Sleeping Saviours

Shona Wilkinson, Nutritionist at the Nutri Centre (Europe’s largest natural products store) advises that: “Sleep gives our bodies the chance to maintain and repair both the body and the mind”. This is important given the NEW research, which indicates that people that sleep for less than 6 hours per night are 12% more likely to die prematurely compared with those who manage to secure the ‘ideal’ amount of between 6-8 hours (1).

Wilkinson further explains that: “Lack of sleep affects our nervous systems by leaving us drowsy and unable to concentrate. It can lead to poor memory and poor physical performance. If sleep deprivation continues, hallucinations and mood swings may develop. Sleep problems are common in both mental and physical disorders including depression, strokes, cancer and head injuries. ”

In a modern society in which sleep often falls at the bottom of the priority list for those in high-pressured jobs or with families, the following sleep solutions may act as a “life saviour”!

Patch-It - £9.99 - www.patch-it.info

Plaster-style patches that use the ancient principals of reflexology to stimulate key pressure points on the feet. An independent sleep disturbance trial discovered that on average, Patch-It reduced the amount of time troubled sleepers spent awake every night by a staggering 40 per cent (2).

The participants of the randomised placebo-controlled trial, conducted by an independent Harley Street clinic, also experienced:

A 100% improvement in alertness during the day

A reduction in sleep interruptions by one third

A 20% reduction in the time taken to fall asleep

Dr Nyjon Eccles, of the Chiron Clinic, who conducted the trial says: “Wearing Patch-It continuously for one month seems to have improved the quality of sleep in three main ways - getting off to sleep, duration of sleep and feeling refreshed after sleep. ”

Nature’s Plus Dreamquest Adult’s Warm Milk Chewables - £19.50 -www.nutricentre.com

Chewable tablets containing 200 mg of Lactium®, the soothing milk peptides responsible for the calming properties of warm milk. This soothing formula also contains effective sleep-supporting herbs, including hops, chamomile and cinnamon.

Lamberts Healthcare Fibrecleanse - £12.95 - www.nutricentre.com

An advanced nutriceutical formula to support a healthy nervous system which is required to promote mental calm, relieve stress and improve the quality of sleep. Containing B vitamins which work together to support adrenal glands, plus Calcium and Magnesium which work in balance to stimulate and relax the nervous system, whilst Tryptophan helps restore calm to the mind.