We’ve all been there, and it is the worst. Some of us just get up, pour a cup o’ joe, and tackle the day … only to be exhausted and reaching for more fuel by noon. Others stare at the ceiling, trying to will themselves back to dreamland (even if it’s only for a few precious hours).

Not only is sleep important for our well-being, but it is essential to get good quality sleep. If you’re tossing and turning throughout the night, one problem may be your body temperature. Research provides sufficient evidence that breast cancer patients are frequently deficient in achieving thermal comfort. In essence, they feel excessively hot or cold. [1]

So, if we spend one-quarter to one-third of our lives sleeping, shouldn’t we try to do it as peacefully and comfortably as possible? After all, your circadian rhythm – your 24-hour “internal clock” – knows when it’s time to get up and when it’s time to go to sleep. It’s just another example of listening to your body.

Let’s take a look at how temperature, the circadian rhythm, and cancer affects sleep patterns:

Why your body temperature matters 

Sleep looks like a passive state of being. However, many functions – those that promote well-being and are closely linked to our quality of life – do optimum work while the body is resting.

Are you the type who turns down the thermostat before bed to arctic temperatures with your fan blasting on high? Or are you the type who has not one, not two, but three blankets to keep you cozy?

Commonly people go to bed clothed and under their bedding, in turn, causing heat exposure. The research concludes that heat exposure can increase wakefulness during sleep stages. [2]

The thermal environment is a crucial determinant of sleep because thermoregulation is strongly linked to the mechanism that regulates sleep. Excessively high or low ambient temperature may affect sleep even in healthy humans without insomnia.

Furthermore, disturbed nocturnal sleep affects all aspects of daily life, not only daytime activities. It also is related to various adverse health effects, such as obesity, quality of life, and even mortality. These findings indicate that maintaining a comfortable thermal sleep environment is vital for sleep maintenance as well as daytime activities and health status. [3]

The importance of circadian rhythm

The hypothalamus, a portion of your brain, controls your circadian rhythm. Environmental components – temperature and light – are among the factors that control signaling to the hypothalamus that it is time to wake up or to go to bed. [4]

There seems to be a connection between melatonin suppression and the context of the circadian rhythm. [5] The pineal gland is a small pea-shaped gland found in your brain that regulates hormones, including melatonin, which plays a fundamental role in regulating circadian rhythm.

Once the sun goes down, the pineal gland is turned on and produces melatonin. As the melatonin in your blood rises, your body is signaled that it’s time to go to sleep. Research shows melatonin also has a significant impact on the immune system (immune cell trafficking and cytokine production), thus helping it manage and fight malignancies. [6]

A 2014 study found that a lack of sleep can cause cellular damage, DNA replication errors, and metabolic abnormalities. This provides a possible link between sleep loss and increased disease and cancer risk. [7] We know that cancer cells are abnormal and damaged, and are incapable of adequately controlling their growth and replication. Thus, taking care of our cellular health – including quality sleep – is essential.

Research on chronic irregular sleep is evident. Disrupted sleep has strong links to increased risk of breast, prostate, and thyroid cancers. [8-10] Changing your daily habits to make sure you are getting a sufficient amount of sleep is a short-term issue; you can efficiently resolve this to lower your cancer risks.

How sleep influences a cancer patient

Sleep is complicated, but when you add cancer to the mix, things get more involved.

Dr. Lois Krahn, who has been conducting research and clinical practice as a sleep medicine specialist for more than 20 years, estimates 75% of people with cancer have insomnia or another sleep disorder. A faculty member at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Krahn also notes 80% of cancer patients have fatigue.

“So many things are happening while we're asleep,” says Amanda Phipps, an epidemiologist and researcher at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. “It's a time when we most efficiently repair DNA damage. The body is also doing things like controlling the growth of cells, turning on certain genes, and switching off others, and promoting the immune system. [11]

“Sleep is a time for repair and restoration of our bodies, but it's more than just that,” Phipps adds. “It's also building up our immune systems so we can better protect ourselves during the day.”

Technology, tools to help you sleep better

Technology has come a long way, and it’s incredible to see all the tools available to help our everyday lives. Here are some great tools that may help you catch up on sleep. 

