What Causes Insomnia And How Can A Naturopathic Doctor Help?

Do you struggle to fall asleep when you go to bed?

Or are you able to go to sleep but have trouble staying asleep through the night.

You might have a sleep disorder known as insomnia.

It’s a common condition, affecting as many as 35% of adults.

Luckily, there are ways you can manage your insomnia if it’s disrupting your life.

But what causes insomnia?

And how can you learn to manage it?

Keep reading to find out the possible reasons for your insomnia, and how a naturopathic approach can help.

Most Common Causes Of Insomnia

There are a few things that can cause insomnia.

Stress and anxiety, chronic pain, and conditions such as ADD or ADHD are the most common ones.

Stress & Anxiety

Stress can provoke a profound reaction in the body that can reduce your sleep quality.

Stressors, or things that stress you out, can be circumstances related to work, school, and social relationships.

Exposure to traumatic situations can also be a source of stress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The body’s physical response to stress contributes to hyperarousal, which is a state of heightened vigilance, which can make it difficult to sleep.

Naturopathic Solutions For Stress & Anxiety

Luckily, there are naturopathic ways to relieve your stress and anxiety, which can also lead to better sleep.

If you’re feeling stressed, try looking at your diet as an area where you can make changes.

To reduce stress, focus on protein, healthy fats, B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium.

If you can, try to get most of your calories from plant-based food.

This is recommended because plants have more vital micronutrients than other foods.

If you have the chance to get up and move your body, exercise can also help reduce stress.

When you exercise, your body makes chemicals called endorphins which make you feel good>

These endorphins counteract the stress and anxiety that people feel when under stress.

You can also try activities such as mindful meditation, grounding exercises, and dedicating time each day to focus on yourself.

Chronic Pain

Any kind of chronic pain interferes with the body’s ability to lie comfortably in bed, which affects the quality of your sleep.

Whether you have health complications from diabetes, sleep apnea, or depression, or if you have other illnesses that affect your respiratory or nervous system, there’s a chance that these influence your sleep.

Chronic pain can be debilitating and it’s hard to fall asleep when you are in pain, even if you’re tired.

Check out these naturopathic solutions for chronic pain and see what you can do to reduce your pain and improve your sleep.

Naturopathic Solutions For Chronic Pain

Similar to stress and anxiety, diet and exercise play an important role in your day-to-day chronic pain management.

Even so, naturopathic doctors understand that each individual has unique needs and medical histories that are complex, and that chronic pain can’t be solved by simple lifestyle changes on your own.

Working with a naturopathic doctor who takes a holistic approach to chronic pain can help.

Naturopathic doctors work with you to put together a treatment plan that is based on your personal needs, goals, and current capabilities.

These plans can involve dietary recommendations and nutritional supplements along with botanical medicines to help reduce inflammation and the pain it causes.

By changing your diet and adding natural supplements with the guidance of a naturopathic doctor, you can manage your pain holistically and improve your sleep.

Your personal plan can also include working with a naturopathic doctor on specific exercise, physical rehabilitation, and mind-body approaches that are known to reduce the perception of pain.

ADD/ADHD

Problems affecting the brain, including neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders have been found to be associated with an elevated risk of insomnia.

Neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, can throw off a your circadian rhythm.

Nighttime confusion associated with these illnesses can further impact sleep quality.

Neurodevelopmental disorders like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can cause hyperarousal similar to how stress causes it.

Sleeping problems are common for children on the autism spectrum and may persist into adulthood.

Naturopathic Solutions For ADD/ADHD

Solutions such as clinical nutrition, behavioral medicine, and botanical medicine while working with a naturopathic doctor, are all options for managing ADD or ADHD.

Depending on the individual, naturopathic treatment can support conventional care, or be the main treatment route.
Naturopathic doctors always consider your physical condition, as well as how you feel mentally and emotionally when selecting therapy options for you.

Working with a naturopathic doctor to adjust your diet, introduce supplements to combat deficiencies, and get started with behavioral medicine are all treatment options for your ADHD, which can then reduce your insomnia symptoms.

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ!

Naturopathic doctors like Dr. JJ take the time to get to know you.

They view you as a whole person and work with you to create treatment plans that meet your individual needs.

Naturopathic doctors can provide emotional and psychological support while also addressing physical concerns.

If you’d like to learn more about naturopathic solutions for insomnia, get in touch with me, Dr. JJ, today.