Is Sleep Eluding You?

By Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So many clients enter into Depke Wellness with poor sleep habits to to point that I would share that these numbers are staggering. Proper sleep is one of your fundamentals of health that is essential, unfortunately our culture often views sleep as a luxury and not an essential component to health and happiness. I cannot say it enough, proper sleep is essential and insomnia is actually more of a norm!

Let's first define proper sleep. Many feel that proper sleep is simply getting approximately 7 to 8 hours of sleep nightly, but not so fast. Proper sleep would include approximately 8 hours of sleep but it is also important to sleep at the proper times of the day to honor assist in balancing our Circadian rhythms. A good general rule is to be in bed from 10:00PM thru 6:00AM but this does shift seasonally. We typically need much more sleep in the winter months than we do in the summer months. During summer months we may be fine going to bed at 10:30PM and waking at 6:00AM but during the winter months the best times to head off to bed may be closer to 9:30PM and waking at 6:30AM. An important focus to assist in getting to bed at a proper time is to prioritize a shutting down period. This means no cell phone, television or computer. This is time to unwind from the day, read a book, journal, take a bath, converse with your spouse or roommate, or play a relaxing game.

We also want to recognize our sleep patterns. While it is not unusual to wake during the night to urinate, if this occurs we should be able to "take care of business" and easily fall back into a deep sleep. Please be sure to not turn on bright lights at this time because this will likely hinder your ability to fall back into a deep sleep quickly. I recommend having a night light with a dim red bulb that will not lower melatonin when lit.

The other factor is how you wake up. When you wake you should be ready to "rock and roll" and if you find this to not be the case and your snooze alarm is your best friend, we can recognize that you are not getting proper sleep. Basically wake as close to sunrise as possible. I would recommend setting a timer for a low wattage lamp in your bedroom to turn on about 10 minutes prior to your alarm. This is a good idea since an alarm is often stimulating to the adrenals and nervous system.

Per the definition above, if you are not getting proper sleep we'll review the most common challenges leading to this.

• Personal Choice
• If you are simply choosing to go to bed later than is healthy, only you can change this. It is better to go to bed earlier and get up earlier than it is to go to bed late and get up late.
• Adrenal Challenges
• When adrenal function is off, this can have an effect on melatonin utilization in your body among other factors with sleep disorders.
• Poor Digestion
• When digestion is challenged, we often find ourselves looking at nutritional deficiencies that lead to sleep issues. This most common factors behind this is food sensitivity and/or gut pathogens.
• Poor Neurotransmitter Function
• Neurotransmitters play a role in sleep/wake patterns. These would definitely include the four primary neurotransmitters, which I consider to be serotonin, dopamine, GABA and acetyl-choline. While most would first look at GABA, I have to share that the bigger deficiency we see in our clinic is serotonin.

Due to the significant serotonin deficiencies that we recognize, let's focus on serotonin for the remainder of this article today.

First off, how can you easily recognize if you have a serotonin deficiency? Here are some common symptoms if you serotonin is compromised.

• Unable to fall into a deep and restful sleep
• Loss of pleasure in hobbies and interests
• Feelings of inner rage and anger
• Feelings of depression
• Difficulty finding joy in life's pleasures
• Depressed when it is cloudy or lack of sunlight
• Loss of enthusiasm for your favorite foods or activities
• Not enjoying your friendships or relationships

If half or more of these are challenges for you, low serotonin would be likely. Serotonin is involved in several important body functions such as memory, emotions, moods, appetite and thermoregulation, so it comes as no surprise that this neurotransmitter is important in regulating sleep-waking also. Serotonin deficiencies have been linked to depression, anger, OCD, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel syndrome and many other emotional and physical disturbances, while proper levels also help people feel contented and safe.

Does serotonin make one more sleepy or more awake?  Seemingly both. But given we need to sleep sometimes and to be awake at times, serotonin is generally a good thing.  Scientists have found that serotonin directly promotes wakefulness and also promotes the formation of sleep-promoting brain factors, perhaps as part of an evolutionary negative feedback look.  Orexinergic wake-promoting neurons also stimulate serotoningic neurons.

So why is your serotonin low?

Serotonin and Estrogen
Estrogen play a direct role in serotonin receptor sites. With this said, if estrogen is high that can lead to symptoms of serotonin excess and if estrogen is low this can cause symptoms of low serotonin activity. Because of the estrogen/serotonin connection, taking supplements to support serotonin may not have a significant impact if you are estrogen deficient. This is one reason to consider a comprehensive adrenal panel that also reviews estrogen hormones. Thankfully, this is what we regularly utilize at Depke Wellness.

Tryptophan and 5-HTP
Both 5-HTP and tryptophan have been shown to assist in increasing serotonin and can be helpful in addressing the symptoms caused by low serotonin. Both of these substances are precursors to serotonin production and often I will suggest the use of both to assist in increasing serotonin production. 

Iron and Serotonin
The production of serotonin depends on adequate levels of iron so iron deficiency has to be a factor to consider when considering low serotonin. This is common for those that follow a vegan or vegetarian diet or for those with low stomach acid production. One of the most common challenges that leads to low stomach acid production is a H-pylori infection.

Nutritional Deficiencies
There are many nutrients that are essential to synthesize serotonin in your body. Adding to the list that we mentioned above you could add vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin B12, folate and magnesium. 

Other Factors 
When addressing serotonin deficiencies you have to consider some of the typical "deal breakers" that will hinder your success. This would include general brain health, chronic stress, blood sugar imbalances. Also understand that chronic alcohol use can also hinder the serotonin pathways.

When addressing serotonin deficiencies with our clients it is important to understand all of the potential challenges listed above. We also want to provide you an opportunity to understand your current serotonin levels. If you have not assessed this recently, feel free to fill out our complimentary neurotransmitter assessment from Depke Wellness. Once you fill this out, please save this on your computer and email to the Depke Wellness team at support@depkewellness.com. We would be happy to review this for you!

The Perfect Storm

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So what is the perfect storm?

The holidays of course!

I know, we like to think of the holidays as a time for giving, spirituality, joy, love and so on. Think about it though. What do you often recognize during the holidays? Stress, less sleep, poor nutrition and far too much alcohol. Now I'm not asking you to not enjoy yourself, but let's look at how we can quiet this storm a bit.

Let's look at the stress first. During this time of the year, one of the biggest issues is that many of us over commit and make promises that are almost impossible to keep. This is the most important time of the year to use the power of "NO." I "get" that you want to make everyone happy and make every gathering, but one of two things will most often occur. Either you do not keep your integrity of being somewhere that you have committed to or you are so completely stressed out because it ends up being another thing that you have to do. Yikes to both!

A reality during this time of year for all of us is the fact that there will be more stress than other times of the year. To assist with dealing with this stress I would recommend visiting www.DepkeWellness.com and registering for the complimentary 4 part video series on the home page. The fourth video will provide easy to use yet powerful tools to assist with the stress of the holidays.

The next area is lack of sleep. Very often during the holidays we just simply do not get to bed early enough. I would suggest setting some boundaries for the times you are going to leave your holiday parties and of course, honor those boundaries. If you have an agreement with yourself to leave the parties at 9:00PM you will still have time to be in bed soon after that and get a full nights' sleep. The challenge for most is that they do not set a leaving time. Just show up a bit earlier and hold your integrity to the boundary you set.

Another factor is trying to fit "things" in late at night. I would suggest that instead of adding extra work at night, which ultimately lead to a lack of quality sleep, simply get up earlier. This will still allow some extra time to accomplish your tasks, but this will also mirror more of a natural sleep cycle and likely provide you more energy and mental clarity through the day. Understand that it is healthier to sleep from 10:00PM to 6:00AM than it is to sleep from Midnight to 8:00AM. Got it?

Poor nutrition is often an issue for most during the holidays. This is not only poor choices such as too much sugar, gluten and alcohol, but also typically far too much of all of these. Now for those that know they have a gluten intolerance or other cross reactive food intolerance, the holidays are not a time to "sneak" some in. Remember that if these foods are an issue for you, eating them will lead to inflammation in your gut, a weakened immune system and adrenal fatigue. Now as far as the sugar and alcohol are concerned, if this is not a huge issue for you, go ahead and indulge. Understand though that having one piece of fudge or one drink will typically not be an issue for most, but have several drinks, many sweets and throwing in some gluten can be a HUGE issue for so many. To assist with proper absorption and assimilation of your food choices during the holidays, make sure you are using your 1,2,3 of Digestion.

Also, when you are thinking about alcohol specifically, the timing is very important. The worst thing you can do is walk into your party and start with a glass of wine or a cocktail. If you have this on an empty stomach, watch out! This is an issue because alcohol is actually absorbed right through the stomach wall and an empty stomach allows a quick trip to the blood and the brain. All I can say is, not good! So if you are going to drink, make sure this is after you eat and not before. One more trick is to also eat fat when you are drinking, such as nuts, cheese or guacamole. The added fat will slow the release of the liquid sugar you are drinking and help to normalize blood sugar for you.

I would also add the focusing on all your fundamentals of health during this time will assist you in quieting this perfect storm. Remember that you can easily receive the complimentary 4 part video series for your fundamentals of health on the www.DepkeWellness.com home page.

Here is a late entry info for you...

A study, led by University of California at San Diego sociology professor David Phillips, looked at 57.5 million death certificates from 1979 to 2004. It found 42,325 more people died of natural causes -- which make up about 93 percent of all deaths -- during the two-week Christmas/New Year holiday period than would normally be expected, given the typical winter increase in deaths.

 

There also were increases in every major disease group of 1 percent to 10 percent and in every demographic group of 3 percent to 9 percent. In particular, the study looked at deaths from natural causes in which the patient either was dead on arrival (DOA) at a hospital or died receiving emergency care, and it found significant spikes throughout the holiday period. In fact, the three days when the most people die of natural causes in either a DOA situation or in an emergency setting are Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1.

Thanks to Dr Dan Yachter at www.elevationhealth.com for sharing this info.

Begin your focus on quieting the storm today and you may survive the holidays like never before. Here's to a happy and healthy holiday season!

Weight gain and sleep?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So what's the number one health issue for individuals in the United States? If you have guessed weight gain, you are right on.

So what do so many people do about this? Here is the typical list of weight loss strategies that most follow with consistency.

• Dietary changes
• Eating smaller meals
• Eliminating late night snacks
• Dealing with emotional eating
• Eating at home more often
• Exercise
• Normalize hormones
• Follow anti-inflammatory protocols

What I want to share is that all of these are awesome weight loss strategies, but how many of you have already addressed these yet still do not reach your weight loss goals? This number is likely staggering and here's one significant reason why?

Understand that based on the lives that most of us chose to live, there is truly very little free time. We often find the hours between 9:00PM and 11:00PM as our "catch up" time. You get it, so much to do all day, maybe the kids are finally in bed or one of the many other reasons for this. Regardless of the why, far too many people are getting to bed too late and creating significant deficiencies with their sleep patterns.

Here's the kicker though. If you are not reaching your bodies individual need for sleep, you will likely gain weight or minimally, this will significantly hinder weight loss for you. Did you know that if you do not get enough sleep your body will increase the production of your appetite hormone called ghrelin which is likely to lead to weight gain. Another factor in the lack of sleep in the longer term effect this has on your adrenal function and the production of another hormone cortisol, which is often the cause of that ever so beautiful weight gain around the midsection. I know, yikes!

Now a fascinating new study suggests that the link may be even more insidious than previously thought. Losing just a few hours of sleep a few nights in a row can lead to almost immediate weight gain. I would recommend that you follow this link to an insightful article that addresses this even further. 

One point that I found very interesting in the research is that individuals that are sleep deprived actually burn 111 more calories per day than those that are getting optimal sleep, so what sense does that make? It makes a lot of sense though when you remember that a lack of sleep increases the ghrelin which causes the sleep deprived individuals to eat far more food than those that achieve optimal sleep. Think about how quickly you can consume food to make up that 111 calories. Eating one banana, that most would think is great for weight loss, will make up 105 of those calories, yet the sleep deprived person is going to eat far more than just one extra banana per day. They are actually likely to feast daily. 

The end result? Weight gain!

Throw on top of this that a lack of sleep can age fat cells 20 years and yes I said  20 years. This has an effect on overall metabolism and your body's ability to regulate glucose and insulin properly thus leading to obesity and diabetes.

So if you find yourself as one of those people that is doing everything they can think of to lose weight and it's simply not happening for you, check in on your sleep habits. This could be the missing link for you. 


Regardless of what's causing your sleep problems, it is important to establish and maintain healthy sleep habits. Here are some tips that will help you sleep well:

At night:

• Use the bed and bedroom for sleep and sex only
• Establish a regular bedtime routine and a regular sleep-wake schedule
• Do not eat or drink too much close to bedtime
• Create a sleep-promoting environment that is dark, cool and comfortable
• Avoid disturbing noises – consider a bedside fan or white-noise machine to block out disturbing sounds
• Shut down one hour before bed (no phone, TV or Internet)

During the day:

• Consume less or no caffeine, particularly late in the day
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime
• Exercise, but not within three hours before bedtime
• Avoid long naps, particularly in the late afternoon or evening while a short nap in the afternoon can be beneficial

Some medications can also lead to insomnia, including those taken for:

• Colds and allergies
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Thyroid disease
• Birth control
• Asthma
• Pain medications
• Depression (especially SSRI antidepressants)

So in the end, what's the moral of the story?

Get to sleep!!!

For additional information on sleep visit these past articles.

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2012/08/whos-not-sleeping-well.html

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2011/11/why-cant-i-sleep-part-1.html

http://www.askdepkewellness.com/2011/12/why-cant-i-sleep-part-ii.html

How Heavy is YOUR Stress?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

I have to thank Dr Dan Yachter from www.elevationhealth.com for this awesome analogy on stress.

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed - incapable of doing anything."

It's important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!  

This analogy is a perfect representation of what most people do in our culture, and I am not talking about putting down the glass. We are a culture of holding this glass until we experience pain and discomfort. Unfortunately, most of us even continue to hold onto this long after we begin experiencing these challenges.

So what does this do to the body?

As you likely already know by reading this newsletter, holding onto the glass is a major contributing factor to adrenal issues. To learn more about the affect stress has on adrenal glands click here.

Understand that this is so much more than just your adrenals. This affects your brain function, inflammation, blood pressure, thyroid function, female hormones, digestion, detoxification, immune function, cellular energy, blood sugar balance, quality of sleep and of course your moods. This isn't even a comprehensive list as I am touching on the more significant issues at this time.

Let's look at some of these areas specifically. Starting with the brain it is important to know that stress actually has an accumulative affect on the brain. Often clients will say that they have not had significant stress during their lives. They are thinking of major traumas though, such as death, life threatening disease, divorce, you get the picture. But based on the fact that all of life's little stresses tend to accumulate over time, many of these little stresses can create the same affect as major traumas.

Another big area to look at is with inflammation. I often see clients in my practice that are living with chronic inflammatory states. While it is noted that common causes of chronic inflammation tie into adrenal fatigue, infection, poor diet, gluten or other cross reactive foods and chemotherapy treatment, stress is also a trigger for inflammation. So yes, your perception and reaction to life's stresses impact inflammation in your body. How many people actually feel bodily pain and discomfort after a stressful event? That answer is many or most and that is directly tied into the inflammation created via this response.

How about digestion? Did you know that your body uses a huge amount of blood within your digestive system? Did you also know that when you are stressed out, this blood is actually directed away from your digestive system and pushed to your muscular/skeletal system. This is a perfect flight or flee response, because it is obviously more important to your body to save your life rather than digest your food properly. The big challenge here is that most of us are not in true life and death situations and the stress is simply holding onto the glass for too long.

Are you getting this now?

Blood sugar is another big issue as tied into stress. I had an client back in Illinois, prior to my move to California that was a type II diabetic. This was such a chronic issue for so long that the person had already lost their eye site and one limb. When I first started working with them, blood sugar was regularly between 250 and 350. But the kicker though was the fact that when this client's stress levels were up, the blood sugar would rocket up to 450 to 500 and often higher. Yikes! 

So why does stress raise blood sugar? This is due to fact that your body is tapping into stored glycogen to release huge amounts of sugar into your blood, to do what? To provide the necessary response for your fight or flee situation. But as discussed earlier, this fight or flee is typically not a true life or death situation and you are not fighting or fleeing anything. Due to this, the high blood sugar levels long term simply lead to insulin resistance and insulin surges. So really, do you want to continue to hold onto your glass?

How about quality of sleep? So many of my clients have issues with sleep. This may be challenges falling asleep, waking often through the evening, waking too early or even if they sleep through the night, that are still not waking up rocked and ready to go. You know if this is you, the snooze alarm is your best friend. Holding onto your glass affects sleep in so many ways. Often this is increasing night time cortisol, which in turn is lowering night time melatonin, thus poor sleep. Almost as likely is the stress factor with neurotransmitters. Poor neurotransmitter function will trash your sleep patterns as well as creating many other chronic health challenges. More to come on this with future newsletters.