ChiliPAD: Ideally, our body’s core temperature should drop with our sleep-wake schedule. Many of us suffice with cranking down the thermostat or using fans. The chiliPAD sleep system consists of a hydro-powered mattress pad, thermal regulating control unit(s), and a remote, making it perfect for one or two sleepers. This system utilizes water and operates between 55-115°F (13-46°C), helping encourage quality, restorative sleep. [12] 

Weighted Blankets: Weighted blankets typically weigh between 5 and 30 pounds and mimic deep pressure stimulation, a therapeutic pressure technique. Anxiety can wreak havoc on your sleep. The research was done on the safety and effectiveness of 30-pound weighted blankets on 32 adults. The results revealed 63% reported lower anxiety, and 78% preferred the blanket as a calming modality. [13]

Ebb sleep with precision cool technology: Research shows that cooling the forehead (interface for your cerebral cortex) may help with insomnia. A study tested cerebral thermal transfer using a cap filled with tubes of circulating water on 12 patients with primary insomnia and 12 healthy patients. The patients with insomnia were able to sleep as well as healthy patients using the therapy. [14] Ebb sleep is a triple-layered headband that allows for ideal-temperature cooling to hit just the right spots of your head, to calm and enable deep sleep. 

There also are habits that can impact your sleep routine:

• Put away your phone and turn off the TV. It’s easier said than done, but try to avoid electronic devices that put off a bright light at least 1 hour before bed. (Also, use nighttime settings – a dimmer lighter – on your devices.)
• Do not share the bed with the family pet. Their sleep rhythms differ from ours, and when Fido is running in his dreams, it wakes you up. This can be very disruptive to your internal sleep clock, especially if this is happening daily.
• Caffeine should be avoided at least 6 hours before bed. 
• Alcohol is a known carcinogen, but if you are going to have that nightcap, try to do it at least 3 hours before bed. Alcohol can suppress melatonin and disrupt your circadian rhythm. [15]
• Late-night snacking and meals should be finished 2-3 hours before bed. That gives your digestive tract plenty of time to break down your food, in turn avoiding late-night heartburn and indigestion that can impact your sleep.

Conclusion

Sleep is essential to our overall health. You can feel it when you don't get enough sleep; you become groggy, tired, and irritable. That is just our body's way of saying, “Hey, I need sleep!”

Life stressors, including cancer and even cancer treatments, might be a contributing factor to why you are not getting enough shut-eye.

If you think you may have insomnia or another sleep disorder, it is essential to talk with your physician; there are options that can help.

FAQ’s

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“My mom, when I was growing up, was diagnosed with a number of health conditions. We were always a sort of fit and active and, what we thought was a healthy, family growing up,” says Axe.

But when Axe’s mom was diagnosed with cancer a second time, and this on top of autoimmune, digestive and thyroid issues like Hashimoto’s, Axe began to work through his training in nutrition and ask key questions about the gut as a possible root cause.

As they began to shift her from a diet of “chicken sandwiches and juicy juice” into a diet of whole foods, there began to be a shift.

Her tumors began to shrink and her digestive issues began to clear up. Her fatigue, autoimmune and depression symptoms also began to subside. Within a year her cancer was in remission.

“Hippocrates said ‘All disease begins in the gut,” Axe says. “But you know I’m a big believer in that in seeing my mom completely healed.”

Axe affirms what many in both the conventional and alternative health fields have suspected—the digestive tract and gut health have an impressively powerful impact on everything else in your body.

So while leaky gut may just seem like a funny way of describing Irritable Bowel Syndrome, it is quite literally describing what so many of us walk around with daily that is being linked to many diseases and disorders.

What is Leaky Gut?

Leaky Gut, or Intestinal Permeability, is actually the subject of more than 11,000 medical and scientific studies addressing a variety of ailments.

“Your digestive tract is a barrier for your bloodstream,” says Axe.

So our digestive tract is a gatekeeper in a sense that allows nutrients and other important elements into our bloodstream and keeps bad things out. But Axe says chronic inflammation can cause and grow “holes” at key points in the digestive system that allow bad proteins (like gluten) and other undesirable elements into the blood stream to make us sick.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut

• Bloating and gas
• Food sensitivity
• Thyroid conditions
• Fatigue of any type
• Joint pain
• Headaches and skin issues
• Digestive problems
• Weight gain
• Type 1 diabetes

5 Healing Steps

After years of research, Dr. Axe has developed a protocol that removes many of the risk factors and begins healing the body so that it functions properly. Here are five healing steps he recommends:

• Remove the triggers. Unhealthy triggers are all around us, but often the most dangerous triggers are the ones we put in our mouths.
• Consume healing foods. Bone broth, raw cultured dairy, and other foods can begin the healing process.
• Use targeted supplementation. High-quality probiotics and many other supplements such as L-glutamine can help with repairing the gut.
• Lifestyle change. Exercise is extremely important in the healing process as are cutting out inflammatory foods and lifestyle choices like constant high stress with no real downtime.
• Eat right for your gut type. There are different gut types, so pick the plan that’s best for you.

