Sleep is essential for good health. Getting the proper amount of sleep allows your body and mind to recharge and leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for the day. Unfortunately, many people find it challenging to get enough quality sleep each night. Insomnia is a common sleep problem that according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, affects 30% of U.S. adults. Insomnia is characterized by consistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep through the night, and waking up too early. Episodes of insomnia may come and go or be long-lasting. Many factors can contribute to insomnia, including stress and anxiety, medications, an irregular sleep schedule, significant life changes, poor sleeping habits, and pre-existing health conditions. Too little sleep can interfere with your mental health by affecting your outlook, mood, and attention span. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with more serious medical conditions including, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure or stroke. Other potential problems include obesity, diabetes, depression and anxiety, lower fertility rates and weakened immunity.

While you might not be able to control all the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt these easy, natural fixes that encourage better sleep.

• Stick to a sleep schedule
• Create a bedtime routine
• Put away technology and turn off your phone
• Try bedtime yoga or meditation
• Relax with a cup of tea
• Exercise regularly
• Take a hot bath or shower
• Listen to soothing music
• Set bedroom temperature between 60-67°
• Try a sleep-promoting supplement such as melatonin, magnesium, valerian root, ashwagandha, lavender, tryptophan, ginkgo biloba or l-theanine

According to the American Heart Association, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Strokes are the leading cause of long-term disability and reduce mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and over.

Recognizing the warning signs of a stroke can help save your life or the life of a loved one. FAST is an easy way to remember and identify the most common symptoms of a stroke. Recognition of stroke and getting to a hospital rapidly will more likely lead to a better recovery.

F.A.S.T stands for:

Face: Smile and see if one side of the face droops.

Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm drop down?

Speech: Say a short phrase and check for slurred or strange speech.

Time: If the answer to any of these is yes, call 911 right away and write down the time when symptoms started.

Reduce your risk of having a stroke by maintaining a healthy weight, getting more exercise, eating a healthy diet, lowering blood pressure, not smoking, drinking less alcohol and reducing stress. Adding natural supplements to your diet such as ginkgo biloba, omega-3’s, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins C, D and E can also be of great benefit. 

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Natural Health Research Institute (NHRI) was established as a 501c3 nonprofit in 2008 with a mission to reduce the ten leading causes of death by cost-effective natural means. With your help, NHRI will continue to provide the public with life-saving, peer-reviewed research that establishes the health benefits of natural foods and supplementation.