Sleep & Energy Medicine

A physician I know once told me that aside from the primary reason patients schedule visits, poor sleep and stress are the second and third reasons. It’s estimated that 1 in 5 Americans rely on sleep aids. Sleep can be compromised by a number of things, but stress and hormones are typical culprits.

Whether you’re having a hard time falling asleep or you’re waking up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, the reasons can be uncovered during an Energy Medicine session. 

One of the main systems we work with in Energy Medicine is the Meridians. Meridians are energetic pathways that run through the body and govern our organs. Acupuncturists use points along the Meridians to place their needles, and Energy Medicine practitioners work with them through holding, tapping or by pressing the points.

Each Meridian has a two hour ‘high tide’ and ‘low tide’ during the course of a 24-hour day when the organ it governs is in its most active state. Looking at the time frames in which your sleep disturbances occur gives us clues where balancing may be needed. Sometimes it's not the Meridian itself, but rather different energy systems or parts of the body that correlate with that Meridian.

If sleep disturbances are being caused or exacerbated by hormonal imbalances, we can muscle test to determine what kind of hormone balancing is needed. There is rarely a single cause of sleep issues, so addressing as many root causes as possible will provide the most amount of relief.

I like to look at wellness from many different angles and while I’m not an expert on circadian rhythms, I do know that working with mine drastically improved my sleep quality. When our cortisol/leptin/melatonin production is off kilter, it sends mixed signals to the body on when it should energize or slow down.

In addition to eating appropriately for leptin sensitivity, triggering cortisol to rise and melatonin production to begin at appropriate times is paramount. Going outside for at least 10 minutes when you first wake up signals the body to start making cortisol. It is also helpful to get outside frequently throughout the day without sunglasses or sunscreen. Then an evening walk or sunset gazing will signal your body to switch from cortisol to melatonin production. 

Getting in bed by 10:30 pm is also helpful. Triple Warmer is a Meridian whose high tide is 9:00-11:00 pm. Triple Warmer governs our stress response, and if we stay awake past its high tide window it goes on high alert. Going to bed during its window reassures the body that it’s safe to relax and go to sleep.

In addition to uncovering the energetic causes of sleep disturbances, a session with me always includes exercises and simple things you can do on your own to encourage the body and mind to settle. It can take some time to unweave poor sleep patterns, but discovering the root causes and being supported with a holistic plan can provide tremendous and immediate relief.

Grounding: The Golden Ticket

When I was little and growing up in my suburban hometown in Oklahoma, I remember walking to our local 7-Eleven with my sisters in the summer to get Icees, candy and watermelon Bubblicious. More times than not we would see people walking into the store barefoot, likely stopping in to get ice, drinks and snacks for their day at one of the nearby lakes. I always secretly wanted to do the same thing, but we weren’t allowed to run around barefoot; only ‘those people’ would ever have the audacity to walk around with grocery store feet (if you’re from a small southern town you know that’s a thing!)!

So while I was curious and a little envious, I was also conditioned to judge those people. And while it may not be the most sanitary choice one could make, ironically they were probably some of the most grounded people in town.

It’s become almost trendy to talk about grounding, or earthing, but it is the most accessible and effective way to improve wellness and is readily available to every single person and critter on earth. Gaia provides us with electrons (aka antioxidants), which positively affect cell function and work remarkably well to reduce pain, inflammation and anxiety, and improve sleep and immunity.

There is quite a bit of published research on grounding, including this publication if you’re a rabbit hole person like me. 

Before shoes and mattresses were invented, we were in constant contact with the earth. Even when shoes became a thing, the soles were originally made out of leather which allowed for conductivity. But in the 1950s, insulated rubber soles were introduced and cut off the energetic exchange between us and the earth. And now we have the added burden of wireless devices and WiFi which emit positively charged ions (aka oxidants or free radicals). Grounding provides a negatively-charged ion transfer to neutralize the positively-charged oxidants, but we have to be intentional about it.

p.s. please turn your WiFi off at night while you’re asleep!

Grounding is so important that before any energy session, it’s one of the top things we must get in place before doing any deeper work. It’s nearly impossible to balance a person’s energies if they are in an ungrounded state.

The input points and pathways for this energetic exchange with the earth’s electrons are some of the same points and pathways we work with in energy medicine. The Kidney Meridian, whose first point is at the balls of our feet, is the pathway for yin energy from the earth to travel up through the body. The Stomach Meridian, whose endpoint is on the second toe of each foot, is the pathway for yang energy from the heavens to travel down through the body. Even scientists are starting to acknowledge these energetic pathways and their role in grounding the human body.

Just as our bodies need water, nutritious food, proper rest and movement, I am a firm believer that being grounded is one of our basic needs.

I would also dare to say that if every person that is experiencing pain, anxiety, ADHD or a sleep disorder spent 20 minutes a day grounding, their symptoms would dissipate over time.

Is it a quick fix? No. Does it start working immediately? Yes. 

As with exercise, you’re not going to get solidly grounded by going outside once. But over time it can really build your resilience and lighten your load.

Leave your shoes, phone and sunglasses inside and go outside. Listen to the noises you hear. Notice the smells you smell. Take in the bright sunshine or the glowing sunrise/sunset. Notice the temperature of the earth beneath your feet. Take some deep breaths and recharge your battery.