Sleep Report New

Fibromyalgia & Sleep:
How You Can FINALLY Get A Great Night’s Rest

A Special Report By

Dr. Rodger Murphree

Fibromyalgia and Sleep: How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest
A Special Report by Dr. Rodger Murphree
If you’ve been having trouble getting or staying asleep, then this is the most important report you’ll ever read. I am going to explain why you’ve been having difficulty, and exactly what you can do about it. I’ve been treating patients with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (“CFS”), and other conditions for many years. I’ve helped more than 4,000 people with their issues of sleeplessness and other symptoms, and I bet I can do the same for you. For me to help you the very most, we have to be “on the same page” in terms of understanding how sleep works, how it’s often mismanaged by medical doctors, and how best to approach the goal of a good night’s sleep.

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

Dr. Murphree has been in private practice since 1990. He is the founder and past clinic director for a large integrated medical practice located on the campus of Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Murphree is the author of “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”; “Heart Disease: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You”; and “Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression with Orthomolecular Medicine.” Dr. Murphree has treated well over 4,000 patients who suffered from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, and many other illnesses.

Bad Sleep: Are You In A Downward Spiral?
Poor sleep has been linked to various health problems, including depression, poor immune function, anxiety, weight gain, muscle pain, low thyroid, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, CFS, fibromyalgia, and headaches. To make matters worse, when you don’t get deep, restful sleep, your body’s natural defenses become weakened. Whatever conditions you already have often just get worse. Several studies have shown that a lack of sufficient sleep will cause a host of unwanted health issues. You probably don’t need to read scientific studies to know the same thing: If you suffer with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, you’re already well aware that your symptoms get worse when you don’t get a good night’s sleep. And most people with chronic illnesses, including those with fibromyalgia, haven’t slept well in years. Unfortunately, typical drugs make the problem worse: Many of my patients take sleeping pills, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, or over-thecounter sleep drugs to get them to sleep. But most of these drugs don’t produce deep restorative sleep. Ask people who are taking these drugs: Chances are they don’t feel refreshed the next day. In fact, most users of these drugs report that they often feel hung over from these medications. Here’s the worst part: As we’ll see later in this report, these drugs have side effects that can cause the very same symptoms that fibromyalgia causes: diffuse muscle aches and pain, depression, fatigue, and brain fog.

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

What Your Body Does During Sleep
Sleep cycles follow our natural “circadian” body rhythms. Research has found that the natural hormone melatonin plays a large part in maintaining sleep. As darkness falls, enzymes in the brain stimulate the release of melatonin from the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin induces sleep, and the release of melatonin is halted when daylight arrives and we experience wakefulness. Upon falling asleep, the brain and body go through five stages of sleep as part of one cycle. Researchers have observed these stages of sleep by monitoring muscle tone, eye movements, and the electrical activity of the brain using an electroencephalogram (“EEG”). EEG readings measure brain waves and classify them according to speed. “Alpha” rhythms are the fastest waves, followed by slower “beta” rhythms. “Theta” and “delta” waves are the slowest. A sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes or so, during which the brain revolves through each type of brain wave. This sleep cycle is repeated approximately five or six times during the course of the night. One study showed that college students who were prevented from going into deep (REM) sleep for a week developed the same symptoms associated with FMS and CFS: diffuse pain, fatigue, brain fog, irritable bowel syndrome, lowered immune function, depression, anxiety, irritability, stomach disturbances, and headache. The first four stages are considered to be Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep (NREM) or “orthodox” sleep. The function of these stages is to restore and rebuild the body after a long period of wakefulness. During NREM sleep, your body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure decrease, your muscles relax, and metabolism slows. Here’s a bit more information on each sleep stage: Stage I is a transition between sleep and wakefulness. It usually lasts only about five minutes in duration. Short dreams may occur, usually involving images remembered from throughout the day. Stage II is a somewhat deeper level of sleep, characterized by slower breathing and heart rates. About 50% of all sleep in a given night is Stage II. Stages III and IV are the deepest levels of sleep and have the slowest waves, as measured by EEG. Stage III has both theta and delta rhythms, while Stage IV has only delta rhythms. The body uses this time to maintain and restore itself. Growth hormone secretions are at their highest during these stages. Stages III and IV begin after one has been asleep for about 30 minutes. This is the deep, restorative sleep that we all need in order to be healthy. Stage V is remarkably different from the previous stages. The brain and body become active, with increased heart rate and blood pressure. The eyes shudder quickly back and forth, giving this stage the name Rapid Eye Movement (“REM”) sleep. EEG patterns for REM sleep are much like those during wakefulness, and include many fast beta rhythms. It may even be that the brain works harder during REM sleep than when awake! REM sleep usually lasts anywhere from 11 to 25 minutes, typically longer in the later sleep cycles of the night. About 25% of all sleep is REM sleep in adults. In children, it is even higher (up to 50%). On completion of a phase of

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"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." —Thomas Edison

REM sleep, the brain and body return to Stage I and begin another sleep cycle. The differences between NREM and REM sleep are dramatic. As mentioned above, NREM sleep deals mainly with the regeneration of the body, especially Stages III and IV, while REM sleep has much to do with the inner workings of the brain. Researchers have speculated that NREM sleep (especially Stages III and IV) also functions to recharge the brain and body by allowing depleted glycogen supplies to be replenished.

