Posted in 
Previous: 
: 
Is Your Doctor Really Listening To You? Getting The Most Out Of Your Visits
Sign In >>
The work of Dr. Georgianna Donadio DC, MSc, PhD has touched the lives of millions of people worldwide. For more than 35 years, she has been educating the healthcare community, as well as her patients, students and the public…
FAST FACTS
Advertisement
Tips To Battle Your Sleep Disorders And Get Some Rest
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) states that the 40 million Americans who now suffer from sleep disorders are at higher risk for numerous serious health issues. Sleeping is one of the most important aspects of our health and well being, right up there with food, air and water.
Not being able to sleep well, or being unable to stay asleep, present problems for our health and productivity. It becomes difficult to concentrate, focus or be motivated when we are dragging ourselves through the day. The lack of proper sleep impacts our immune system, blood pressure, digestive function and even our mental clarity.
There are several factors that can contribute to sleep problems, but stress appears to be one of the biggest factors. Alan Lankford, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Sleep Disorders Center of Georgia states, "Stress can have a huge impact on falling and staying asleep." Under stress the body secretes elevated levels of cortisol, which acts like a stimulant on the nervous system and interferes with the process of falling asleep.
The foods and chemicals we ingest can also have a significant impact on our sleep system. James Maas, Ph.D., coauthor of Sleep for Success! Everything You Must Know About Sleep but Are Too Tired to Ask, says, "Any kind of caffeine, even the small amounts in hot chocolate and candy bars, can impair your sleep if ingested after 2 p.m.
The lack of exercise can be a factor as well. Exercise regulates blood sugar which is critical for brain and body function. If our blood sugar level is too high or too low this can interfere with the body cycles for sleep and rest. Regular exercise enhances the quality and quantity of our sleep. A home tread mill, walking the dog or regular dance classes are all good sleep aid options.
While there are 90 known sleep disorders, restless leg syndrome is one of the top three disorders. This can often be addressed with an increase in calcium rich foods or by taking a calcium magnesium supplement before bed.
Mineral imbalances can also be at play with this disorder and a whole food mineral supplement and multi-vitamin is recommended.
Sleep problems can be decreased or eliminated with these simple, inexpensive remedies that have been shown to provide relief and allow sufferers to experience a restful, refreshing full night’s sleep.
- Dr. Georgianna Donadio
Not being able to sleep well, or being unable to stay asleep, present problems for our health and productivity. It becomes difficult to concentrate, focus or be motivated when we are dragging ourselves through the day. The lack of proper sleep impacts our immune system, blood pressure, digestive function and even our mental clarity.
There are several factors that can contribute to sleep problems, but stress appears to be one of the biggest factors. Alan Lankford, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Sleep Disorders Center of Georgia states, "Stress can have a huge impact on falling and staying asleep." Under stress the body secretes elevated levels of cortisol, which acts like a stimulant on the nervous system and interferes with the process of falling asleep.
The foods and chemicals we ingest can also have a significant impact on our sleep system. James Maas, Ph.D., coauthor of Sleep for Success! Everything You Must Know About Sleep but Are Too Tired to Ask, says, "Any kind of caffeine, even the small amounts in hot chocolate and candy bars, can impair your sleep if ingested after 2 p.m.
The lack of exercise can be a factor as well. Exercise regulates blood sugar which is critical for brain and body function. If our blood sugar level is too high or too low this can interfere with the body cycles for sleep and rest. Regular exercise enhances the quality and quantity of our sleep. A home tread mill, walking the dog or regular dance classes are all good sleep aid options.
While there are 90 known sleep disorders, restless leg syndrome is one of the top three disorders. This can often be addressed with an increase in calcium rich foods or by taking a calcium magnesium supplement before bed.
Mineral imbalances can also be at play with this disorder and a whole food mineral supplement and multi-vitamin is recommended.
Sleep problems can be decreased or eliminated with these simple, inexpensive remedies that have been shown to provide relief and allow sufferers to experience a restful, refreshing full night’s sleep.
- Dr. Georgianna Donadio
RELATED POSTS
I have had lots of trouble sleeping in spite of large quantities of sleeping pills including seroquel, trazodone, valium, xanax, ambiemCR etc. You name it, I tried it. We always assumed it was the BP that was messing with my sleep. Finally my Pdoc and I d
Posted on 06/30/09 10:08:25 am
Two of my doctors are pushing me to get a "sleep study." They think I may have sleep apnea and that it's causing my drowsiness, not my drugs. They say this can contribute to depression, HBP, vampireism, etc. Anybody had any experience with this?
