Light, Dark, Sleep and Autumn
Our brains react to natural light, helping us wake up and go to sleep when it gets darker. As autumn progresses into real winter our production of melatonin increases and occurs earlier in the day, making us feel sleepy as light levels decrease.
It doesn’t help that we also become low in Vitamin D and serotonin with these lowered light levels (mood, happiness and sleep stabilizer), meaning our mood can drop and we can feel more anxious. You can buy melatonin of course. I like the brand ‘Herbatonin’ made from plants rather than animal parts. Otherwise, here’s some food to help re-balance your body clock.
Tryptophan Smoothie
(The body uses tryptophan to produce serotonin, which can then be used to make melatonin, our sleep hormone).
1 tablespoon Superfood Plus (rich in yeast and B6 and other B’s which boosts production of all neurotransmitters including serotonin; plus the spirulina is ‘high’ in tryptophan)
3 whole walnuts (brain support in general)
2 teaspoons of EnergiRevive powder (Herbs Hands Healing) and contains Siberian ginseng (and other botanicals) which helps balance serotonin levels as well as neurotransmitters)
1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon powder (for flavour and warmth)
Fluid to suit taste and amounts