Insomnia (Sleep Disorders)
Insomnia is a name given to a chronic functional problem where the patient suffers from the inability to achieve a state of sleep. Some people having trouble falling asleep, some have trouble staying asleep, while others awaken too early. Insomnia is often associated with other chronic degenerative diseases like arthritis, depression, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and chronic allergic states.
Insomnia is almost always multi-factorial. Some of the contributing causes may be high levels of oxidative stress, malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, poor bowel health, hormonal imbalances, metabolic imbalances , food allergies, excessive stress, sinus problems and poor glycemic control. Often times, high estrogen, low progesterone ratios, is contributory.
Symptomatic treatment may be helpful, but the underlying cause of the problem should be addressed. Only finding and treating the root cause of the problem will lead to a successful outcome.
Patients that suffer from insomnia must pay very close attention to their diets. Many of these patients suffer from excessive levels of free fatty acids in their brains. Therefore they need to avoid things like fried foods, food additives, and neurotoxic agents (MSG, aspartame, nitrates, and nitrites) they may also suffer from low blood sugar problems. A low blood sugar will activate the sympathetic nervous system and cause an increase in adrenaline levels. Therefore, low blood sugar is one of the primary culprits involved in insomnia. However, high blood sugar can also contribute to insomnia as high sugar levels will often lead to excessive urination which can then interfere with sleep.
Patients that suffer from insomnia must also pay close attention to light and dark exposures. They benefit from real sunlight during the day (not artificial light, or light filtered through glass) and pitch black at night. The bedroom should be free of any light sources and the window treatments should be adequate to block incoming light.
Also excessive physical and mental activities too late in the evening will interfere with sleep. Therefore, keep things calm and relaxed in the evening, work and exercise earlier in the day.
Dietary Recommendations
