Why Can't I Sleep?

By Shahrokh Shahverdi, DC, CCSP

Shu's Family Wellness & Chiropractic

. http://shusfamilywellnesscenter.com/

More Chiropractic Care Articles

Why Can't I Sleep?

Sleep problems affect approximately 30-50% of the population and 10% have chronic sleep problems.

Traditional doctors are faced with trying to assist patients to sleep better. Trying to figure out the root cause of the problem is challenging. Doctors use a variety of treatments including medications to induce sleep and sleep studies to try to determine the underlying cause of the sleep problems.

Holistic medicine practitioners also look for the underlying causes of sleep problems and seek to correct them through non-pharmaceutical approaches. Sleep is regulated on a circadian rhythm by the brain and adrenal glands. As darkness comes the pineal gland in the brain recognizes the change in light which stimulates melatonin a hormone that helps put you to sleep. The precursor to melatonin is the amino acid tryptophan which converts to 5-HTP which in turn converts to serotonin and then melatonin.

Vitamins B6, B12, folic acid, niacin and the minerals iron and magnesium are required for the production of melatonin so deficiencies in these can cause difficulties in falling asleep.

Stress can inhibit your ability to fall asleep due to the stress hormone cortisol produced by the adrenal glands inhibits melatonin production. Stress can manifest in many forms including emotional, physical, chemical, chronic infections, nutritional deficiencies, anemia, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and/or over-training.

If you can fall asleep easily but wake up during the night many times or you can't go back to sleep then you most likely have blood sugar and adrenal imbalances. While you are sleeping your body loses about two thirds of its stored sugar reserves. Your adrenal glands maintain healthy blood sugar levels while you are sleeping but if your adrenals are exhausted you can't keep your sugar levels normal. This causes small spurts of adrenaline to be produced in an attempt to raise blood sugar which wakes you up. This is a classic sign of hypoglycemia and adrenal fatigue.

The first step is correcting hypoglycemia and adrenal fatigue (which usually coincide). Your diet needs to be modified to ensure there are no blood sugar roller coasters which further stress the adrenal glands.

The next step is to eliminate as many sources of stress as possible, such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, poor dietary choices, and/or over-training. It may be required to find out why your adrenal glands and blood sugar are out of balance. Another suggestion would be to avoid use of electronic equipment when you are trying to fall asleep.