Rested For Work?

Between excelling in the office, spending time with family, networking and having a social life, getting enough sleep can fall to the bottom of your to-do list. February is Heart Health Month and a recent study by the University of Warwick and University College London found that women who get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep at night are at higher risk of heart disease and heart-related problems than men.

Let’s face it: Sleepytime tea doesn’t always do the trick. Natural sleep aids can work, but “it’s important for women to find out where the supplement stands,” in terms of ingredients, says Jennifer Ettinger, creator of Fit Your Style, who adds that they “are not always as pure as they are marketing.”

Ready to catch some ZZZ’s?

All-natural sleep tablets like Alteril help produce the sleep-controlling hormone melatonin, to help you fall asleep faster and prolong deeper sleep stages. Calcium and magnesium have been shown to induce drowsiness and are even more effective when taken together, says Life123.

Prefer a snack to help you drift off? Pumpkin seeds are loaded with tryptophan.

Stressed out? Apply St. John’s Wort Oil to the bottom of your feet about an hour before bed to calm your nerves and help you relax.

Minute Mentoring Video: Check out this PINK TV clip on dealing with stress – so you can get a better night’s sleep.

By Caroline Cox

“Sleep is the best meditation.”
Dalai Lama