Getting the most out of sleep supplements such as L-theanine

Saturday, March 31, 2012 by: Healthy Times Newspaper
Tags: sleep supplements, L-theanine, melatonin

(NaturalNews) Millions of people lie in bed at night, their minds churning on the events of the day. They brood over the past. They plan the future. Lying there, the last thing they are capable of is restful, rejuvenating sleep.

Common sleep remedies and supplements feel weak compared to the inner commotion that rocks them every night. Prescription sleep aids may work temporarily, but are addictive, not to mention the side effects. Are there secrets to choosing natural remedies for insomnia?

Find a reliable source

"You have to go to a source that is reliable, that tests these substances, that knows what they are doing," says Reginald Cherry, MD, an integrative medical doctor. "Harvesting and processing herbs is a science unto itself. You can't just start pouring stuff into capsules and selling it. You have to do lab testing, screen for toxins, and you have to know how and when to harvest the herbs for maximum potency. Otherwise, you get a supplement that looks like a quality supplement. It may have a pretty label, but it will be ineffective at best and toxic at worst."

"A high-end supplement that works is a family of complexes," Dr. Cherry continued. "That is really a key. We try to tell people that if you are taking a vitamin and it is not getting absorbed properly, you might as well throw it out. It isn't going to do anything at all. A good supplement will have an absorption complex in it. There are a few out there that do that. They do that because they know that as people get older they produce less hydrochloric acid in their stomach and their absorption ability is less. So, they put certain ingredients in the supplements to help people absorb these nutrients and antioxidants better."

How long to quality sleep supplements take to produce results?

"We recommend that people give it three months," said Dr. Cherry. "Usually it takes a lot less than that. People usually see results in six weeks."

For impatient seekers of sleep, this seems like a tall order. Living with insomnia is no easy task. However, doing nothing about insomnia is not wise and taking pharmaceuticals is risky at best. The key here is, don't stop taking high quality supplements before they have a chance to work! In six to 12 weeks, even those with severe insomnia can be consistently sleeping like a baby with a highly potent, all-natural supplement taken an hour or so before bedtime every night. Impatience is perhaps the biggest downfall of any seeker of alternative remedies.

Is it the L-theanine?

Readers should research L-theanine combined with melatonin. The combination of those two ingredients are known to encourage sleep, quiet the mind, and bring on sufficient relaxation to invite sleep.

Sources for this article include:

Reginald Cherry, MD at Pathway to Healing.

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2006/jan2006_report_theanine_01.htm

http://www.sleepmed.md/page/1896

About the author:
Watch the free video The AHA! Process: An End to Self-Sabotage and discover the lost keys to personal transformation and emotional well-being that have been suppressed by mainstream mental health for decades. Follow Mike Bundrant on Facebook for daily health and personal development tips.

Healthy Times Newspaper, founded by Mike and Hope Bundrant in 2004, serves local communities in Southern California.