Are you suffering sleep deprivation?
When was the last time you slept well? More than 80 million Americans suffer from lack of sleep. It is estimated that 50 percent of work related accidents and 25 perceny of household accidents are caused by fatigue due to lack of sleep and 100,000 auto accidents occur annually due to lack of sleep.
Taking over-the-counter or prescribed medications may help you sleep, but you are generally left feeling groggy or just as tired in the morning. The quality of sleep isn't good and more importantly the cause of not sleeping has not been addressed.
Many people say to me: "I know the cause - I just can't shut my mind down!" But if you used to be able to shut it down and can't now, why not? Insomnia is a red flag that something is out of balance in the body.
There are many nutrients that are essential to have balanced brain chemistry which is vital if you want to "shut your brain down" at night. Are you consuming those nutrients or are you loading your body down at night with empty calorie foods? A diet high in carbohydrates not only will be missing these critical raw materials for healthy brain function, but the rebound effect on the brain at night as a result of the sugar load can cause you to awaken in the middle of the night, and find it difficult to return to sleep.
Many can't sleep because of pain. Obviously, remedying these problems is a must. Have you ever tried acupuncture or other non-medication approaches? Acupuncture works by reducing pain, inflammation, swelling and muscle spasms. It is quite effective in resolving those pain issues keeping you awake at night.
The adrenal glands, which are part of the stress response in the body, can be instrumental in the quality of your sleep. Today, because of the unusual degree of prolonged stress response, the average person has sub-optimal adrenal function. This also can be associated with the nocturnal awakening, as well as the inability to "shut down the mind" at night.
Some people can't fall asleep due to restless leg syndrome or leg cramps that awaken them at night. These are very aggravating conditions for those who suffer with them. Both of those are caused by nutritional deficiencies that when addressed not only resolve the condition, but generally results in deeper quality of sleep than the person was experiencing on the best of nights!
Insomnia is a very treatable condition. When you address the underlying causative problem (not just manage it medically) you will find a greater sense of well being and other health challenges will begin to unexpectedly resolve as well! Happy sleeping!
To learn more about sleep disorders and what you can do to sleep well again, come to an informative and interactive two-hour class, presented by Dr. Holly Carling, entitled "How to Sleep Better Naturally" on Wednesday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in Coeur d'Alene. Fee: $10. RSVP: (208) 765-1994.
Dr. Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over 30 years of experience.
Dr. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d' Alene clinic. Visit Dr. Carling's website at www.vitalhealthandfitness.com to learn more about Dr. Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Dr. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.