If you rest well between workouts your muscles will repair themselves, your mind will be sharp, and you’ll reap the benefits of training. So, you try and try to get to sleep, but your mind races faster than Michael Phelps wearing fins. What should you do if you’re so pumped-up that you can’t convince your mind and body to give it a rest? How can you avoid those moments during the night when you wake-up startled and can’t get back to sleep?
If your sleepy time is punctuated by more tosses than you do with a med ball and more turns than a Zumba class, it might be time to try a natural tonic to usher you to lull-a-bye land. A tea of apple cider vinegar, honey, and water work wonders for some people’s sleep woes. It’s palatable, cheap and couldn’t be simpler to make.
Stir Together:
½ – 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
½ – 1 tablespoon Honey (local, raw honey preferred)
Water to taste
Heat it or drink it cold.
Here’s why it has the potential to give you solid sleep (and make you feel better when you’re awake):
Honey is a type of sugar. According to Livestrong.com, when you consume sugar, it causes your insulin level to climb and your body, in turn, releases serotonin. The neurotransmitter serotonin is then converted to melatonin. Melatonin is what helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Honey is better than refined cane sugar and other types of sugar when it comes to helping you catch your z’s. Many sugars cause insulin to spike suddenly. Honey, on the other hand, allows for a more gradual rise in insulin, so the release of serotonin and the conversion of melatonin are steadier.
Also, if you use local honey, there is the potential that it can help guard against pollen allergies which can leave you sapped. Honey also gives you a hit of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a tonic to help boost the immune system and fight infection. When it comes to steady sleep, some people swear by apple cider vinegar because it releases tryptophan in your system. Your body converts tryptophan to serotonin, which, in turn, becomes melatonin.
Why not see if it works for you? In addition to promoting better sleep, many people swear that regular consumption of a little apple cider vinegar can help minimize arthritis pain, stave-off colds, keep cholesterol levels in check and more.
Mix and sip. You’ve got nothing to lose, except those frustrating sleepless nights when you lie there trying desperately not to check the clock for the umpteenth time knowing that marathon day begins at dawn.
