When it comes to preserving your overall health, the formula is pretty simple.
Exercise, eat a clean healthy diet, and get a good night’s sleep.
Sometimes, though, it can be more complicated.
If your sleep isn’t as restful as it should be, there may be something deeper at play.
Book a consultation with our naturopathic doctors to find out more about these and other sleep disorders, and how naturopathic medicine can help.
Naturopathic Solutions For Insomnia
We’ve all had insomnia once or twice in our lives. The night before a big presentation, the night after an intense experience, or some sort of family difficulty can bring this on.
It usually lasts for a day or two, maybe a week, before going away. This is completely normal, and while frustrating, isn’t usually something to worry about.
However, if your insomnia is ongoing, it may be indicative of a deeper issue.
Symptoms And Causes Of Insomnia
Those with insomnia may experience:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Waking up frequently in the night, sometimes for long periods
- Non-restorative sleep
- Chronic fatigue
- Brain fog
- Poor stress management
- Relationship difficulties
- Memory difficulties
- Difficulty with emotional regulation
What Causes Insomnia?
There are a number of different possible culprits.
Lifestyle choices can often contribute to insomnia, such as poor diet, working the night shift, and the use of certain drugs like alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, and caffeine.
A number of other conditions have insomnia as an associated symptom as well, including anxiety, Parkinson’s disease, chronic pain, urinary incontinence, arthritis, asthma, and digestive issues.
Prescription drugs may contribute to your insomnia as well, including oral contraceptives, steroids, diet pills, antidepressants, and seizure medications.
So as you can see, there are a wide range of causes of insomnia. This is why it’s so important to see a naturopathic doctor to determine the root cause of your insomnia.
Contact Annex Naturopathic today to book an appointment with one of our experienced and licensed naturopathic doctors. We’ll work with you to uncover the underlying cause of your insomnia, and put together a treatment plan designed to address this cause permanently.
Naturopathic Solutions For Sleep Apnea
When you fall asleep, the basic functions that keep your body running still continue. Your heart beats, your stomach digests, and your lungs still breathe.
If you have sleep apnea, though, your breathing is interrupted. You may stop breathing hundreds of times while you sleep. This is a serious condition, since the lack of respiration means your brain isn’t getting the oxygen it needs.
If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, stroke, or chronic headaches.
Symptoms And Causes Of Sleep Apnea
Take a look at the symptoms listed below. If you recognize some of them, you may have sleep apnea.
- Waking up choking or gasping for air
- Exceptionally loud snoring
- Chronic fatigue
- Waking up with a headache or sore throat
- Decreased libido
- Mood changes
- Difficulty focusing or remembering
- Recurrent insomnia
- Frequent waking at night
There are two different types of sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by your airway being blocked while you sleep. This is because the soft tissue at the back of your throat collapses while you sleep.
Meanwhile, with central sleep apnea, your brain doesn’t signal your muscles to continue breathing as you sleep.
So what causes sleep apnea?
One of the most common causes is obesity. More than half of all obstructive sleep apnea patients are considered overweight. This can create a vicious cycle, as insomnia is often associated with lack of energy and being overweight.
Those with hypothyroidism often experience an enlarged tongue, which can cause sleep apnea. Other hormone imbalances have been associated with sleep apnea as well.
The use of alcohol, tobacco, and sedatives is often associated with sleep apnea. Again, this can be frustrating for those who rely on sedatives to get a good night’s sleep.
Whatever it is that’s causing your sleep apnea, trust the naturopathic doctors at Annex Naturopathic to work hard to find i
Naturopathic Solutions For Chronic Fatigue
Everyone experiences fatigue from time to time. If you just stayed up all night writing a term paper, or you just ran your first 10k, you’re going to be tired.
This, obviously, is to be expected, and shouldn’t be a cause for concern.
But what happens when you’re always tired, and you don’t really know why?
When you wake up after a 10 hour sleep feeling drained and exhausted?
In that case, you may be suffering from chronic fatigue.
Symptoms And Causes Of Chronic Fatigue
The most common symptom associated with chronic fatigue is a consistent, ongoing feeling of exhaustion regardless of the amount and quality of rest. Otherwise, you may experience:
- Memory difficulty
- Concentration issues
- Chronic headaches or sore throat
- Inflammation of the lymph nodes
- Muscle, joint, and bone pain
As for where chronic fatigue comes from, it’s difficult to pinpoint one single cause. That’s because chronic fatigue is associated with a number of different health disorders, including digestive issues, celiac disease, fibromyalgia, thyroid disorders, many different autoimmune conditions, and hormonal imbalances.
As well, lifestyle factors such as recreation drug use and poor diet have been associated with chronic fatigue.
Whatever the cause of your chronic fatigue, however, your naturopathic doctor at Annex Naturopathic will work hard to uncover the underlying cause. From there, you’ll get a personalized treatment plan designed to address the root cause, with the goal of getting you feeling awake, alive, and
Contact Annex Naturopathic
Is your sleep not at the level it should be?
Did you look at the symptoms for any of the above conditions and think “that’s me”?
If so, call Annex Naturopathic today to book an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors.
If you’re not sure naturopathy is right for you, we offer a FREE 15-minute introductory session for first-time visitors.
During that session, you’ll get a chance to sit down with one of our licensed naturopathic doctors in a relaxing, peaceful environment. You’ll get a chance to ask any questions you have about naturopathic medicine, address any concerns, and from there we’ll help you understand what your options are.
Naturopathic medicine has solutions for your sleep issues.
Book an appointment at Annex Naturopathic today, and take your first step toward better, restful sleep.