Posted on 04/11/08 08:58:16 am
MORE ARTICLES
CATEGORIES:
Tips
CONDITIONS AND COMMUNITIES:
Bedrest
•
Bipolar Disorder
•
Bipolar Disorder - Teen
•
Codependency
•
Depression
•
Depression - Teen
•
Depression in Children
•
Depression Supporters
•
Diets & Weight Maintenance
•
Eating Disorders
•
Family & Friends of Bipolar
•
Fitness Goals
•
Food Addiction
•
Insomnia
•
Nutrition
•
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
•
Post Partum Depression
•
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
•
Restless Legs Syndrome
•
Sleep Apnea
•
Sleep Problems - Childhood
MEMBER COMMENTS
TOTAL COMMENTS: 10
-
View All Comments »
Add a Comment
Displaying comments 10-1 of 10
Got a Question?
POPULAR POSTS
Bedrest
(30 Discussion Topics)
(30 Discussion Topics)
Bipolar Disorder
(93,964 Discussion Topics)
(93,964 Discussion Topics)
Bipolar Disorder - Teen
(852 Discussion Topics)
(852 Discussion Topics)
Codependency
(7,461 Discussion Topics)
(7,461 Discussion Topics)
Depression
(120,339 Discussion Topics)
(120,339 Discussion Topics)
Depression - Teen
(6,073 Discussion Topics)
(6,073 Discussion Topics)
Depression in Children
(69 Discussion Topics)
(69 Discussion Topics)
Depression Supporters
(1,056 Discussion Topics)
(1,056 Discussion Topics)
Diets & Weight Maintenance
(8,390 Discussion Topics)
(8,390 Discussion Topics)
Eating Disorders
(15,489 Discussion Topics)
(15,489 Discussion Topics)
Family & Friends of Bipolar
(1,950 Discussion Topics)
(1,950 Discussion Topics)
Fitness Goals
(1,569 Discussion Topics)
(1,569 Discussion Topics)
Food Addiction
(2,664 Discussion Topics)
(2,664 Discussion Topics)
Insomnia
(2,440 Discussion Topics)
(2,440 Discussion Topics)
Nutrition
(137 Discussion Topics)
(137 Discussion Topics)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
(5,586 Discussion Topics)
(5,586 Discussion Topics)
Post Partum Depression
(398 Discussion Topics)
(398 Discussion Topics)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
(9,446 Discussion Topics)
(9,446 Discussion Topics)
Restless Legs Syndrome
(280 Discussion Topics)
(280 Discussion Topics)
Sleep Apnea
(1,046 Discussion Topics)
(1,046 Discussion Topics)
Sleep Problems - Childhood
(36 Discussion Topics)
(36 Discussion Topics)
"Anyway, I was suffering bad from" (I said through, but meant from) Clinical Depression, which was robbing me of a normal, typical life. I had to re-arrange everything, I was feeling as
though I was the worst parent in the world, even though, my
husband was around at all times, and in times when I just couldn't do it b/c i was sleeping. My pcp started calling my syndrome the "Rip Van Winkle" syndrome.
2005, my sleeping habits, somewhat due to pain isses and also due to my father's untimely death, shortly after my wedding. That was the emotional factor and my Dystonia was the physical
factor. Put the two together, and you get one odd sleeping schedule. There'd be nights, I'd feel almost hypo manic and then nights when I'd go to bed, and stay there for literally
2-1/2 days. No wonder I was losing a huge amount of weight during that time! Anyway, I was suffering bad through
Thinking I wasn't sleeping well enough, my doctors made a drastic mistake by prescribing sleeping medications including ambien, before knowing WHY i was so sleepy during the day. The sleep clinic doctors said this could easily have killed me.
I was helped by cutting the amount of a long-release opiod pain-reliever, starting a different anti-depressant, and NOT taking any sleeping medications.
Don't know if this will help anyone, but thought I'd share my story. When I first started looking into this, I was adamant that my medications were NOT the cause, because I couldn't see a direct link between my meds and the fatigue, & cuz I was so desperate to control the debilitating pain, but I put my life at risk, could barely function, and lost 1 yr of my life in a daze of fatigue.I found there were other ways to work w/pain control, & that having my life back from the SD was worth taking the test!