Nutritional Ingredients for Sleep Support

Sleep is an intriguing physiological phenomenon. When you look at the profound impact sleep loss can have on all facets of life, it’s important to acknowledge it as a health problem.

According to a statement published online by the Institute of Medicine ( IOM ): “The cumulative long-term effects of sleep loss and sleep disorders have been associated with a wide range of deleterious health consequences, including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart attack, and stroke. In addition, sleep loss and sleep disorders have a significant economic impact. Billions of dollars a year are spent on direct medical costs associated with doctor visits, hospital services, prescriptions, and overthe- counter medications.”

Sleep Anatomy

The need for sleep becomes more important as everyday life becomes increasingly stressful due to work, relationships and world events. According to a 2006 report by IOM’s Committee on Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research, chronic insomnia affects approximately 30 million Americans. Health problems, such as obesity and high blood pressure, negative mood and behavior, decreased productivity, not to mention safety issues in the home, on the job and on the road, have been scientifically linked to the lack of sufficient sleep.

So where did the age-old recommendation that we need a solid eight hours of sleep come from? In a classic study, researchers placed a volunteer in a windowless, light-controlled room for 30 days.¹ The light was on for 16 hours and off for eight hours, but the study participant was allowed to turn the lights on and off at will. Before the experiment began, the subject routinely got about six and a half hours of sleep per night. During the first night of the experiment he slept eight hours, the second night 10 hours, the third night 12 hours, and the fourth night 14 hours. Over the next several days, he began to reduce the number of hours slept, eventually falling to a steady eight hours and 13 minutes. This experiment was performed repeatedly with all types of people, with similar results.

The cycle of sleeping and waking is determined by an internal biological clock that sets circadian rhythms—“circadian” means “about a day.” In addition to regulating the sleep/wake cycle, this internal clock controls the timing of hundreds of metabolic and other bodily functions.

Light entering the eyes plays a key role in setting circadian rhythms. Light travels from the retinas as electrical signals through the optic nerves toward the brain’s hypothalamus, the body’s master clock, which contains a tiny cluster of nerves called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). As daylight wanes, the SCN signals another structure in the brain, the pineal gland, to produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes the onset of sleep. Conversely, at sunrise, the pineal gland is signaled by the SCN to decrease its production of melatonin, thereby promoting wakefulness.

The Sleep Cycle

Five distinct stages occur during sleep and each plays an essential role in helping the body feel well rested and alert. Four of these stages are classified as non- REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and the fifth is REM .

Non-REM sleep (NREM) is comprised of stages one through four and lasts from 90 to 120 minutes, with each stage lasting anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Surprisingly, however, stages two and three repeat backwards before REM sleep is attained. A normal sleep cycle follows a pattern similar to: waking, stage one, two, three, four, three, two, REM. Usually, REM sleep occurs 90 minutes after sleep onset.

Stage one sleep is often described as drowsiness. The eyes are closed during stage one sleep, but if aroused from it, a person may feel as if he or she has not slept. Stage 1 may last for five to 10 minutes.

Stage two is a period of light sleep during which polysomnographic readings show intermittent peaks and valleys, or positive and negative waves. These waves indicate spontaneous periods of muscle tone mixed with periods of muscle relaxation. The heart rate slows, and body temperature decreases. At this point, the body prepares to enter deep sleep.

Stages three and four are deep sleep stages, with stage four being more intense than stage three. These stages are known as slow-wave, or delta, sleep.

Stage five, REM sleep is distinguishable from NREM sleep by changes in physiological states, including its characteristic rapid eye movements. In normal sleep, heart rate and respiration speed up and become erratic, while the face, fingers and legs may twitch. Intense dreaming occurs during REM sleep as a result of heightened cerebral activity, but paralysis occurs simultaneously in the major voluntary muscle groups, including the sub mental muscles (muscles of the chin and neck).

