09. Physiological Factors Behind Sleep
Read the following within 1-2 days. We invite you to bring any nutrition-related questions or topics to the Weekly Healing Q&A so we can best support your journey toward optimal health.
Trouble sleeping? You are not alone as this is an epidemic problem for many of us in today’s age. If so, you most likely have already heard that you shouldn’t sleep with your electronic devices near you and to minimize screen time 1-2 hours before going to bed. You may have even tried blue-blocker glasses. You also may have been told to not eat within 2 hours of going to sleep or exercise at night. You could have black out shades or perhaps ear plugs or an eye mask. Yet, you are still struggling to either:
- Fall asleep and may not be able to until the early hours of the morning as you experience a surge of energy late at night.
- Stay asleep as you keep waking up in the middle of the night either to urinate, because of pain or some other unknown reason
- Fall back asleep after waking
- Feel refreshed and rested upon waking which may continue throughout the day
- Breathe-you may have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and/or your partner has mentioned you snore.
Why does this happen? Well, it can be a bit complicated and there are a number of reasons which can also interact with one another. We have broken them down between structural, physiological and emotional factors. This article will focus on the physiolgoical components to sleep dysfunction. However, be sure to check out the structural and emotional articles pertaining to sleep as we typically all have some issues in each category that cross-interact.
Possible Physiological Factors that are Impacting Sleep and Solutions
Physiological reasons behind sleep disturbances are where the majority of healthcare professionals are in the dark about. This may show up on a sleep study as “central” sleep apnea and is often in combination with structural issues. This means that something in your brain is causing you to stop breathing or have an arousal during sleep. That “something” can be nutritional imbalances, toxins, pathogens, adrenal fatigue, digestive problems, liver issues and/or other factors.
Your brain and nervous system are analogous to an electrical grid requiring just the right balance of oxygen, glucose, water, electrolytes, neurotransmitters, vitamin B12 and amino acids mixed with healthy levels of adrenaline. Most modern humans are chronically dehydrated and deficient in glucose, electrolytes and B12 coupled with excessive levels of adrenaline due to stress, caffeine and not regulating their blood sugar appropriately. This leads to overheating of your neural networks causing brain cell injury, emotional dysregulation, reduced functional capacity for creativity and cognition as well as potential sleep disruption. This will be exacerbated with any additional stress or trauma in your life.
Browse the following factors (1-10, 11-16) or use your testing technique to determine if any of the following pertain to you.
Factors 1-10
1. Low Oxygen
- You may have a breathing dysfunction requiring breathing retraining.
- Your blood may be too thick reducing oxygen concentration. This likely due to a diet high in fat requiring reduction.
2. Glucose Deficiency
- Your cells, including your brain cells, primarily run on glucose. Fat competes with glucose for entry into our cells. Therefore, you may need to focus on reducing fat and increasing your intake of "critical clean carbohydrates" that supply the ideal form of glucose for your cells. Refer here for more information.
3. Dehydration
- Hydration is essential to resonate health! In general, it is recommended that lemon/lime water be your primary hydration staple doing 16-32 oz immediately upon waking, a minimum of 40 oz during the day and another 16 oz in the evening.
- If you are consuming caffeine, alcohol and/or extra salt, exercise and/or perspire a lot you may need to increase your hydration levels.
- Another rule of thumb is to drink ~½ your body weight in ounces of water a day. Again, this may fluctuate if you lead an active lifestyle, consume extra salt or diuretic beverages like coffee or alcohol, on a regular basis.
4. Electrolyte/mineral deficiency
- A diet that is rich in healing foods should provide higher levels of electrolytes and minerals. However, due to the nutrient depletion of our soil, it can be difficult to get adequate mineral through diet alone and supplementation is required. Zinc and magnesium are common minerals to supplement with.
- Excellent sources of electrolytes are:
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- Celery juice
- Coconut water
- Lemon/lime water
- Bananas
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5. Neurotransmitter Deficiency
- Chronic viral infections and toxins in the brain such as heavy metals can lead to reduce neurotransmitter availability in the brain making it difficult to sleep. In addition to implementing nutritional practices that support pathogen and toxin elimination the following can be used to support balanced neurotransmitter concentrations:
- Melatonin
- Melatonin helps regulate sleep and also functions as an antioxidant. Take 5-20 mg at bedtime.
- Pure Encapsulations Melatonin 3mg
- Vimergy Melatonin 5 mg
- Pure Encapsulations Melatonin 20 mg
- GABA
- GABA is a primary neurotransmitter that helps to support nervous system regulation, mood and sleep.
