Sleep & Energy Medicine
A physician I know once told me that aside from the primary reason patients schedule visits, poor sleep and stress are the second and third reasons. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 Americans rely on sleep aids. Sleep can be compromised by a number of things, but stress and hormones are typical culprits.
Whether you’re having a hard time falling asleep or you’re waking up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, the reasons can be uncovered during an Energy Medicine session.
One of the main systems we work with in Energy Medicine is the Meridians. Meridians are energetic pathways that run through the body and govern our organs. Acupuncturists use points along the Meridians to place their needles, and Energy Medicine practitioners work with them through holding, tapping or by pressing the points.
Each Meridian has a two hour ‘high tide’ and ‘low tide’ during the course of a 24-hour day when the organ it governs is in its most active state. Looking at the time frames in which your sleep disturbances occur gives us clues where balancing may be needed. Sometimes it's not the Meridian itself, but rather different energy systems or parts of the body that correlate with that Meridian.
If sleep disturbances are being caused or exacerbated by hormonal imbalances, we can muscle test to determine what kind of hormone balancing is needed. There is rarely a single cause of sleep issues, so addressing as many root causes as possible will provide the most amount of relief.
I like to look at wellness from many different angles and while I’m not an expert on circadian rhythms, I do know that working with mine drastically improved my sleep quality. When our cortisol/leptin/melatonin production is off kilter, it sends mixed signals to the body on when it should energize or slow down.
In addition to eating appropriately for leptin sensitivity, triggering cortisol to rise and melatonin production to begin at appropriate times is paramount. Going outside for at least 10 minutes when you first wake up signals the body to start making cortisol. It is also helpful to get outside frequently throughout the day without sunglasses or sunscreen. Then an evening walk or sunset gazing will signal your body to switch from cortisol to melatonin production.
Getting in bed by 10:30 pm is also helpful. Triple Warmer is a Meridian whose high tide is 9:00-11:00 pm. Triple Warmer governs our stress response, and if we stay awake past its high tide window it goes on high alert. Going to bed during its window reassures the body that it’s safe to relax and go to sleep.
In addition to uncovering the energetic causes of sleep disturbances, a session with me always includes exercises and simple things you can do on your own to encourage the body and mind to settle. It can take some time to unweave poor sleep patterns, but discovering the root causes and being supported with a holistic plan can provide tremendous and immediate relief.