Not being able to sleep is torture and plays havoc on your brain and your body. We live in a fast paced world that seems to never slow down, but you have to slow down and get adequate rest and sleep. It is during deep, non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep that your brain can clean and repair itself. As adults, we need 8-9 hours of restful sleep. Children need even more (that includes your teenagers).
What are some of the factors that affect your ability to get good, quality sleep?
- Sleep apnea (this is a big one)
- Alcohol
- Anxiety and depression
- Toxic exposure
- Inadequate nutrition
- Watching TV in bed
- Computer work before bed
- Going to bed late
The list goes on and on, but the important fact is that you must sleep. It is one of the most important health issues of our society. More than half the people I see in our clinic have sleep issues. Yes, we need to address this from a biological systems’ approach (functional medicine), but we can also help the brain calm down. The brain creates alpha waves (8-11 hz) that promotes sleep. If your brain isn’t creating enough alpha waves, it will affect your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
We have helped many people with their sleep issues using neural therapy. After a thorough functional medicine evaluation with our doctor, we will do a quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) and design a protocol to help the brain “relax” so healthy sleep can occur. No more “nightmares” of not getting enough sleep.
