| "You cannot always control circumstances, but | | | | then perhaps other disease states could be |
| you can control your own thoughts." | | | | avoided. |
| Discussed in this article: | | | | Now, let's look at the second point that |
| 1) The Sleep-Diabetes Connection. | | | | hyper-insulinemia has no signs. Wouldn't it make |
| 2) Sleep and Depression--A Brief Overview | | | | sense to think that perhaps it has symptoms and |
| 3) How A Hypnotist Can Help. | | | | signs not yet recognized or associated? In my |
| The Sleep-Diabetes Connection | | | | opinion, this condition does have plenty of |
| "Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell | | | | symptoms: Low blood sugar reactions (moodiness, |
| the future; practice these acts. As to diseases, | | | | irritability, sweating, confusion, etc..), weight gain, |
| make a habit of two things-to help, or at least to | | | | elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels. |
| do no harm." (1) | | | | And there are probably a host of other signs and |
| Unfortunately sometimes a solution to one | | | | symptoms that accompany excess insulin levels. |
| problem creates another. This means that, in | | | | The question to ask is Who is looking for them? |
| some cases, to help is to inadvertently invite | | | | The answer? Not too many people. Hence, no |
| harm. Doctors are faced with this dilemma | | | | generally agreed upon signs or symptoms. |
| everyday. | | | | If nothing else, the preceding should challenge |
| For example, if a diabetic patient is depressed | | | | those who can, to seek to eliminate or validate |
| then, anti-depressants may be one solution. The | | | | the idea that hyper-insulinemia is indeed a health |
| challenge is that anti-depressants and many other | | | | crisis of a significant degree and, that it's |
| medications can cause insomnia. (2) | | | | treatment could have untold benefits. |
| This brings us to this article's main point: The | | | | Sleep and Depression--A Brief Overview |
| 'Hidden Condition' that frustrates doctors and hurt | | | | Poor sleep and depression form a very vicious |
| diabetics---Sleep disorders. | | | | circle. |
| Sleep disorders have been linked to exacerbating | | | | It is well noted that poor sleep contributes to |
| or even precipitating diabetes as well as | | | | depression. During a webcast on August 21, 2003, |
| depression. | | | | James C. O'Brien, M.D., FCCP, ABSM stated that: |
| Allow me to explain more fully: It is known that | | | | "During REM-stage sleep is where we learn |
| poor sleep robs people of their health in general. | | | | situations and incorporate situations and deal with |
| But, for diabetics, it can actually cause a | | | | emotions that, unless we deal with it properly, will |
| worsening of their condition. In the 2001 annual | | | | affect us in terms of our daytime functioning on a |
| meeting of the American Diabetes Association, a | | | | mental, emotional level." |
| study was presented that warned that a chronic | | | | The point is that feelings of depression that can |
| lack of sleep may cause far more serious | | | | be caused just by poor sleep, can adversely |
| problems than a tendency to get sleepy behind | | | | affect a person's ability to take proper care of |
| the wheel. | | | | their health. Hence, good sleep is especially |
| The study found that people who do not get | | | | important for diabetics because sadness or |
| enough sleep on a regular basis tend to become | | | | depression induced by poor sleep can have |
| less sensitive to insulin over time. This can raise | | | | deleterious consequences never mind the actual |
| the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and | | | | physical problems noted earlier. |
| diabetes. In fact, according to Bryce A. Mander, | | | | Health care workers should also note that |
| the study co-author, it turns out that chronic | | | | according to the National Sleep Foundation 2002 |
| sleep deprivation--6.5 hours or less of sleep a | | | | Annual Sleep Survey, almost 74% of Americans |
| night--has the same effect on insulin resistance (3) | | | | do not get enough sleep each night. The survey |
| as aging. | | | | also found that those with sleep problems are |
| Furthermore, according to the study director, Dr. | | | | twice as likely to feel stressed and tired. |
| Eve Van Cauter of the University of Chicago, | | | | The preceding facts are pointed out to alert |
| healthy adults who averaged 316 minutes of sleep | | | | those who treat diabetics that: |
| a night--about 5.2 hours--over 8 consecutive | | | | (a) There is a very good chance that their |
| nights secreted 50% more insulin (4) than their | | | | diabetic patients are suffering from a sleep |
| more rested counterparts who averaged 477 | | | | disorder and |
| minutes of sleep a night, or about 8 hours. As a | | | | (b) A sleep disorder can frustrate their attempts |
| result, "short sleepers" were 40% less sensitive | | | | to treat their patients for diabetes. |
| to insulin. | | | | Something else that may interest those who |
| What is fascinating is that the poor sleep/excess | | | | treat diabetics is that sleep apnea treatment can |
| insulin (hyper-insulinemia) connection has not | | | | lower glucose levels in diabetics. (5) |
| received the attention it deserves. Even the Mayo | | | | How A Hypnotist Can Help |
| Clinic is apparently unaware of this connection. | | | | All the preceding information and discussion takes |
| Please review the following definition of | | | | us to our next point. Now that it is recognized |
