Sleep Too, Early Waking

Some people fall asleep fine but cannot stay asleep. Like other sleep pathology this can be due to a complex interplay of underlying reasons. Often the 24H cortisol circadium rhythm has become dysregulated and the early morning peak is coming earlier than it should, waking people up at 3, 4 or 5am. What can be done? There are some prescription sleep medications that can be helpful, and global stress management skill building is also important. Underlying anxiety disorder may need to be treated and substance use disorders are also major players in sleep-wake disorders.

Alcohol is an obvious player in the 3am waking game. For people who drink regularly, depending on what time one goes to bed and therefore stops drinking, at some point the alcohol with start to wear off and the withdrawal will start bringing agitation, heart palpitations, sweating, and headache. This can cause early morning waking between 3-5am. Chinese medicine correlates each organ to a 24H clock, and this time of day is the Liver time. Ironic, yes? Accurate, yes? Decreasing evening alcohol can certainly result in better sleep. Alcohol free evenings may take some time to produce better sleep but after about 7 days of abstinence the sleep cycle will begin to regulate. If full abstinence is not desired, start by at least assessing the effect of alcohol and considering your own motivations for changing drinking patterns as they do certainly effect sleep negatively. Having some protein closer to bed time can be stabilizing to blood sugar and alcohol metabolism overnight.

This is true for diabetics as well as for people using alcohol. This is not my area of expertise, but diabetes is related to increased cortisol levels due to the connection between fasting blood glucose, blood sugar, and the liver and pancreas control of blood sugar during the overnight fasting period. There are several studies on sleep disorders in people with diabetes which have evidenced that there are clinical correlations. If you have diabetes and poor sleep, I recommend working with your PCP or Diabetes specialist to make sure your blood sugar issues are not the root cause before moving into more behavioral or psychiatric sleep medications and sleep medicine studies.

The first botanical medicine I turn to when faced with early waking is a version of several different formulations using standardized botanical extracts of magnolia. The first agent that was trademarked was called Relora and was a Canadian product. This standardized extract regulates disorderde circadiuan rhythms. Whan taken at night it helps smooth out early morning cortisol spikes, decreasing early morning waking related to stress and anxiety. It also has some evidence to decrease stress related eating, and improve subjective mood and wellbeing.

Relora vs placebo effects

A similar American product is Cortisol Manager by Integrative Therapeutics. This product also uses the honokiol standardized extract with magnalol rather than berberine. This product is combined with ashwaganda (Withania somniferol). Ashwaganda also has evidence that it adjusts dysregulated cortisol circadian rhythms for improved early morning waking. There are many sleep formulations available that contain Ashwaganda. Gaia brand “Sleep Thru” formulation is another similar product for use when early waking is the issue rather than difficulty falling asleep.

These botanical formulas are generally safe for people without significant health conditions. If you are taking more than 5 medications, have kidney disease CKL3 or greater, or are on immunosuppressive drugs for transplants, autoimmune disease or any other indication, supplements should not be taken randomly without supervision by a licensed Naturopathic doctor or trained herbalist as there could be real drug-herb interactions.

 Finally, as mentioned at the beginning, emotional stimuli do go thru hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to effect cortisol secretion. Lifestyle modifications are necessary in every case to at least consider the underlying causes of the stress. A pill alone cannot regulate a deeply engrained habit or pattern. Most health care providers would like to hear about what is keeping you up at night, in order to troubleshoot with you ways to improve coping and reduce suffering. These plant based medicines are allies in your journey towards improved health and are only part of the team based approach that real change towards health entails.

lDeshpande A, Irani N, Balkrishnan R, Benny IR. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep quality in healthy adults. Sleep Med. August 2020;72:28-36.

Talbott, S.M., Talbott, J.A. & Pugh, M. Effect of Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense (Relora®) on cortisol and psychological mood state in moderately stressed subjects. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 10, 37 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-37

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Insomnia is the Worst!

luxury-hotel-rooms-pamilla-cape-townI was on vacation with my sweetheart this past week, and spent two long nights in a hotel room when I could.not.fall.asleep! What to do? It was so exhausting, and of course set my mood and energy levels off for the remainder of the trip.

