Why Sleep Matters ~ Q & A With Ameer Rosic

Sleeping well is one of the most important things you can do for your health. So this week, we’re continuing our conversation about sleep. In case you missed my last post, I wrote about the amazing Sleep Solution System and how it helped me find my good night’s sleep again.

The Sleep Solution is the holistic answer to your sleep troubles. An online program of printed materials and videos, the Sleep Solution is a multi-pronged approach to a good night’s sleep. You’ll learn about the importance of a good diet, the negative effects your cell phone and computer can have on your sleep, how artificial light can devastate your sleep cycle, and which natural supplements are safe and effective for lulling you into REM sleep.

I was so impressed with the progress I made, that I’ve asked Ameer Rosic, the brilliant mind behind the Sleep Solution, to join us for a Q & A about sleep.

KK:  You know how much I love your Sleep Solution System! Tell us about your background and why you developed the Sleep Solution.

AR:  I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Functional Diagnostic Practitioner, and Functional Medicine Practitioner. My journey as a health lifestyle advocate stems from my own past and the health issues that I had to overcome.

I developed the Sleep Solution System because I saw friends and family members fall apart because of a lack of sleep. I spent the last two years researching the most scientific approaches to enhancing sleep, energy, and vitality. The Sleep Solution, is a step-by-step approach that benefits your sleep, energy, metabolism, and so much more. It is the total system to transform your health.

KK:  What are the side effects of sleep deprivation?

AR:  There are many, but here’s a quick list:

• Unhealthy hormone levels
• No energy
• Weight gain
• Chronic fatigue
• Brain fog
• Confusion
• Insomnia
• ADD
• PMS
• Cancer
• Migraines

KK:  In the Sleep Solution you talk a lot about the circadian rhythm. Can you tell us what it is and how it affects our sleep?

AR:  Circadian rhythm is your internal clock that adjusts to the light and dark cycles of the sun. We sleep when it’s dark. We’re awake when it’s light. Every cell in your body has a photonic receptor that senses the energy and photons from the sun. This system controls your sleep cycle and the release of hormones in your body.

Things that disrupt your circadian rhythm include: staying up past 10 p.m. and using your computer, phone, iPad, or T.V. after a certain time in the evening. When you do these things, your body receives artificial light signals from your electronic device and mistakenly believes that it’s daytime. This causes your hormones to fall apart and your sleep to be disrupted.

{Photo courtesy of www.chriskresser.com}

KK:  Interesting, so the artificial light from electronic devices can disrupt our sleep cycle. In your Sleep Solution, you also talk about the electromagnetic frequency (EMF) of those devices. We’re a modern society with a tech addiction. Have you found that our tech luxuries are actually harming our sleep cycles?

AR:  Excellent question! Yes, our so called utopia of modern day technology is one of the many reasons why our health and sleep are on the decline. I, like many of your readers, appreciate technology, but I also understand as a researcher what technology is actually doing to us, especially when it comes to EMF.

Studies have shown that EMF can cause a huge disruption in your sleep pattern, and can actually cause what’s called a leaky blood brain barrier to occur. This means that EMF actually destroys your body’s protective membranes. EMF has been shown to negatively interfere with your natural alpha brain waves.

We are in a sticky situation with all of the technology we surround ourselves with, but there is also a way out. I explain all of this in great detail in the Sleep Solution System about how you can avoid and stop the negative effects of EMF towards your health and wellbeing.

KK:  How important is a good diet to getting a good night’s sleep? What should we avoid?

AR:  Diet is the number one over looked aspect of a healthy sleep cycle. In fact, in my eyes it is the most important aspect of a healthy sleep pattern. Remember when you eat foods, they contain amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that are essential to help you heal and grow. They also control your hormones. We must be careful though because there are certain foods that destroy this beautiful relationship.

For instance, wheat, and the gluten it contains, has been shown to negatively affect health and sleep in ways you could never imagine. In the Sleep Solution, I explain which foods to avoid and which foods to eat in order to enhance your sleep and health.

KK:  You offer a list of natural supplements that help regulate sleep cycles. What is your theory on supplements and sleep aids?

AR:  This question should be asked more often. I consider all supplements, even natural supplements to be used only as a tool to optimize your sleep pattern, and I want to emphasize, ONLY.

Too many people rely on supplements, both natural and prescription (such as Ambian) to help them sleep. The natural supplements that I recommend are there to only be used as an aid temporally until you get your natural sleep cycle back on track.

I have spent a long time researching what are the safest and most effective natural supplements. I am not a big believer in supplements and pills, but they do serve a purpose at the right time. Always ask yourself the question – why do I have to take this supplement? Is it because I am deficient in something? If so, I should find out the root cause of the deficiency instead of continuing to take this supplement.

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Many thanks to Ameer Rosic for the insightful advice. You can learn more about the Sleep Solution System here. You can also learn more about Ameer on his website. Be sure to join his Optimal Tribe and get weekly email updates. He is a wealth of knowledge. You won’t want to miss a thing.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our two week series on sleep. Staying healthy can sometimes feel like a moving target. Eat this. Don’t do that. Sleep like this. Avoid that. But really, it’s about balance, educating yourself, and being open to new ideas. As Ameer often says, “Remember my friends, health is not black nor white, but many colors of the rainbow.”

Here’s to sleeping well and living a healthy, colorful life.