- Pure Encapsulations GABA: 1-2 capsules/1-2x day
- GABA: 1-2 capsules/1-2x day
- 5-HTP
- Precursor to tryptophan which forms serotonin, an important neurotransmitter for mood, sleep and appetite.
- Pure Encapsulations 5-HTP 100 mg: 1 capsule at bedtime
- L-Tyrosine
- L-Tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine to help regulate cognition, mood, sleep, movement and much more.
- Pure Encapsulations Tyrosine 500 mg: 1 capsule/day
- Melatonin
7. Alcohol
- Alcohol is dehydrating to the liver and body. For some it can be a difficult habit to break or may be a knowing or unknowing addiction.
- Here are some strategies for freeing yourself of alcohol:
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- Gradually decrease the amount by 25% each week over the course of 4 weeks. This can be adjusted as needed.
- If wine is your alcohol of choice, you may consider substituting with wild blueberry juice which is actually healing vs hurting your body.
- Cravings for alcohol can be a sign that you are deficient in glucose. Make sure you are getting ample critical clean carbohydrates throughout your day such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, coconut water or fruit.
- Make sure you are eating frequently and snacking throughout the day so you don’t feel hungry and maintain your blood glucose levels. This helps to reduce stress to your adrenal glands and nervous system.
- Ensure you are properly hydrated. It is suggested to have 16-32oz of lemon/lime water immediately upon waking in the morning. Throughout the rest of the day consume at least 32 oz of water (best with lemon/lime) and 16 oz in the evening.
- Make sure you are getting foundational supplement support, particularly the right kinds of zinc, B12 and Vitamin C. Lemon balm can also make a huge difference in helping to calm your nervous system.
- If you are having difficult cravings for your caffeine product, consider the Cravings Shifter Juice Shot
- Try out the addiction management/reduction Biofield Tuning.
- Call upon the life changing angels such as the Angel Harmony, Angel of Habit and/or Angel of Addiction to help you break your caffeine habit or addiction with ease and harmony.
- If you have a really strong alcohol addiction you may need to consult the Addiction Supplement Protocol for more specific supplement guidance.
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8. Chronic Viruses
- The presence of chronic underlying viruses in your tissues and organs such as any of the many derivatives and continually mutating Epstein-Barr, shingles and/or herpes viruses can unknowingly wreak havoc on your body. Viruses:
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- Release neurotoxins which irritate and create sensitivity in your nervous system and brain including the parts that regulate your sleep
- Create aches and pains in your body which can trigger you to wake up
- Can diminish the neurotransmitters responsible for sleep
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- Thus viruses can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, stay asleep and be able to go back asleep.
- Refer to Nutritional Practices to work on reducing your viral load.
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- The top 3 foods to eliminate are gluten, dairy and eggs as they feed pathogens.
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9. Toxins
- In general, toxins are neurotoxic of which there are many different kinds. One of the most problematic ones are heavy metals which, if they get into your brain, can disrupt the natural electrical circuitry and neurotransmitters that regulate sleep. Furthermore, they can oxidize where the run-off will further exacerbate brain tissue issues.
- If you have or ever have had silver fillings in your teeth you likely have issues with mercury heavy metal toxicity in your body. Mercury can even be passed on in the womb. Even if you had these fillings removed many decades ago, the mercury tends to stay in your body unless you have taken specific measures to detoxify it.
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- The Heavy Metal Detox smoothie is the most effective way to extract heavy metals from your body.
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- MSG is a major underappreciated sleep offender.
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- What’s tricky about it is that it is often hidden in foods using the following terms “natural flavors, glutamate, hydrolyzed, autolyzed, protease, carrageenan, maltodextrin, sodium caseinate, balsamic vinegar, barley malt, malt extract, yeast extract, brewer’s yeast, corn starch, wheat starch, modified food starch, gelatin, textured protein, whey protein, soy protein, soy sauce, broth, bouillon, stock, and seasoning.”
- MSG can get deep into the brain disrupting its electrical grid, burning out neurons, destroying neurotransmitters and creating hypersensitivity. This can lead to a “monkey mind” which you can’t shut off and calm itself. You may rely on meditation techniques in an attempt to quiet your mind but unless you address the underlying toxicity, you will continue to need them.
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- DDT, other chemicals and radiation can also significantly dysregulate your brain and its ability to appropriately send sleep signals. This is why it is essential to avoid exposure to them but especially detoxifying yourself of them.
