With 25% of the U.S. Suffering Side Effects from Sleep Drugs, Natural Insomnia Remedies are Needed

Oct. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- Sleeplessness is a big problem in America. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), almost six out of ten Americans report having insomnia at least a few nights weekly.  In a recent NSF poll, they found that as many as 25 percent of the people in the U.S. use medications in an effort to combat insomnia and get some rest.

The use of prescription sleeping drugs, such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata, has been steadily increasing.  Global sales for all sleeping pills, called hypnotics, will top $5 billion in the next several years.  Most sleeping pills, especially when taken over long periods of time, stay in the bloodstream and give a hangover effect the next day and beyond.  They impair memory, reduce performance on the job and at home, and contribute to machine and car accidents.

From a nutritional perspective, several research studies have shown certain minerals to be effective alternatives to help people fall asleep and stay asleep through the night.  James F. Balch, M.D., author of Prescription for Nutritional Healing, writes: "A lack of the nutrients calcium and magnesium will cause you to wake up after a few hours and not be able to return to sleep."

The pioneering nutritionist Adelle Davis discusses minerals as an insomnia remedy in her book Let's Get Well.  She says: "A calcium deficiency often shows itself by insomnia, another form of an inability to relax. The harm done by sleeping tablets, to say nothing of the billions of dollars spent on them, could largely be avoided if the calcium intake were adequate."  Regarding magnesium, Davis says: "Hundreds of recent studies indicate that almost everyone, especially ill persons, is deficient in magnesium.  Probably no other single deficiency is so responsible for the widespread use of tranquilizers."  

Calcium is directly related to our cycles of sleep. In one study, published in the European Neurology Journal, researchers found that calcium levels in the body are higher during some of the deepest levels of sleep, such as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. The study concluded that disturbances in sleep, especially the absence of REM deep sleep or disturbed REM sleep, are related to a calcium deficiency. Restoration to the normal course of sleep was achieved following the normalization of the blood calcium level.

In magnesium deficiency, chronic insomnia is one of the main, central symptoms. Sleep is usually agitated with frequent nighttime awakenings. On the other hand, a high magnesium diet has been found to be associated with deeper, less interrupted sleep. This was proven in a study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. The study was titled "Effects of trace element nutrition on sleep patterns in adult women." It's important to note that a balanced ratio of calcium and magnesium is beneficial to overall health, and that these two minerals should be taken together in a 2 to 1 ratio for best results.

Jobee Knight, a nutritional researcher and founder of http://NutritionBreakthroughs.com in Glendale, CA., is someone who fought her own battle against sleeplessness and insomnia. She decided to put her background to use by searching out effective natural ingredients for relaxation and deeper sleep. The result was Sleep Minerals II, a natural sleep remedy which contains six forms of calcium, three forms of magnesium, boron, Vitamin D, Vitamin K and horsetail herb – all combined in a softgel with carrier oils. Oils such as evening primrose have been shown to increase mineral absorption, reduce calcium excretion, and increase bone density.

Veronica R., British Columbia, Canada says: “This product has worked wonders for me. Before I started taking it, I would fall asleep and then wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep. When I got the product, I started taking them, and have had no problems going back to sleep. Now I don’t have to be awake for two to four hours every night. I’m so happy I took the chance to try it. I don’t like taking over-the-counter drugs. With Sleep Minerals II, I don’t feel sleepy at all during the day.”

Ali M. of Istanbul Turkey says:  "I have been a pharmacist in Istanbul Turkey for almost 40 years, and I also work as a consultant in food supplements. I suffer from restless leg syndrome at night. I recently tried your Sleep Minerals II and it had an astonishing beneficial result. My youngest brother, who is also a pharmacist, suffers from restless leg syndrome too. He tried the Sleep Minerals II with the same astonishing result. My mother aged 92 was complaining of sleep problems. She also tried it and the result was again amazing."  

Sleeping drugs can wreak havoc on one’s health and well-being.  The right blend of natural minerals can be an effective natural insomnia remedy that helps the sleepless get some good rest.

For more information on Sleep Minerals II, visit http://www.nutritionbreakthroughs.com/html/sleep_remedy_f...

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Nutrition Breakthroughs provides science-based health articles that are designed to clarify and simplify what can sometimes be a complicated subject. Their natural remedies include the effective insomnia remedy Sleep Minerals II.