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The Importance of Melatonin and the Pineal Gland for our Sleep

  • Health advice
  • Feb 03, 2014

Melatonin is an important hormone produced by the Pineal Gland that is critical for our sleep. It regulates our sleep-wake patterns and acts as an endocrine hormone as it’s released into the blood. The Pineal gland is a small endocrine gland located in the centre of the brain but outside the blood-brain barrier.

Improving the sleep-wake cycle

The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep-wake cycle by chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature. Human melatonin production is inhibited by light to the retina and permitted by darkness. This production decreases as a person ages.

Sleep is critical to our well being and health

A good night sleep allows the body to detox its organs and recharge, bring everything back into balance and our dreams to take us places. Other benefits of melatonin are that it’s a powerful free-radical scavenger and a wide spectrum antioxidant. Melatonin works with other antioxidants to improve the overall effectiveness of each antioxidant. There has also been some studies to show that melatonin has an anti-inflammatory effect. There are also some suggestions that melatonin receptors may be important in the mechanisms of learning and memory.

Supplements that help you sleep are:

  • Valerian (and other herbs) for relaxing and sedative properties
  • 5-HTP
  • Lavender and Marjoram essential oils
  • Melatonin (not available in Australia)
  • Magnesium
  • Theanine - found in green tea

The best advice for better sleep

The best thing to do is to sleep early i.e. before 10pm in a completely dark room and wake up early e.g. 5-6am. Better still – turn off all those screens an hour before you sleep! No TV, laptops, computer monitors, iPads or smartphones. The blue light is an inhibiting factor in melatonin production. Light inhibits melatonin production but exposure to sunshine during the day stimulates the pineal gland such that it produces more melatonin when dark.

Lucia Light can make a difference

This is why the Lucia light has been so successful in making a powerful difference to people's sleep patterns and energy levels. Just a 20 min session with the Lucia is often sufficient to improve sleep quality.

Discover more about the Pineal Gland

Come and hear Richard Yiap talk about light and the pineal gland on Tue Feb 4 from 11am to 12 pm

How to Experience Lucia Light

Lucia Light sessions are no longer available at the Mr Vitamins Clinic

Please check out more about how you can benefit from the Lucia Light experience. This special opportunity is only available for a limited time - while Richard Yiap is in Sydney and practicing at the Mr Vitamins Clinic.

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