Sleepisoneofthekeyunderpinningsofhumanhealthyetsleepdeprivationandimpairedsleeparerampantinmodernlife.Sleepandwakeareatrueyinyangphenomenon,eachaffectingtheotherandtogetherformingaharmoniouswhole.Healthysleepisawhole-bodyprocessimpactedbycircadianrhythm,dailyactivities,andemotionalwell-being,amongothers.Whenproperlyaligned,theseworkinconcerttoproducerestorativeandrefreshingsleep.Whennotinbalance,however,sleepdisordersresult.Yettoooften,theconventionalmedicalapproachtotreatmentofsleepdisordersiscompartmentalized,failingtorecognizeallofthecomplexinteractionsthatareinvolved.Thefirstbookinitsfield,IntegrativeSleepMedicineoffersatruecomprehensiveapproachtosleepandsleepdisordersbydelineatingthemanyfactorsthatinterplayintohealthysleep.Healthcarepractitionerscanlearnhowtobettermanagetheirpatientswithsleepdisordersbyintegratingcomplementaryandconventionalapproaches.Usinganevidence-basedapproachthroughout,thisbookdescribesthebasicsofnormalsleep,thendelvesintothefoundationsofintegrativesleepmedicine,includingthecircadianrhythm,mind-bodysleepconnection,light,dreaming,thegastrointestinalsystem,andbotanicalsandsupplements.Specificsleepissuesanddisordersarethenaddressedfromanintegrativeperspective,includinginsomnia,obstructivesleepapnea,sleeprelatedmovementdisorders,andparasomnias.
