Are You Having Trouble Sleeping?
One of the most common complaints I hear from clients, students, friends and family relates to issues of insomnia. The inability to sleep is serious; when our body is not rested, it throws EVERYTHING out of whack. Suddenly the ability to handle any stress, unexpected change in routine, conflict, and even our own emotions becomes impossible. In 2010 IMS estimated that 45 million people suffered from chronic insomnia, 63 milliion prescriptions were written for sleeping pills, and American alone spent more than $10 BILLION on drugs to sleep. What is going on here? In my opinion, we have two main issues: the physical body at the cellular level and the belief system in the subconscious mind. The body is screaming for help and our beliefs are igniting emotions that send our mind into endless spiraling thought patterns keeping us performing the dreaded T&T (toss and turn).
Last week I had the good fortune of sitting in on a Sleep Disorder Seminar given by neuroscience and biochemistry genius Dr. James Blumenthal. What a pleasure to be in his presence and be exposed to a slice of the brilliance in his mind. Dr. Blumenthal has thre catrgories of insomnia: trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep, and trouble waking up. While there is always a metabolic breakdown contributing to these conditions, there are things we can do now to at least reduce symptoms.
Accoring to Dr. B, trouble getting to sleep usually involves various lifestyle issues including ingestion of stimulants, blood sugar imbalance, and emotional issues. Suggestions to counteract this type of sleep deprivation are regularly changing your pillow to avoid exposure to yeast, reducing exposure to electronics such as tv’s and laptops both in the bedroom and at least an hour before sleeping, and deep breathing exercises to calm the central nervous system.
For those that struggle with staying asleep, Dr. B says this is usually a result of adrenal and cortisol issues, blood sugar imbalance, and once again, emotional issues. A half portion of protein right before bed, such as a hard boiled egg, can aid in balancing out blood sugar levels. Again, deep breathing exercises can calm the central nervous system and help bring the emotions back into a place of balance. Interestingly enough, Dr. Blumenthal finds this type of insomnia very common among vegans as most do not get proper nutrient intake which throws the metabolism out of whack.
And for those that wake unrested, Dr. B says one of the best remedies is glycine. Glycine is one of the simplest and most abundant amino acids in the body. It can be purchased over the counter and used as a sugar subsititute due to its sweet nature.
While these suggested are merely a bandaid and not solutions to fix the ROOT of the problems in the body or in the subconscious mind, hopefully they provide a few options for things you can do NOW to assist in getting a good night sleep. Maybe then you will wake feeling rested, have the energy to exercise and care for your body, and the patience and desire to play with kids and loved ones!
As always, BIG LOVE to all!
XOXO
Nyk!
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