Resources

• Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe
• http://draxe.com/leaky-gut-diet-treatment/
• http://draxe.com/4-steps-to-heal-leaky-gut-and-autoimmune-disease/

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Depression and anxiety is a growing problem in America.

Depression has become very big. Feelings of “helplessness, loss of hope, sadness, crying, sleep or appetite disturbances, or difficulty concentrating, for at least two straight weeks” are sufficient for the very common diagnosis of “clinical depression.” Over the past half-century, hospitalizations for depression have increased almost thirty times, from 9.8 per 100,000 in 1943 (in New York, which had more per capita than any other state) to an estimated 280 per 100,000 (nationally) in 1994.

Nathaniel S. Lehrman, M.D. (quoted by Joseph Mercola M.D.)

Depression can be caused by unreasonable expectations, financial concerns, family concerns, and can even be made worse, or be initiated by, the foods that are partaken. In many cases, it is a combination of several different issues. This article will discuss issues separately, knowing that there may, in fact, be multiple contributing factors influencing the problem.

Everyone has their “bad days.” Other people may do things that are not expected or appreciated, causing a person to be highly disappointed. Or a person might believe that another person is “Polly Perfect,” who seemingly has never had a care in her life, and somehow goes through life without any problems. These, and other emotional issues can cause emotional problems.

But there is far more to it than emotional or psychological issues. Why is one person depressed by their problems, while another person who has more reasons to be depressed not affected by their problems?

In many cases, a relatively normal situation is compounded by foods that are eaten. It is not that foods are bad, it is the way that foods are processed and it is the things that are added to the foods that can be bad. A person who eats whole, raw foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, rarely has foods contribute to their psychological problems. But even in this case, food allergies may come into play.

Several theories exist within the alternative health and wellness community regarding the causes of depression. One such theory is that the excessive consumption of aspartame in America is the root cause for depression and dependency on prescriptions such as Prozac. The basis of the theory is that aspartame is believed to be an “excitotoxin” because it stimulates brain cells far beyond their normal state. This stimulation can actually lead to brain cell death. Another excitotoxin is monosodium glutamate, also known as MSG. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP) frequently has MSG added to it. These two substances, which are also known by many other names, are added to virtually EVERY junk food on earth, including foods purchased at major restaurants. It may very well be that people who eat a lot of junk food, especially if they drink aspartame, are at major risk for depression.

It should be made perfectly clear that many emotional problems are predominantly caused by diet. It may be a food allergy (e.g. to food dye) or a substance added to foods (e.g. aspartame or MSG) or the way foods are processed (e.g. trans-fatty acids), or heavy metals that find their way into the body (e.g. mercury and aluminum from vaccinations) but foods frequently play a far more significant part than most people realize.

It will help immensely to know what causes the problem. And since the problem may be a food problem, such as a food allergy, too much aspartame, lack of a critical nutrient, etc. it is critical to understand everything that might be a cause, especially those things that are beyond situational events.

Another issue that needs to be dealt with is whether to seek professional help or to deal with the problem within the circle of family and friends. This decision can only be made by the family, but the decision is not always an easy one.

The first level is to deal with the problem using family and friends. This level should include an analysis of what foods are eaten and may be contributing to the problem. Many cases which appear to have nothing to do with food are in fact caused mainly by food issues.

However, in cases where self harm and suicidal thoughts are at risk, immediately seek professional help for the short term, and deal with the causes in the long term.

However, there is a trade-off in dealing with professional help. When a person is forcefully put in a mental ward of a hospital there is a permanent stigma that may cause more long-term harm than by dealing with the problem within the family. Each case is different and each case must be dealt with common sense and much contemplation.

Food Issues – The Bad Substances

Aspartame

Food Allergies

Common food allergies include dairy products (e.g. milk and cheese), wheat, food colorings, food additives, etc.

There are two basic ways a person can isolate food allergies. First, go to a medical doctor who specializes in isolating food allergies.