Because REM is a mixture of brain states of excitement and muscular immobility, it is sometimes called paradoxical sleep. It is generally thought that REM-associated muscle paralysis is meant to keep the body from acting out the dreams that occur during this intensely cerebral stage. The first period of REM typically lasts 10 minutes, with each recurring REM stage lengthening, and the final one lasting an hour.

The Cortisol Response

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is secreted into the bloodstream during the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to stress. Its intricate involvement in other physiological functions includes the regulation of blood pressure, proper glucose metabolism, inflammatory response and insulin release for blood sugar maintenance. Small increases of cortisol is a good thing; its positive effects include a quick burst of energy for survival reasons, heightened memory functions, a burst of increased immunity, lowered sensitivity to pain, and help in maintaining homeostasis in the body. Higher and prolonged levels in the bloodstream, however, cause several negative effects including blood sugar imbalances (such as hyperglycemia), higher blood pressure, suppressed thyroid function, and decreased bone density and muscle tissue. When high levels of cortisol occur at night, it can impact sleep and may result insomnia. Lack of stage three and four sleep lowers human growth hormone production, which in turn impairs tissue repair and may even influence weight gain.

Eating Well for Sleeping Well

Food consumption has a profound influence on the body’s sleep patterns and level of restorative benefit. Deficiencies in certain vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes may disrupt and impair sleep.

Insomnia is one of the central, or neurotic, symptoms of chronic magnesium deficiency; it’s responsible for the nervousness that prevents sleep.² Magnesium (Mg) produces calming effects on the brain. Researchers at the Department of Psychiatry, Geneva, studied magnesium involvement in sleep in both genetic and nutritional models.³ They studied peripheral and central levels of Mg and analyzed sleep in two lines of mice selected for low (MGL) and high (MGH) red blood cell (RBC) Mg levels. They concluded optimal (physiological) Mg levels are needed for normal sleep regulation.

Melatonin is a neurohormone produced in the brain by the pineal gland, from the amino acid tryptophan. As mentioned earlier, the synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light, linking it to circadian rhythm. Levels of melatonin in the blood show highest prior to bedtime. The relationship between brain activation, endogenous melatonin (measured in saliva), and selfreported fatigue was assessed by a group of researchers in Tel Aviv, Israel.⁴ Results showed brain activation patterns, as well as the response to exogenous melatonin, significantly differed at night from those seen in afternoon hours. Activation in the right parietal cortex increased at night and correlated with individual fatigue levels, whereas exogenous melatonin given at 10 p.m. reduced activation in this area. In a review published by The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, melatonin offers protective effects against cardiovascular disease (CVD).⁵ The review describes the beneficial actions of melatonin against oxidative cardiovascular disorders via its direct free radical scavenger and its indirect antioxidant activity. Another study, conducted by researchers in Bulgaria, investigated the melatonin-insulin interactions in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS), a group of risk factors associated with CVD.⁶ With more studies needed to confirm or reject the findings, the results showed that melatonin-insulin interactions may exist in patients with MS, as well as relationships between melatonin-insulin ratio and the lipid profile. The study also concluded that pineal disturbances could influence the pathogenesis and the phenotype variations of the MS.

The nutritional precursor to serotonin, L-tryptophan has been extensively studied and has been found to be an effective hypnotic.⁷ Scientists at the University of Extremadura, Spain, studied the effects of this amino acid on the activity/rest rhythms of ringdove, and on serum levels of serotonin and melatonin.⁸ During treatment, the nocturnal and diurnal levels and amplitudes of serotonin and melatonin were all significantly higher than the corresponding levels before and after the treatment. In summary, results suggest an improvement of nocturnal rest in this animal model.

Thiamine is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin, previously known as vitamin B1 or aneurine, and is involved in the nervous system. In a double blind study of healthy elderly who were likely to be marginally thiamine-deficient, supplementation improved sleep patterns and general wellbeing, while it reduced daytime sleep and fatigue.⁹

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is a powerful amino acid that was first discovered in 1883 in Berlin. It is actually classified as a neurotransmitter, which means it helps nerve impulses communicate better. GABA has a great number of positive effects on the nervous system. Researchers at St. John’s and St. Luke’s Hospitals, St. Louis, studied the efficacy of GABA in a randomized, controlled clinical trial.¹⁰ Healthy subjects were administered 10 mg, 15 mg or placebo. Results suggested GABA in 10 and 15 mg doses was efficacious in significantly reducing the sleep maintenance and sleep onset disruption, with effects generally being most pronounced for the 15 mg dose.

