The Secret to Sleeping Naturally
- By Stephen Holt, M.D.

Why some people sleep like a baby and others toss and turn in bed still remains somewhat of a mystery. About 65 million Americans do not sleep well and have difficulty initiating sleep or staying asleep.

Without restful sleep, health cannot prevail. Recent scientific studies show that reductions in the quantity or quality of sleep contribute to premature aging, disability and death. Recent research shows that sleep deprivation causes much mental and physical disability. Sleep problems cost the nation billions of dollars in loss of time from work and tragic events, such as road traffic accidents.Modern hypotheses suggest that lack of sleep may be responsible for hormonal imbalances and it may even contribute to the modern epidemic of obesity and maturity onset diabetes mellitus. While some sleep problems are caused by serious underlying disease, most cases of insomnia are related to simple issues, such as adverse lifestyle, anxiety, stress and poor diet.

The past decade has witnessed a major concern in the diagnosis and management of sleep problems. Sleep centers have sprung up all over the country and every community hospital has at least one physician who has embraced a special interest in the treatment of sleep disorders.

There has been a widespread unhealthy tendency for a large proportion of the population to rely on drugs to induce sleep. All pharmaceuticals used for sleep possess disadvantages or limitations, including cost and side effects. Tolerance to sleeping medication rapidly develops and "hangover" is a problem.

The common nature of disordered sleep and the drawbacks of conventional treatment approaches with drugs have caused many people to seek alternative natural ways to healthy sleep. My new book, "Sleep Naturally" (Wellness Publishing, Newark, NJ, 2003), presents a holistic lifestyle program to assist in the achievement of restful sleep. This program discusses many behavioral changes required to combat insomnia and it introduces the concept of the use of natural, herbal, botanical and nutrient agents in dietary supplements as potential "first-line" approaches to help relieve sleeping problems.

Leading-edge dietary supplement technology has led to the formulation of the product Sleep Naturally™ .

It is apparent that natural substances known to assist in the achievement of restful sleep are best used in safe combinations. Thus, a relatively small dose of a number of natural substances that promote sleep can work together, in concert. This produces a superior, safe, simple and effective outcome. This is the concept of synergy where ingredients have "helper" effects on each other. This approach may help avoid the tolerance that may invariably occur when a single natural substance or drug is used to promote sleep.

Sleep Naturally™ is a proprietary product that combines herbal support of restful sleep with Valerian Root, Chamomile Flower, Passion Flower, Lemon Balm, Skullcap Whole and Ashwagandha Root, and specific vitamins and minerals (Magnesium, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Folic Acid) with the power of the sleep hormone melatonin and the natural effects of 5 Hydroxytryptophan. This combination of natural substances should be avoided by pregnant women and children and it should not be mixed with alcohol or used when driving or operating machinery. Dietary supplements that provide nutritional support for restful sleep are the preferred first-line options.