Many people report problems with sleeping. Even healthy people have trouble falling asleep, or waking up in the middle of the night unable to get back to sleep, or just not feeling rested even after 7-9 hours of being in bed. A plant based diet helps reduce any sleep disturbance that may be caused by indigestion or gastro-esophageal reflux (heartburn), since all the fibers and phytonutrients promote healthy digestion without excess stomach acid or gastric retention. Most people know what NOT to do right BEFORE bedtime: don’t eat rich foods or too much alcohol; don’t exercise heavily, don’t expose your eyes to the blue light on computers and cell phones, and don’t take caffeinated beverages. Prescription sleep aids like Ambien do help get to sleep and have a short duration of action but may not induce the most beneficial deep REM sleep. For those still having problems, I recommend the following:
- Melatonin. 3-10 mg at night does help induce good sleep cycles, but it is more than just a good sleep aide. This fascinating chemical is made in our pineal gland and more abundantly in our mitochondria. It is a strong antioxidant that neutralizes destructive free radicals formed from inflammatory foods. It has been shown to reduce oxidative stress and reduces neuroinflammation. It acts primarily in mitochondria where it facilitates high production of our body’s energy chemical ATP. It reduces inflammation in cells and seems to facilitate fertility and pregnancy. It inhibits cancer cells and their destructive metabolic effects such as cell death. It is produced in the body more at night, but supplementation does improve sleep cycles and deep restorative sleep. Melatonin supplementation has been shown to reduce and improve long COVID symptoms and reduce infections in general. Melatonin production in mitochondria does decline rather rapidly with aging, especially after age 60. I do recommend a melatonin supplement of 3-10 mg for all adults over age 50. Higher doses have been used to improve the adverse neurologic damage from long Covid.
reference: 1. Washington Wellness Center, Dr. Taylor “Melatonin and Mitochondria”, YouTube Jan.13, 2023
- Dr. Deanna Minich, “Melatonin- Why All the Interest” YouTube with David Perlmutter MD Nov. 21, 2022.
- Park, Steven, MD, “Melatonin’s Surprising Health Benefit -Not Related To Sleep” Youtube, May 25, 2022.
2. Grounding or Earthing. Use of a grounding mat in your bed has many advocates who testify that it has greatly helped them obtain a deep and satisfying sleep cycle. It involves attaching a electrical-conducting mat (usually about 2x4 foot dimension) to a wire plugged into the grounding slot on a nearby electric plug. Grounding or Earthing is a way of reducing inflammation apart from foods or supplements and has many advocates. Apparently, the earth is a reservoir of electrons that can neutralize all the inflammatory positive charges that occur in our body. Contact with the earth by walking barefoot on grass or dirt or using a grounding mat will bring in free electrons from the earth to neutralize the excess positive charges continually arising from the oxidizing reactions in our body. Improved wound healing, improved sleep, and improved energy are some of the benefits. I have been using a grounding mat in my bed, and going barefoot on grass or beach whenever possible. It may not work in everybody, but good sleep is so important to health, that is is worth a try and is very inexpensive to implement. Grounding mats are available on Amazon.
2. Kneller, James, MD, “Engaging Planet Earth to Fight Inflammation and Boost Immunity during COVID-19” YouTube, Dove. 15, 2018.
