathetic nervous system helps us get through everything we set out to do during the day. It sharpens our senses, increases our breathing rate and blood pressure, and helps us work with focus and get things done.

The parasympathetic nervous system is different: this network of nerves helps us relax, allows us to take a deep breath and unwind.

Relaxation requires both working together

Both systems only function together and are always active at the same time, but depending on the time of day, one or the other takes the lead. It is important that both systems are in balance. That’s the theory.

In practice, our modern (stressful) lifestyles tend to make us rely much more heavily on the sympathetic nervous system, while neglecting recovery. This reduces the performance of the parasympathetic nervous system and, in turn, weakens our entire autonomic nervous system. Relaxation and “healthy sleep” become unthinkable.

Finding peace and quiet

Certain plants and nutrients can help us bring both systems back into balance. Many Austrians are deficient in magnesium, potassium, lecithin or B vitamins—precisely the vitamins and nutrients that help the parasympathetic nervous system do its job well.

The mineral magnesium, for example, won’t erase appointments from our calendars, but it does relax our muscles and nerves and helps us cope better with stress. The same applies to its companion, potassium. The relaxing effect of these nutrients is best achieved in a good blend of alkaline electrolytes and other vitamins, which we combine, for example, in our alkaline powder. Taken in the evening, it gives the parasympathetic nervous system an external boost to relaxation.

In addition to these nutrients, there are also a number of plant-based substances that help us relax and sleep better.

“Hormones”

In addition to our nervous system, two hormones also play a significant role in keeping our day-night rhythm in sync: cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol—the so-called stress hormone—is produced mainly during the day and keeps us awake and active. More cortisol is released in stressful situations, increasing our alertness and responsiveness. This is vital for survival in dangerous situations (fleeing from a saber-toothed tiger/a furious call from the boss), but problematic over longer periods if cortisol levels no longer fall. Normally, the adrenal gland produces only small amounts of cortisol in the evening. If there is still too much cortisol in the bloodstream before going to bed, sleep is out of the question.

The sleep hormone melatonin counteracts cortisol. It is produced in the pineal gland in our brain. The gland is connected to the optic nerve and therefore knows when it is light and dark. As soon as it gets dark, it produces melatonin. Melatonin tells the cells to switch to night mode.

A saliva test can determine whether the two hormones are in balance. If they are not, it is also worth looking at your nutrient intake: check your magnesium, calcium, B vitamins and alpha-lipoic acid levels. Our valerian-melatonin capsules can also provide support.

Tips for better sleep

Good sleep starts during the day
Getting plenty of exercise in the fresh air helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. 
The right bedroom temperature, a high-quality mattress and avoiding heavy meals before bedtime are also recommended.

Establish a sleep routine
Whenever possible, go to bed at the same time every night.
Try not to work for 30 to 60 minutes beforehand, cut back on media use, do something nice for yourself, take a bath or shower, or meditate briefly. And don’t change your bedtime on weekends either.

After a few bad nights

• Despite a bad night, avoid taking a nap so that you’ll be tired in the evening.
• Try to avoid caffeine (preferably from midday onwards) and alcohol.
• If you have trouble falling asleep because of racing thoughts, get up after 20 minutes, leave the bedroom and do something else until you feel that you can fall asleep again within 20 minutes (you shouldn’t associate your bed with “lying awake”).
• If you have a problem, try to think about it during the day. Set aside time outside your bed to consciously think about it for half an hour or an hour and work on a solution.

And most importantly, finally:

Don’t worry too much about your sleeping habits; that could also keep you awake.