Jerry, a 47-year-old print shop owner, had not slept more than three hours a night for years. Lately, he started having spasms in his legs at night, which further interfered with his sleep. During the waking hours, he was tired all the time and looked ten years older. He was also irritable and snapped at his employees and his family. He had chronic bloating and gas in his digestive tract, and he frequently alternated between constipation and diarrhea. His energy level was erratic, sometimes feverish and other times dropping lower than normal. He was very concerned about falling asleep while driving.
Jerry had tried numerous types of sleeping pills, but nothing had worked. He was desperate to get some sleep. Before even scheduling any tests with Jerry, we looked at his lifestyle. Jerry started every day by drinking the first of many cups of coffee. He worked straight through lunch, grabbing a sandwich at his desk. Then, he worked through dinnertime, finally quitting around 10 p.m. After that, he had dinner, washing it down with two or three glasses of wine. After dinner, Jerry immediately fell sound asleep, only to awaken at 2 a.m. , unable to fall back to sleep for the rest of the night. Jerry never exercised and was under constant stress from the deadlines and schedules that were the nature of his business. He had become totally driven by the business and left no time for himself.
We told Jerry that the only way we could work with him is if he were willing to change his lifestyle. We made it clear that his sleeping problems were only a sign that all his vital body functions—circulatory, digestive, nervous, and hormonal systems—were beginning to fail. It had been so long since they were supported with proper nutrition and rest that they could no longer maintain the internal balance necessary to good health. Jerry initially resisted the suggestions but finally agreed, realizing that another sleeping pill was not the answer. He agreed to begin an exercise program. We referred him to a personal trainer who had him begin with aerobic and resistance weight training. We also referred him to an acupuncturist for a series of treatments to help balance his system.
We analyzed Jerry’s nutrition and found that he had what is called a “leaky gut,” a condition in which bacterial toxins from his intestinal tract were “leaking” into the rest of his body through his intestinal wall and depositing toxins into the bloodstream, tissues, cells, and lymph. Also, Jerry’s digestive system was deficient in hydrochloric acid and enzymes, both of which are needed to break down nutrients in food so they can be absorbed. He did not have enough of the beneficial bacteria in his intestines to digest his food properly. To counter this digestive dysfunction and ease the toxic load on his body, we started Jerry on a liver detoxification program. A saliva test showed that Jerry was low on the hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which is important for metabolism, so we prescribed DHEA supplements.
We also explained Jerry’s diet, looking for stimulants that impair sleep. We suggested that Jerry reduce caffeine. He did that by substituting decaffeinated coffee for regular coffee in gradually increasing proportions until it was all decaffeinated. He stopped consuming wine and salt and agreed to eat three balanced meals a day and not eat snacks on the run. Jerry also began eating dinner between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. , and went to bed by 10 p.m.
For many insomniacs, stress management is very important to encourage the body to heal and allow it to respond to its natural internal cues. Stress management for Jerry meant hiring a consultant to organize his business and to teach him how to communicate better with his employees and family. To further reduce his daily stress levels, Jerry learned how to meditate and committed himself to meditating twice a day for 15 minutes at a time. Jerry also received weekly chiropractic treatments to correct structural imbalances that were impinging on his nervous system. He was also counseled, supported, and encouraged on all of his lifestyle changes.
By the end of three weeks, Jerry was sleeping through the night. In addition, he enjoyed renewed energy and vitality. In a short time, he had lost 20 pounds, and was no longer irritable, and found he was able to leave the office at 5 p.m. and the work would still get done. At the end of three months, Jerry’s digestive system was normal and he was feeling relaxed and happy. He had regained his spark and was more youthful. Jerry’s sleep continued to be deep, uninterrupted, restful, and restorative.
