Copper toxicity could be causing your sleep issues. Almost half of my clients have excess copper so this is important to read!
If you...
- have taken birth control, had an IUD or taken hormone replacement therapy
- are (or have been) a vegan or vegetarian
- have ever drank out of copper pipes
- swim in chlorinated water
...you could have too much copper in your body and it’s causing your insomnia.
Copper is a necessary mineral but it can easily become unbound and unstable and cause neurological symptoms. This is because it accumulates in the brain and the liver.
I look for copper toxicity on the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis I run on all of my clients. Sometimes copper is obviously high. But most of the time it looks like a deficiency and the toxicity is hidden. So I look at 11 different markers to find out what’s going on.
Excess copper contributes to mineral imbalances because it:
- depletes potassium
- raises sodium, then depletes it
- increases magnesium burn rate by five times
- pushes calcium into the soft tissue
Copper toxicity can lead to full adrenal burnout. It does this by first raising sodium which gives you energy so you take on more tasks and projects and burn the candle at both ends. That elevated sodium also intensifies your stress response which leads to magnesium and zinc loss and feeling anxious, snappy and irritable.
Here are the many symptoms of copper toxicity:
- fatigue, exhaustion, burnout
- anxiety, irritability
- insomnia
- panic attacks
- ruminating negative thoughts, OCD, racing mind
- anemia
- hypothyroid symptoms (fatigue, cold hands and feet, low body temp)
- acne
- brain fog, difficulty focusing
- depression
- nausea
- low libido
- lowered immunity
- chronic yeast infections, candida
- PMS
- constipation
- headaches
- joint pain
- weight gain
- infertility
- ADD, ADHD
- confusion, disorientation
- bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, paranoia
- anger, violent tendencies, aggression
Because of how copper affects mood and personality, the HTMA expert Rick Malter says “I would venture to say that divorce courts are loaded with people who’s relationships were destroyed by copper toxicity. Because the role of copper toxicity impacting the emotions, thought processes and behaviors is not understood, it leads to a lot of animosity and anger and resentment, and revenge…that ultimately winds up destroying the relationship.”
Copper also contributes to PMS. It doubles in the week before menstruation. Then it raises sodium leading to irritability, anger, feeling emotional, and water retention. It depletes zinc which affects the immune system leading to sickness and fatigue. It depletes magnesium causing more anxiety, insomnia, panic, cramps and achiness. It raises adrenaline leading to more anxiety and lowers dopamine and serotonin resulting in more sadness and depression.
I do not recommend an aggressive detox of copper. That could cause copper dumping which can lead to intense anxiety, panic, exhaustion, insomnia, constipation, irritability, etc.
Instead, I work on supporting my clients’ primary minerals (calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium) so that the body becomes strong enough to start getting rid of copper on its own. In the meantime I recommend a binder to bind to the copper and move it from the body. Down the road, I may also recommend supplements to help with copper detox such as MSM, vitamin C, molybdenum, and chromium.
It’s extremely important to support digestion, regular bowel movements, liver/gallbladder function and bile production so that the body can clear copper.
It’s important to make sure you are sweating, peeing and pooping regularly. Staying hydrated, avoiding constipation and going to a sauna 3 days a week will help.
If you are copper toxic, you want to avoid strenuous exercise that can cause a copper dump. You want to focus on relaxing activities and getting emotional support if you need it.
You also want to avoid high copper foods such as oysters, calamari, shiitake and white button mushrooms, tempeh, sesame seeds, soybeans, cashews, dark chocolate and tahini.
It can take 6 months to 3 years to fully get excess copper out of the body. (Luckily you'll start feeling better long before!)
If you think you’re copper toxic and it’s affecting your sleep, I can help. Book a call with me to find out how I can help you find everything that’s causing your insomnia and correct it naturally so you can sleep better soon.