Natural Health: I'm waking up in the middle of the night

Plus: will fresh parsley help with bad breath?

Pic: iStock

I’ve started to wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to go back to sleep. It’s probably related to Christmas stress — I’m juggling a lot between a demanding job and three young children. What would you recommend?

The stress of waking during the night seems to be adding to the stress disrupting your sleep in the first place.

The quality of our sleep is crucial to how we function during the day — and given you are juggling so much between work and home, you need all the help you can get.

Magnesium is an essential mineral for sleep, and it helps with muscle cramping, headaches, mood regulation, and nervous system support. Waking at night can indicate that you need to nourish the nervous system. By working to support healthy nerve function, you are also addressing the underlying cause of your broken sleep.

Magnesium levels tend to drop at night, which is why many people suffer from muscle cramping, restless legs, muscle pain, and palpitations when trying to sleep. Low magnesium often manifests as poor REM sleep patterns and late-night leg cramps.

It’s best to take a two-pronged approach, applying magnesium topically and taking it internally. Topical magnesium is usually found in spray, gel, or cream form. Internally, you will need to take 300-350mg daily in the form of magnesium glycinate — for best effect, find a supplement that also includes 3g of taurine, which works by calming GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors, promoting a healthy insulin response, and improving energy metabolism.

Investigators have found that insomniacs with the highest level of sleep disturbance secrete the most cortisol, particularly in the evening and at nighttime. Magnesium helps to lower cortisol levels.

Pic: iStock

I’m careful with my oral hygiene but I still have bad breath. It’s particularly embarrassing as I work in the service industry. I’ve heard eating fresh parsley helps. Is this true?

There is truth in parsley helping to manage halitosis (bad breath). Being rich in chlorophyll, parsley is a natural detoxifier of odours related to poor digestion and freshens the breath.

Other helpful herbs include coriander leaf, wheatgrass, barley grass, spirulina, mint leaves, and fennel seeds. These herbs not only help to freshen the mouth but also support gut health and digestive function.

Given your oral hygiene is good, your breath issues could be a symptom of gut troubles. Chronic sinus issues or repeated sinus infections can also trigger bad breath.

Spirulina can also be used as a quick-fix remedy. Stir half a teaspoon of the algae into a glass of apple juice or water, swish and swallow. A powdered greens blend stirred into water will also work well.

While it is essential to have healthy gut flora and digestive functioning, your bowel function also needs to be healthy. This means that bowel movements are soft, well-formed, and regular.

The term ‘regular ’ is often debated among health professionals but typically refers to a bowel movement one to three times daily without urgency or excessive straining. Take a look at the Bristol Stool Chart for more information on what constitutes a healthy, well-formed stool.

If you have constipation issues, start by eating plenty of whole foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, and soluble fibre, and ensure you are well hydrated. Psyllium husks, slippery elm, and magnesium supplementation are common natural bowel regulation remedies. Psyllium husks, in particular, soften hard stools and give bulk and form to liquid stools or diarrhoea.

Diabetes and liver problems can have halitosis as a symptom. While these are not common concerns for most, it is sensible to rule out any potential underlying conditions by consulting with your GP.

• If you have a question for Megan Sheppard, please email it to [e-mail] 
• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.