Losing Sleep? Four Causes and Solutions for Insomnia
There is more and more research showing the importance of sleep and its impact on our health. Yet, insomnia is a common problem. In fact, as high as 30-45% of the adult population suffers from it. After we drift off each night, our brain remains in an active and dynamic state. The glymphatic system continues to be hard at work cleaning house, eliminating waste and distributing compounds such as glucose, lipids, amino acids, and neurotransmitters. Also, a complex hormonal dance occurs as part of our natural circadian rhythm which regulates memory function, appetite and metabolism, focus, and many other aspects of our health. These hormone levels are directly related to how we feel on any given day, and the lack of sleep can further complicate many other health issues and recovery.
For example, we have all felt the irritably, mood changes, poor concentration and digestion changes that can come after a rough night of sleep. String together multiple nights of poor sleep and we can have more significant health problems like obesity, diabetes, weakened immune systems, and even decreased longevity. .
The good news is that resetting your sleep is possible. Below is listed four common triggers for insomnia and ways to address it.
Low blood sugar related insomnia
Problem: If you are waking up in the middle of the night I encourage you to examine what you had for dinner. Dinners that are predominately carbs or followed by sugar in the form of dessert or alcohol can leave us on an insulin-blood sugar roller coaster. If our meals are not adequately balanced there is a risk that our blood sugar dips down too low at night. This can trigger you to wake up.
Solution: Eat a balanced dinner. Take a look at your plate. Ideally half of your plate is covered in fiber rich veggies that help slow glucose absorption from your digestive tract. Aim to include 15-20 grams of protein and a source of good fat like avocado, olive oil or nuts and seeds that help maintain steady glucose levels.
High cortisol related insomnia
Problem: Cortisol is our stress hormone. It has a natural circadian rhythm that helps us maintain energy over the course of our day. Stress, either psychologic from life events, or physiologic from illness, pain or deficiencies, can trigger our normal cortisol rhythms to be disrupted causing broken and disturbed sleep.
Solution: Restoring our natural cortisol level can be challenging until we know the root cause of the disturbance.
For emotional stress the role of stress-coping skills cannot be overemphasized. Strategies like meditation, deep breathing exercises, counseling, gratitude journals, regular exercise and appropriately addressing relationship or job concerns are helpful.
For physiologic stress it is best to work with a health care provider that can help uncover and address concerns like nutritional deficiencies, blood-sugar imbalances or chronic pain.
Sex hormone related insomnia
Problem: Many peri- and post-menopausal women can testify that sleep changes as our hormones change. Hormones that are unbalanced can trigger a change in sleep quality.
Solution: Addressing stress and optimizing digestive health go a long way toward supporting our hormones, but sometimes we still need additional help. If sleep disruption occurs during a particular part of your menstrual cycle or develops in peri-menopause, then I recommend formal hormone testing. The information gathered can help direct targeted treatment.
Melatonin related insomnia
Problem: Melatonin is one of the hormones that help regulate our sleep. Low levels of melatonin can be caused by exposure to blue light at bedtime or can occur when we have an imbalance in our serotonin levels. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is intimately tied to our mood and is a precursor to melatonin. Much of our serotonin is made in our gut and is a common chemical targeted by antidepressant medications.
Solution: Minimizing our exposure to blue light a few hours before bedtime supports our natural melatonin secretion. We can do this by turning off computers, TVs and phones or wearing blue-light blocking glasses. Optimizing our digestive system, the site of much of our serotonin production is also indirectly helpful for our sleep. Talk to a health professional if you struggle with depression. You may need additional support for neurotransmitters. Some people benefit from direct melatonin supplementation, which is available over the counter in pharmacies.
If you think you are suffering from one or more of these issues and would like to discuss a customized plan for improving your sleep, make an appointment with Relish Health today.