Sleep is an important part of my patient intake questionnaire because sleep is an essential part of our health process. During sleep time our bodies rejuvenate, restore and recover from our daily activities. When we are deprived of sleep over a period of several days to several weeks it can impact our well-being to varying degrees. The National Sleep Foundation reports that approximately one third of Americans report sleeping problems. Examples of some symptoms of impaired sleep are irritability, tiredness, inability to tolerate stress, frequent infections, behavioral learning or social problems, increased blood pressure, inability to lose weight or alterations of appetite, decreased productivity, breathing disorders, etc..
Why does lack of sleep cause so many types of problems?
Our sleep is regulated by hormones and neurotransmitters which are messengers, that provide information to our nervous system about when to relax and rest in the evening and when gain momentum for activity for the day. This cycle of telling our body to slow down or ramp up is called circadian rhythms. When our circadian rhythms are working properly we feel sleepy and ready for sleep in the evening, we rest well and have a combination of REM and non-REM sleep, and we wake restored and refreshed. When our circadian rhythms are unbalanced they start to affect our other body functions including our nerves, our appetite, our ability to handle stress and exertion.
If you are having problems with sleep it could be do to poor behavioral habits, poor sleep hygiene, stress related functions, imbalanced neurotransmitters, medication interruption or a symptom of another health condition. We will look at these in the next blog.
Live Vibrantly and Sleep well,
Dr. Dae
Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.org
Dr. Dae's book: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living can be purchased @ www.amazon.com or www.healthydaes.org
Dr. Dae's Bio:
Daemon "Dr. Dae" (pronounced Dr. Day) Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who completed her training at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. She is certified as a General Practitioner by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). Dr. Dae provides tailored treatment to meet the unique needs of every individual she sees in her practice. She also provides specialized support for persons challenged by nutritional deficiencies, weight problems, hormonal and reproductive system disorders, attention deficit disorder and those experiencing chronic diseases. Dr. Dae is an adjunct faculty member for Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts. She is the author of Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living, The Healthydaes Newsletter, and is a regularly featured writer for the Elite GoogleNews Website empowher.com where she shares her personal and professional vision for living whole and living well. To learn more about Dr. Dae, her products and services, please visit her on the Web at www.Healthydaes.org