When our bodies become overloaded with toxins and our detoxification pathways are overwhelmed, one result is disturbed sleep. While it may not seem readily apparent, the role of the liver and colon are important for establishing and maintaining regular, restful sleep. If either system is not working properly, the body can become dangerously toxic. One of the main causes of sleeplessness—especially sleep-maintenance insomnia, in which people wake up in the middle of the night—is trouble in the liver and the gastrointestinal tract.
We treated a woman named Laurie, a professional hair colorist. She came to our clinic in desperation because of her insomnia. Laurie would wake up after two hours of sleep and rarely be able to fall asleep again. Conventional medicine hadn’t helped her and antibiotics made her sinus infections and skin conditions even worse. We suspected that the coloring chemicals she worked with and the antibiotics had made her liver toxic. The functional liver test confirmed our diagnosis. At our suggestion, Laurie took a month off from work and we put her on a liver detoxification program. In addition, we taught her breathing techniques, self-hypnosis, and acupressure as stress reduction tools to help her sleep. After three weeks on this program, Laurie began to sleep through the night and she continues to do well. She was not able to change her profession, so every month she repeats the liver detoxification. That, along with the adjustments she’s made in her lifestyle, keeps her sleeping soundly.
• Heavy Metal-Induced Reactions—We have found that poisoning from toxic metals such as mercury, lead, copper, thallium, and arsenic can lead to insomnia, fatigue, and lethargy. Mercury (from amalgam fillings) in particular causes a number of reactions that can disturb sleep. It interferes with the transmission of nerve impulses from the brain to the rest of the body, producing tremors, tingling sensations, and numbness. Mercury also interferes with hormone function and can deactivate minerals such as calcium and magnesium that are important for sound sleep. A recent study found that patients with dental amalgams had a significantly higher incidence of insomnia (as well as anger, depression, and anxiety) than those without amalgams, because mercury affected neurotransmitters in the brain.
• Allergies Candida infection can directly alter sleep patterns, according to a study with animals. Yeast infections can also cause food allergies to develop. Food allergies can trigger the overproduction of insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels; a blood sugar imbalance (hypoglycemia) can potentially result in sleep problems. Chloride and fluoride in water, along with pesticides that leach out of the soil and into our food and water supply, are the most commonly targeted toxic exposures. People who are sensitive to these chemicals can have allergic responses that include insomnia. In those who are environmentally sensitive, breathing car fumes and other toxic substances can trigger a cascade of internal biochemical events that disturb sleep.
• Blood Sugar Imbalances—Parasites can cause hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Nighttime hypoglycemia releases adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones to stimulate the brain and indicate that it is time to eat. This can awaken you or prevent you from entering a deep sleep state.
• Slow Metabolism—If the liver is toxic, it will not be able to adequately process toxins out of the body. This may mean that caffeine, medications, and other stimulants remain the body and disrupt your sleep.
• Nutrient Deficiencies—It is also important to remember that exposure to environmental toxins depletes certain vitamins and minerals from our bodies and can lower our immune system’s ability to fight off infections. “When nutrients such as the B vitamins, iron, antioxidants and specific trace minerals are depleted in the diet, the liver’s ability to function effectively as a detoxification organ is impaired. This impairment causes the individual to become more vulnerable to the environment,” Dr. Bland says. These nutrients are also critical for the formation of neurotransmitters and hormones such as melatonin necessary for sleep.
