The Scoop on Sleeptime
Get to know Sleeptime's unique blend of herbs and botanicals, through the roles they play in offering a multilayered approach to better sleep. xx
March 20, 2023 by Henny Rau
In a world that’s constantly moving fast and prioritizing the grind, it is a radical act to slow down and rest. We push our bodies to exhaustion, depriving them of sleep, and we see the impacts of this in our daily lives - from restless minds to bags under our eyes.
There are so many aspects to quality sleep, and when we realized that we couldn’t find a product that addressed sleep from all of the angles that we feel are necessary, we decided to make our own. Our Sleeptime SuperLatte combines a unique blend of herbs and botanicals, offering a multilayered approach to better sleep. And it not only feels good, it tastes good - good enough to replace your nightly glass of wine, dare we say.
Read on for the scoop on the powerful herbs and botanicals in our Sleeptime blend, including the backstory of how we get here.
The History of Sleep
According to the CDC, adults ages 18-60 need 7-9 hours of sleep per night. However, only 65% of adults in the U.S. report sleeping an average of 7 or more hours per night (The Sleep Foundation, 2023).
You heard us right…1 in 3 Americans don’t get enough sleep.
The effects of sleep on overall health have been documented for thousands of years. However, it wasn’t until the 1900s that research began to reveal more about just how important sleep really is - and more importantly, the dangers of sleep deprivation became apparent.
The first sleeping pill was invented in 1903, and not surprisingly, 30 years later it was the most abused drug in the U.S. Around the same time that sleeping pills had become an overwhelming problem, a German researcher discovered the circadian rhythm, a 24-hour biological clock that is mostly related to light exposure and affects physical, mental and behavioral cycles. However, its connection to sleep wasn’t understood until the 1980s.
The Six Wonders of the Wind Down
Fast forward to the 2000s–we now have research that proves that fatigue has serious implications, including increased risk of anxiety, depression and other forms of physiological distress.
So we decided to create an herbal sleep aid that works with your body - not against it - to improve your quality of sleep, and hopefully your quality of life. Every one of the potent herbs in Sleeptime was selected based on its ability to support you in experiencing deeper sleep and improved long term sleep health.
Let’s dive into the benefits of each herb in Sleeptime …
L-THEANINE: An amino acid found primarily in green and black tea and some mushrooms, L-Theanine calms anxiety and quiets racing thoughts through enhanced alpha brain wave activity and increased synthesis of GABA, a neurotransmitter that acts as a natural relaxant. It also aids in creating that ‘gooey’ feeling that we love oh so much!
VALERIAN ROOT: A flowering plant native to Europe and Asia, Valerian has been loved for centuries for its calming, sleep-inducing properties. It’s one of the power players in many herbal sleep formulas!
PASSIONFLOWER: The extract from this beautiful blossom has been known to calm a nervous mind. Its properties are attributed to a compound called chrysin (a type of bioflavonoid), which binds to receptors in the brain.
HOPS: Ensures deep calm and gentle drowsiness with its bitter resins and aromatic properties, particularly a component called 2-methyl-3-buten- 2-ol. Hops can also affect serotonin and melatonin, other key molecules in sleep cycle regulation, further contributing to its sedative prowess.
REISHI: The ancient “mushroom of immortality”, Reishi grows at the base of deciduous trees, and has been revered for over 2,000 years for its many health benefits, including its ability to nourish and soothe the nervous system, priming the body for better sleep in the long term.
ASHWAGANDHA: Commonly known as “Indian Winter cherry” or “Indian Ginseng,” Ashwagandha is the Queen of Ayurvedic herbs, beloved for its role in reducing stress and anxiety, among a host of other benefits.
Quality rest is the cornerstone of health.
Healthy sleep starts well before nodding off. That’s why we recommend drinking Sleeptime at least an hour before bed, to see the best results. Even more importantly, this is why we encourage you to create a ritual for your nightly wind down. As with any herbal support, it is best done with a lifestyle that supports it, and a nighttime ritual is a big part of better sleep.
Here’s to higher quality rest, so you can wake up feeling your best.