Sleeping Deprivation
Insomnia isn’t just a willpower issue. Nervous‑system overdrive and poor light hygiene keep the brain on high alert at night.
Questions to answer
When did your sleep problems start? Was there a clear trigger (stress, new job, shift work, illness, medication, life event)?
What specifically are you experiencing: difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, early morning wakening, nonrestorative sleep, or excessive daytime sleepiness?
How many hours do you typically sleep on weeknights and weekends? How long does it take you to fall asleep on average?
Rate your sleep quality and daytime alertness on a 0–10 scale over the last 7 days.
Describe your bedtime routine and sleep environment (lights/screens, noise, temperature, bed comfort).
Do you use caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or stimulants? Timing and typical amounts?
Do you nap? If so, duration and timing.
Do you work night shifts or rotating shifts, or have recent timezone travel?
Any symptoms of sleep apnea or restless legs: loud snoring, witnessed pauses, gasping, choking, excessive daytime sleepiness, leg twitching or irresistible urge to move legs?
Any mood symptoms (anxiety, depression), cognitive changes (memory, concentration), or daytime performance problems?
Current medications and supplements (prescription sleep meds, stimulants, antidepressants, beta‑blockers, melatonin — include doses).
Any medical conditions affecting sleep (pain, GERD, hormonal issues, thyroid disease, asthma, neurological disorders)?
Have you used sleep hygiene measures, CBT‑I, melatonin, or other therapies? What helped or didn’t?
How willing/able are you to follow a 2–8 week plan involving sleep scheduling, light/behavioral changes, and adjunct patch use?
Any red flags: loud choking/gasping, unexplained daytime lapses (microsleeps), sudden severe daytime sleepiness, or signs of stroke/heart problems? (If yes, seek urgent medical evaluation.)
Talk to me and bring these answers to our chat — they help Lorenzo tailor a safe, practical sleep plan.
How sleep deprivation affects the body and how light/signaling can help?
Sleep is a regulated neurophysiological state essential for neural restoration, metabolic regulation, immune function, and hormonal balance. Core mechanisms:
Homeostatic and circadian drives: Sleep is driven by sleep pressure (adenosine accumulation) and circadian rhythms coordinated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) via light cues. Disruption to either system impairs sleep onset and consolidation.
Neural restoration and clearance: Slow‑wave sleep supports synaptic homeostasis and glymphatic clearance of metabolic waste; deprivation impairs cognitive function, memory consolidation, and mood.
Metabolic and hormonal effects: Sleep loss increases sympathetic tone, elevates cortisol, impairs insulin sensitivity, raises ghrelin (hunger) and lowers leptin (satiety), promoting weight gain and metabolic dysregulation.
Immune and inflammatory consequences: Chronic sleep deprivation increases inflammatory cytokines (IL‑6, CRP) and reduces vaccine responsiveness and pathogen resilience.
Light, photic signaling, and sleep regulation: Exposure to appropriately timed light (blue/white for daytime alerting; reduced blue and increased dim/red wavelength in evening) entrains circadian rhythms via retinal melanopsin pathways to the SCN.
Photobiomodulation and some light‑signal patch approaches may:
Help shift circadian phase when used strategically (morning bright light to advance wakefulness; evening reduction of blue light to allow melatonin rise).
Reduce sympathetic overactivity and improve perceived relaxation via autonomic modulation, aiding sleep onset.
Support cellular energetics and recovery indirectly by improving daytime energy and reducing inflammatory signaling, which can normalize sleep architecture over time.
Mila J.
Powering down got easier and mornings stopped feeling brutal.
Noah P.
Sleep quality ticked up and my brain fog eased.
