This is the time that our bodies reboot and heal.
Did you know that the brain, during sleep, undergoes a regeneration process which squeezes toxins & waste products into the lymphatic system and helps to rebuild neuro cognitive processes?
So without proper sleep, our bodies can find challenges in maintaining their delicate balance or homoeostasis. When we go and see our doctor, sometimes we will get a few minutes to chat about our stresses that may be causing us to lie awake at night and worry, and we may be given a prescription for sleeping tablets. In the short term, this can be very helpful. However there are some longer term issues that sometimes need addressing. These deeper issues can sometimes take quite a long time to assess and treat; so it is essential to encourage the body to sleep appropriately in the process.
When you stop and really consider the dirty world we live in with chemicals, metals, possibly an increasing exposure to tickborne infections; also EMF (electro smog) and the constant exposure we have which changes the way our bodies are driven, it is not surprising that our sleep can be affected.
It is important to watch carefully the developing scenario of 5G. Please educate yourself about 5G in order to protect yourself and your children. EMF also has a huge effect on sleep.
There are all sorts of other factors that can interfere with sleep ranging from a physically obstructed airway, sometimes due to high Weight or obesity, to hormonal problems, for Example in the menopause or premenstrually, or with the adrenal glands. When the adrenals are either overactive or underactive, they have a direct effect on cortisol levels, also adrenaline, both of which affect sleep profoundly.
Melatonin also has a profound effect on the lymphatic drainage of the brain and it is important that this level is measured and corrected.
Interestingly, in the new world (or some would say “pre prohibition old world) of cannabis medicine and cannabidiol (CBD) there is some evidence that sleep can be helped.
However, due to the vast variation in quality of products that are available over the counter, it would be sensible to speak to your doctor or to someone who knows a lot about cannabis and cannabidiol, to ensure proper certifications, toxicology testing and governance with dosing.
When sleep problems are associated with severe underlying illness; more prolonged support with medication is necessary. This too must be discussed with your doctor.
Any prescription for sleep, needs to take place within a formal holistic, i.e. whole person medical history, examination and set of investigations, to ensure that there is nothing else that may be causing or influencing the problem. Please remember that any underlying hidden physical illness may also affect your metabolic’s and chemistry, thereby interfering with sleep. So it is important to get help, and not to suffer needlessly.
Remember that lack of sleep, causes stress upon our bodies and is likely to promote the underlying condition of inflammation and disruption to the immune system. This in turn can be part of the pathway towards more serious underlying disease and health issues.
So if you have a prolonged sleep problem, please don’t hesitate to see your Doctor to discuss.