How Prescription “Wonder” Drugs Do Much More Harm Than Good
Here’s the problem: Many currently recommended sleeping pills do NOT produce deep Stage III and IV restorative sleep. Most sleep drugs—especially sedatives (tranquilizers)—do not allow you to go into deep (Stage III and IV) restorative sleep. Sure, you have your eyes closed while you’re knocked out for eight hours. That’s NOT the same as getting the health benefits of deep, restorative sleep. Dr. Rodger Murphree is that doctor of the future that Edison referred to in the quote above. He has been in private practice for the last 18 years. Drawing upon his medical, chiropractic, and nutritional background, Dr. Murphree uses some of the most sophisticated, yet practical, scientifically based, nutritional therapies to prevent and reverse even the most stubborn illnesses. Part Sherlock Holmes, he uncovers the biochemical glitches, medical myths, and drug dangers that prevent patients from enjoying optimal health. Dr. Murphree is a medical maverick who explores and implements the latest breakthrough therapies— sometimes years before other doctors even know they exist. Dr. Murphree routinely helps the “medical outcasts” that other doctors—including those at John Hopkins and Mayo Clinic—have said “cannot be helped.” When people take these drugs, they often feel hung over in the morning and have to rely on still more drugs—this time stimulants—to get them going. Taking stimulants (or lots of caffeinated beverages) simply add to the difficulty of falling asleep the next night. As if that were not enough, most of these drugs have serious side effects. If you’re on prescription sleep aids, I have a real “eye opener” for you: At the end of this report I list most of these drugs, and what they commonly do to people. It isn’t pretty. What’s happening when you take many of these sleep drugs is they deplete your body’s own natural sleep hormone—melatonin. Melatonin is your sleep hormone. It’s your own natural sleep “wonder drug”. Studies show that declining levels of melatonin is the cause of many cases of poor sleep. As we age, our melatonin levels begin to drop. Older adults have one-third to one-quarter the amount of melatonin as younger adults. Let me summarize what’s happening in your body when you take powerful prescription sleep drugs:

• • • •

Those drugs only temporarily help you get to sleep—if they help at all; They cause severe side effects; They’re often addictive; and They reduce your body’s own natural sleep chemicals, thus condemning you to more sleepless nights.

You do NOT need to suffer from this painful, fruitless cycle. You do not need to rely on potentially dangerous drugs. After all, no one has ever had a prescription drug deficiency; only a natural chemical deficiency. Therefore the real goal is to get you off any of these harmful drugs and restore your body’s own mechanisms for repair and sound sleep. Let’s now look more closely at the wonder drugs your body wants to make, if it’s not interfered with:

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

Your Body’s Natural Sleep Potions
Melatonin

The pineal gland is located at the base of your brain. The ancient Greeks considered the pineal gland to be the seat of the soul. This thought may not be far off the mark: The pineal gland is responsible for releasing the sleepregulating hormone melatonin. Melatonin is the primary hormone of the pineal gland and acts to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, especially the sleep/wake cycle. Over the last two decades, scientists have learned a great deal about melatonin. Once a curiosity, melatonin is now known to slow down—or perhaps even reverse—the effects of aging. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant that—unlike other antioxidants— is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and attack any free radicals floating around in your brain. Melatonin protects the cell’s nucleus and the DNA blueprint of each cell. This is a major reason melatonin is able to fend off the adverse affects of cancer. In her book, 7 Weeks to Emotional Healing, Dr. Joan Larson discusses how melatonin and the immune system are connected. She states: “Melatonin rejuvenates the thymus gland to protect our immunity. . . Melatonin will ‘reset’ your immune system when it has been under siege from infections, cancer, stress, and so on. Such attacks disrupt its rhythms and diminish its effectiveness. Any disruption in our immune system’s 24-hour rhythm lowers our immunity, leaving us prone to more illness.”

Delayed Sleep-Phase Insomnia
People with altered circadian rhythms (sleep/wake cycles) often find it hard to fall asleep before 2 or 3 a.m. They then end up sleeping through the day. This causes a further disruption to normal circadian rhythms. It can be hard to get these patients’ rhythms normalized. Studies have shown that 5 mg of melatonin given at 11 p.m. helps advance and reset circadian rhythms.

