NARCOLEPSY AND SLEEP APNEA

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

© May 2021, LD Wilson Consultants, Inc.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Sleep disorders are now epidemic and an important cause of accidents, health problems, loss of productivity, learning problems in some cases of children, and even some obesity.

The importance of adequate rest is often underestimated. Fatigue and exhaustion set the stage for every imaginable illness, both physical and emotional.

Nutritional and biochemical imbalances usually are the cause for most sleep disorders. The development programs we set up may be very helpful to overcome them.

NARCOLEPSY

Definition. Narcolepsy is defined as an uncontrollable desire to sleep or sudden attacks of sleep. Although medical science can rarely find a cause for narcolepsy, hair mineral analysis may yield valuable insights.

CAUSES

One cause of narcolepsy is simply fatigue. This, in turn, may be due to a variety of situations ranging from a lack of adequate rest and sleep to the presence of infections, parasites, glandular imbalances, toxic metals, nutrient deficiencies or other conditions.

Narcolepsy and Slow Oxidation. A properly performed hair mineral analysis may reveal an extremely slow oxidation rate. This is indicated by elevated hair levels of calcium and magnesium and low levels of sodium and potassium.

Extremely slow oxidation can be due to a lack of sleep, emotional withdrawal or to impaired thyroid and/or adrenal glandular activity. Toxic metals and nutrient deficiencies can also contribute to a slow oxidation rate, as can other stress or lifestyle factors. The development program helps correct a sluggish oxidation rate.

A Low Sodium/Potassium Ratio and Narcolepsy. Another mineral pattern seen with narcolepsy, that may occur with or without a slow oxidation rate, is a sodium/potassium ratio less than about 2. This is another adrenal fatigue indicator that also often indicates some degree of glucose intolerance and possibly the presence of chronic infections.

A low sodium/potassium ratio may also indicate negative emotions including frustration, resentment and hostility. These can use up tremendous energy.

Toxic Metals and Narcolepsy. Toxic metals such as cadmium, copper, mercury or nickel can severely impair energy production in the body leading to fatigue. They can also interfere with sleep.

All the toxic metals present in the body will not show up on the first few hair mineral analyses. Many toxic metals are buried deeply within the brain or other organs.

Removing them often requires several years or more of following the development program. They will only be revealed in the hair as they are released from tissue storage sites and are excreted through the hair and the skin.

We use over 20 methods to remove toxic metals. NOTE: We do not recommend chelation therapy, which is dangerous. For details, read Chelation Therapy.

Development and “fatigue attacks”. An unusual cause of symptoms similar to narcolepsy is rapid development. I call this fatigue attacks. One suddenly feels very sleepy and needs to lie down. Usually, in 15 to 30 minutes, one can get up and one feels much better.

This can occur during the development program because the body is calling for immediate rest to heal something or it is due to the process of development.

If the cause is development, the symptom is like requiring a restart of a computer. There is a need to shut down the regular operation of the brain for a few minutes to usually not more than half an hour.

During that time, special souls may take up certain positions in the body and make needed changes in the body. They may need to ‘take over the controls’ from other souls and this may require a period of sleep.

This is not a disease, but the symptoms are the same as those of narcolepsy. We have no simple solution to these symptoms except to adjust your lifestyle to avoid driving, for example, when you think an episode may occur.

Other Causes. Narcolepsy may be due to food sensitivities, in which case a person may feel extreme fatigue after a particular meal. Changing the diet or testing for food sensitivities may be very helpful in these cases.

Hypoglycemia or elevated blood sugar can cause extreme fatigue in some people. This may be revealed on a hair mineral analysis by an imbalanced calcium/magnesium ratio or by a low sodium/potassium ratio.

Low chromium may also be associated with blood sugar imbalances. Infections in the brain by parasitic organisms including the spirochete of Lyme disease, trichinosis and others can cause sudden and extreme fatigue. These conditions are far more common than one may imagine. It is the reason we do not recommend eating pork, ham or other pig products, even if well-cooked.

