Can Sugar Keep You Awake? The Connection Between Sugar and Sleep By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Can sugar keep you awake? Many people are surprised to learn that the answer is yes. While stress and anxiety are common causes of insomnia, sugar can also affect sleep quality, energy levels,
How Hypervigilance Causes Sleep Problems and Insomnia By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Hypervigilance can cause sleep problems and insomnia because the nervous system stays on alert when it should be resting. A person may be physically safe in bed, but the brain and body may still be scanning for
Can PTSD Cause Insomnia? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Yes, PTSD can cause insomnia. Post-traumatic stress disorder can keep the nervous system on alert long after the danger has passed. A person may be physically safe in bed, but the brain and body may still be scanning for threat.
Sleep Deprivation: Why One Bad Night Isn’t a Crisis By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Sleep deprivation can affect mood, concentration, energy, and overall health. However, many people with insomnia overestimate how little sleep they actually get and underestimate their ability to function after a poor night’s sleep. While chronic
Why Trauma Survivors Often Struggle With Sleep and Insomnia By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Trauma survivors often struggle with sleep because the nervous system may stay alert long after the danger has passed. Bedtime can feel unsafe when the brain connects stillness, darkness, or loss of control with threat.
Why Does Alcohol Make Me Sleepy? The Truth About Alcohol and Sleep By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Some of you might be wondering, “Why does alcohol make me sleepy?” Alcohol makes you sleepy because it acts as a sedative and slows activity in the brain and nervous system. While
Can CBT-I Help You Sleep Without Medication? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Yes, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, or CBT-I, can help many people sleep with less reliance on medication. CBT-I teaches the brain and body how to return to natural sleep by changing the thoughts, behaviors, habits, and
What Causes Chronic Insomnia? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Chronic insomnia is usually caused by more than one issue. Anxiety, trauma, PTSD, chronic pain, depression, grief, stress, medication dependence, alcohol use, medical symptoms, and learned patterns of nighttime alertness can all keep the brain and body awake. In many
How Changing Your Behaviors Changes Your Sleep By Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. You might be wondering, is it true that changing your behavior can affect your sleep? And the answer is “yes,” this result can be achieved by applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT includes changing thoughts and behaviors around
Can Therapy Help You Sleep Without Medication? By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. Yes, therapy can help many people sleep without relying solely on medication, especially when insomnia is being driven by anxiety, trauma, stress, pain, rumination, sleep fear, or learned patterns of nighttime alertness. Medication may provide short-term relief,
A decade ago, in 2010, the Drug Enforcement Agency spearheaded a nationwide initiative to take back unused prescription medications. This move aimed to heighten public awareness about the potentially lethal implications of prescription drug misuse. Despite these efforts, the prevalence of misuse and its consequences remain concerning.
Types of Sleep Disorders: The Four Main Categories Explained By Dr. Charles R. Freeman, Ph.D. The types of sleep disorders include insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness disorders, circadian rhythm disorders, and sleep-related movement and behavior disorders. Understanding the different types of sleep disorders can help people recognize symptoms, identify potential causes
