THE SCIENCE BEHIND NO UGLY SLEEP

Originally published by
I QUIT SUGAR.
23 August 2023
By Melissa Evans

When we're stressed and overbooked, sleep is one of the first things to go. We stay up later, get up earlier and struggle with restless sleep – but this winds up being counterproductive, as a poor night's sleep throws our whole day out of whack. No Ugly's Sleep Tonic emerges as a beacon of hope for those seeking restful nights amid a chaotic lifestyle.

The struggle to achieve quality rest is an ordeal shared by many, often accompanied by the infamous 3 AM stare at the ceiling. From stress to technology-induced sleep disruptions, the reasons behind our sleep woes are manifold. Studies have shown that the composition and activity of the gut microbiome follow a daily rhythm, influenced by our body's internal clock. One study found that a whopping 60% of our microbiome composition fluctuates over a 24-hour period, and poor eating habits and irregular sleep patterns can result in more pronounced imbalances. That's why timing is everything. To put it simply, getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to setting us up for a productive day with balanced blood-sugar levels and hormones. Sleep is a vital component of our circadian rhythms and plays a significant role in gut health. During sleep, the body engages in essential restorative processes, including gut repair and maintenance. The gut cells that line the digestive tract undergo repair and turnover during the night, ensuring the integrity of the gut barrier. Disrupted sleep, such as late nights or irregular sleep schedules, can compromise these repair processes. This can lead to increased gut permeability (leaky gut) and inflammation, potentially contributing to digestive issues and a range of health problems.

So, what can you do? Nourish your body with sleep-boosting ingredients like magnesium, chamomile and tart cherry. In a world where sleep often feels like a distant luxury, No Ugly's Sleep Tonic presents a promising solution.

By harnessing the power of natural ingredients, this tonic addresses the root causes of sleep troubles and invites you into a world of blissful slumber. You’ll enjoy the following:

Restorative Sleep:No Ugly's Sleep Tonic isn't just about clocking hours; it's about achieving rejuvenating sleep that leaves you refreshed and ready to conquer the day.
Natural Approach:With its carefully selected natural ingredients, the Sleep Tonic provides a gentle and non-habit-forming alternative to sleep aids.
Reduced Stress: The combination of ingredients like chamomile extract and passionflower helps alleviate stress, creating an environment conducive to peaceful sleep.
Improved Sleep Quality: The blend's synergy works to improve sleep quality, allowing you to experience deeper and more restorative rest.
Wake Up Energised: Waking up after a night with No Ugly's Sleep Tonic leaves you with the energy to embrace the day ahead, sans grogginess.

Let’s take a look at some of the powerful ingredients that make No Ugly’s Sleep Tonic so beneficial.

MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is essential when it comes to improving your sleep – but many of us aren’t getting enough of this important nutrient. Its influence on sleep is primarily attributed to its ability to calm the nervous system – think about it, how many of us struggle to nod off because we’ve got worries swirling around our minds? – and support the production of neurotransmitters that aid in relaxation and sleep. Here's what it does:

Relaxation of Muscles and Nerves: Magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of the GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors in the brain. While that may sound like it came from an intergalactic language, GABA simply refers to a neurotransmitter that has calming effects on the nervous system. Adequate levels of magnesium help GABA bind to its receptors, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, which are essential factors for initiating and maintaining sleep.

Regulation of Melatonin Production: Magnesium is involved in the biochemical pathway that synthesises melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Research suggests that magnesium supplementation can enhance melatonin production, helping to synchronise the body's internal clock and promote sleepiness at night.

Reduction of Cortisol: Magnesium has been linked to the regulation of cortisol, a stress hormone that, when elevated at night, can interfere with sleep. By modulating cortisol levels, magnesium may help create an environment conducive to restful sleep.

Improved Sleep Quality: Magnesium's ability to relax muscles and calm the nervous system may contribute to improved sleep quality. People often report that they experience fewer awakenings during the night and a greater sense of refreshment upon waking. A study published in the "Journal of Research in Medical Sciences" (2012) investigated the effects of magnesium supplementation on people with insomnia, with the results showing improvements in sleep efficiency and sleep time. A controlled trial examined the effects of magnesium supplementation on sleep quality in adults with insomnia. The study found that magnesium supplementation improved subjective measures of sleep quality, sleep onset latency, and sleep duration.

You can read the referenced medical study here

TART CHERRY

With 1200 mg of tart cherry, No Ugly Sleep is brimming with the benefits of this gem of an ingredient. Their natural content of a number of powerful compounds have been found to influence sleep patterns. Here's how tart cherries might help with sleep:

Melatonin Content: Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, and tart cherries just so happen to be packed with the stuff. Melatonin helps to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, known as sleep latency. By increasing feelings of drowsiness and relaxation, melatonin can facilitate the process of falling asleep more quickly after getting into bed. No more late-night ruminating about all those embarrassing memories from the past! Melatonin may also contribute to better sleep quality as it helps regulate the various stages of sleep, including the deeper stages of restorative sleep (slow-wave sleep) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Balanced melatonin levels are important for maintaining a healthy sleep architecture – as you can see, there’s no one key element to sleep, but rather a number of building blocks.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Tart cherries have anti-inflammatory properties due to their high levels of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins which are known to fight Inflammation and oxidative stress, known sleep offenders. By reducing inflammation, tart cherries might indirectly promote better sleep.

Tryptophan: Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood and sleep – that means that getting a good dose of this stuff will not only help you get some shut-eye, but will improve your mood too. While tart cherries aren't particularly high in tryptophan, the combination of their melatonin content and other nutrients play a role in promoting relaxation and better sleep.

Tart cherries provide a natural source of sleep-promoting compounds without the need for medications or supplements that can have side effects that are less than desirable.

