It's been one week since we've sprung forward an hour, and if you're still groggy and adjusting to the switch, you're not alone. Losing that hour of sleep can really disrupt our body's natural rhythms. So how we can fix our sleep schedule?
Dr. George Moricz, an anti-aging expert, author and integrative health specialist who treats patients at the Naples Center for Functional Medicine, joined Gulf Coast News to explain how the prevention-based science of functional medicine can help us sleep right every night — and feel younger every day.
Sleep deprivation gets plenty of attention around this time of year — but when it comes to our sleep habits, it’s vital to distinguish between being tired and being fatigued. There are overlapping symptoms, but you want to limit those quick-fix solutions like caffeine and prescription drugs. Losing that extra hour of sleep, though, can create real disruptions to our body’s natural rhythms — and could mask some underlying health conditions also tied to diet, stress, hormonal factors and other influences.
Functional medicine takes a root-cause approach. Rather than putting a Band-Aid over the symptoms, we investigate and treat the cause of the ailment and create custom treatment plans. Dr. Moricz created a 'Sleep Roadmap' that is a unique plan based on your sleep chemistry. There are six essential ingredients that can allow you to sleep right every night and feel 10 years younger every day:
- Vitamin D for longer sleep duration
- 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) L-Tryptophan: to initiate sleep, provide overall improved
- sleep, deeper sleep, muscle relaxation and increase REM sleep
- GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) to initiate sleep
- Vitamin B6 to increase magnesium levels
- Magnesium (TRAACS Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate Buffered) for deeper sleep,
- reduced movement during sleep, reduced nocturnal cramps and activation of the pineal gland
- Melatonin to initiate sleep
For more information, check out the Naples Center for Functional Medicine website . Viewers can also attend one of the free information events. The next one is Friday, March 21, at 11 a.m.
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