The Struggle to Fall Asleep Is Real
If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, staring at the ceiling, you’re not alone. A recent survey revealed that 9 out of 10 Malaysians suffer from one or more sleeping problems in their lifetimes. While stress is often the main culprit, other factors like irregular sleep schedules, unhealthy habits, certain medications, or underlying conditions may also interfere with your slumber.
Are You Getting Enough Rest?
Sleep is not a luxury. It’s essential for your health and well-being. You spend roughly a third of your life asleep, and most adults need 7 to 9 hours of quality rest each night. Without enough restorative sleep, it’s harder for your body and mind to function at their best.
Why Sleep Is So Important
A good night’s sleep isn’t just about feeling rested. When you sleep well, your body and mind are better able to recover, repair, and recharge. Consistent, quality rest fuels nearly every aspect of your health, bringing benefits such as:
- Boosts concentration and cognitive function
- Promotes healthy, radiant skin
- Enhances mood and emotional stability
- Helps regulate stress and anxiety
- Supports heart health and blood pressure
- Improves athletic performance
- Strengthens immune defences
- Aids in healthy weight management
When You Don’t Sleep Enough
Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of serious conditions and may even shorten life expectancy.
Not sleeping enough affects your heart and circulation. It has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. In fact, in Japan during the 1980s, many cases of “karoshi”—meaning death from overwork—were tied to stress and long-term lack of sleep.
Sleep also plays a big role in weight control. When you don’t rest well, your body makes less leptin (which helps control appetite) and more ghrelin (which makes you hungry). This hormone imbalance can trigger cravings for high-calorie foods. Add fatigue that lowers your motivation to stay active, and the risk of weight gain and obesity increases.
Poor sleep is also linked to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can cause insulin resistance. This makes it harder for your body to control blood sugar and raises the risk of type-2 diabetes, especially if you are already overweight or have a family history of the condition.
The impact doesn’t stop with your body. Your mind suffers too. Sleep deprivation reduces concentration, clouds judgment, lowers creativity, and increases the risk of errors and accidents, both at work and on the road.
In short, sleep is not just about feeling rested. It’s a cornerstone of long-term health, energy, and safety.
Why Not Use Sleeping Pills?
Synthetic sleeping aids may help in the short term, but they often come with side effects like morning grogginess, nausea, dry mouth, or even dependency. Long-term use may also lead to withdrawal or rebound insomnia once you stop.
Nature’s Solution: Calming Herbs for Better Sleep
For a gentler, more sustainable way to improve sleep, many people are turning to herbal remedies. Non-habit-forming and rooted in traditional use, herbs such as Chinese dates, passionflower, hops, and valerian root help calm the mind and promote natural rest. They work by boosting levels of GABA, a neurotransmitter that eases anxiety, slows brain activity, and encourages deeper, uninterrupted sleep.
Getting quality sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health. Create a bedtime routine, reduce screen time, and consider herbal support if needed. With the right habits and support, you’ll be on your way to waking up refreshed and energised.
