How Does Poor Sleep Affect Your Health?

Not getting enough good, quality sleep not only makes you feel like a zombie, it can turn your life into a horror movie. In the short term, lack of sleep, disrupted sleep and non-restorative sleep can make you…

• Feel tired. This probably goes without saying, but research published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals provides evidence that the obvious is indeed a reality: If you get poor sleep, chances are you’re going to feel tired.^{Footnote †}
• Hungry. Poor sleep increases hunger and cravings, particularly for high-carb, high-fat junk foods. For example, one study found that not getting enough sleep increases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and decreases levels of leptin, a hormone that helps you feel full and satisfied. Just one night of bad sleep (4 hours) led study participants to eat 559 more calories (22% increase) the next day compared to after a full night of sleep.^{Footnote †} Not getting good sleep can not only make you hungrier, it can also reduce your ability (will power) to say ‘no’ to tempting foods.
• Less focused. Poor sleep – such as partial sleep deprivation, which is what affects most people (i.e., not getting a full 8 hours of sleep) – impairs memory, learning, attention, vigilance and logical reasoning.^{Footnote †}
• Make bad decisions and engage in more risky behavior. Multiple studies have shown that poor sleep adversely affects decision making. For instance, one study found that two nights of not getting enough sleep impaired decision making and increased risk-taking behavior.^{Footnote †}
• Moody, irritable and angry. When you don’t get enough sleep or don’t sleep well, you’re more likely to feel irritable, have mood swings and feel down in the dumps. The relationship between sleep and mood is so powerful, in fact, that sleep is considered predictive of next-day mood.^{Footnote †}
• Slow to react. One study found that poor sleep led to reduced accuracy and slower reaction time in tests for reaction speed.^{Footnote †}
• Look older. Research also shows that sleep quality impacts skin function and aging. In one study, researchers found that women who weren’t sleeping enough showed signs of premature skin aging and a decrease in their skin’s ability to recover after sun exposure. The study also found that poor sleep quality was associated with diminished skin barrier function and lower satisfaction with appearance.^{Footnote †} In short, the women weren’t sexy, and they knew it.
• Feel like everything is harder. According to a recent study, poor sleep makes tasks that need effort – from work-related tasks to things that require physical effort – more challenging.^{Footnote †}

You’re not pulling all-nighters so that doesn’t apply to you, right? Wrong. If you are short on sleep for just TWO hours for eleven days, you perform exactly as you would if you hadn’t slept for 24 hours.

Getting enough sleep is not a luxury. It’s something you NEED for good health, and it is CRITICAL for everyone.

What Causes Poor Sleep?

There are many known factors that contribute to those periodic nights of sleeplessness… tossing and turning… difficulty turning off a wired mind…

And, of course, one of the biggest culprits that seems to come and go for many people is STRESS. The connection between stress and poor sleep is very strong.

According to an APA’s Stress in America survey, stress keeps more than 40% of adults lying awake at night. Ironically, 45% of people report feeling more stressed after not getting enough sleep; it’s a vicious cycle!^{Footnote †}

Stress isn’t the only thing that can affect sleep from time to time; some of the other factors that can contribute to those periodic nights where you have difficulty sleeping include…

• Not exercising as often as you should
• Exercising too much
• Exercising too late at night
• Traveling across time zones
• Changes in work schedule
• Eating too late at night
• “Social jet lag” or Weekenditis, which refers to changing sleep/wake times and eating/drinking habits on the weekend
• Too much high-energy/artificial blue light exposure (from computers, phones, tablets, TVs, lightbulbs) especially in the evening
• Not getting enough bright outdoor light during the day, particularly in the morning/early hours of the day
• Consuming too much caffeine (and other stimulants) and/or too late in the day
• Consuming too much alcohol
• A less-than-optimal bedroom environment… one that’s too loud… too bright… too hot… one that doubles as a workspace… one that’s anything less than a sanctuary

How to Improve Sleep Hygiene Naturally?

That’s a long, daunting list, but the cool thing is that it lends insight into the many, many natural sleep aids—things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene—that can help swing the odds in your favor of getting quality sleep…

• Maintain a consistent bed and wake time (across all days)
• Make your bedroom a sanctuary
• Ensure a quiet, cool and dark bedroom environment
• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants 6 hours or more prior to sleep
• Block blue light and/or avoid light-emitting technology devices in the hours prior to sleep (e.g., shut off electronics at least an hour before bed)
• Implement relaxation strategies before bed (e.g., sip herbal tea, meditate, read a book, spend time with family, take a hot bath)
• Implement stress management techniques, such as setting boundaries, practicing yoga, meditating, taking a leisurely walk, breathe deeply and slowly
• Do a “brain dump”
• Go to bed before midnight
• Get bright outdoor light in the morning, preferably within the first hour or two of waking
• Practice earthing/grounding daily
• Exercise daily, but not too late, as that can raise core body temperature and levels of hormones that can keep you awake
• Limit daytime naps to 20 - 30 minutes

In addition to all those lifestyle, behavior and sleep hygiene changes, the good news is that you can also support a better night’s rest with sleep supplements that contain key nutrients and botanicals that work with the body’s natural mechanisms and processes to provide nutritional support for a better night’s sleep without side effects, drowsiness or sleep-hangovers.

