Sleep
We are currently living in an epidemic of sleeplessness. It is estimated that one in four Americans develop insomnia each year. About 30% of American adults experience symptoms of insomnia.
Lost productivity due to insomnia costs the US economy about $63 billion dollars a year.
Insomnia is linked with mental health, and 83% of those who suffer from depression also experience symptoms of insomnia.
The Two Modes of the Nervous System
Our autonomic nervous system operates in two primary modes: “fight or flight” and “rest and digest.”
The fight or flight response is activated by real or perceived threats and prepares the body for action. In contrast, the rest and digest mode promotes calm, recovery, and repair.
When Stress Becomes Chronic
In an ideal world, the fight or flight state is temporary. Once the threat passes, we return to a relaxed, balanced state.
But in modern life, many people remain stuck in a state of chronic hyperarousal—constantly activated by stress, caffeine, anxiety, trauma, or overexertion. This keeps the nervous system on high alert, making it difficult to access true rest.
Why the Body Won’t Let You Sleep
When the nervous system perceives danger—even if the threat is emotional or internal—it keeps the body in a light, easily disturbed sleep.
Imagine trying to sleep while a tiger prowls outside your camp: your body won't let you enter deep, restorative rest. This is how chronic stress can sabotage your sleep—by keeping you in a protective state of alertness.
The Limits of Sleep Medications
Sleep aids can offer temporary relief during acute periods of stress or exhaustion. But they don't address the root cause of disrupted sleep: an overactive nervous system.
Most sleep medications are sedatives, and sedation is not the same as natural sleep. While they may help you fall unconscious, they do not support the brain’s natural sleep architecture or healing processes. Over time, they can lose effectiveness and often come with unwanted side effects.
Training Wheels, Not a Long-Term Fix
Think of sleeping pills like training wheels. They can help you get through a difficult patch—but the goal is to learn to sleep naturally again.
The sooner you begin retraining your nervous system, the sooner you can reclaim the kind of sleep that restores, repairs, and replenishes your mind and body.
Rewiring the Nervous System for Rest
Many sleep difficulties stem from the nervous system misinterpreting stress as a threat to safety.
Through practices like mindfulness, somatic meditation, breathwork, and Yoga Nidra, we can help the nervous system update its programming—signaling that it’s safe to rest.
When the body receives this message, it can finally shift from protection into true restoration, allowing deep, nourishing sleep to unfold.
Collaborative Provider with
Healing and health often requires a team approach, thats why we are so honored to work with The Breathe Institute, a multi-disciplinary team leading the field of integrative sleep medicine.
We work side by side to make sure all the functional, structural and behavioral issues are addressed, with a world-class team of surgeons, dentists, myofunctional therapists, cranial sacrial therapists, functional nutritionists and sleep hygeine experts.