Learn More About Sleep and Insomnia
Do you wake up feeling well-rested every day? You should! However, 43% of men and 55% of women report trouble with falling asleep or staying asleep.
Melatonin is our “sleep hormone”, and it is released in response to darkness. It should be highest at night, promoting a deep, restful sleep, and lowest during the day. In opposition to melatonin is our “stress hormone”, cortisol, which inhibits melatonin to promote alertness and wakefulness.
When we don’t get enough sleep, or get poor quality of sleep, our ability to think clearly, learn and retain memories is significantly impacted.
Symptoms of Insomnia:
- Weakened immune system
- Frequent cold and flu
- Difficulty with getting over infections
- Weight gain
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Difficulty dealing with stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability
- Appetite and blood sugar levels are negatively impacted
Lifestyle changes
- Set a bedtime, your ideal number should be between six and eight hours
- Turn off all electronics and screens for 30 minutes before your bedtime
- Sleep in a dark, cool room
- Balance blood sugar
- Address stress
- Limit caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
- Add magnesium at bedtime
- No napping during the day
Start with blood work to assess thyroid health and anemia, a sleep study to look for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, and address underlying concerns like anxiety, depression, frequent urination, and chronic pain.
Sleeping well is one of the most important things we can do to support our overall health.
