Sleep is an unavoidable need of every individual, so much so that sleep deprivation alters biological rhythms. Based on several studies, it seems that it serves to restore the brain since the cortex is the only organ that can rest only during sleep.
The causes of sleep disorders are varied and include: psychosocial stress, psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety), drugs, nocturnal apneas, environmental disorders and persistent activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System.
Conventional medical treatment includes psychological and pharmacological approaches. Still, long-term use of drugs may be habit-forming and result in issues related to withdrawal symptoms and side effects. Therefore, natural approaches are becoming increasingly popular since they do not have the inconvenience of many drugs.
Hops extract has shown to perform important activities on the circadian rhythms that regulate sleep; while the female inflorescences of Humulus lupulus (Hops) have long been used in traditional medicine mainly for treating sleep disorders, they are also indicated for the states of agitation associated to nervous tension, for their anti-bacterial, anti-micotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive action (see "Effects of a hops (Humulus lupulus L.) dry extract supplement on self-reported depression, anxiety and stress levels in apparently healthy young adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover pilot study")
Authors: Dario Boschiero - Date: 18/09/2020
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