Well, now I’ve officially seen it all.

To apparently compensate for slumping soda sales, PepsiCo (maker of Pepsi Cola, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, etc.) has come up with an idea for a drink to help consumers de-stress and unwind before they go to bed. 

It’s a functional water beverage called “Driftwell” that contains 200 mg of L-theanine (a non-essential amino acid) and 10 percent of the RDA for magnesium.  The drink comes in 7.5 ounce mini-cans (versus 12 ounces for soda) and thus far only one flavor—blackberry lavender.

The company stated that the reason for the smaller cans is so Nature won’t call you during the night and disturb your sleep.

I wish I could make this stuff up!

No word as yet on price, but since Pepsi isn’t cheap, it would appear people will be paying handsomely for their “relaxation.” 

The company is also mum on the other ingredients (if any).  It remains to be seen what else will be added to plain blackberry lavender water to make it palatable to the masses.

Driftwell will be available in the US starting in December…and presumably we’ll all be sleeping like babies after that.

Don’t be misled by the hype

Although this “functional water beverage” is certainly far better than resorting to sleeping pills, is it really necessary to buy this stuff?

First of all, it’s important to understand that L-theanine helps induce relaxation by stimulating your body’s production of GABA—your “calming” neurotransmitter. 

But even more important is whether your body has the “ingredients” (nutrients) it needs to make GABA in the first place—namely, glutamate, vitamin B6, manganese, biotin, lysine and taurine.  And that’s a reflection of how healthy your diet is.   

You can easily get L-theanine naturally by drinking tea—black, green or white.  If tea’s not your thing, you can get 2 months’ worth of supplements for under $10.

And as far as magnesium goes, while it’s true that magnesium supports muscle relaxation and most of us do have a degree of deficiency, the paltry 10 percent of the RDA in this drink is not likely to make a significant difference. 

Go beyond the soda aisle and naturally support sound sleep!

The good news here is you can safely and naturally help pave the way for better sleep!

The key is to look at the possible reasons why you’re staring at the ceiling and do something about them!

Here are 6 possibilities to consider:

1- Avoid stimulants, sugar and alcohol at night

Most people are aware that drinking caffeinated beverages (including soda and coffee) can lead to a night filled with tossing and turning, but sugar is a culprit too. 

A diet high in sugar and refined carbs can trigger elevated cortisol levels.  Since cortisol is one of your body’s “fight or flight” hormones, that can stir you up and hamper your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep and/or wake up refreshed. 

And although alcohol can initially help you fall asleep, over time it eventually disrupts your sleep by interfering with your body’s system for regulating sleep and reducing your REM sleep.

2- Counteract stress

If stress is keeping you awake at night, it’s time to get a handle on it.

Regular exercise is the best stress and tension reliever ever.  Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK first, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while (or ever). 

A skilled counselor can help—but make sure they are actually “helping” and not just pushing sleep drugs at you.

Avoid nighttime TV, especially news channels or suspenseful, sad or violent movies.  Having heart-pounding or upsetting images in your mind can flip your stress switch and leave you counting sheep into the billions.

3- Have a nutritious diet

When your body needs nutrients, it will let you know…and it doesn’t care if it’s in the middle of the night when that happens.  Many people are awakened by feelings of hunger.

In addition, like all of your body’s other processes, your ability to make neurotransmitters that help you sleep (including melatonin, serotonin and GABA) depends on having supportive levels of essential nutrients.    

So, ditch the processed junk and drive by the drive-thru.  Do the bulk of your grocery shopping in the outer perimeter of the store—where the fresh produce, meats and dairy are located. 

And to help make sure all your crucial nutrient needs are met 24/7, then supplementing with a complete multi-vitamin and mineral formula like Super Core is the way to go!

Super Core contains health-supporting levels of a wide array of vital nutrients, plus disease-fighting antioxidants and anti-inflammatories too!

4- Talk to your doctor about your meds

A variety of medications can cause insomnia including:

1. Alpha-blockers
2. Beta-blockers
3. Corticosteroids
4. SSRI antidepressants
5. ACE inhibitors
6. Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs)
7. Cholinesterase inhibitors
8. H1 antagonists
9. Statins

If you are on these or any kind of medication, check the package insert (they can be found online) to see if insomnia is a side effect and if so, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

If he or she is unwilling to discuss other options, find another doctor who will.

5- Make sure you have darkness

Darkness is essential to proper, restful sleep, but many of us have night lights, alarm clocks, cell phones and TVs in our bedrooms, and these devices are most assuredly compromising your sleep to some degree.

Strive to make your room as dark as possible by eliminating as many sources of light as you can.  Also, try to get room-darkening shades to block out light from streetlights or your neighbor’s outdoor lights.

6- Get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Studies have shown that a higher level of the Omega-3 EFA Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is associated with better sleep.

And considering that our typical processed/fast food diets are positively anemic when it comes to providing proper levels of Omega-3 EFAs, it’s certainly no surprise that we’re paying the price in countless ways—poor sleep included!

But you can easily help turn that around with a quality fish oil formula that contains the crucial DHA, as well as its “partner” in brain and cardiovascular health—Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). 

VitalMega-3 is your ticket to making sure your body has the Omega-3 EFAs it so desperately needs. 

VitalMega-3 provides 1,200 mg of Omega-3s in every daily two-capsule serving, including the all-important EPA and DHA in the 3:2 ratio recommended by experts.

Nighty night!

When you look at all the possible reasons for your poor sleep and do what you can to turn them around, you too can start getting restful sleep without counting sheep!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia