Posts Tagged ‘melatonin’
Jet lag, for those who don’t know, is the effect of travelling between time zones upsetting the bodies biological clock. It is defined as:
“A physiological condition which is a consequence of alterations to circadian rhythms”
The effects of jet lag can vary. Some will suffer a few days of restless sleep whereas others may experience loss in appetite, headaches, constipation, anxiety and dizziness. There are a number of ways in which jet lag can be alleviated or the effects lessened. Here are a few suggestions:
Tasimelteon: This is a new drug developed by Elizabeth Klerman of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston along with researchers from Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Maryland. Tests have shown that those taking the drug were far better able to fall asleep when compared with others who had not taken the drug. It is thought that Tasimeteon stimulates the effects of Melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep.
Melatonin: The hormone Melatonin is now a popular remedy for sleep related problems. Melatonin supplements can be purchased (in the United States) without a prescription. Research into Melatonin has presented a clear association with sleep and supplements providing 0.1 to 0.5 milligrams of the hormone can be enough to help get off to sleep.
Fasting: Minimising the amount of food you consume before embarking on your flight can help lessen the effects of jet lag. Studies have shown that, when food is scarce, the normal biological clock may be overridden by another internal clock. It has been suggested that a period of fasting, for about 16 hours before taking a flight, should be enough to switch the new biological clock into action and this will lessen the effects of jet lag.
Orange Tinted Sun-glasses: It has long been known that Melatonin secretion in humans can be stimulated by light. Light from the blue end of the spectrum has been found to provoke a decrease in Melatonin production. Its therefore reasonable to expect that wearing orange tinted sunglasses will encourage Melatonin secretion.
Toe Scrunching: Some travellers have reported that spending a few minutes tightly curling their toes while standing on a carpet or towel, just before going to bed, has a beneficial effect on jet lag. Some have reported that spending between 2 and 5 minutes carrying out this exercise has had an immediate beneficial effect on their ability to get off to sleep.
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If you are one of the millions of folks who regularly revolve their working shifts and are in effect working when their body wants to rest, you may notice that you feel more and more drowsy during your night work shifts and unable to sleep during the daytime although you may feel very tired. These symptoms of sleepiness and insomnia are a condition termed either shift work or circadian rhythm sleep disorders, that can also bring on other health related problems like frequent headaches, having difficulty focusing and no energy. Read on for several pointers on what you can do to ease the symptoms of this sleep disorder.
The most obvious remedy is to try to modify your work schedule to hours that are more sociable. By working at night, you are upsetting your body’s internal clock, called the circadian rhythm, which regulates itself with the rising and setting of the sun to know when it is time to wake and sleep respectively. Shift work pushes your body into an abnormal state of working when it should be asleep and sleeping when it would ordinarily be awake. This is the reason that you feel drowsy during the night and then cannot fall asleep during the day although you are very tired. Therefore, if possible, it is in your best interests to have a chat with your work supervisor to see if shift changes can be made.
Here are some sleep strategies for shift workers that you may like to try. If you must work your shift, it is advisable to keep away from caffeinated beverages while you are working, and particularly right before you go to sleep. Caffeine dries the airways, and might act as a stimulus for a while, but will cause you to feel even more tired and groggy after the buzz wears off. This could cause sleep apnea syndrome in many people, not to mention excessive snoring. So, endeavor to drink fruit juices, or ask your doctor about natural supplements you can take while you work.
Shift work sleep disorder may additionally mean that you are sleepy-eyed during the day, even if you use this time for rest before your work shift. If you have narcolepsy, which is thought to be caused by the brains inability to adapt to natural sleep wake cycles, you may notice that you are doing things without remembering, or having vivid dreams while you are not in sleep mode. Your body may also be in a slight state of paralysis when you are trying to wake up, which is an indicator that shift work sleep disorder may be your problem.
Maintaining a record of your work schedules and sleep patterns is ordinarily sufficient information for your physician to make a proper diagnosis. However, for on-going sleep problems or if an underlying sleep disorder is suspected, you might be asked to keep a sleep journal in which you keep a record of your sleeping habits. You should also attempt to keep a regular sleep schedule, even on your days off or at weekends. If you think they may be helpful, ask your physician about medications such as Ritalin or Melotonin. It is important that you do not try and self diagnose your problem as it may be something more than a shift work sleep disorder.