Newsletter 20
Good morning
Well finally we are heading towards sunnier days and lighter evenings, this also means that we will be “springing forward” as the clocks change, which can negatively impact a person’s sleep.
Sleep is impacted by the clocks changing. A study found that on the Monday following the daylight saving time change, people slept on average 40 minute less.
Getting more sleep is a top goal for consumers in 2021, with 87% agreeing that sleep is an important contributor to their physical well-being, and 86% agreeing the same for their mental well-being. COVID-19 has resulted in two-thirds of Britons experiencing a deterioration in sleep quality since the first lockdown.
56% of UK adults are unsatisfied with the amount of sleep they get which creates interest in
sleep supports and according to Euromonitor in 2019, the global retail value of sleep aids reached around $3 billion.
An often underrecognized driver of sleep challenges is EMF and in today’s world, we’re constantly surrounded by Electromagnetic Field Pollution (EMF), stemming from our mobile phones, antennas, Bluetooth radiation… it’s everywhere. The EMF pollution is more abundant than ever before, and what this does is alter our body’s natural charge, changing it from a neutral to a positive state. Our body’s positive charge then directly impacts our sleep, increases stress, messes with our DNA, and depletes us of our energy.
Sleep and why you need to be aware of EMF’s
When you sleep, it gives your body a chance to catch up on your daily maintenance and repair. Consistently getting a good night’s sleep supports your immune system, helps you stay at a healthier weight, lowers your risk for health conditions like weight gain, poor blood sugar control, brain fog, and reduces stress allowing you to have better moods.
Sleep pretty much affects every system in the body, and consistently getting poor sleep is a major contributing factor for serious health issues.
Unsurprisingly, with the increase in sleep disturbances, we are also experiencing an increase in the prevalence of EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies).
EMFs (electromagnetic fields) can disrupt your body’s natural rhythms by impacting your body on an energetic and electrical level. The body has its own electrical currents and energetic fields that are the basis for pretty much every function it carries out.
From an energetic perspective, there is a field of energy around your body called your biofield. Knowledge of the body’s biofield field dates back to ancient systems of medicine like Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. EMF frequencies can impact your body’s natural energetic fields such as your brain waves.
From an electrical perspective, every cell in your body requires the use of electrical potentials to allow signalling and transmissions to take place. Through something called voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) your cells communicate with each other to carry out functions related to your heart, brain, muscles, and more. These subtle currents of electricity are the basis for much of the activity that happens in your body on a cellular level.
The impact of EMF on the body can be diverse and range from mild to severe. When these non-native frequencies disrupt your own field of energy and electrical potentials, your body has difficulty communicating, and therefore impact the functioning of systems in your body negatively.
With the rising prevalence of sleep disturbance it has to be noted that there has been a marked increase in EMF technology streaming through our homes and workplaces.
Here are some of the ways in which EMFs may be directly impacting your sleep.
Brain Wave Interference
Due to the nature of EMFs (they are frequencies) they have a direct impact on your brain waves, research shows that EMFs can interfere in the whole spectrum of brain waves including delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma.
Throughout the day and night your brain waves shift into different states. Assisting you to fall asleep at night, and wake up in the morning.
During sleep, the brain goes into theta when you’re dreaming and delta when you’re in deep, restorative sleep. If your brain isn’t able to reach these frequencies then you’ll miss out on the benefits that these stages of sleep provide.
Therefore, EMF exposure and the resulting dysregulation of brain waves can further contribute to sleep disturbances. Even if you are able to fall asleep, EMFs may be preventing a deep, restorative sleep.
Melatonin and EMFs
Melatonin, a sleep hormone, is a crucial component of your circadian rhythm (internal clock that alerts your body when to wake, sleep, and eat). When your circadian rhythm is in balance, your body knows when it’s time to go to bed, and you will fall asleep easily. Research in both humans and animals shows that EMFs can produce significant changes in your body’s ability to produce melatonin. This may be due to the fact that your pineal gland (which is responsible for producing melatonin) senses EMFs as light.
One of the ways in which your body stays on track with its circadian rhythm is by sensing light. However, if your body is sensing electromagnetic waves (WIFI) that are streaming through your home as light, this can cause a significant issue with your circadian rhythm, and especially your melatonin production.
Stress and Mood Disorders
Another common issue that can throw off your sleep cycle is stress.
Stress can come from many different sources, however the way you deal with stressors comes down to your ability to calm your mind.
Studies show that exposure to EMFs can increase the likelihood of experiencing mood swings — and thus may increase sleep disturbance due to mental agitation.
One mechanism for the mental disturbance is due to the impact that EMFs have on the neurotransmitters. Studies suggest that EMF exposure can disrupt the normal function of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are crucial mood regulators.
Sympathetic Nervous System Dysregulation
When exposed to EMFs, the body’s sympathetic nervous (flight and fight) system is upregulated and at the same time the parasympathetic (rest and repair) mode is downregulated.
This dysregulation is a common underlying issue regarding disturbed sleep.
Here are a few simple tips to reduce EMF in the bedroom:
Turn off your mobile phone and charge it ideally in another room, or as far away from you in the same room.
Turn off the WIFI router at night, for ease use a timer control. Remove TVs, alarm clocks and other electronics from the bedroom Use EMF protection on laptops, phones etc
Do not install any smart meters and if you have them already, cover them up – https://emfacademy.com/smart-meter-shields/
Keep in mind other sources of EMF in your environment, like your neighbour’s EMF, smart meters etc. You can’t escape power lines near your home or mobile phone towers.
There are many protective products available now, I personally use Tesla – https://www.holisticsonline.com/earthing-and-emf/tesla
Orgonite – https://www.holisticsonline.com/earthing-and-emf/orgone
Defender Shield – https://www.defendershield.com/shop
Sleep issues are on the rise, and the use of EMF technology is growing right along with them. By negatively impacting your hormones, brain waves and nervous system, EMFs can directly affect the quality of your sleep so by making some of the simple changes above you can get a goodnights sleep and improve immune balance.
Recipe
Grilled Salmon burgers with Avocado Salsa
Prep time: 15 minutes Serves 4
This recipe is not only filled with satisfying flavours, but loads of antioxidants, heart healthy fats and haemoglobin building iron and B vitamins.
Ingredients:
1lb wild caught fresh salmon fillets (skinned and chopped) 1 tbsp coconut flour
1 x organic pastured egg
1 – 2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
2 stalks of green onion (chopped) Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt & cracked pepper to taste
For the salsa:
1 large avocado peeled, pit removed, and cut into small chunks
½ small red onion (chopped)
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander – extra for garnish topping
½ cup fresh pineapple chopped into small chunks
1 small poblano pepper (seeded and chopped -this is a milder pepper than the jalapeno.) Juice of 1 lime or lemon
Method:
Skin and chop the salmon and place into a medium mixing bowl. Add the coconut flour, the egg, green onions, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper and mix well.
Make into 4 evenly sized salmon burgers – cook on stove top in a grill pan over medium high heat. Brush the grill top with coconut oil or olive oil & grill each side 4 minutes.
Avocado Salsa – combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl – top the burger with salsa and sprinkle with extra coriander and lemon.
Serve over greens or lettuce – as the “bun”.
Wishing you a good week, and hope you manage to get outside for some fresh air Emma