What Makes Zen-Zzz the Right Sleep Support Supplement for You

Unfortunately, many sleep supplements and natural sleep aids can be more trouble than their worth considering that…

• Some may actually increase sleep troubles, particularly among older folks.
• Some sleep aids may be more prone to habituation, meaning that more of them may be needed over time to get the desired effect.
• Some sleep aids are known for a variety of negative side effects, like feeling drowsy, hungover, moody and worse.

And even many of the sleep supplements that do look decent are not third-party tested to ensure purity, potency and safety.

Zen-Zzz, meanwhile, is a non-habit-forming sleep support supplement that contains a combination of well-researched sleep-support nutrients and relaxing botanicals that can help put your mind and body at ease so you can sleep more soundly and wake up feeling more refreshed and energized—without side effects, drowsiness or sleep-hangover.^{Footnote †}

Here are the key ingredients in Zen-Zzz and how they help support healthy sleep:

L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea that promotes relaxation, feelings of well-being and sleep quality.^{Footnote †} Studies have shown that it can help ease feelings of stress, worry and uncertainty, and support restful sleep.^{Footnote †} L-Theanine seems to help calm the mind and body by supporting a healthy balance of feel-good, relaxing neurotransmitters.^{Footnote †}

Melatonin is primarily regarded as a sleep-regulating hormone that plays a key role in the body’s circadian rhythm (i.e., sleep-wake cycle). Melatonin levels fluctuate throughout life, and levels decline with age, ultimately plummeting until there are negligible amounts produced at older ages.^{Footnote †} Melatonin is very well studied, with research showing that supplementation may help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, increase sleep efficiency (the amount of time spent sleeping relative to the amount of time spent in bed) and improve overall sleep quality.^{Footnote †} Despite misinformation to the contrary, melatonin does not become habit-forming, nor does it typically produce sleep-hangover.

In addition to those two well-researched sleep-support ingredients, Zen-Zzz also provides the following ingredients:

Magnesium is an essential mineral and the second most prevalent electrolyte in the human body. It is important for many processes in the body, including a healthy stress response, relaxation and regulating a healthy balance of relaxing neurotransmitters.^{Footnote †}

Lemon Balm Extract has been used traditionally to provide support for a healthy mood and relaxation. Lemon balm may help promote a healthy balance of relaxing neurotransmitters.^{Footnote †}

Chamomile Extract is one of the oldest, most widely used and well documented botanicals, frequently used to help put the mind and body at ease.^{Footnote †}

Passion Flower Extract is a botanical from the tropical areas of America, and it is commonly used to provide support for sleep.^{Footnote †}

Anecdotal evidence indicates that supplementation with Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) before bed can enhance dream vividness and recall. Vitamin B6 is also a necessary co-factor in the body's conversion of tryptophan to serotonin, which the precursor to the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin.^{Footnote †}

With its cast of sleep-support nutrients and botanicals, we truly believe that Zen-Zzz is the right choice for a sleep support supplement. Simply take 1 - 2 capsules on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before bed, to support sound, restful sleep—starting tonight!

Zen-Zzz Nutrition & Ingredients

L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea that promotes relaxation, feelings of well-being and sleep quality.^† Studies have shown that it can help ease feelings of stress, worry and uncertainty, reduce anxious thoughts and support restful sleep.^{Footnote †} L-Theanine seems to help calm the mind and body by supporting a healthy balance of feel-good, relaxing neurotransmitters.^{Footnote †}

Melatonin is primarily regarded as a sleep-regulating hormone that plays a key role in the body’s circadian rhythm (i.e., sleep-wake cycle). Melatonin levels fluctuate throughout life, and levels decline with age, ultimately plummeting until there are negligible amounts produced at older ages.^{Footnote †} Melatonin is very well studied, with research showing that supplementation may help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, increase sleep efficiency (the amount of time spent sleeping relative to the amount of time spent in bed) and improve overall sleep quality.^{Footnote †} Despite misinformation to the contrary, melatonin does not become habit-forming, nor does it typically produce sleep-hangover.

In addition to those two well-researched sleep-support ingredients, Zen-Zzz also provides the following ingredients:

Magnesium is an essential mineral and the second most prevalent electrolyte in the human body. It is important for many processes in the body, including a healthy stress response, relaxation and regulating a healthy balance of relaxing neurotransmitters.^{Footnote †}

Lemon Balm Extract has been used traditionally to provide support for a healthy mood and relaxation. Lemon balm may help promote a healthy balance of relaxing neurotransmitters.^{Footnote †}

Chamomile Extract is one of the oldest, most widely used and well documented botanicals, frequently used to help put the mind and body at ease.^{Footnote †}

Passion Flower Extract is a botanical from the tropical areas of America, and it is commonly used to provide support for sleep.^{Footnote †}

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) taken before bed may enhance dream vividness and recall, although further research is needed to confirm this effect.^{Footnote †}