So how do you put down the glass?

One way to do this is to practice deep breathing techniques. To do this follow the directions below.

• Take at least 3 to 5 deep belly breaths every waking hour
• Always take 3 to 5 of these during times of stress
• Inhale through your nose for about a count of 7 while protruding your stomach while allowing your breath to flow down into the area of your belly button
• Hold that breath for a count of 4
• Exhale forcefully through your mouth while contracting your stomach muscles for about a count of 8

Try this right now and you will recognize that it will be much easier to put down your glass with this technique.

There are many other tools that can be used to assist you in putting down your glass such as ERT, EFT, TFT, EMDR, spinal correction, soft tissue work such as rolfing and massage, prayer and exercise. I feel that it is important to find what resonates with you and most important, what works for you.

After all, doesn't it sound much easier to simply put the glass down?!?!

Life After Adrenal Fatigue?

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

Today's article will be short, direct and to the point. This is easy because I see this issues with clients in the clinic all the time.

You have heard me talk about adrenal issues more than once so you already understand that this is a huge issue for so many reading this article and you most likely already "get" the reasons behind your adrenal issues. One area that I have not covered in great detail though, is what does life look like after you have been living with adrenal issues for some time.

Well, today is the day you get a glimpse at life after adrenal fatigue. I will review the main challenges that are created in your body as a direct result of poor adrenal function.

Let's start with other affects on the endocrine function. When your adrenals are "off" this may lead to challenges with the function of your thyroid, pancreas and/or ovaries. If this is an issue, it likely shows up as hypothyroidism, type II diabetes or insulin resistance and/or PMS or menopause symptoms for women.

Another area that is affected is with your metabolism of fat and protein. Ultimately this can lead to an inability to regulate body fat and weight properly, poor absorption of fat and protein and well as a breakdown in your mucosal lining. This is the lining for the nose, mouth, esophagus, gastro-intestinal tract and for women the vagina. This lining is your immune systems first layer of defense that is positioned where you are easily exposed to the outside environment. This lining is the Marines of your immune system and a breakdown here is an overall immune system weakness. Also understand that if you feel that you are doing everything necessary to lose weight and you cannot, this is likely due to an adrenal issue.

We also want to recognize that your adrenals play a role in every level of detoxification. Since we are all toxic on some level, we require optimal adrenal function for optimal function of the detoxification system. Poor adrenals equal a toxic body.

Two other areas that work in conjunction with each other  and depend on your adrenal function is your immune system regulation as well as pro and anti-inflammatory states. Lack of immune system regulation can lead to chemical intolerance as well as challenges such as cancer. The inflammatory states, which would be a healthy response to and immune reaction also depends on the adrenals. Understand that your body needs the ability to create inflammation and take it away as needed. With poor adrenal function, you lose this ability and often become chronically inflamed.

A huge area for so many is the adrenals ability to assist in regulating blood sugar and its affect on cellular energy. Honestly, who doesn't want more energy these days and how many people struggle with poor blood sugar regulation? Without proper adrenal function, you can kiss energy goodbye and good luck with your blood sugar. Those in early stages of adrenal dysfunction may not notice this but long term it creeps up on you.

The next area is with your muscular/skeletal system. Understand that your adrenals play a role in bone and connective tissue turnover as well as muscular integrity. As an example, it is normal to to be sore after a hard workout or up and down in the garden all day, but it is not normal for muscles to be sore with normal daily activity, yet this occurs more often than not for so many.

The last area is with neural tissue health. With this we are looking at your quality of sleep and mood, ability to memorize and learn and your overall neural connectivity. Heck with this we are talking about your autonomic nervous system that is simply the master regulator of everything in your body.

Wow! I get it...

So now you know, if you have an adrenal issue, this is much more than it sounds. This is actually an issue with your health on an ultimate holistic level. I am also sure that most of the people reading this article have some challenges with their health that are affected by poor adrenal function as listed above.

So you tell me, is adrenal health important to you?

I think I know your answer...

More Than Just Weight Loss

by Glen Depke

First of all, I'd like to share that I am a human being like everyone else. I go through cycles in my own life and no, I am not "perfect". I laugh when others meet me and are surprised when I am not being "perfect" with my nutrition or other aspects of my health. My own weight can go up and down as well as my state of health. Maybe one thing that makes me different, is that I am going to recognize a down turn and I will do something to shift this in a very positive way.

