It’s easy to think of ourselves akin to our beloved smart phones and laptops; that at the end of the day we simply power down and switch off. Not so. Although we may not consider ourselves nocturnal creatures, on a cellular level at least, we’re at our most productive at night.

During daylight hours, our bodies are subjected to ‘positive stressors’ such as eating and exercising but also ‘negative stressors’ such as air pollution, free radical damage, emotional stress, alcohol and blue light pollution from prolonged screen time. This means our organs need to dedicate their energies to defence during the day and reparation during the night. When not being pushed physically or mentally, the body can switch into maintenance mode and that’s when the ancient biological magic happens.

Regeneration, repair, detoxification, all take place whilst we’re blissfully unconscious. Recent medical studies have found direct links between poor sleep and chronic illnesses because damaged accumulated inside cells are cleared away during sleep and this complex repair process is fundamental to our health.

By understanding what’s happening inside our bodies whilst we sleep, we can support our organs to reach ultimate productivity. Below we break down the body repair times during sleep for you:

The body’s optimum sleep window and the time most of us hit the hay. This is when our bodies release hormones including progesterone, to make us feel drowsy and in a restful state, assisting us to nod off. While you're sleeping, the pituitary gland produces a growth hormone which helps your body to grow and repair itself. Adrenals and the thyroid work in tandem releasing hormones to regulate your metabolism and immune system.

REPAIR SHOP: Lower stress hormones further and reduce inflammation with our Wellmune® Blend, one of the power ingredients in LYMA. The only peer-reviewed, proven natural beta glucan, our Wellmune® Blend enhances key immune responses and supports your body’s intricate hormone balance.

During the first few hours of sleep, intestinal mobility increases and the gall bladder gets to work, breaking down fatty foods. Digestive enzymes also kick in around now to help your body to digest fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

REPAIR SHOP: Optimise this metabolic maintenance with TRE (Time Restricted Eating), proven to improve your metabolic rate and finish all eating before 8pm. Turmeric has the potential to get the digestive system operating in prime condition, only the issue with most forms of turmeric is that they’re widely a placebo.

LYMA’s HydroCurc® is Curcumin extracted from the turmeric root and formulated into a unique delivery system, making it highly bioavailable for the body to use. An exceptional anti-inflammatory, HydroCurc® brings down inflammation throughout the body and across all organs, enabling them to process more efficiently.

Consider the liver as the body’s over-achiever, responsible for filtering blood and processing all chemicals ingested from our food, environment, drugs, household cleaners and cosmetics. It works even harder at night and requires so much energy, it’s often the reason we wake up around this time, especially if you’ve been drinking alcohol the evening before. The harder your liver has to work to detoxify, the more likely you are to wake up.

REPAIR SHOP: If you’re someone who regularly wakes in the middle of the night, The patented saffron extract in LYMA, Affron® promotes better quality and more restorative sleep so your liver can get deep into detoxification mode, without disturbing your rest.

Lungs offer a self-cleaning service, clearing out mucus and residual air pollution from the previous day. Around 3am they put all their efforts into dispelling toxins, which is why we might wake up coughing in the early hours. High levels of stress can also be the culprit though and people who worry usually wake at this time because they’re not breathing properly.

REPAIR SHOP: Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic adaptogen that reduces anxiety, regulates cortisol (the stress hormone), and helps you return to deeper sleep, more quickly. The answer lies in the correct dosage and percentage of active compounds. LYMA includes Sensoril^®Ashwagandha.

The tail end of the night shift, the large intestine focuses on absorbing water, using up every last vitamin and propelling waste function, readying the body to wake. Core temperature rises again and the body needs water to function.

REPAIR SHOP: Start the day with a glass of water to replenish reserves. Get your exercise in now and retain hydration levels by putting off caffeine until after 7am.