The herbal extract kava (Piper methysticum) is an age-old herbal drink and the beverage of choice for royal families of the South Pacific. Its medicinal effects are known to calm nerves, ease stress and anxiety, and combat fatigue—the natural way.¹¹ Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, performed a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial using a novel Internet-based design to determine whether kava was effective for reducing anxiety.¹² In order to be eligible for the study, participants were required to have anxiety as documented by scores of at least 0.5 standard deviations above the mean on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory State subtest (STAI-State) on two separate occasions, and to have insomnia, defined as a “problem getting to sleep or staying asleep over the past 2 weeks.” Eligible participants were then placed into one of three groups and mailed 28 days’ supply of kava with valerian placebo (n=121), valerian with kava placebo (n=135), or double placebo (n=135). Participants receiving placebo had a decrease in anxiety symptoms on the STAI-State score and a decrease in insomnia symptoms. Those receiving kava had similar reductions in STAI-State score compared with placebo.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is one of the oldest living tree species and is among the most extensively studied botanicals. Researchers at the Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK, recruited 10 healthy volunteers of both sexes and recorded sleep polysomnograms in a randomized cross-over study, comparing sleep polysomnograms taken the night after a single evening dose of Li 1370, a standardized preparation of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE), with sleep polysomnograms taken after an evening dose of placebo.¹³ No significant differences in sleep parameters (including REM sleep measures) were detected; however sleep efficiency measures and subjective sleep quality reports showed that Li 1370 was well tolerated.

Natural sleep remedies vary from botanicals to hormones and even certain foods. It’s a broad category with a number of available alternatives. Those needing to enter a less active mental state necessary to fall asleep may consider trying any one of the available cortisol-lowering herbs, such as ashwaghanda, which reduces levels of corticosterone;¹⁴ magnolia, which offers anti-anxiety effects;¹⁵Jamaican dogwood, known to sooth the nerves and calm the mind;¹⁶ or passionflower, a potent remedy to calm muscle tension and emotional turmoil.¹⁷

Forward-thinking product formulators therefore have a range of nutritional and botanical options to help consumers find better sleep—without counting sheep.

REFERENCES

1. Breus M. “How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?” WebMD. 2007;22(2). http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/62/71838.htm

2. Popoviciu L et al. “Clinical, EEG, electromyographic and polysomnographic studies in restless legs syndrome.” Rom J Neurol Psychiatry. 1993;31(1):55-61

3. Chollet D et al. Behav Genet. 2001;31(5):413-25.

4. Gorfine T, Zisapel N. Hum Brain Mapp. 2007; Epub ahead of print.

5. Tengattini S et al. J Pineal Res. 2008;44(1):16-25.

6. Robeva R et al. J Pineal Res. 2008;44(1):52-56.

7. Schneider-Helmert D, Spinweber CL. “Evaluation of L-tryptophan for treatment of insomnia: A review.” Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1986;89(1):1-7.

8. Paredes SD. Physiol Behav. 2007;90(4):576-82.

9. Smidt LJ et al. “Influence of thiamine supplementation.” J Gerontol. 1991;46(1):M16-M22.

10. Walsh JK et al. Sleep Med. 2007; Epub ahead of print.

11. http://kavaroot.com.

12. Jacobs BP et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2005;84(4):197-207.

13. Murray BJ et al. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2001;34(4):155-7.

14. http://www.ayurvediccure.com/ashwagandha.htm

15. Ibid.

16. http://www.herbco.com/bulk_herbs/Jamaica-Dogwood-Root.php

17. http://health.howstuffworks.com/passionflower-herbal-remedies.htm