How many nights have you spent trying to fall asleep? How often have you woken between 3 and 4 a.m., unable to get back to sleep? This is not simply a bad habit or a coincidence. It is often a sign that the body’s internal clock has lost its rhythm.
It is no coincidence that this period is known as ‘the wolf hour’ – the time before sunrise when anxiety, tension and sleeplessness can seem to overcome calm. When such awakenings become recurrent, their effects are felt not only during the night but throughout the following day.
From a scientific perspective, this is when the body undergoes important changes: melatonin levels begin to fall gradually, cortisol rises and the brain becomes more sensitive to internal and external stimuli.
According to a study by the ‘For Sleep’ Foundation and Global Metrics, more than 60% of Bulgarians report various sleep problems. One in three people wakes frequently during the night, while more than 41% of adults sleep for less than the recommended seven hours. It is therefore unsurprising that over half of the adult population uses various non-prescription products, most commonly natural supplements, to improve sleep quality and manage the effects of chronic fatigue. A smaller proportion use sedative medicines, but their use requires strict medical supervision because of the risk of dependence and a reduced ability to carry out normal daily activities.
The question is why this happens.
Why is sleep so important?
We often think of sleep as a passive state in which the body simply ‘switches off’. In fact, the opposite is true. While we sleep, the body carries out complex restorative processes on which both our physical and mental health depend.
During deep sleep, the nervous system recovers, stress-hormone levels decrease and cells begin active regeneration processes. REM sleep is crucial for memory, concentration, learning and emotional stability.
Good-quality sleep supports the immune system, reduces the risk of inflammatory processes, helps maintain normal cardiovascular function and provides the energy we need during the day.
When sleep is disrupted, the effects are quickly felt. Fatigue, irritability, difficulty with concentration and memory, reduced performance and a sense of constant mental strain may occur.
Insomnia – the silent companion of modern life
International classifications define insomnia as a state of inadequate or insufficiently restorative sleep. It may take different forms: difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking during the night, waking early in the morning, or feeling unrefreshed despite spending hours in bed.
Of particular concern is that insomnia rarely remains solely a night-time problem. It affects daily life through daytime sleepiness, reduced concentration, changes in mood, anxiety and increased sensitivity to stress.
Specialists have long described the relationship between stress and insomnia as two-way. The greater the tension, the harder it is to fall asleep. The less restorative the sleep, the harder it is for the body to cope with stress the following day.
This creates a vicious circle that increasing numbers of people recognise as part of their daily lives.
The internal clock that governs our lives
At the heart of good sleep is a remarkable mechanism – the circadian rhythm.
This is the body’s internal biological clock, which regulates when we are awake, when we feel energetic and when the body should enter a state of rest. The rhythm is coordinated by a structure in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which responds to light and darkness in the environment.
As it becomes dark outside, the body begins to produce more melatonin – the natural sleep hormone. Light, particularly the blue light emitted by phones, tablets and computers, suppresses this process and signals to the brain that it is still time to be active.
It is therefore no coincidence that working in front of a screen late into the evening, frequent night shifts, long flights across time zones and chronic stress can seriously disrupt the natural sleep rhythm.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the body mainly during the hours of darkness. It signals to the brain that it is time to sleep and helps synchronise the sleep–wake cycle.
Its levels begin to rise in the evening, peak during the night and gradually fall towards morning.
The body’s natural production of melatonin decreases with age. Its levels may also be affected by factors such as shift work, frequent travel, exposure to artificial light in the evening, stress and certain hormonal changes.
Scientific evidence indicates that taking 1 mg of melatonin immediately before bedtime contributes to reducing the time taken to fall asleep. It regulates the sleep–wake cycle and synchronises circadian rhythms. At the same time, studies have found neither suppression of the body’s own melatonin production when it is used as a food supplement nor evidence that it causes dependence.
When sleep needs additional support
During periods of increased tension, a demanding daily routine or disrupted sleep patterns, the body may sometimes need help to restore its natural rhythm.
This is precisely why Aboruhe Melatonin Sleep Spray – an ABOPharma product combining 1 mg of melatonin with passionflower and lemon balm extracts – was developed.
The formula is designed not only to make it easier to fall asleep, but also to reduce stress and tension during the day and create the conditions for calm relaxation in the evening.
Passionflower is a plant traditionally used to support the nervous system and promote a sense of calm. It regulates levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, helping create a sense of calm. Its biologically active compounds are associated with reducing nervous tension and supporting relaxation.
Lemon balm is also well known for its calming properties. It helps the body relax after a demanding day and supports sleep quality, particularly when tension and mental fatigue are among the main reasons for difficulty falling asleep.
The combination of melatonin, passionflower and lemon balm in Aboruhe Melatonin Sleep Spray combines the relaxing action of the herbs in relieving stress and tension with support for the natural process of falling asleep and evening relaxation. It regulates sleep, the biological clock and adaptation to light and darkness, supports falling asleep and recovery, improves cognitive abilities and plays a role in memory.
Aboruhe Melatonin Sleep Spray – a solution for a busy lifestyle
Modern life often runs counter to our biological clock. Shift work, night duty, business travel, intercontinental flights and constant pressure are part of everyday life for millions of people.
In these situations, the body’s adaptation to change becomes particularly important.
ABOPharma’s Aboruhe Melatonin Sleep Spray was created with these challenges in mind. Just one spray immediately before bedtime provides the required dose of melatonin and botanical extracts. When changing time zones, the product may be used for several days after arrival to support faster adaptation to the new schedule.
The spray is sugar-free, suitable for vegans and has a pleasant blackcurrant flavour. Each pack provides at least 90 sprays, sufficient for three months of use.
When a good day begins the night before
We often look for more energy in coffee, supplements or the latest motivational technique. Yet something far more fundamental underpins physical and mental well-being: good-quality sleep.
A restful night is not simply about spending more hours in bed. It means better concentration, greater resilience to stress, more complete recovery and more energy for everything the next day may bring.
When the body finds its natural rhythm again, sleep ceases to be a problem and becomes what it should be: the most natural part of the day.