| hyper-insulinemia given by the Mayo Foundation | | | | that good sleep is utterly essential as an adjunct |
| for Medical Education and Research (MFMER): | | | | treatment for diabetes and pre-diabetes, doesn't |
| "The term hyper-insulinemia means abnormally | | | | it make sense that a non-medicated approach to |
| high levels of insulin in your blood. It's not a | | | | good sleep for these conditions would be |
| disease. | | | | reasonable as an important, first effort |
| Instead, it may indicate an underlying problem | | | | treatment? |
| that's causing your pancreas to make and release | | | | I state 'first effort' because the dictum, "First do |
| too much insulin. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar. | | | | no harm" would seem to indicate that drug |
| Causes of hyperinsulinemia include: | | | | therapy should be a second treatment approach |
| Insulin resistance. This occurs when | | | | because some drug medications can sometimes |
| your body doesn't use insulin properly. Risk | | | | cause other problems. |
| factors include a family history of insulin | | | | So what is a safer, first approach treatment for |
| resistance, lack of activity, obesity and polycystic | | | | good sleep? Hypnosis. |
| ovary syndrome. | | | | William S. Kroger, M.D., states in his book Clinical |
| A tumor of the pancreas (insulinoma), | | | | and Experimental Hypnosis that "Hypnosis effects |
| which secretes excess insulin. | | | | improvement in acute cases of insomnia. Often a |
| Hyper-insulinemia doesn't cause signs or | | | | single session is effective in restoring the sleep |
| symptoms. But if it leads to abnormally low blood | | | | cycle, particularly if auto-hypnosis has been taught |
| sugar (hypoglycemia), signs and symptoms may | | | | on the initial visit." |
| include sweating, weakness, slurred speech, | | | | Karen Olness, M.D. and Daniel P. Kohen, M.D. in |
| confusion and seizures. | | | | their book Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy With |
| Hyper-insulinemia is often associated with type 2 | | | | Children, note the following: |
| diabetes" By Mayo Clinic staff ---December 10, | | | | "Hurwitz, Mahowald, Schenck, Schulter, and Bundlie |
| 2003" ( | | | | (1991) described the successful use of hypnosis in |
| Here is the challenge with the preceding | | | | 27 adult patients with sleep terror disorders. |
| information: It seems that it may not be fully | | | | Seventy-four percent reported much or very |
| accurate. This idea is put forth because the | | | | much improvement with the use and practice of |
| preceding Mayo definition states that: | | | | self-hypnosis." |
| (a) Hyper-insulinemia is not a disease and that | | | | Bear in mind that if you go to see a hypnotist for |
| (b) Hyper-insulinemia has no signs. | | | | a diagnosed sleep disorder (or any other |
| Addressing the first point that hyper-insulinemia is | | | | diagnosed medical condition) the hypnotist must |
| not a disease: | | | | have your doctor's consent before treating you. |
| Hyper-insulinemia is a now well recognized to be a | | | | In this referral, it must be clear that you have |
| predictor of diabetes. Also important to note is | | | | been cleared of any disorder that a hypnotist |
| that excess insulin can cause or significantly | | | | cannot or should not treat that may be causing |
| contribute to the onset of heart disease and | | | | your sleep problems. |
| premature aging as well as diabetes. | | | | As a final note: A hypnotist truly can make an |
| Also bear in mind that insulin is a storage hormone | | | | enormous difference in a person's quality of life |
| produced by the body to lower blood sugar by | | | | and health simply by helping them to sleep better. |
| sending it into the cells. Over time, excess blood | | | | If you have not been sleeping well and, it seems |
| sugar and insulin stresses the system and the | | | | to be worsening other conditions than, at the |
| cells become less responsive. This condition is | | | | very least try a hypnosis for better sleep CD. |
| known as insulin resistance. | | | | The are hundreds available on the internet. |
| Also note that in his best-selling book Protein | | | | Warm Regards, |
| Power, Dr. Michael Eades wrote: | | | | C. Devin Hastings |
| "When insulin levels become too high... metabolic | | | | "Speak well to yourself because your deep mind |
| havoc ensues with elevated blood pressure, | | | | is always listening." |
| elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, diabetes, | | | | REFERENCES: |
| and obesity all trailing in its wake. These disorders | | | | (1) Hippocrates in his Epidemics, Bk. I, Sect. XI. |
| are merely symptoms of a single more basic | | | | (2) National Sleep Foundation Sleeptionary TM |
| disturbance in metabolism, excess insulin and insulin | | | | About Insomnia. |
| resistance." | | | | URL: |
| It is also understood that excess insulin promotes | | | | (3) Insulin resistance is a major factor in most |
| smooth-muscle growth in blood vessel walls, which | | | | cases of diabetes. Insulin resistance is a condition |
| contributes to the formation of plaques. Artery | | | | in which the body cannot properly utilize normal |
| walls become thickened and stiff, causing blood | | | | amounts of insulin. |
| pressure to rise. | | | | (4) The more insulin a person's pancreas has to |
| So, to classify hyper-insulinemia as a non-disease | | | | produce, the more likely it is that eventually the |
| seems a bit short sighted when, if it was treated | | | | beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas, will |
| with more concern and urgency as a disease, | | | | break down. |