Spring Ahead and Catch Up
Is the hour of sleep you lost this last weekend kicking you in the rear? Have you counted all the sheep, feathers, and fence posts you can stand for the night and still struggling with getting to sleep. Don't stress about catching your Zs; there's help. Melatonin , a hormone produced in the pineal gland in the brain, is produced in smaller quantities as we get older and other aspects of our life, such as shift work, travel, or springing our clocks ahead, can interfere with our body's circadian rhythm . You can increase your levels of melatonin by taking over the counter supplements, which are easily found at pharmacies, health food stores and the Internet. Doses range from .2 to 20 milligram. Start at the smallest dose first and gradually increase it if it doesn't work. Because its purpose is to help you sleep, make sure you take it from two to four hours ahead of your bedtime so you have a full night's sleep. Otherwise, you may wake up groggy. To he...