Sleep… so crucial for healing and health, but hard to get enough of! Insufficient sleep can decrease the immune system’s health, overall body, and muscle functionality. Honey is more than a sweetener! Honey can help you sleep and is one of the few sleep aids without side effects.
Dr. Ron Fessenden has written about how honey can help with sleep. He recommends taking it before bedtime after your glycogen is depleted during wakefulness, which is associated with increased energy demand.
Honey before bed has been shown to slowly release glycogen, which you need for essential body functions during sleep, reducing how often you wake up.
With the increased stress levels in the last few years, sleeping problems are more common than before, but thankfully honey can be used as a health aid for sleepless nights.
Compared to melatonin, studies show it is an effective and affordable intervention to enhance sleep quality with no associated adverse effects.
Like sugar, honey can cause a rise in insulin and release serotonin, a neurotransmitter known to improve mood, relieve stress, boost your energy levels, promote and help you fall asleep, and ensure you wake up well-rested.
Here are three simple ways to take it:
1 - One - two teaspoons of delicious raw manuka honey straight up.
2 - The famous milk and honey tip.
3 - Delicious hot chocolate with stress-reducing adaptogens.
Manuka Honey is an excellent source of many health benefits as it not only contains a lot of antioxidants and vital nutrients but has greater antibacterial & anti-inflammatory properties than other honey.
Of course, good sleep habits begin hours before you get to bed. Incorporating other simple practices into your routine alongside honey could improve the quality of your sleep even more! Here are some ideas:
-Use blue light-blocking glasses in the evening. Blue light, like that from your phone, laptop, and other devices, messes with your circadian rhythm. It signals your brain to wake up when it should be winding down.
-Aromatherapy. There are many herbs and oils associated with good sleep. One of our favorites is manuka oil!
-Limit caffeine and alcohol intake in the afternoon & stop drinking at least 3-4 hours before bed. Caffeinated or alcoholic beverages also confuse your sleep cycle. Give your body enough time to process them first for more restful sleep.
Resources:
https://www.livinghoney.biz/the-honey-revolution.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4544655/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30390870/
