The hormone we need to nurture for a good night's sleep

Tossing and turning into the early hours isn't fun for anyone. But feeling groggy in the morning isn't the only downside of a sleepless night. Consistently getting enough sleep is the foundation of good health - it helps boost our immunity, allows our body to repair itself and helps to stabilise our emotions. We reveal why sleep is so important...

Not sleeping well? A lack of sleep can make all the difference to your general health, energy levels and sense of wellbeing. Research from the University of California, Berkeley, has shown that just one sleepless night can trigger our anxiety levels to rise by as much as 30 per cent.

In 2013, scientific research showed that our brains have a lymphatic system, and this system is particularly active while we sleep. When we're awake our brain is busy processing information, but at night this 'cleansing system' is activated. While we sleep our brain cells decrease in volume by around 60% which frees up more space between the cells, and this allows the brain fluid to remove waste products and dead cells more efficiently. 

Go deep

The important thing to know is that this brain cleansing system mainly works during deep sleep. More precisely, it happens around your fourth and fifth rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycle, and you'll need at least six hours to reach that deep REM sleep. REM sleep is essential for dreaming, memory, emotional processing, and healthy brain development. This helps explain why you might feel so dazed after a broken night's sleep - your brain hasn't had a chance to reboot itself. 

Why melatonin is important

And now on to the all-important hormone, which we cannot sleep well without - melatonin. Melatonin is made in our pineal gland, a small area in our brain that responds to light and dark via light-sensitive cells in the retina of our eyes. Melatonin helps us sleep deeply and well, thus allowing our brain time to cleanse itself. 

When it gets dark in the evening, from around 8 pm onwards, our pineal gland starts to produce more and more melatonin. This continues until midnight when the production decreases because we should be sound asleep by then. So, from about 8 pm onwards, you'll notice your melatonin slowing your breathing down and lowering your body temperature, making you feel sleepy. 

Boost your melatonin levels naturally

How can you give your body the best chance of producing plenty of melatonin? First of all, avoid screens after 8 pm, as their blue light is bad for melatonin production. Like reading? That's great but focus on lighter material. Thrillers are a no-go in the evening as your brain can't distinguish fiction from reality - it will think you are in danger and ramp up your adrenal glands. Also, make sure your room is cool enough; blackout blinds and curtains can help us sleep better too.

Sleeping is vital for your mind, but your body will also benefit. Melatonin is also a powerful natural antioxidant and will contribute to your body's recovery during the night. Melatonin strengthens your immune system, reduces inflammation and has an anti-ageing effect.

Now that's something we can get on board with. So grab your lavender pillow spray, silk sleep mask, and... night-night!

Want to make getting enough sleep a top priority? Read our type: entry-hyperlink id: 3832NMIzYjr98lyCrlwcdz and set yourself a type: entry-hyperlink id: 6LwjhdsC9yi8uCbRpEToZb to hold yourself accountable.