When I first met William, he had been struggling with insomnia for three months, averaging only two to three hours of sleep a night. He looked exhausted, and his condition was costing him dearly at work – he simply could not function during the day for his painting business. William had never been a particularly good sleeper, but his problem had worsened significantly in recent months with no apparent reason.
What Can Help You To Sleep Better
As a naturopathic doctor, I am frequently asked which products, herbs, or supplements people can take to sleep better. My best answer is always the one that addresses the root cause. When evaluating insomnia, the first question to consider is whether it is something new for the patient or a long-standing struggle.
Is Insomnia a New Problem?
When insomnia is a new problem, the most common cause is hormone-related. An overactive thyroid, for example, can cause poor sleep alongside diarrhea, weight loss, and heart palpitations.
Disrupted sleep is also one of the earliest signs of perimenopause, often appearing together with hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, and irregular menstrual cycles.
Additionally, when a person is under significant stress or is a poor metabolizer of caffeine, cortisol levels can remain slightly elevated at night, making it difficult to fall asleep or causing early waking.
Dealt With Insomnia for an Extended Period of Time?
For those who have struggled with sleep for a long time, the hormonal and physiological factors above still need to be ruled out – but conditioned behavior is another key factor to consider. Sleep is deeply habitual. Quality improves when we go to bed and wake up at consistent times, and we fall asleep more easily when we follow the same bedtime routine each night.
Healthy sleepers often notice they begin to feel drowsy as soon as they start their nightly routine, almost as if their body recognizes the cues. Just as healthy sleep habits can be learned and reinforced, so can unhealthy ones.
Many mothers, for instance, find their sleep remains fragmented long after their babies no longer need nighttime feedings. Their bodies were conditioned over months of interrupted nights, and the pattern can persist well after the original reason has passed.
Your Sleep Environment Matters
One piece of advice I consistently share with my patients is to keep the sleep environment “sacred.” When you eat, read, work, watch television, or scroll through your phone in bed, you are signaling to your brain that the bed is a place for activity, not rest.
The brain will respond accordingly and ramp up its alertness. Even if you manage to fall asleep, you may find the sleep is light or frequently interrupted. Our bodies are also wired to react to environmental stimuli – light, noise, and temperature – as a survival mechanism for detecting danger.
Minimizing these triggers in the bedroom is just as important as developing consistent sleep habits.
Using Light Therapy to Fall Sleep
When it comes to actually falling asleep, I find morning light therapy to be the most effective tool – assuming no other underlying causes are present.
If you simply don’t feel sleepy at your desired bedtime, are adjusting to a daylight saving time change, or are recovering from jet lag, light therapy can help you fall asleep earlier within just two to three days. The reason it works is that it shifts the timing of the body’s circadian clock.
Deep within the brain, a central clock coordinates the timing of functions across every organ. This clock is reset by light. In the morning, when light reaches the eyes, the brain sends signals throughout the body: cortisol is released to promote alertness, and body temperature rises in preparation for the day’s activities.
After approximately fourteen to sixteen hours, this same clock triggers the release of melatonin and a drop in body temperature, preparing the body for sleep. The earlier you are exposed to light in the morning, the earlier your body will receive the signal to sleep that evening.
If you are struggling with sleep, the providers at Naturopathic Family Health are here to help. Feel free to schedule a complimentary 10-minute consultation to learn more about our individualized approaches.
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Dr. Sherry Su, ND, FABNG
Naturopathic Doctor San Jose
408-356-1364
Dr. Sherry Su is a licensed naturopathic doctor specializing in gastrointestinal disorders, women’s health, thyroid and adrenal imbalances, and anxiety. She earned her degree from Bastyr University and holds the prestigious FABNG certification for advanced expertise in evidence-based naturopathic gastrointestinal care. With a compassionate, integrative approach, Dr. Su uses minimally invasive therapies to help patients reclaim their health and well-being. She is passionate about empowering patients with sustainable lifestyle changes and personalized care.
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