PurePower was created by two cousins, Don McLaughlin and Sean McCabe, based on their personal experiences. In the early 2010s, both cousins faced significant health challenges as a result of excess stress, overwork, and, in Sean’s case, a traumatic brain injury. Both cousins suffered from persistent sleep problems during this time, as anyone who has dealt with a stressful or traumatic period of their life can probably sympathize with.
In an effort to start sleeping deeply, consistently, Don began to research and then experiment with combining different herbs and minerals. When he realized what a positive effect they had on his sleep, he introduced them to Sean, who saw a similar improvement.
Yet it was surprisingly difficult at the time to find the right blend; there simply wasn’t a product on the market that combined high-quality natural ingredients designed to target specific problem areas, like sleep, stress, recovery, or energy. Don and Sean recognized an opportunity to share with others what they’d discovered by developing a plant-based sleep aid that could deliver deep restorative sleep on a consistent basis.
To start, Don and Sean began a series of beta tests among their friends and family. To begin, they asked the testers to identify problem areas in their lives, and the answers that came back all showed the need for support with long term energy and deep sleep among other things.
With this input, Don and Sean worked with an expert herbalist to develop the perfect balance of herbs, botanicals, adaptogens, and top-quality CBD. Not only would these formulas target the problem areas identified during beta testing, but they would also all work together in unison, in what we now call the PurePower System, to holistically promote all-round wellness.
The Story Behind Our Inside-Out Sleep Complex
PowerDown differs both from over-the-counter or prescription sleep medication and from other herbal sleep supplements, because it does not force the body into sleep, but rather targets potential sleep barriers, like pain or stress, while also encouraging a calm state of mind.
This is thanks to our proprietary Inside-Out Sleep Complex – a blend of minerals, herbs, and adaptogens that work together to promote the type of whole-body relaxation that facilitates deep, restful sleep. These traditional herbs and adaptogens, many of which have been used for centuries, are combined with our high-quality and pristine hemp-CBD oil.
Not only does hemp-CBD aid to naturally restore balance in the body, but it also acts as an activator for the other herbs and minerals in the Inside-Out Sleep complex, helping them to work together for maximum benefit.
Melatonin: the Body’s Sleep Switch and Why We Don’t Include It
To understand how our bodies fall asleep and stay asleep, it’s important to understand the vital role that melatonin plays. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle (also known as the circadian rhythm) and is produced in the pineal gland in the brain. The pineal gland is inactive during daylight hours, and “wakes up” once the sun goes down.
That means, in order for us to have a healthy circadian rhythm where we are awake in the daytime, and producing melatonin – thus feeling sleepy – at night, we need to get the correct light levels. However, that can be easier said than done in modern society, thanks to jobs that keep us indoors in the daytime and artificial light at night. As such, many people do not produce the correct levels of melatonin, resulting in trouble falling asleep and sleeping deeply at night.
When creating our Inside-Out Sleep Complex, we specifically excluded melatonin due to the fact that we did not want to hijack the body’s existing capacity to create melatonin. Alternatively, we included Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) which is an amino acid that is thought to encourage the body’s creation and synthesis of melatonin. We also include a key mineral, Magnesium, because it is also thought to boost melatonin production, and it works in tandem with GABA.
Tackling the Sleep Bandit: Stress
Stress, worry, and anxiety are some of the most common reasons for sleep problems, so we selected a number of herbs and botanicals renowned for their calming, stress-busting properties to encourage restful sleep. Here are some of those key ingredients:
5-HTP is an amino acid that helps to boost serotonin production. Serotonin is a very important chemical that our nerve cells produce to send signals, and it is associated with mood stabilization, so that deficiency can lead to depression and anxiety. Maintaining healthy serotonin levels is therefore vital to promoting high-quality sleep.
L-theanine is another amino acid most commonly found in tea. Studies suggest it has the potential to reduce stress symptoms and help with sleep problems, as well as lowering blood pressure and boosting overall immunity.
Skullcap, chamomile, and passionflower are all traditional herbal sleep remedies that have been used for hundreds of years to induce feelings of calm and relaxation. Jujube is a small fruit from the buckthorn family that is prized in traditional Chinese medicine for its ability to soothe tension and promote deep, restful sleep.
Sleep and the Immune System
Getting enough sleep can be difficult at the best of times, but when your immune system is compromised, it can be almost impossible, whether due to pain, breathing problems, or just difficulty getting comfortable. That’s why the Inside-Out Sleep Complex was formulated to help boost the immune system while the body is at rest. Both hemp and magnesium can help to enhance the immune system, helping with the body’s natural overnight repair processes.
Some other key ingredients also support immune response and restful night of sleeping. Milk thistle (also known as silymarin) and ashwagandha are both associated with protection and enhancement of liver function. In traditional Chinese medicine, a “hot” liver is one of the main causes of sleep disruption, and a recent study has linked liver disease with sleep disorders.
White willow bark is a natural pain reliever that has been used for centuries – records show it was used in the time of Hippocrates to combat pain and fever associated with conditions like colds and flu, muscle pain, and arthritis.
