THE MISSING LINK

TO SLEEP BALANCEUncovering the Truth about

Sleepless Nights

Tossing & Turning All Night

An estimated 60 million Americans suffer from some form of insomnia, whether it be early waking, inability to get to sleep and/or stay asleep

Over 90% use caffeine or other stimulants on a daily basis

Millions take sleeping aids to get through the night

Yet many are unaware of the vital connection between hormones and sound sleep

Hormones Rule the Sleep-Wake Cycle

In a perfect world, Melatonin the master sleep hormone, should be in-sync with Cortisol, the master stress hormone

Counter-balancers : when melatonin is high, cortisol should be low and vice/versa

Disturbances in these normal circadian rhythms both contribute to, and affect, sleep quality

Sleepless? Blame it on Your Hormones Can’t fall asleep

Frequent or early waking

Morning or evening fatigue

Feeling tired but wired

Stressed /depressed/irritable/moody

Hunger and/or sugar cravings

Weight gain/Can’t lose

Poor concentration/memory lapse

Hot flashes &/or night sweats

Biological Downtime

Sleep vitals: as essential as food for survival

Sleep restores: the only time the body gets to do its maintenance and repair work

Sleep reboots: brains need sleep like trains need tracks to work properly

Sleep smarts: memory, mood, cognition

Sleep burns: faster metabolism overall

Sleep heals: immune reserves, cell repair

Sleep Myths: Seriously?

You snooze, you lose

Your body and brain shut down during sleep

We need less sleep as we get older

If you’re not tired when you wake up in the morning, you must be getting enough sleep

We can easily adjust to different sleep schedules

Naps are a waste of time

The main cause of insomnia is worry

Night Plight: Got Sleep?

Best research says: for optimal health, we need at least 8 hr vs. the average 6.5 we get

Short term effects: headaches, irritability, anxiety, confusion, poor judgment, memory, mental and physical fatigue

Slow reaction times: when tested on a driving simulator sleep deprived people perform as badly or worse than drunk drivers

Losing Sleep Over Losing Sleep

Long-term: those who sleep less than 6 hours a night are prone to: Depression, 4 out of 5 suffer from sleep deprivation before

the onset of depression Overeating/Obesity/Type2 diabetes Premature aging Susceptibility to Infections Stress-related illness Weakened immune defenses Heart disease, stroke, breast cancer

Architecture of Sleep

How well rested you are and how well you function depends not just on total sleep time, but whether you get through distinct stages that cycle throughout the night in predictable patterns:

Sleep latency: the time it takes to fall asleep 1: drowsy; light sleep 2: slow waves, rest for the brain 3 &4: deeper restorative/healing sleep REM Sleep: the deepest sleep – a must for true rest

The Sleep Committee

The “committee” is billions of neurons, all laying down patterns and connections

Paul McCartney wrote Yesterday, Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein…

“It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” – John Steinbeck

I Will Sleep When I Die

Not sleeping is not merely making you more agitated than an out-of-balance washing machine. It could be killing you. – Dr. Oz

Hormone – Sleep Connection

Stress: the Better Sleep Council says 65% of U.S. adults are losing sleep due to stress

The hormone connection: elevated cortisol especially at night, disrupts sleep patterns

Aging: The majority of sleeping aids are prescribed for those 50 years and older

The hormone connection: the natural decline of melatonin as we age triggers imbalances directly related to sleeplessness

Sleep Robbers

Peri-menopause: hot flashes/ night sweats; sharp drop in melatonin ages 40-44, >50yrs.

Obesity: over ½ of those with sleep apnea

Shift work: Circadian rhythm problems with 2/3 feeling sleepy or difficulty sleeping

Stimulants: caffeine, alcohol, sugar, tobacco

Blue light: TV, iPad, iPhone before/in bed

Melatonin: Master Sleep Hormone

In addition to being a super soporific: melatonin is a powerful immune system supporting anti-oxidant, which helps explain why so much healing occurs during sleep

Produced by the pineal gland when the retina of the eye registers darkness. If our eyes are exposed to light, production halts

Melatonin Rhythms

Melatonin rises at night, peaks during early morning hours, drops with onset of daylight, rises again towards bedtime

Adequate melatonin production during the night, and its suppression during daylight hours, is vital to regulation of S/W cycle

Cortisol: Master Stress Hormone

Cortisol, is produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, and is also known for its diurnal variation linked to the sleep/wake cycle

It is the “get up and go” hormone in the morning and the calm down and sleep hormone at night

Big player in the utilization of carbs, fats and proteins into energy, distribution of stored fat, normal blood sugar regulation, and immune support

Cortisol Rhythms

In a healthy person, cortisol has the opposite pattern to melatonin

Levels are highest after waking, and gradually reach their nadir at night

High night cortisol runs interference on melatonin and leads to hyperarousal

Chronically elevated levels translate to that “tired but wired” state of sleeplessness

Getting Back In Sync

Body clock stays remarkably accurate IF we get enough light and dark

Decide what time you want to get up and count back 7 to 8 hours

Dim the lights several hours before bed

Set an evening ritual to wind down

If you can’t sleep try deep breathing. Music or meditation work best to get back to sleep.

Surrender to sleep…let go of waking

Create the Perfect Sleep Environment A cool dark room

Set a standard wake time

Set a standard bedtime

No laptops, no TV

White noise (esp. if partner snores)

Loose bed clothes

Invest in the right mattress and pillow

Block allergens with a 1-micron cover

Darkness – The Best Soporific

Make your sleeping environment as dark as possible (heavy curtains, sleep masks)

Even very dim light makes your brain think its morning, throwing off circadian rhythms

A 2010 study found countries that generate the most light at night also have higher rates of breast cancer (J. Cancer Causes and Control)

Bottom line: if you don’t get enough darkness at night you won’t make enough melatonin

Deep Sleep Prep Do’s

Morning light: 15-30 minutes strengthens body clock; up’s serotonin pathway to melatonin

Aerobic exercise every day: increases restorative slow-wave sleep

Meditation: release of melatonin to soothe

Protein snack before bed: turkey, fish, nuts, spinach, are rich in tryptophan, the amino acid precursor of melatonin

Deep Sleep Prep Don’ts

No alcohol or nicotine 1-2 hours before bed

No vigorous exercise

No caffeine at least 3 hours before bed

No artificial blue light 1-2 hours before bed

No sweets/dark chocolate before bed

No scary movies/bad news/angry words

No brooding: creative visualization, progressive relaxation, empty your mind…

Consider Natural Sleep Aids

Melatonin Progesterone Gaba Tryptophan/5HTP Bvitamins Vitamin D3 Calcium – Magnesium Omega-3s Valerian root

A Little Extra Help

Sleep apnea: weight loss, pressurized mask fittings

Teeth grinding: de-stressing, mouth guard

Restless Leg Syndrome: iron supplements and pre-bedtime yoga, anti-seizure meds

Still Counting Sheep?

Solving the insomnia riddle without taking hormones into account is like trying to get a good nights sleep with all the lights on

If you’ve already tried coffee substitutes, sleeping pills, relaxation exercises, hypnosis, and counting sheep and you STILL can’t get to sleep or stay asleep…have you considered testing your hormones?

Your Sleep Balance Profile

Don’t let sleep disorders go undetected

Testing can identify how hormone imbalances of cortisol and melatonin are affecting sleep patterns

The Sleep Balance Profile can be combined with testing of steroid hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA) for a more comprehensive picture of hormonal triggers to sleep loss

Q&A

Thank You!Merci!

Gracias!Grazie!Danke!