Health
Fight Disease with
Natural Remedies to Improve Sleep
By Dr. Jennifer Letitia, MD NATURAL Nutmeg
I
JULY / AUGUST 2022
12 “Ideally, a greater proportion of sleep (20–25%) occurs in the REM cycle, during which dreams, functional memory consolidation, and sometimes even problem solving take place.” —Dr. Jennifer Letitia, MD
t is one thing to be sick, but it is yet another to be sick and tired—and the two often go hand in hand. Not only is sleep important for waking up refreshed, but it is a key factor in health and well-being. Sleep is one of our most essential functions and a crucial element in many physiological processes, including development, energy conservation, brain waste clearance, immune modulation, cognition, performance, disease, and psychological state. Sleep deprivation can have significant impact on health and has been shown to affect pain, metabolism, and immunity. Thus, if sleep is compromised our immune function, energy, and other processes necessary for regaining health may be compromised as well.
Far-Reaching Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep disorders are among the most common health problems, affecting an estimated 50–70 million people in the U.S. Approximately 85% of adults with significant sleep-disordered breathing remain undiagnosed. In adults, sleep duration less than 7–8 hours significantly impacts health, with cumulative effects associated with a wide range of health consequences, including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke. Decreased sleep has also been associated with weight gain, low libido, poor balance, and increased accidents. In humans, there are different sleep states that can be seen on electroencephalograms (EEGs). These states cycle between rapid eye movements (REM) and non-rapid eye movements (nREM) usually 4 to 5 times a night, with each cycle lasting approximately 90–120 minutes. Ideally, a greater proportion of sleep (20–25%) occurs in the REM
cycle, during which dreams, functional memory consolidation, and sometimes even problem solving take place. Thus, if REM sleep is not optimal, memory issues can occur. In disease states such as Lyme disease, REM cycles tend to be shallower and shorter. REM sleep can also be suppressed by smoking, caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, narcotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and lithium. Sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy can also cause disrupted REM sleep. During sleep there is typically reduced body movement, decreased electrical activity in the brain, reduced responsiveness to external stimuli, slower breathing rates, and altered body position, including closed eyes. However, some people experience REM sleep behavioral disorder (RBD), in which the paralysis that usually happens during sleep is incomplete or absent. Thus, behaviors such as talking, yelling, kicking, jumping from bed, flailing, or grabbing can occur. RBD can happen with (and often precedes) neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and multisystem atrophy. Restless leg syndrome may also be caused by the tick-borne infections Babesia and Bartonella. Treating these will often correct restless leg syndrome. As with all disease states, it is imperative to decrease inflammation and address the underlying causes of disease. Achieving adequate sleep is a key factor in achieving health and fighting disease.
Healthy Practices to Improve Sleep
In addressing sleep disorders, it is important to have good sleep hygiene. This includes the following: • Eliminating alcohol consumption before bed • Not consuming caffeine after 4 p.m. • Not using the bed/bedroom for work or problem solving
