Here are some facts to consider: [1]
• 30 to 35% of U.S. adults have brief symptoms of insomnia.
• 15 to 20% have a short-term sleep disorder, which lasts less than three months.
• 10% have a chronic insomnia disorder, which occurs at least three times per week for at least three months.
Chronic insomnia can have an enormous
Common symptoms of insomnia include:
• Fatigue
• Inability to focus or concentrate
• Poor memory
• Mood disturbance
• Daytime sleepiness
• Low motivation or energy
• Increased errors or accidents
For those who are searching for a drug-free alternative to sleep aids, there is good news.
Nutrition researchers from the University of Canterbury (Joanna Lothian, Neville M. Blampied, and Julia J. Rucklidge), recently published a study which examined the effect of Hardy Nutritionals® Optimal Balance™, a micronutrient supplement, on insomnia.
The findings demonstrated the promising clinical benefit of Hardy Nutritionals® broad-spectrum micronutrients in the treatment of adult insomnia. Individuals in the study reported moderate to large effects on sleep onset latency, night waking, and sleep quality. Several individuals reported moderate to large improvements for total sleep time and sleep efficiency.
Participants showed reliable clinical changes by the 4th week of taking Hardy Nutritionals® Optimal Balance™ (formerly called Daily Self Defense).
In addition to the exciting findings for insomnia, researchers noted that the participant's scores for stress reduced to non-clinical levels by the 8th week of taking Optimal Balance™ in nearly all study participants.
This trial was built on the findings of earlier successful trials which have demonstrated how specialized micronutrient formulas can significantly improve psychological functioning and well-being in general.
These results support other findings in past research trials, which showed that individuals who took similar levels of micronutrients after a series of earthquakes, experienced statistically significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and stress scores compared to individuals who didn't take micronutrients or who took a less potent micronutrient formula.
The researchers concluded that "nutritional supplementation is shown to be a novel, beneficial treatment for insomnia in adults."
Insomnia Costs Billions in Lost Work Performance Annually
Insomnia can affect school or work performance, too. An Oxford study estimated that an employee with insomnia loses about eight days of work
While prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids may be
Common side effects of sleeping pills include: [5]
Sources:
1. http://www.sleepeducation.org/news/2014/03/10/insomnia-awareness-day-facts-and-stats
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19961/
3. https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/34/9/1161/2454605/Insomnia-and-the-Performance-of-US-Workers-Results
4. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-nearly-9-millon-americans-use-prescription-sleep-aids/
5. https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/understanding-the-side-effects-of-sleeping-pills#1