10. Sluggish, stagnant, overburdened liver
- If you have a sluggish and overburdened liver likely due to a high pathogen or toxin load and/or a diet high in fat and protein it is possible that as your liver wakes up and starts doing its prime detoxification duties starting around 3-4AM, it may go into a spasm which can wake you up. It’s usually not something you consciously are aware of but can unconsciously arouse you from slumber.
- To address a sluggish, stagnant and overburdened liver the key is to detoxify it. Refer to the nutritional practices section to focus on this. The top priorities include:
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- Appropriately hydrating
- Adding in healing foods
- Removing troublemaker foods
- Reducing fat intake
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Factors 11-16
11. B12 deficiency
- Most modern humans are deficient in this critical nutrient involved in thousands of different cellular processes to support your health.
- The best type of vitamin B12 is a combination of adenosyl and methylcobalamin which is very difficult to find on the market. Both are needed to adequately support your nervous system.
- *Liquid: Vimergy B12- 1-2 dropperfuls/1-2x day
- Capsule: need to purchase 2 products to get both types of B12 (adenosyl and methyl)
- Pure Encapsulations B12 Folate: 1 capsule/1-2x day
OR
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- Pure Encapsulations Methylcobalamin: 1 capsule/1-2x day
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PLUS
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- Pure Encapsulations Adenosyl/Hydroxy B12: 1 capsule/1-2x day
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12. Other Nutritional Deficiency
Consult the healing foods and supplement support pages to determine if you require any additional nutritional support.
Foods that particularly help support sleep are:
| Mangoes | Bananas | Cherries |
| Asparagus | Spinach | Celery |
| Lettuce | Pomegranates | Wild Blueberries |
| Garlic | Cilantro | Sweet Potatoes |
| Berries | Dates | Lemons/Limes |
| Potatoes | Radishes | Turmeric |
| Ginger | Coconut Water | Sprouts |
| Raw Honey | Artichokes | Grapes |
13. Adrenal fatigue/cortisol dysregulation
- With adrenal fatigue, your adrenal glands are either over or underproducing the right blends of adrenaline you need. Typically, during the day if you are tired they are underproducing in an attempt to ration the limited adrenaline they have but if no major stressor occurs that necessitates it, then late at night your adrenals will create a surge making you feel very energized and have difficulty falling asleep. This is usually what is going on for the “night owls.” Chronic stress, caffeine use and/or blood sugar imbalances as a result from not eating regularly, fasting or a diet high in fat will all contribute to adrenal fatigue.
- Some individuals may find that fasting makes them feel better. The reason is because they aren’t eating high fat, protein or other problematic food and beverages during this time which gives their liver a break. However, while doing this, the body is being stressed by not having consumed glucose for too long which in turn puts increased burden on the adrenal glands to help regulate blood sugar. The adrenals will then excrete adrenaline, which when done on a regular basis such as with consistent intermittent fasting or simply waiting too long between meals, is corrosive to your cells and brain.
- This is further compounded by drinking caffeinated beverages during the fasting time which stimulates even more adrenaline production. Eventually, your adrenals become burned out and fatigued with diminished ability to produce hormones with subsequent endocrine dysregulation including sleep impairment. For more information refer here, here or here.
14. Radiation Exposure
- Sources of radiation exposure include cell phones and other devices; airplane travel; imaging tests such as x-ray, CT scans, PET scan, MRIs, bone scans; atmospheric fallout from past nuclear disasters, etc. Refer here to learn more about radiation.
- Consider trying the:
15. Digestive sensitivity
- If you have a sensitive digestive system, this can impact your brain and nervous system through its connections via the vagus and phrenic nerves. Furthermore, if your digestive contents are moving through an inflamed and sensitive area while you are sleeping this could cause you to wake. Like the liver disturbance, you may not consciously sense it but it’s enough of a stimulus to your nervous system to arouse you from sleep.
- Refer to the nutritional practices section to focus on this. The top priorities include:
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- Appropriately hydrating
- Adding in healing foods
- Removing troublemaker foods
- Reducing fat intake
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16. Sleeping outside of the Sacred Sleep Window
- An inherent natural body rhythm is that between the hours of 10PM-2AM our bodies do the bulk of their healing and thus this is the ideal time to be asleep. However, rest assured (pun intended), that even if you aren’t actually asleep during this time, as long as your eyes are closed, you will be able to tap into this healing window.
- If for some reason you work nights and sleep during the day, you can also tap into this window on the flipside between 10AM-2PM.
References
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This nutritional content is being provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Some supplements may not interact well with medications. Please consult your medical doctor or professional if you have medical concerns. If you experience any discomfort or adverse effects discontinue.
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