If you’re tired as you read this, you’re not alone. In a 2000 survey, 30% of adults admitted to being so drowsy during the day that it interfered with their daily activities. Sleep deprivation is usually to blame. The average adult sleeps just under seven hours per night during the work week; most people function best on at least eight hours of shut-eye. Sometimes sleep deprivation is self-imposed—you choose to stay up late working or socializing or watching TV, and get up early to exercise or make the morning commute. But others can’t get enough sleep, no matter how hard they try. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, approximately 40 million Americans suffer from long-term chronic sleep disorders, while another 20 million experience occasional sleep problems. But those statistics may underestimate the prevalence of slumber woes; according to the survey referred to above, 62% of American adults reported that they had experienced a sleep problem at least a few times a week during the previous year. In fact, it is estimated that 95% of sleep disorders are not diagnosed.
Altogether, Americans spend about $16 billion each year on sleep-related medical care. Unfortunately, much of this money is poorly spent, because conventional sleeping aids—potentially addictive sedatives—ultimately create more sleep disturbances than they eliminate. Conventional physicians are beginning to realize this fact, however, and are increasingly likely to suggest that their patients make lifestyle changes to remedy sleep disorders. But knowing exactly which changes to make for your particular condition can be difficult, and conventional doctors are poorly trained in recognizing the underlying causes of sleep problems.
Alternative medicine practitioners can make sure that finding the right treatment protocol doesn’t turn into a nightmare. They realize that sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy, often arise from poor diet, toxic overload, disrupted circadian rhythms, geopathic and emotional stress, and hormonal and structural imbalances. In short, the majority of sleep problems are symptoms of an unhealthy body, not diseases in and of themselves. Most people with sleep disorders will find relief by taking steps to promote overall health: improving their diet, reducing stress, balancing hormones, and detoxifying the body, among others. In the following articles we will introduce you to the primary underlying causes of sleep problems and provide you with an overview of alternative therapies proven to help restore normalcy to your sleep—and your life.
