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Larry Gourdine had trouble sleeping most of his adult life. He’d fall asleep for a few hours, wake up, work, then lie back down for another couple of hours.
Larry didn’t see it as a sleep issue. “I rationalized it as my work ethic. I have a type “A” personality. I was doing what it takes to be successful.”
He never linked his nodding off in the middle of the day, losing track of what he was saying with clients and going off on a tangent, or his forgetfulness, with his lack of sleep. “I was paying the price without realizing it.” Then Larry tested his neurotransmitters’ levels using the self-test created by Neuroscience, Inc.
“The results showed I had abnormal cortisol levels which spiked at night which was the reason why I was not getting sleep. Cortisol should spike in the mornings when you wake up.” His test also showed he was low in gaba, which is the primary neurotransmitter in the brain and is necessary to feel calm and relaxed. His physician prescribed a nutrition supplement regimen that restored his imbalances to normal levels. “Now I get six to seven hours of sleep a night. All symptoms have dissipated. I’m more effective at work and I get more done in a shorter period of time. I feel better and am getting the amount of sleep my body needs.”
The Statistics
Larry’s difficulty in staying asleep six to eight hours a night is a common one. This is the amount of time everyone needs for the body to restore and renew. A 2009 survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (www.sleepfoundation.org) stated that 58 percent of respondents had only a few ‘good nights’ sleep in the past month; 64 percent report experiencing a sleep problem at least a few nights per week, 41 percent report problems nearly every night; 54 percent have driven while drowsy at least once in the past year; 38 percent feel they cannot participate in leisure activities because of sleep loss.
Joe Ailts, director of medical education at Neuroscience, Inc. said most people know if they are not getting enough sleep. People suffering from insomnia often complain of being unable to close their eyes or rest their mind for more than a few minutes at a time. “Sleep issues are often diagnosed as depression, stress, headaches, illnesses, aches and pains or anxiety. Sometimes it is hard for a physician to determine which came first – the lack of sleep or the disorder.”
“That’s what makes our neurotransmitter test so exciting,” said Ailts. “For the first time we can now measure risk factors in the brain that contribute to insomnia just as we can measure biomarkers for almost every system in the body that give us a direct reflection on how an organ functions.”
A simple example of this is the blood test that measures one’s cholesterol level that may indicate a tendency towards heart disease. A blood pressure check can reflect stress levels. “Testing neurotransmitters in one’s saliva and urine either before falling to sleep or when you awaken in the middle of the night, can now tell us specifically what is causing us biochemically not to sleep,” says Ailts.
Why Test Neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers found in the nervous system that the brain uses to tell your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe and your stomach to digest. Neurotransmitters are also necessary for thought processes, emotions and other essential body functions including sleep, energy and fear. In order for a person to remain healthy, the nervous system must function well. It can be disrupted by several factors including stress, poor nutrition, infections, genetics and toxic chemicals. These factors can cause neurotransmitter levels to become either too high or too low which can lead to feelings of sadness, anxiety, fatigue, disrupted sleep, foggy thinking, headaches or behavioral problems.
“We now have the ability to put a face on sleep. We can attribute specific biochemistry factors that are making you feel the way you feel.”
Taking the Test
According to Ailts, Neuroscience, Inc. has performed more than 300,000 tests in almost 10 years. The test, which requires a sample of saliva and urine, is self-administered. Medicare, Tricare and commercial PPO insurances cover the cost. On Capitol Hill, both Dr. Wanda Dyson (202-575-4660) and Dr. Daemon Jones (202-544-2009) have test kits available. To find other licensed health practitioners in the Washington metro area, call the Neuroscience, Inc. offices at: 888-342-7272. The test does not diagnose disease. It is one of several tests a doctor can use to address health concerns.
Based on your individual body chemistry, a health care practitioner will select treatment to address imbalances specifically based on neurotransmitter and hormone results. Treatment can include nutrition supplements, pharmaceuticals and/or lifestyle changes such as increase in exercise, techniques for dealing with stress and nutritional guidance that can help you to sleep well again. |