When I evaluate sleep from an Integrative Medicine perspective, I usually break it into –

  1. unable to fall asleep
  2. unable to stay asleep.

The former tends to have a different set of causes and therefore medications than the latter. Sleep is complex and involves multiple body systems working together including endocrine, neurological, immune, musculoskeletal, and mental/emotional at the very least! Each person with chronic insomnia will benefit most from individualized treatment, but here are some generalizations to improve sleep.

First, as boring and arcane as it sounds, sleep hygiene is important. Hygiene is a strange word to associate with sleep, IMHO. It sounds weird and uncomfortable, but “sleep hygeine” is a general concept that encompasses the environmental and behavioral aspects that are known to improve sleep quality and promote restful sleep. For example, my hotel room was too hot both nights. Maintaining a comfortable room temperature preferably cool with fresh air, is known to improve sleep quality. A darkened room without blinking or other lights within eyesight and a peaceful bedtime routine are also examples of sleep hygiene.

untitled     To fall asleep, sedatives are the key. Valerian is the strongest herb for sleep support. This herb was mentioned by Hippocrates in his writings, and is one of the oldest sedatives known. It has numerous studies supporting its use for sleep. The essential oils in valerian appear to provide its sedative activity, while the valepotriates exert a regulatory effect on the autonomic nervous system.  Although more than 150 constituents have been identified, none appear to be solely responsible for valerian’s effects, suggesting many compounds may act synergistically. Valerian’s mechanisms of action are not completely understood.  Valerian interacts with neurotransmitters such as GABA and produces a dose-dependent release of GABA. Valerian also inhibits the enzyme-induced breakdown of GABA in the brain.

GABA is my other secret weapon for falling asleep. There are two on switch neurotransmitters (dopamine and acetycholine) and two off switches (gaba and serotonin.) When the off switch is stuck on, sleep becomes difficult. Taking GABA as a supplement improves GABA levels in the brain, quieting the mind. Benzodiazepenes like Attivan and hypnotics like Ambian also work to increase GABA levels, as does Valerian. *Don’t use these all together as they can depress respiratory function as a cocktail.

images7OHBNK29Difficulty staying asleep can be more complicated to treat than falling asleep. Taking sedatives at 2 – 4 am can result in morning grogginess. From my experience, early waking (3am) is often related to a dysregulated cortisol clock, or, put simply, stress. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It runs on a 24 hour clock, and should be highest at 8am, and slowly drop during the day and rise at night. With emotional and/or physical stress, travel to different time zones, or shift work, the cortisol clock can become dysregulated, peaking earlier and earlier, creating an too-early wake up signal. Adrenal support is key. I often use herbs like ashwaganda, L-theanine, rhodiola, relora, and more to help regulate adrenal hormone production and heal imbalances. Cortisol is complicated, and balancing requires an in-depth look at ones lifestyle, mental health, stress coping techniques, exercise patterns, blood sugar and more. Therefore, treating stress and adrenal health in relation to sleep is best with an individualized approach, as “cookbook” medicine rarely gives optimized results.

For really tough sleep cases, NeuroScience labs makes a neurotransmitter panel to assess what is causing the night time wakefulness. Blood sugar disorders, sympathetic nervous system activation, cortisol dysregulation, hormone imbalance, anxiety, depression, grief, and more can all be part of the “perfect storm” of insomnia. Find a Naturopathic Doctor in your area to unravel the depths of your sleep mystery.

Umbrella_GraphicFinally, energetic medicines like acupuncture and homeopathy can be invaluable for unlocking sleeps depths. We are quantum physics humans, we do not operate in straightforward paradigm. Sometimes sleep issues go back to childhood dysregulation or other “never been well since” life events. These more energetic medicines can work to correct these deep imbalances by integrating unresolved issues that plague your subconscious when your guard is down. Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral strategies can also be used to unravel sleep and stress mysteries.

I was lucky: once I was able to come down from the stress before my trip, and relax into my holiday my sleep improved, and I even got to sleep in for a change! What do you need to get that beauty sleep you so desire?

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