Another option is to abstain from common ingredients, processed foods and focus on whole foods for a period of about three weeks. If this provides relief, there is a pretty good chance food allergies are a contributing factor, if not a major cause. After three weeks foods can be reintroduced into the diet, one food every couple of days, to isolate what might be causing the problem.

Some cases of autism, ADHD, ADD, and many other mental disorders, can also be traced to food allergies, sometimes called brain allergies. And by far the number one cause of these types of allergies are dairy products.

Heavy Metals (plus aluminum)

Trans-Fatty Acids

Trans-fatty acids are a little more complicated. Trans-fatty acids are rigid molecules that attach to cell walls, in place of the pliable cholesterol. If enough trans-fatty acids attach to a cell wall, significant damage can be done because large molecules, such as the insulin molecule and oxygen clusters, cannot get into the cell.

If enough cells become like this the person will likely develop Type II diabetes. It is highly likely that trans-fatty acids, found in margarine, fried foods, peanut butter, etc. are the leading cause of Type II diabetes.

So what does this have to do with depression? Trans-fatty acids interfere with the absorption by the body of EFAs. As will be seen below, omega-3 EFAs are a major help to those with depression or anxiety. In other words, the effect of trans-fatty acids on depression or anxiety is an indirect effect that blocks one of the necessary nutrients needed for good mental health.

Other potential causes:

• Sugar
• Acid / Alkaline balance
• Fungus / Yeast / Mould (microbes) –
• Acne Medication
• LOW cholesterol
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
• Birth Control Pills

Food Issues – The Good Substances (Research is ongoing)

• St. John's Wort
• SAMe
• 5-HTP
• L-Tryptophan (amino acid)
• Organic Germanium
• Vitamin B12
• DHA
• Exercise
• GHB
• Vitamin C and niacin
• Noni Juice
• Rosemary (herb)
• Sunlight
• Certain B vitamins
• Chlorella

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3 can best be obtained through flaxseed oil, fish oil or walnuts. However, there are many other foods that contain omega-3 is less dense quantities. Perhaps the single best source of omega-3 is spirulina. It also contains GLA (omega-6).

Fish oil has also been shown in many studies, to reduce your bad cholesterol levels and reduce plaque buildup in your blood. By reducing your bad cholesterol, you are helping your body to fight off stress and relieve anxiety, tension and even prevent heart disease. Fish and other foods that are high in Omega-3 are excellent ways to help your bloodstream. (1)

Vitamin B3, Niacin

Vitamin B6, Pyridoxine

Vitamin B9, Folic Acid

Vitamin B12, Cobalamin

Folic Acid

Folic Acid (required for energy production) is considered brain food. The brain needs it to work properly. It helps to prevent anxiety and fatigue. Folic acid works best when combined with vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.

Much research has indicated that a deficiency of folic acid may cause depression, insomnia, anorexia, forgetfulness, hyper-irritability, apathy, fatigue, and anxiety. (1)

GABA

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) is an amino acid help reduce anxiety, allows rational decision making, promotes restful sleep and enhances workout recovery. It has also been shown to have similar effects as the benzodiazepine drugs.

You will also feel more relaxed and notice that you are sleeping better.

Selenium

Selenium, an important antioxidant, is a trace mineral found in soil and food. It protects neurotransmitters. Deficiency in selenium has shown to have a negative impact on mood. It also helps to reduce bad cholesterol and keep the heart healthy.

You can get much of your selenium from dietary sources such as Alfalfa, fennel seed, ginseng, butter, garlic, liver, Brazil nuts, shellfish and other fishes. You can find it in sunflower seeds, yarrow, wheat germ, and Brewer's yeast.

L-Tryptophan (an amino acid) and 5-HTP

St. John's wort

St. John's wort is a herb that has been around for centuries for medicinal purposes, including depression.

SAMe

SAMe (S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine)

Some of the Emotional Causes of Depression

The Actions of Others

We live in an imperfect world. It is not always a fun place to be. People who seem to be perfect on the outside, sometimes turn out to be imperfect on the inside. In fact, some people are seriously “hurt” by the actions of others.

These actions may have been intentionally designed to damage the feelings of another person or they may have been totally innocent and either led to unintended hurt feelings or the “guilty” person may not have even known the feelings of anther were hurt.

If it is the actions of others that have caused deep emotional scars, it is necessary to first determine whether the actions or words of others were designed to do damage or had other intentions in mind. This is not because this determination is important, but it is important to help avoid unnecessary mental pain.

