If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, it’s not your fault. You aren’t awake because you aren’t doing the breathing exercises right or because you didn’t meditate that day.

The most common reason people wake up at night is because there’s something triggering the body release to cortisol which wakes you up. There’s a good chance that it’s your liver!

According to the Chinese meridian clock, the liver is most active between 1 and 3am. This is the time when it’s detoxing alcohol, drugs and other toxins in your body. Processed foods, pesticides, chemicals from cleaning and personal care products and the waste products from pathogens in your gut are all toxins that your liver has to deal with.

Your liver is your body’s filter and protector. It’s the most important organ for your health! Not only does it detoxify, it’s also critical for immunity, energy production and digestion.

Besides sleep problems, there are 7 other signs that your liver is congested or sluggish.

• Poor digestion-The liver makes bile which helps you break down fats and absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. If you have bloating, indigestion or abdominal pain, there’s a good chance that your liver isn’t healthy.
• Hormone imbalances-Your liver is responsible for breaking down and removing hormones from your body. Symptoms like high blood pressure, bloating, weight gain, fatigue, mood issues and sleep problems indicate that there’s an issue with your liver from hormone imbalance.
• Weight gain-When toxins build up in your body, they cause inflammation. Your body releases cortisol because it’s an anti-inflammatory hormone. But excess cortisol makes your body hold onto fat and can cause blood sugar issues.
• Skin problems-Acne, rosacea, rashes, eczema and other skin issues are a sure sign that toxins are building up in your body.
• Fatigue-Your liver helps make energy for your body.
• Chemical sensitivities-If cleaning products, perfumes and other chemicals give you a headache or make you anxious or irritable, you probably have more toxins than your liver can handle.
• Sugar and carb cravings-Hormone and blood sugar imbalances that lead to cravings are common when your liver isn’t working well.

The functional lab tests I run for my clients to get to the bottom of their insomnia also show how the liver is functioning. The GI Map has a marker for liver detoxification. The DUTCH (hormone) test shows how well your liver is breaking down your hormones. The information from the labs tells me what’s going to work best for you to get your liver healthy again.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to a congested liver. My recommendations vary for each of my clients. But in general I recommend a liver support supplement. It could be herbal like Gaia’s Liver Support, amino acid based like BioMatrix Support Liver or glandular like Vital Proteins Beef Liver that’s from grass-fed cows.

There are usually other issues that are causing your liver to be overburdened. Excess hormones, especially estrogen and cortisol, toxins from a pathogen in your gut and food sensitivities can all contribute to an overtaxed liver. That’s why I run 4 different lab tests that show what’s going on in many different parts of your body. Not only your liver but also your gut, your hormones, your digestion, your blood sugar and more.

You have to find everything that’s affecting your sleep to truly overcome your insomnia for good. If you’re interested in a natural, permanent, customized solution using the science of lab testing, let’s chat! I’ll explain more about what physical health imbalances could be causing your insomnia and give you a step-by-step plan to figure out your sleep once and for all. I can’t wait to see you sleeping better!

Schedule your call here!

Here are simple ways to support your liver:

• Drink warm water with lemon first thing in the morning
• Epsom salt baths
• Use castor oil packs in the evening before bed for 30-60 minutes to eliminate toxins.

You can buy organic castor oil and an unbleached wool flannel cloth on Amazon or at

your local health food store. Here are instructions for how to make your own. Or you

can buy a kit from Queen of Thrones.

• Coffee enemas and dry skin brushing.
• Eat liver. Yes, I mean eat liver from cows or chickens or take liver in capsules.
• Eat sulfur increasing foods (onions, garlic, etc.), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.) and leafy greens.
• Sweat as often as you can. Infrared saunas and steam rooms are great.
• Have a bowel movement at least once a day. If you aren’t regular, let me know.
• Exercise but not too strenuous every day. Bouncing on a mini trampoline is a great way to drain lymph which can store toxins.
• Stay hydrated. Drink half your body weight in ounces of filtered water every day.
• Minimize toxins in your water, food and personal care products.