Well, that time is now!

It is that time of the year for me and I want you to know that you can join me.

Last year about this time I followed the 30 day leaky gut protocol and I lost 20 pounds of body fat but enjoyed so many other benefits. My energy increased, my mental clarity was amazing, I required less sleep every night, I was never hungry and to be honest with you, I felt as if I was eating more food more often. Go figure?

This year I am doing a 6 week program to enjoy the same benefits and more...

This program is designed to enhance the function of the gut, improve brain function, assist with any inflammation, improve immunity, improve sleep, enhance detoxification, increase energy and yes, lose weight (if needed.) 

Hopefully you can see that this is so much more than just a weight loss program?

Before

Here are some before and after pictures from last year's 30 day protocol. This too can be you.


Yes, believe it or not, these are before and after pictures of me. What you cannot see in the after picture is how awesome my mental clarity was, how incredible I felt and how much my energy had increased. It was actually euphoric!

Getting back to this year, I can share that I am currently in a bit of a challenging pattern myself and it is time to get out!

After

It seems that some of the choices I made during the holidays at the end of last year do not want to go away. I can't seem to create the shift for myself and I am craving that euphoric feeling from last years 30 day protocol. So with this said, I am going to start a 6 week program for myself in March of this year. Six weeks from then I will feel euphoric and I will be ready for the beach weather, feeling confident when I put on that bathing suit, and you can too.

But here is the big difference this year.

This year, I am inviting you to do this with me. Why should I be the only one losing weight while never feeling hungry? Why should I be the only one enjoying high energy, improved sleep and amazing mental clarity? Why should I be the only one feeling euphoric?

Well, I shouldn't...

I am offering this 6 week personally guided program for only the cost of the supplements needed. We are starting with an initial complimentary webinar to explain the details of the 6 week program and if you find this is for you, you are welcome to join me in the fun. During the 6 week program, we are going to get together once per week on a webinar for guidance, Q&A as well as further weekly instruction. As I mentioned, all the weekly webinars and expert guidance are complimentary to you. It is basically working with me for free! How can you beat that?

If you would like to learn more about this program, click here to register for our complimentary introduction webinar. See you soon...

Why Can't I Sleep? Part 1

by Glen Depke

There are many factors that would define poor sleep cycles. The inability to fall asleep easily, waking often through the night and/or waking without feeling refreshed are the most significant issues and often individuals will suffer with all of these challenges. What I can share though, is that regardless of your sleep challenges, there is hope and finding the underlying components and balancing this is the key.

What, you mean it's not taking melatonin?

I know, you have already heard that all you have to do it take a melatonin supplement, right? Let me tell you that based on my years of practice with my clients the use of melatonin supplementation is not the answer.

While melatonin does play a significant role in your sleep cycle, the use of this from a supplemental aspect does not fix the problem for you. The first step is to recognize what is creating the low melatonin levels in the first place and next week I will address the underlying factors in part 2 of this sleep series.

Print out the list below and take out your highlighter to mark the areas in your life that are challenging your melatonin production. This will shed some light (pun intended) on a subject that can change your life.

These Substances Interfere with Melatonin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alkaloids

Caffeine interferes with the endogenous production of Melatonin

Pharmaceutical Drugs

Aspirin interferes with the endogenous production of Melatonin

Benzodiazepines lower the endogenous production of Melatonin

Beta-Blockers lower the endogenous production of Melatonin

Ibuprofen interferes with the endogenous production of Melatonin  

Pharmaceutical Corticosteroids interfere with the endogenous production of Melatonin

Prozac (a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) lowers the body's Melatonin levels

Recreational Drugs

Excessive consumption of Alcohol (ethanol) inhibits with the body's production of Melatonin

Tobacco interferes with the endogenous production of Melatonin

These Factors Interfere with Melatonin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aging Process

The onset of the Aging Process decreases the body's production of Melatonin:

Age: Plasma Melatonin Levels

(Picograms per ml)

       Males Females

20  1,000  880

30    900   830

40    800   780

50    700   700

60    600   600

70    500   540

80    400   500 

Aging itself is not an excuse for low melatonin. The fact that most are becoming less healthy as we age is the bigger factor.  