CHAMOMILE

Every bottle of No Ugly Sleep packs 100mg of chamomile, a herbal plant that has been used for centuries for its potential health benefits, including its calming and sleep-promoting effects. Here are some potential benefits of chamomile for sleep:

Calming and Relaxation: Chamomile is known for its calming properties, which can help reduce stress and promote relaxation. This calming effect may contribute to improved sleep as we find ourselves better able to wind down after a hectic day. A study published in 2011 found that chamomile extract significantly improved subjective sleep quality when compared to a placebo in patients with insomnia. The study found that sleep latency – the time it takes to fall asleep – was reduced by 16 minutes in the group that took the chamomile extract. They also experienced fewer awakenings during the night, meaning their sleep was more restful.

Anti-Anxiety Effects: Anxiety and stress can interfere with sleep, as we’ve explored above, and that’s what makes chamomile so beneficial – its calming effects reduce rumination and anxiety at night. A study investigated the effects of chamomile extract on generalised anxiety disorder, finding that it that it had a beneficial effect in reducing anxiety symptoms.

Sedative Properties:Chamomile contains compounds that have mild sedative effects. These compounds may help promote drowsiness and ease the transition into sleep.

Gastrointestinal Comfort: Chamomile can also help with gastrointestinal discomfort and indigestion, and we know that improved digestion can lead to more comfortable sleep, especially if digestive issues are disrupting sleep. If you’ve ever awoken to acid reflux, you’ll know what we mean!

You can read the referenced medical study here

PASSIONFLOWER

Passionflower is another sleep-improving powerhouse found in No Ugly Sleep, and there are a number of ways it works:

GABA Activity: One of the primary ways passionflower is thought to promote sleep is through its interaction with the GABA neurotransmitter system – these are the neurotransmitters we mentioned earlier that play a role in sleep by calming neural activity and promoting relaxation. Passionflower contains compounds that are believed to increase GABA activity, which can have a sedative effect and contribute to better sleep.

Reduction of Anxiety and Stress: Passionflower is known for its anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. By reducing feelings of anxiety and stress, passionflower can help individuals relax and ease into sleep more easily. Anxiety and stress are common contributors to sleep disturbances. The compounds present in passionflower are thought to have muscle-relaxing properties, contributing to an overall sense of relaxation and potentially helping to prepare the body for sleep.

Improvement in Sleep Quality: Some studies suggest that passionflower might improve overall sleep quality by increasing the duration of slow-wave sleep (deep sleep) and reducing the amount of time spent awake during the night.

Combination with Other Herbs: Passionflower is used in combination with powerful calming herbs like chamomile and lemon balm to enhance its sleep-promoting effects – we’ll show you how lemon balm plays a role shortly.

LEMON BALM

Lemon balm is also found plentifully in No Ugly’s Sleep tonic, and it’s known for its calming and soothing properties. It has been used for centuries to promote relaxation and improve sleep. Like passionflower, lemon balm is also believed to interact with the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on the nervous system. Lemon balm compounds are thought to increase the availability of GABA in the brain, promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, which can contribute to better sleep. Let’s take a look at what else this powerful ingredient can do:

Reduction of Anxiety and Stress: Lemon balm has been shown to have anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects. By reducing feelings of anxiety and stress, lemon balm can help with the winding down process.

Induction of Relaxation: Lemon balm is known for its muscle-relaxing properties. By promoting physical relaxation, it can make it easier for individuals to transition from wakefulness to sleep.

Modulation of Serotonin and Dopamine: Lemon balm may also have an impact on neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which play a role in mood regulation and sleep, as we mentioned above.

Antioxidant Properties: Lemon balm contains antioxidants that may have protective effects on brain health. Reducing oxidative stress in the brain can support overall wellbeing, which can positively influence sleep.

Digestive Comfort: Lemon balm has been traditionally used to alleviate digestive discomfort and indigestion, so it can reduce the effects of poor digestion and acid reflux, ensuring you stay asleep longer.

VITAMIN D

Ah, the sunshine vitamin – is there a more powerful sleep inducer? With many of us holed-up indoors all day, we’re missing out on this essential vitamin. That’s why supplementation is so important, but it’s a bit of a nuisance to add yet another vitamin tablet to your daily routine. That’s where No Ugly Sleep comes in – you’ll get 100% of your needs in just one bottle, no oversized pills required! Here’s what vitamin D can do:

Regulation of Circadian Rhythm:Vitamin D is involved in regulating the body's internal clock, the circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms help synchronise biological processes like eating, mood, energy and, yes, sleep. A well-regulated circadian rhythm can promote better sleep and wakefulness patterns.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects:Chronic inflammation is associated with various sleep disorders and can disrupt normal sleep patterns, and the research shows that vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties that may improve sleep quality.

Sleep Disorders and Vitamin D Deficiency: Some sleep disorders, such as sleep apnoea and restless legs syndrome, have been linked to low levels of vitamin D. Addressing vitamin D deficiency may have a positive impact on the management of these conditions and potentially improve sleep outcomes.

Mood Regulation: Vitamin D is associated with mood regulation, and mood disturbances can affect sleep quality – it’s also known to play a role in serotonin regulation, an important neurotransmitter that affects sleep and mental health. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may help support stable mood, which can indirectly contribute to better sleep.

You can read the referenced medical study here

How to Drink Your Sleep Tonic

And that’s not even the beginning! No Ugly Sleep is packed to the brim with sleep-boosting ingredients that will have you snoozing soundly in no time.

Just a bottle a day is the key to getting your 8 hours of shut-eye; you can think of it as an addition to your daily meal plan. Enjoy your tonic at night for a restful night's sleep. It doesn't get any easier than that!