Insomnia may be caused by various lifestyle factors and therefore the treatment should focus on correcting behaviors, patterns or factors that cause the sleeping disorder so that proper sleep patterns can be restored naturally without the use of addictive sleeping pills. Once the cause of the Insomnia is determined it can be treated and prevented using various natural modalities such as lifestyle, diet/nutrition, Herbs, Homeopathy, Hypnosis, Supplements, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine.
Lifestyle
Studies have revealed that healthy sleep habits are essential for treating Insomnia. These include:
- Maintaining consistent bed and wake times
- Establishing the bedroom as a place for sleep, not for reading, watching television, or working
- Avoiding naps, in particular in the evening
- Taking hot baths approximately two hours prior to bedtime Keeping the bedroom cool, well ventilated, quiet, and dark
- Avoiding looking at the clock
- Avoiding fluids just before bedtime Avoiding watching television just before bedtime
- If sleep does not occur after 15 or 20 minutes in bed, moving to another room with dim lighting
Nutrition
A snack of cereal or crackers with milk prior to going to bed may help because foods rich in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat boost the production of serotonin and melatonin which are the chemicals in the brain thought to promote sleep. As part of the treatment protocol, Dr. Diana will complete a full Food Sensitivity Analysis to determine if food related allergies are also a cause of your Insomnia.
Homeopathy
A variety of homeopathic medicines, supplements and herbs are used short term to treat Insomnia. Once the cause of Insomnia is determined Dr. Diana and his team may recommend specific dietary supplements in conjunction with other therapies. These dietary supplements, herbs and homeopathic medicines usually also help with sleep.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine can be used to help to treat Insomnia including herbal remedies, Acupuncture, Chinese massage (tui na), and qi gong. In fact, Acupuncture has been proven to be an effective treatment of Insomnia. Through a complex series of signals to the brain, Acupuncture increases the amount of certain substances such as serotonin, which promote relaxation and sleep.
As with all treatments provided by Dr. Diana and the other health care professionals at the MNHC Naturopathic & Medispa Clinic, we will provide you with the highest level of care starting by asses your needs, followed by creating a program to help manage and treat your Insomnia based on your particular symptoms.