The use of stimulants can have a rebound effect causing extreme fatigue when they wear off. Caffeinated beverages, cocaine, ecstacy and other recreational, over-the-counter and prescription drugs can cause temporary stimulation followed by periods of extreme fatigue and desire to sleep.

Any factor that interferes with sleep could cause symptoms of narcolepsy. This includes sleep apnea, copper toxicity and other causes of insomnia.

Finally, I have observed that certain retracing or healing reactions can cause temporary symptoms of narcolepsy. These symptoms pass when the toxins are released from the body.

SLEEP APNEA

Sleep apnea has received more attention lately as doctors the public are beginning to recognize it more. It is characterized by a pause in breathing during sleep of at least 10 seconds. Often there is loud snoring punctuated by periods of silence as breathing stops. It is most common in older, obese men.

Common causes are side effects of many medical or over-the-counter drugs, and allergies, especially allergies to wheat, dairy and gluten. Another common cause is being overweight. If a person corrects all these causes, the problem often goes away on its own.

If it does not, then one may need a ‘sleep study’ at a center set up for this purpose, though often a spouse will recognize that the partner stops breathing at times. Symptoms that often accompany sleep apnea are fatigue during the day, narcolepsy, morning headaches and, if the condition is severe and persistent, high blood pressure.

The most common medical treatment is a C-PAP (continuous positive air pressure) device that one wears at night. It is a mask or tubes hooked to an air pump that keeps the air passages open. Other devices are also sold to accomplish the same end.

Nutritional balancing programs are very good for this condition. One should also experiment with elimination of all wheat, and all gluten and all regular dairy products except perhaps butter for at least a month.

Nutritional balancing helps a person lose weight and helps one reduce chronic nasal and sinus problems that might also contribute to sleep apnea. Nutritional balancing programs may also be helpful to reduce many food sensitivities that lead to nasal congestion, helping a person lose weight, and improving overall health and wellness.

Sleep apnea may have a neurological cause. This is less common and due to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system that controls breathing. Any nutritional causes of autonomic dysfunction such as nutrient deficiencies and the presence of toxic metals may be involved in neurologically-caused sleep apnea. Once again, a complete nutritional balancing program based on hair mineral analysis is our best suggestion, as toxic substances and deficiencies may be hidden and may take several months to several years to be resolved.

OTHER CAUSES FOR INSOMNIA

Nutritional imbalances such as copper toxicity, biounavailable calcium and magnesium, mercury toxicity or fast oxidation can all contribute to insomnia. At times hypoglycemia can cause difficulty falling asleep or waking up at night. As body chemistry improves on a nutritional balancing program, sleep usually improves.

Going to bed too late is an important and overlooked cause of insomnia. What occurs is that as one becomes more tired, often around eight to nine o’clock the sympathetic nervous system becomes more active in order to keep a person awake. When one finally goes to bed at 10 or 11 PM, one cannot fall asleep easily, or cannot stay asleep because the sympathetic system is activated.

To avoid this problem, go to bed early, by 9 PM at the latest. Also, make an effort to slow down before bedtime. Do not sit at a computer before bed, avoid stimulating conversation and avoid strenuous activities in the evening. Eat dinner early, by 6 or 7 PM at the latest. These will also help assure that the sympathetic nervous system does not become active before bed.

REMEDIES FOR INSOMNIA

Some cases of insomnia respond well to extra Paramin (calcium/magnesium) taken at dinner or 1/2 hour before bed. This helps reduce sympathetic nervous system activity. Other supplements that may be helpful include 5-HTP, valerian, GABA, L-threonine, passionflower, a strong cup of chamomile tea, and similar calming nutrients and herbs. These are much safer than taking prescription or over-the-counter drugs to induce sleep and should be tried first.

Listening to boring talk on a radio or tape, making sure your bed is comfortable and the room is dark, rubbing the feet (foot reflexology), a hot bath perhaps with Epsom salts, and once again going to bed very early may also be very helpful. Taking a sauna before bed is also excellent. Leaving the day’s challenges behind you is also most helpful. As body chemistry improves due to a nutritional balancing program, sleep generally improves as well. For more information about insomnia, read the article on this website entitled Insomnia.

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