Honey and Mental Health: Its Effect on Sleep, Stress, and Anxiety

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Natural honey is exceptional. Unlike artificial sweeteners, which can cause insomnia when consumed before bed, honey helps relieve insomnia and promotes quality sleep. At the same time, it can also be relied upon to relieve anxiety and stress. Today's article will highlight the importance of honey in improving sleep and its significant role in improving overall mental health.

Honey to improve sleep: fact or myth?

Studies indicate that honey has the ability to rid the body of all factors that cause insomnia. Therefore, it can be said that using honey to improve sleep is a proven fact. The organic compounds in honey help bring the body to a high level of calm, enabling it to enjoy deep sleep.
Stimulating the body to produce insulin is one of the great benefits of eating honey before bed. This is because insulin plays a significant role in the production of melatonin, a hormone essential for improving sleep quality. It encourages the body to become sleepy while regulating sleep patterns.

Get rid of anxiety and stress by relying on honey

Honey can be used to improve sleep by consuming one tablespoon of it in the evening. With continued use, you will see impressive results. You will be able to get rid of the bouts of insomnia that saps your energy and vitality throughout the day.
Although the body appears to be in a state of rest during sleep, the brain remains active. During this time, the brain needs a source of nutrition while you are asleep. This may explain why some people wake up in the middle of the night with a strong feeling of hunger.
Honey improves sleep quality by storing a compound known as glycogen in the liver and muscles. This compound acts as a source of energy for the brain throughout the hours of sleep. Therefore, consuming honey will be sufficient to ensure a stable sleep without the brain alerting you to its need for food in the middle of the night.
Read also: The benefits of consuming sidr honey on an empty stomach, you will learn about them for the first time, and the final one will amaze you!

The effect of eating honey on mental health

Using honey to improve sleep is just the tip of the iceberg. A strong link has been found between honey and mental health, as honey counteracts all factors that lead to disorders and anxiety, including stress, thyroid problems, and hormonal imbalance.
Discussions about the relationship between honey and mental health do not represent personal claims or speculation. This relationship has been proven through numerous experiments and has also been explained by laboratory tests that have discovered the compounds found in natural honey.
Raw honey contains amino acids that stimulate the body to produce specific neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. Serotonin is known for its effective role in promoting mental health by improving mood and enhancing sleep quality.
The glucose and fructose content in honey is a key factor in improving mood. These monosaccharides are absorbed efficiently in the small intestine, helping to regulate blood sugar levels. This approach can help the body feel more relaxed and significantly reduce stress.
Studies conducted on some individuals have revealed a link between honey consumption and improved cognitive function in the brain, in addition to improved psychological well-being and a more mature nervous system.

To what extent does honey play a protective role against depression?

Honey has a great protective effect against depression. It contains polyphenols, a substance that reduces oxidative stress in brain cells, thus providing protection against the symptoms of depression.

Reduce stress and tension by eating natural honey

You may notice a difference in your sleep patterns once you start using honey to improve your sleep. However, this isn't the only benefit of honey. Natural honey can also reduce the stress and tension you experience during a busy work schedule.
Honey reduces emotions by inhibiting the production of hormones responsible for increasing nervous tension and raising heart rate. It reduces the secretion of adrenaline and cortisol, which positively impacts overall psychological well-being.

Ways to eat honey to get a stable sleep

You can eat honey to improve sleep, taking one spoonful daily. You can eat honey directly or dissolve it in a cup of warm water.
Mixed with lemon and ginger, honey regulates sleep patterns, while ginger improves mood by raising serotonin and dopamine levels. Lemon will protect you from a cough that keeps you awake at night. You can prepare this mixture by adding ½ tablespoon of honey to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and ginger, and drink it right before bed.
You can also add cinnamon powder to honey to improve sleep. Cinnamon regulates blood sugar levels, which significantly reduces insomnia and anxiety, especially in diabetics.
What you should pay attention to is the amount of honey you consume before bed. Moderation is the best option to avoid becoming obese, while also avoiding other problems such as stomach upsets and tooth decay.

The finest natural honey for better mental health

If you decide to consume honey to improve your sleep, you should be fully aware that only natural, raw honey can provide you with more stable sleep and more balanced mental health. Processed honey, on the other hand, has almost no nutritional value, meaning it will not provide you with any significant benefits.
Manuka honey is one of the best natural honeys available. However, it is not widely available in the Arab world, as it is obtained from the Manuka flower, which is found only in certain countries, such as New Zealand and Canada.
Instead of Manuka honey, there are distinct types of local honey that offer wonderful benefits for sleep and mental health. The most prominent of these types are: Talh honey, Sidr honey, and Shaflah honey.
Read also: When can children eat Sidr honey?

The best Saudi store to buy natural honey

Buying natural honey may not seem easy, given the large number of stores that sell processed honey that lacks nutritional value. Therefore, you should choose a store with a high degree of integrity, as this is the safest path to ensure that you are purchasing natural, raw honey.
After conducting extensive research, we came across Fahad Al-Qanun's store , which many consider the best Saudi store for purchasing natural honey. Through this store, you can be sure to purchase raw honey, which is rich in vitamins and minerals that are known to improve sleep quality and enhance mental health.
The store offers the finest types of local honey, such as: Hail Talh , Hijaz Mountain Sidr , and Shaflah honey , all of which are ideal choices for stable sleep and balanced mental health.
This brings our article to a close. We've reviewed honey's role in improving sleep quality, touched on its positive impact on overall mental health, and recommended the best Saudi store to buy the finest types of natural honey.
Sources
The Potential of Honey as a Prebiotic Food to Re-engineer the Gut Microbiome Toward a Healthy State

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