In the many posts I’ve written about running, I always stress the importance of sound sleep. Sleep is vital, not only for recovery, but for performance, brain function, and general health. And getting good sleep goes beyond quantity. The quality of your sleep has a direct impact on your health.
Let me ask you this. First, do you get at least eight hours of sleep each night? If the answer is yes, good for you. That is a good first step. Do you wake up feeling refreshed? That is a good indication of a proper sleeping pattern. If you are sleeping soundly and long enough, you should be going through five REM cycles, falling asleep within 15-20 minutes of turning out the lights, and waking easily without needing the snooze button. Is that you? Then you are definitely enhancing your recovery. You are also in the minority.
The Importance of Sound Sleep for Recovery
Many of us struggle to get enough sleep. Children (or in my case, dogs), work, stress, and other commitments, can make it difficult to fall, and stay, asleep. Sadly, many people turn to over-the-counter or prescription sleep medications, which can actually interfere with normal sleep patterns.
I struggle because I start my day so early, either to run or for work, that it is difficult to go to bed early enough to get my full eight hours of sleep. Then, my little darlings (that would be my dogs) not only sleep with us, they seem to think that my pillow = their pillow. Yes, maybe I should ban them from the bedroom, but that’s not going to happen so I needed to find something else to help me get quality sleep.
I am happy to say that I have a drug-free solution which is helping me finally get good, sound sleep. I have been using Natrol Melatonin Fast Dissolve. It is so easy to pop one 5 mg tablet about 15 minutes before bed. It dissolves swiftly, and by the time I crawl into bed I’m sleepy enough to fall asleep quickly. And while my dogs still manage some disturbances during the night, I find I can fall back asleep right away. And best of all, I’ve been waking up feeling fresh and alert.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps control your sleep cycles. Many things can affect our melatonin levels, and they tend to drop as we age. Melatonin supplements have long been respected as a drug-free sleep aid and Natrol Fast Dissolve is easy-to-use even when traveling because it needs no water. It regulates a healthy sleep pattern and supports an overall better sleep. It’s also 100% vegetarian!
Another drug-free solution is Natrol Advanced Sleep Melatonin. It has a two-layered time release, which gives you a 5 mg dose to help you fall asleep quickly, then releases the remaining 5 mg throughout your sleep to help you stay asleep. It is also vegetarian and helps support sounder, better sleep.
Natrol Melatonin wants to help you sleep more soundly too. They are giving away one Sleep Care Kit, which includes a bottle of Natrol Fast Dissolve, a bottle of Natrol Advanced Sleep, plus, to improve your sleep even more, you will receive a pair of cozy socks, a sleep mask, and a pair of ear plugs. Just use the Rafflecopter below to enter.
Natrol Melatonin is available at most retailers, online, and natural food and supplement stores. Just look for the purple bottle! You can save $2 on your purchase by printing this coupon!
You can catch up with Natrol Melatonin on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and their website. And don’t forget to download your $2 coupon!
What are the challenges you face in getting enough sound sleep?
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Sunday Blog Hop with Jenn
Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Anything Goes with Marilyn
Bonnie, the Pin Junkie
Tip Tuesday with Debbie in Shape
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Michelle, Sarah, and Angelena Marie
Wednesday Wisdom with Nanna’s Wisdom
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Rachel, Suz, Lora Marie, and Me!
The Blogger’s Pit Stop with Kathleen
Let’s Get Real with Karen.
Friday Fitness with Jill
Fitness Friday with Miranda
Tossing and turning keeps me from sleeping.
I’m such a light sleeper I joke that someone in the house thanks about waking up and it wakes me. But it’s no joke 🙂 life long struggle…
During my current training cycle I made it a goal to get 8 hours of sleep a night. I’d never done that before but now realize it makes a huge difference! I run before work, and in my longest run days need to get up at 4 a.m., which means going to bed at 8. It’s been tough but so worth it! I’m lucky that I do sleep soundly, but these look great to take if I start having trouble. Thanks for the review!
I spend way too much time on my phone while I’m lying in bed trying to go to sleep – I know that has a huge impact in by ability to fall asleep fast!
Ah sleep! I started using melatonin a few years ago. I was skeptical at first but I do think it helps. I’ve turned into a very light sleeper so anything helps
my boyfriend wakes me up because I’m snoring, then rolls over and snores…vicious cycle 😉
Stress keeps me up!
HORMONES again! 🙂 Really have impacted my sleep and STRESS!
day to day activities
My mind races and then can’t get to sleep. Would love help with this.
Anxiety!:( Having a child with autism isnt easy…
I’m happy to say I’m a champion sleeper. I rarely have problems sleeping and I’m happy for it. I take magnesium at night because it can help with sleep, and I already have super vivid dreams so I’m a bit scared the melatonin would cause ridiculous dreams for me.
A snoring husband, a restless baby, and worrying!
LUCKILY the second my head hits the pillow, I am typically OUT like a light-switch and I believe it’s because I am ALWAYS on the go… And I also think it has something to do with my mindset because I don’t STEW over “issues”… I tackle them head on before I go to sleep! Even if I for instance, get mad at fiance… Before bed I always make nice and we sleep perfectly – ha ha. You can never go to bed angry, or else you will definitely be up all night!
I tend to get a second wind about 10 pm and then I’m up till about 3, maybe 4. HOWEVER, sometimes I can’t get out of bed till around 3 pm. Vicious cycle! I am a religious melatonin taker, but with Natrol being time released, I think that would out do my current melatonin in a heartbeat.
Thanks so much for letting us know about Natrol. Since I do take melatonin almost every night, I will definitely be trying it out:-)
I just go to bed too late. Always say that we will go to bed early but we never do, then morning comes too quickly.
stress. my brain doesn’t settle at night, and it kick starts in the morning
I have 2 children with Autism that have sleep problems.
I have a problem staying asleep all night.
Stress and worry keeps me from getting eight hours of sleep.
Everything keeps me from sleeping! Mainly noise. Every sound in my noisy neighbourhood wakes me.
I found that melatonin was so helpful when I started to have some sleeping issues related to menopause. I wish that these were around back then. My husband work very hard to get at least 7 hours of good sleep each night. Thanks for sharing your post at the Over the Moon Link Party.
Snoring is the extreme nightmare for me. I cannot sleep if lying next to the snored person.
I spend way too much time on my phone while I’m lying in bed trying to go to sleep – I know that has a huge impact in by ability to fall asleep fast!