I talk to so many people doing everything they can to sleep better. They exercise everyday. They eat “healthy.” They do all the best sleep hygiene practices and take all the right supplements but nothing helps. It’s frustrating! I get it. That was me once too.

For 2 years I did ALL THE THINGS, and kept reading the same tips over and over. As my new client said, “it’s insulting!” to keep reading all the tips that you’ve been trying while none of them work.

But there is always a way to get better.

The same people who are “doing everything” are often making the same common mistakes.

Here are the 7 common mistakes I see from people who are “doing everything right.”

1.Eating inflammatory foods.

Eating “healthy” can still mean we are eating inflammatory foods. Even armed with plenty of nutrition knowledge, we can unknowingly be eating foods that cause inflammation. Processed foods, even the “healthy” versions are a prime example. They contain many of the refined oils that are problematic: canola, safflower, and sunflower oil to name a few.

“Organic” doesn’t automatically mean it’s better.

Refined sugar, gluten, and dairy are also inflammatory foods many people are still eating as a part of the “healthy” diets. If you are eating these foods, it’s likely they are causing inflammation. I don't believe everyone has gluten sensitivity, but evidence shows that gluten increases inflammation as zonulin is released after we eat gluten. For many people this isn’t a problem, but if you’re having problems with sleep, it’s likely you may be sensitive to gluten.

Digestive issues aren’t the only way to know if you have gluten sensitivity. I run a GI map for my clients which helps us see if you have an immune response to gluten.

The number one recommendation I make to people having trouble sleeping is to go on an anti inflammatory diet.

2. Drinking alcohol

Alcohol can help us fall asleep faster if we are struggling, but research shows ultimately alcohol negatively impacts our sleep.

Dinking alcohol stresses our liver, and for many supporting the liver can be crucial to getting better sleep,.

If you aren’t sleeping, try taking a break from alcohol.

This doesn’t mean you won’t ever drink again, but if you are struggling, dropping alcohol will be an important step towards sleeping better.

3. Thinking your doctor can help you sleep

Yes, we should be working with our doctors to get to the bottom of our health issues, but often your doctor’s sleep health knowledge is limited. They may conclude that all your blood work, etc. is “normal,” but normal doesn’t mean healthy or optimal.

They will probably recommend the same sleep hygiene tips, recommend a therapist, offer a sleeping pill prescription, or recommend CBTI.

That’s really all they know how to do.

Our medical system isn’t equipped to help build health.

4. Doing a sleep study

Sleep studies look for sleep apnea. They are in the business of selling CPAP machines. Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing during the night and your brain wakes you up to breath again. Insomnia is when you can’t get to sleep or struggle staying asleep due to something other than a breathing issue. A sleep study might tell you that you were awake during the night but it cannot tell you why.

5. Looking for the magic pill that’s going to help

There is no magic pill.

If there was this would be such a huge issue

Because insomnia is caused by so many different things, and each person is different. So no one pill can fix all those problems for all the people.

You might get lucky and find something that does help you: great! But for most people with real sleep issues, one pill just isn’t going to fix it,

6. Guessing at supplements

Melatonin. Magnesium. Etc. you’re just throwing spaghetti at a wall.

But to balance our bodies we need to do more than just add a supplement to fix it.

For example, if your body needs melatonin it’s a sign of poor gut health, as most of our melatonin is produced in the gut. Testing is a more useful way to find the imbalances which might be at the root of your insomnia than just guessing about what is lacking in your body.

7. Looking for the “one thing”

Often people who struggle to sleep are asking, “What’s the one issue that’s causing this for me? Is it gut health? hormones?” But it is most likely many different interconnected factors.

Many specialists fall into this trap as well, thinking that the one thing they specialize is causing your insomnia, so they miss something else that’s connected. So you fix their special issue, but still don’t get better.

Gut health effects liver function, cortisol is released to deal with toxins so your sex hormones become depleted, or liver function issues can cause estrogen dominance.

 It’s impossible to fix one part without addressing other issues.

You want to be looking for everything all at once.

The Complete Sleep Solution offers a comprehensive approach to addressing sleep issues.

Rather than focusing on just one aspect of health, such as gut health or hormone balance, we take into account all the different factors that can contribute to poor sleep. This approach allows for a more personalized treatment plan that takes into account the unique needs of each individual for optimal results. Schedule your consultation to get to the bottom of your insomnia today.

If you think you’ve tried everything and nothing has helped but you haven’t tried the Complete Sleep Solution program, you haven’t tried everything!