Altered Lighting

The use of Sunglasses impairs the entrance of Sunlight into the Pineal Gland via the Eyes, causing reduced production of Melatonin

Cardiovascular System

Ischemic Heart Disease interferes with the body’s nightly secretion of Melatonin (Ischemic Heart Disease patients have been found to have significantly depressed nightly secretion of Melatonin compared to healthy persons)

Electromagnetic Radiation

Some forms of toxic Electromagnetic Radiation suppress the body's production and secretion of Melatonin

Exposure to Light during Sleep inhibits the secretion of Melatonin from the Pineal Gland.

Immune System

Several forms of Cancer interfere with the body's production of Melatonin (by decreasing the body's production of Interleukin-2):

- Breast Cancer

- Colon Cancer

- Lung Cancer

- Prostate Cancer

- Stomach Cancer

Metabolism

Exercise (when undertaken in at night) lowers night-time plasma Melatonin levels

Nervous System

Excessive Stress depletes the body’s Melatonin levels.

Sexual System - Female

The greatest decline in Melatonin production and secretion occurs during and after Menopause in women

These Factors Interfere with the Potency of Supplemental Melatonin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Melatonin supplements are highly susceptible to degradation by Heat - Melatonin supplements should therefore be kept tightly closed and refrigerated.

Since I mentioned that melatonin supplementation is not the key, look for next weeks article to recognize the key underlying factors in sleep cycle challenges. In the mean time, make it a point to address the factors that you discovered today that may be creating some melatonin deficiencies at this time.

If you have any questions or comments please post these below for me to address personally.

The Reason for the Season...It's Not What You Think

by Glen Depke

We're going to have some fun with this conversation but let's recognize the truth within it.

The reason for the season is to put clients in my office. What??? It's not about family, the baby Jesus, Santa Claus, giving, or peace on earth? While we like to think it is all about the above sentence, is that what you truly recognize every year.

I see the fallout of holiday stress, eating, drinking, family issues, and adrenal exhaustion, in my office at the beginning of every year. With this, it is my conclusion that the reason for the season is to fill my schedule.

So what's a person to do?

While I am more than happy to take care of my clients when they have challenges, there are some simple tips you can follow to keep yourself healthy through the holidays.

First, when you recognize that the hustle and bustle is getting to you…breathe. Yes, taking the time to take 3 -5 deep belly breaths can shift you out of the stress and anxiety and put your body back into a state of balance. To deal with the stress, I would also recommend downloading your favorite upbeat and energizing song and/or a clip from a movie that you know gives you the warm and fuzzies. This will give you something “ready to go” to create that ever important mood shift.

Second, is to stay hydrated. Too often the holiday parties lead to an overconsumption of alcohol and an under consumption of water. Be sure to start every day with a 16 – 20 ounce glass of water, sip water all day and be sure to always have a big glass of water between every alcoholic beverage. Just falling into dehydration can create many challenges for you, so this one is easy to maintain with little effort.

Food, oh yes, food during the holidays. Be sure to stay away from the flour based foods as much as possible and take a small piece of what entices you instead of loading the plate. It is a good idea to cut down on the quantity of food you consume at regular meal time, since you know you are going to make up the difference at your holiday parties and gatherings. Be sure to also take you Prime Digestive Support every time you are eating cooked food, to be sure you maintain proper digestion. I would also recommend that you eat prior to drinking when you are out and enjoying. Nothing is worse than working all day, going to a party hungry, and starting the festivities with a couple of glasses of wine on an empty stomach.

Be sure to schedule adequate sleep. If you know you will be out late for a holiday party, give yourself permission to sleep in the next day. To make sure you can fall asleep quickly, be sure to cut off alcohol the last hour or so of you party also and switch to water. This will assist in come improved sleep habits. On nights that you are not out, get to bed a bit earlier than normal. This will help you immensely in the long run.

Often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle to the point that our usual exercise routine also suffers. If this is the case, recognize that you need less food and not more at this time. You can also help by doing some little things like parking further away from the mall when shopping, taking stairs instead of elevators…you get the picture.

Most importantly, simply enjoy yourself. Yes, it is a busy time of the year but if you create the energy of fun and play with what you are doing, this will immensely help you in maintaining your own health and wellness and heck, the people around you will have a lot more fun also.

For those that are not able to make these simple changes and your holiday’s are going to push you into states of poor health, feel free to take advantage of the Depke Wellness “Gift of Health” offer on our newsletter. This is an awesome way to start the new year of 2011!

Please enjoy the holiday season and by all means , have fun!