By Stephanie Simons,
Head Pharmacist,
Lindo’s Pharmacy in Devonshire
JUNE is, officially, the month when summer starts. We bid goodbye to spring on the solstice – this year Thursday, June 20. It’s the longest day…and the shortest night, celebrated in Shakespeare’s comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream: a tale of magic, and star-crossed lovers drifting off (literally and metaphorically) in the woods.
For most of us, the dream would be just having a good night’s sleep – preferably without visions of fairies and men with donkey’s heads on their shoulders. But how to achieve it? Sleep experts have plenty of tips. Do some exercise – but not too late in the day. Avoid caffeine in the evening and try chamomile tea instead (check out our range of bedtime beverages from brands like Traditional Medicinals and Buddha Organic). And if you want to read something, make it a book, not an electronic device (the glare from the screen is the enemy of sleep). But there are a number of ‘sleep aids’ you can use, too, to help you drift off.
RELISH THE ROUTINE
All the experts agree that establishing a bedtime routine is important for a good night’s rest. Relax your mind and your body by taking a warm bath or shower before you turn in. We have an array of bath products to make your night-time ritual something you’ll really look forward to. Unwrap a bar of Dolce Vivere soap (handmade in Florence) and be whisked away to Rome, Sardinia, or Capri, depending on which scent you choose. Or try a silky liquid castile soap made with lavender – long recognised as having sleep-inducing properties. We stock ones from the Dr Woods Naturally range, and also Dr Bronner’s.
SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY
Lavender can also be used in the bedroom, as part of your sleep routine. A few drops of essential lavender oil by Aura Cacia, Now and Nature’s Truth, placed in a diffuser (look at our assortment of diffusers next to the essential oils) can turn your room into a relaxing haven. Or follow the example of Charles VI of France (known at the start of his reign in 1380 as ‘The Beloved’ before gaining the less welcome moniker of ‘The Mad’), who liked to sleep with lavender tucked inside his pillow. Put a drop or two of lavender oil on an old handkerchief and pop inside your pillowcase (not directly next to your skin…it could irritate). And sleep like a king.
MELATONIN
The hormone melatonin is nature’s sleep aid. Produced by the brain’s pineal gland in response to darkness, it regulates our sleep cycle. In the evening, when its levels are high, we feel drowsy. (Which is why it’s important to make sure that your bedroom really is pitch black after lights out…an eye mask can help with this.).
But when we are wrestling with insomnia, and losing, we might need more help. One option is to boost our own melatonin levels with a synthetic supplement. We have a number of brands available over the counter by Nature’s Bounty, Nature’s Truth, Now, and Sundown in tablet, liquid, and gummy formulations. Olly (purveyors of delicious chewable vitamins) make a Sleep gummy containing melatonin (sugar-free and Blackberry flavoured). Or try Boiron Sleep Calm, Goli Dreamy Sleep, Genexa Sleepology, or Neuriva Relax and Sleep. And many people swear by Valerian Root – we stock a wide range of supplements designed to aid sleep naturally like Kalms.
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Just as light is the enemy of a good night’s sleep, so too is noise. Sometimes it’s the noise of your partner snoring – or you – that’s to blame. Luckily, we have a number of products to tackle the problem: from nasal strips like Breathe Right, which physically hold the airways open, to sprays like Snoreeze Nose or throat sprays designed to target snoring brought on by allergies or colds.
And if something else is disrupting your dreams – traffic, or the hum of machinery – why not consider soft foam earplugs. Old-fashioned but effective.
The solution to finding a good night’s sleep – and sweet dreams – could be waiting right in your pharmacy. But if your sleeplessness persists, then it’s time to consult your GP.
Stephanie Simons is the head pharmacist at Lindo’s Pharmacy in Devonshire. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and has been practicing for over 20 years. She is a registered pharmacist with the Bermuda Pharmacy Council and is a member of the Bermuda Pharmaceutical Association.