Everyone has said things that unintentionally hurt others. It is part of life on earth. One person may say something that means something specific to the person who said it, and what was said may even have been intended to complement or make another person feel good about themselves. On the other hand, the “victim” may interpret the statement in a totally different light. We have all been the unintended “bad guy” and we have all been the innocent victim.

Other things that can happen unintentionally is a person may say something before thinking about the possible damage done by the statement. They may try to “take it back,” but by then it may be too late – the damage is done.

Then there is the rare case where a person really does intend to hurt the feelings of others. Few people intentionally seek to hurt the feelings of others, but it does happen. These people are, by definition, immature.

It is important from a mental standpoint to not harbor grudges and ill feelings towards another person, even when their actions were inexcusable. Even people who are not religious have come to this conclusion.

In fact, many cases of depression are caused DIRECTLY by the person's inability to “forgive” another person who has harmed them or a close relative or friend. Let it go. Say to yourself: “God will be the judge.” Then let it go.

It is a difficult thing to do, but it is absolutely necessary.

Failed Expectations

We all, by nature, want to feel important. It is doubtful that anyone has gone through life without the desire to be appreciated and feel the respect of others. That is not what is different between us.

What is different is our reaction to “failure,” as we suppose. Some people take unexpected results right in stride and barely even notice what has happened.

But others, for whatever reason, have a very different reaction. They become depressed as if they were a “failure” in life. Why people care so much about others think about them is a mystery, but some people are so concerned about what other people think about them that they become depressed when they do not meet their expectations.

Our attitude should be one of: “I will do my best to be accepted by others, but if they do not accept me, I will be fine.”

Polly Perfect

There is the hypothetical and mystical human being called “Polly Perfect.” She has never existed, but somehow people insist on comparing themselves to “her.” Her house is perfect – there is not a piece of dust in her house. She easily masters all of her community assignments. She takes care of her husband with the greatest of ease. Her kids are little angels. She is a pillar of her community. She never has any stress. She never has any problems. And she is pure fiction.

Sometimes we want to be like Polly Perfect. It won’t happen. It can’t happen.

But what is bad is that when some people fail to live up to the mirage, they become depressed and stressed.

Parents

Children frequently are the ones that get depressed or stressed out. Sorry, but parents, sometimes, are a big cause of their problems.

Children may not have a good comprehension of what “priorities” are, but they have an innate ability to feel what their parent's priorities are.

Every child on earth has a perfect understanding of their parent's priorities, even if they don't understand the terminology. It is built into being a child.

First, let’s talk about punishing children. Some parents punish their children far too much. Let me repeat that: far too much.

One thing that really irritates me is parents who have the attitude: “if I said something it must be fulfilled.” God can say that, but not parents. Parents make mistakes about their punishments and should be willing to back-off of their stupid statements.

A family should be designed to provide strong mental support for children growing up. That is one of its main purposes. This strong mental support must be done by the interaction between parents and children as friends, with love, not by a tirade of one punishment after another.

It is doing things with your children, that they like to do, that gives them a clear picture that they are loved.

One thing that needs to be emphasized. A child can see through hypocrisy and guile as easily as they can see through a window. The true values of parents cannot be hidden from children.

Stress

If we were to list all of the things that needed to be done over the next 48 hours, everyone in America would have stress. We live in a world where things go wrong far faster than they go right. Things tend to disarray, not order (this was one of Newton’s laws).

If we work outside the home, we have stress caused by our job. But even if we work inside the home we have stress. If we have children, we are stressed by the children. If we have community responsibilities, we are stressed by them. And so on. The list of things each of us has to do is far too long.

So what can we do?

There are two things we must do. First, tell our spouse and hope he or she understands and is willing to help. Second, cut back on the things that are not necessary for our family.

We cannot cut back on our family responsibilities, but perhaps we can cut back on many of the unnecessary things we do.

But we also must mentally rest each day. Just sit back and listen to good music when a few moments can be cut out of the day.

We may want to cut back on our community responsibilities.

Each case is different, but we must first acknowledge and openly attempt to reduce the stress in our lives.

Psychologists and Psychiatrists

“Psychiatrists” as those who generally use prescription drugs to treat their patients and “psychologists” as those who predominantly use counseling as their treatment.

Social Workers

A good social worker will try to get a person (usually a child) out of a bad situation and put them in a good situation.

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