|
JOIN OUR LIST
|
 |
| Dr. Laura Thompson |
 |
|
|
|
|
 The Road to
"40 Winks" |
"Forty winks", slumber, snooze - whatever you choose to call it -- we take sleep for granted. Remember the days when you could sleep all night and not even to get up to urinate? Many of the patients in our clinic have sleep problems and think it's a sign of aging. You don't have to accept not being able to sleep as "normal". There is always a reason for it. These reasons can be addressed and eliminated. The main cause is STRESS:
· A hard day at work
· Overwhelming tasks
· Family/relationship issues
· Hormone imbalance
· Body discomfort/pain
· Too much/too little exercise
· Acid reflux
· Allergies and congestion
· Skipping meals
· Caffeine intake
· Sugar consumption
· Alcohol consumption
Your adrenal glands are in control of these stressors (or out of control) and can deal with energy, weight gain, blood sugar, inflammation, infection, and mental and emotional balance when they are in a healthy state. And when they are not, they can be treated or eliminated. Logic tells us that decreasing these stressors not only improves quality of sleep, but also prevents medical and psychological disturbances that result.
Sleep deprivation is widespread. It can affect all ages. Many of my young patients also have sleep disturbances: difficulty falling asleep, wetting the bed, waking up to urinate, night sweats and nightmares. They awaken unrested. Sleep problems at any age can affect your:
· Moods and emotions
· Behavior
· Energy production
· Focus and memory
· Growth and repair
· Hormones
· Weight
· Inflammation
· Libido
· Immune strength |
|
| Normal Sleep |
| What is normal sleep? You should be asleep within 15 minutes of your head touching the pillow. Over the next 8 hours, cycles should include various stages including REM sleep or regenerative sleep. Chronic lack of REM (rapid eye movement) can cause mental fatigue, memory loss, anxiety and depression. Waking up in the middle of the night due to hunger, low blood sugar, night sweats or to frequent urination disrupts restorative sleep. Alarm clocks shouldn't be needed; you should wake up without one and feel rested. Fatigue and sluggishness upon awakening are your body's way of telling you that your sleep was not "successful" or regenerative. |
| Help For The Sleepless |
We've found two types of important testing that reveal the causes of sleep problems. The first one, most of you already know about and that is salivary hormone testing. This assesses the adrenal hormone levels involved with energy, sleep and pain.
The second test is urinary neurotransmitter testing. This is fascinating because it looks at the brain chemicals, serotonin, GABA, dopamine that are involved with falling asleep and staying asleep. AND -- it is also covered by all PPO or private insurance policies (not HMO's). This information is like gold. It is so valuable for creating successful, individualized programs.
Keep in mind that these brain chemicals are simply made of nutrients, such as amino acids and minerals. But the medical and psychiatric specialists don't know this, or don't use this logic. They haven't been educated about how to nutritionally feed the brain. So they recommend Tylenol PM or prescription sleep medications. These act as band-aids, not really getting to the root of the problem. The real solutions consist of dietary changes, specific nutritional supplements and nutrient/hormone hormone creams. So get your levels tested and join the ranks of the rested!
|
| Tips for a GOOD Night's Sleep |
- Set a schedule. Go to bed at a set time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Try not to disrupt this schedule. "Sleeping in" on weekends also makes it harder to wake up early on Monday morning because it re-sets your sleep cycles for a later wake time.
- Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes a day. This daily activity can help promote sleep, although a workout too close to bedtime may interfere. Try to exercise at least 5 to 6 hours before going to bed.
- Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Caffeine in coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers acts as a stimulant and keeps people awake. Smokers tend to sleep very lightly and often wake up in the early morning due to nicotine withdrawal. Alcohol robs people of deep sleep and REM sleep and keeps them in the lighter stages of sleep.
- Relax before bed: A warm bath, reading, or another relaxing routine can make it easier to fall sleep. Train yourself to make these activities part of your bedtime ritual.
- Maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom. Extreme temperatures can disrupt sleep or prevent you from falling asleep.
- Don't lie in bed awake: If you can't get to sleep, do something else, like reading or listening to music. The anxiety of being unable to fall asleep can actually contribute to insomnia.
- Keep the light out of your bedroom during the night. This can have a major impact on your sleep quality. Install blackout drapes.
- Cover the clock radio. Avoid night lights.
- Sleep until sunlight. If possible, wake up with the sun, or use very bright lights in the morning. Sunlight helps the body's internal biological clock reset itself each day. Sleep experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight for people having problems falling asleep.
- Use your Coral Legend minerals before sleep. Enhance falling asleep and staying asleep with the supplements Seratran, Travacor or Relaxtone. As a long-time insomniac, I can tell you these solutions work.
Sleep problems are individual and so should their solutions be.
A final important point is that once your adrenal glands and your neurotransmitters are balanced, you can reduce or eliminate the products that initially helped you. This is real healing - real regeneration. If you address the causes, you shouldn't always have to deal with the deficiencies. Your body is seeking balance and once achieved, you'll feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. It feels right.
|
| Insurance Coverage |
|
PPO Insurance
*All PPO insurance programs (not HMO's) will provide coverage for this test, as long as you have met your deductible. For further information or to order your test kit, call our clinic at: 760-448- 2722 / 800-608-5602
|
| Speaking Schedule |
GET OFF THE HORMONE & STRESS ROLLER COASTER
A Free Lecture by Dr. Laura Thompson
Date/Time: June 18th 7:00pm
Third Wednesday of the Month from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
SEE DATES BELOW
Topics: Alternative solutions for Menopause,Post Menopause, PMS, Fibromyalgia and Male Menopause, Natural relief for flashes, sweats, depression, and weight gain.Success with custom formulated creams. Supplements and dietary programs for emotional and physical enhancement.
Place: 2233 Faraday Avenue, Suite L, Carlsbad, CA 92008
RSVP: Call for information: 800-608-5602 (space is limited)
You are invited to feel the extraordinary difference in your life.
Wednesday Speaking Dates for 2008
June 18 - July 16 - September 17 - October 15 - Nov 19
|
| Free Consult |
Call NOW- 800-608-5602
for YOUR FREE 15-MINUTE PHONE CONSULTATION with one our qualified staff members to discuss nutritional solutions for your health challenges. | |
|
Dr. Thompson is an internationally acclaimed authority in the field of natural hormone therapy and family nutrition. Author of two
books, Smart Food, Smart Families, and Our Children Are What Our Children Eat, Dr. Thompson lectures and consults across the U.S. and Canada. Her private practice is in Carlsbad, California.
|
|
|
