By Dr Allie McLane, ND
There are not all that many people who have been spared any impacted by this pandemic. While social distancing ensures our safety and well-being, some are struggling with fear, anxiety, and insomnia while staying inside. The more we can take care of our body, the more we can adapt to life changes in a healthy way.
The bad news is, we can’t change the circumstances. The good news is that we can change how resilient we are in our response to the circumstances. Three variables in our control are the way we interact with stress, what we eat and how we sleep. Here are some tried and true, evidence-based tools to support yourself during this unprecedented time.
Stress
At the interface of our nervous system and its response external
threat is stress. Internalizing stress is something to be avoided as the
detrimental effects of chronic stress have been well researched and documented.
Avoidance requires some diligence because the physiology of stress is an automatic
and at times, unconscious process.
Acute stress activates the amygdala in the brain, which sends a
distress signal to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus communicates to the
sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, telling the adrenal glands to
pump out epinephrine: increasing heart rate, blood pressure and rate of
breathing. Long-term stress will elevate the hormone cortisol, which can have a
dampening effect on the immune system.
- Meditation:
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that workplace-based mindfulness
meditation programs decreased cortisol production and improved autonomic
nervous system balance, measured by increased heart rate variability and
coherence.
- Choose a time everyday to find a comfortable
seat, close your eyes and simply breathe for 10-20 minutes. Allow the mind to
wander, and then bring it back to a point of focus such as the breath or bodily
sensations.
- Breathing:
A systematic review demonstrated the physiological benefits of slow breathing
by favoring alpha brain waves and activating the parasympathetic nervous
system.
- Throughout the day, pay attention to your breath
rate and return to deep and slow breathing, (defined by less than 10 breaths
per minute) as needed to feel relaxed and focused. Focus on lengthening the
exhale even more than lengthening the inhale, for an increased parasympathetic
response.
Nutrition
What we eat influences our gut microbiome, immune system and
nervous system, which in turn influences mood. Food choices also influence
blood sugar regulation, which is important to reducing unfavorable moods such
as feeling anxious or depressed.
1. What to eat: A whole foods diet rich in plants and
balanced in macronutrients, such as the Mediterranean diet. There is emerging
evidence in the field of nutritional psychiatry that eating a diet rich in
fruits, vegetables and whole grains can reduce depression and improve overall
mood.
2. What not to eat: A diet high in glycemic index and
processed carbohydrates, or the standard american diet. This type of diet is
associated with increased fatigue, mood disturbance and depression.
Sleep
Sleep is essential to regulating mood, inflammation, immunity,
focus and memory. During times of heightened stress, sleep is critical. If you
find yourself fatigued or irritable, it may be a sign you need to improve your
sleep.
- Sleep
hygiene: The best way to get restorative sleep is to mimic the rhythm of
sleeping outside in a tent, as much as possible.
- Blue light blocking glasses after sunset allow
for our brain’s natural production of melatonin to take place. Sleeping with
blackout curtains or an eye shade will help initiate and maintain sleep as
well.- A consistent sleep time and wake time is helpful
to set the circadian rhythm.
- Alcohol before bed can be disruptive to sleep,
opt for a non-caffeinated herbal tea instead.
- It’s best to avoid screen time (especially the
news) 2 hours before bed.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine one hour
before bed such as taking a relaxing bath with magnesium rich epsom salt and
lavender in candlelight.
- And finally, aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted
sleep each night.
- A consistent sleep time and wake time is helpful
2. Herbal medicine:
Sleep disturbance can occur with sleep latency (initiation), maintenance, or
quality. Sleep quality is not only measured by the amount of hours slept, but
also by how deep and restful the sleep is. Commonly used for insomnia, benzodiazepines work to decrease
sleep latency, but cause a reduction in sleep quality and an increase in
daytime drowsiness. In general, herbs are a very safe and effective therapy for
insomnia, especially in combination with good sleep hygiene practices. It
should be noted that many of the herbs that work to improve sleep also improve
anxiety.
- Valerian: Works by binding to serotonin receptors in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. It also has some activity on adenosine receptors, which can help decrease anxiety and wakefulness. 500mg-1g dosage at bedtime.
- Passionflower: Has been shown to increase GABA uptake into neurons and can help improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety. 1g-2g dosage at bedtime.
- Lemon balm: Inhibits GABA transaminase and has been shown to promote calmness. A combination of lemon balm and valerian were found to be as effective as benzodiazepines for insomnia in one study. 1g-2g dosage at bedtime.
- Skullcap: Has potent agonist activity at GABA alpha receptors and is a well-known anti-anxiety. 1g-2g at dosage at bedtime.
- Ashwagandha: This anti-anxiety herb has been compared to lorazepam in efficacy. It is widely used in anxiety, fatigue and nervous exhaustion. 500mg-1g dosage at bedtime.
All of these herbs can be used standalone, or in combination.
Many effective combination formulas of herbs exist.
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