Some of us are heavy sleepers and enjoy a good night’s rest no matter what. Others are light sleepers and either struggle to fall asleep, or awaken during the night/early morning and then feel tired, irritable and stressed the following day, which can lead to further insomnia issues.

While our genetic make-up may have a lot to do with the quality of sleep we can expect to have in our adult lives, there may be many other factors leading to insomnia and anxiety.

UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSES

These can include:

• A stressful work, home life or situation
• Inability to ’switch off’ brain activity at the end of the day
• An excess of stimulants such as caffeine, certain medications, rich food or sugary drinks as well as alcohol
• Eating food that is too spicy or acidic, which can lead to stomach pains that keep
  you awake
• Lack of exercise for de-stressing
• A noisy environment
• Not allowing yourself enough time to sleep before you set your alarm for the morning
• Using a mattress that is too soft or too hard
• A general sense of not feeling safe at night
• Unsuitable room temperature, leading to sweats or chills that wake you up or stop you from falling asleep
• A sleep disorder such as sleep apnea (irregular breathing and oxygen-level issues)
• Excessive exposure to blue light before bedtime (such as a cellphone, tablet or any other electronic device), blocks serotonin.

Bearing in mind that 18 March is World Sleep Day, now is the time to become more aware of the above-mentioned causes. By educating yourself, you’re more likely to be able to address these causes and thereby improve your quality of sleep.

VITAMINME SLEEP + ANXIETY

Because we at VitaminMe (a personalised on-demand vitamin service that provides tailormade supplement solutions based on your lifestyle and nutritional requirements) are well aware of the different causes of sleeplessness, we’ve formulated our Sleep + Anxiety product to help with just that.

Scientifically developed to address not only anxiety issues (which in turn can affect your quality of shut-eye) but also insomnia itself, VitaminMe Sleep + Anxiety contains only the finest natural ingredients, including:

• L-theanine – An amino acid that reduces anxiety, calms the brain and thereby helps you relax before going to bed. It’s also said to help manage your blood pressure levels
• Chamomile – An age-old sleep remedy, which works by calming stress through its high apigenin content (an antioxidant that relaxes muscles), chamomile is nature’s multi-tasker that can also ease menstrual pain, lower your blood sugar levels and decrease your chances of getting certain cancers
• Humulus lupulus (hops) – This flowering plant, well-known for its use in the brewing industry, has also been used since time immemorial as a natural sleep aid and anxiety remedy, due to its gentle sedative effect on the body. It’s said that when used in conjunction with Valerian root, hops are even more effective in alleviating these issues.
• Valerian root  – A plant extract used traditionally to treat anxiety and sleep problems, Valerian root raises gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, which has a soothing effect on the brain and alleviates stress and insomnia.

YOUR FEEDBACK (FROM VERIFIED BUYERS)

According to you, our VitaminMe family, our Sleep + Anxiety tablet is a very successful product! Here’s what you had to say:

• Taken before bed for a good night’s sleep
  “I’ve been taking these before bed and it helps me sleep throughout the night. For the past two weeks, I’ve been taking Sleep + Anxiety consistently. It really works!!!” – Jethro B.
• Really helped with my sleep
  “Ever since starting this product two months ago I have consistently slept through the night and fall asleep quicker; I struggled with this for a while.
  Thanks, VitaminMe.” – Jenna D.
• Keep on Dreaming- A Great Night’s Sleep Every Night
  “I’ve been struggling with insomnia for years, and have tried many remedies without much success. Taking VitaminMe [Sleep + Anxiety] has absolutely resulted in allowing me to sleep more peacefully and deeply, and has reduced the anxious anticipation of bedtime. I wake up feeling more refreshed and positive.” – Jashila T.

TAKE OUR ADVICE, IT’S FREE

Another service that VitaminMe offers our loyal customers is a free 20-minute online personal consultation with our in-house dietitian, who can advise you on the correct VitaminMe products to include in your daily wellness regime (as well as necessary dietary and lifestyle changes) to target a particular issue, such as insomnia and stress. There’s a 90-day guarantee, and every delivery comes with a free eco-friendly container for keeping your personalised vitamin bottles handy when needed, as well as a calendar for marking off your daily vitamin intake with a sticker (no more forgetting, or taking double doses).

So this year, when World Sleep Day rolls around again, you’ll be able to celebrate it, knowing that you’re not only calmer (thanks to VitaminMe Sleep + Anxiety, and positive lifestyle changes), but also well-rested, refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the year with renewed vigour – having banished those insomnia issues, hopefully for good!

All of the VitaminMe products are not tested on animals, and all their products, except their Omega 3 + Power, are vegan friendly. VitaminMe is available online at www.VitaminMe.co.za.

Contact Lorinda Voges at Elvee Consultancy for more info, product drops, or high-resolution images.