It’s easy to put two and two together: If you’re deficient in melatonin, you can’t get to sleep at night. If you don’t sleep, you won’t make melatonin. It’s a viscous cycle. A deficiency of restorative sleep leads to accelerated aging, lowered immune function, increased pain, lowered metabolism, and susceptibility to cancer and brain oxidation. Chronic insomnia leads to a gradual disconnection to our own biorhythms. Once we become out of tune with our sleep/wake circadian rhythm, we begin to lose the ability to right ourselves through homeostasis. This in turn leads to further chemical, physical, and emotional stress. When at its worst, we lose the ability to sense anything our body is trying to tell us. We begin to lose the very essence of who we are. Restoring circadian rhythm must be the first priority in overcoming FMS and CFS. Deep sleep (Stage III and IV) initiates the pituitary to release human growth factor (“HGH”). HGH helps boost stamina, immune function, and stress-coping abilities, while repairing damaged or over-used muscle tissue. 80% of HGH is produced during Stage IV sleep. Low HGH levels will cause further fatigue, reduced capacity for exercise, muscle weakness, impaired cognition, depression, pain, and decreased muscle mass. The best way to boost HGH levels is to get 8-9 hours of deep, restorative sleep.
Here are other factors that can decrease Melatonin levels:

• •

Exposure to bright lights at night. Exposure to electromagnetic fields, including electric blankets, clock radios, TV’s, ceiling fans, etc.

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• • • •

Seasonal Affective Disorder
Melatonin production is affected by your exposure to light. Melatonin levels start to rise as the sun goes down and drop off as the sun comes up. Your retinas are extremely sensitive to changes in light, and an increase in light striking the retina triggers a decrease in melatonin production. This is nature’s wake-up call. Conversely, limited exposure to light increases melatonin production— nature’s lullaby. This explains why some individuals suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This disorder is triggered by the onset of winter and the reduction of sunlight. As melatonin levels increase and serotonin levels decrease, depression sets in. One in ten people, including children, suffer from SAD. Symptoms associated with SAD include depression, fatigue, lethargy, anxiety, and carbohydrate cravings. One to two hours of exposure to bright, ultraviolet light will usually decrease melatonin levels to a normal range. Special , full-spectrum bright lights are found in various stores and catalogs. If you have SAD, use these lights every day during the winter months. If you suffer from insomnia, avoid bright lights for 2-3 hours before going to bed.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

NSAIDs: Celebrex, Vioxx, Mobic, Aleve, Bextra, etc. SSRI’s: Yes, the very same antidepressants that many take for FMS and CFS, including Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Paxil, Effexor, Cymbalta, and Lexapro. Anxiety medications (benzodiazepines): Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Restoril, etc. Anti-hypertensive medications: Inderal, Toprol, Tenormin, Lorpressor, etc. Steroids Over 3 mg of vitamin B12 in a day Caffeine Alcohol Tobacco Evening exercise (for up to three hours afterwards) Depression Oats Sweet corn Rice Japanese radish Tomatoes Barley Bananas Fluvoxamine (Luvox) Despramine (Norpramin) Most MAO Inhibitors St. John’s Wort (acts like an MAO Inhibitor and may help raise melatonin levels)

The good news is that several foods are high in melatonin:

A few drugs actually raise melatonin levels:

Melatonin Supplements

If for some reason your melatonin levels are low, and you do not or cannot get enough melatonin from foods, you should consider a melatonin supplement. When administered in pharmacological doses (1–6 mg before bed), melatonin acts as a powerful sleep-regulating agent that controls the circadian rhythm. A low dose of melatonin has also been shown to be effective in treating insomnia and jet lag. In a recent study, volunteers were given a 0.3 mg or a 1 mg dose of melatonin or a placebo. Both levels of melatonin were effective at decreasing the time needed to fall asleep. Melatonin supplements are available at most health food stores and pharmacies. I personally like to use a special “sublingual” melatonin which dissolves under the tongue, is rapidly absorbed, and goes to work immediately. You can get it HERE or by calling my office at 205-879-2383.

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Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

Seratonin: Your Other Natural “Wonder Drug”
We just finished talking about melatonin, which your body should be making as a safe and effective way to induce deep, restorative sleep. There’s another natural chemical—seratonin—which your body needs in order to function properly.
Seratonin is certainly a natural Wonder Drug, given all that it does for you:

• • • • • • •

Helps regulate sleep, digestion, pain, mood, and mental clarity; Raises your pain threshold, so you have less pain; You to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Regulates your moods. That’s why it’s known as the “happy hormone”; Reduces sugar cravings and over-eating. Increases your mental abilities. Regulates normal digestion.

Looking at it another way, here’s what happens when you don’t have enough seratonin:

• • • • • • • • • • •

It's hard for you to go to sleep. You can't stay asleep. You often find yourself irritable. Your emotions often lack rationality. You occasionally experience unexplained tears. Noise bothers you more than it used to. It seems louder than normal. You "flare up" at others more easily than you used to. You experience unprovoked anger. You feel depressed much of the time. You find you are more susceptible to pain. You prefer to be left alone.

If you see yourself in three or more of the above statements, you’re probably low in serotonin.
Your Stress-Coping Savings Account

You were born with a stress-coping savings account. This account is filled up with the chemicals you need for your body to work properly. These chemicals, which include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, cortisol, DHEA, HGH, and others, help you deal with stress. Every time you are exposed to stress (chemically, emotionally, mentally, or physically), you make withdrawals from your stress-coping savings account. If you aren’t careful, you can bankrupt this account. Then you start to have health problems like those associated with mood disorders, FMS, and CFS. You make deposits into your stress-coping savings account by going into deep, restorative sleep. When you’re into deep, restorative sleep, you make

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more serotonin, which then gets deposited into your stress-coping savings account. The more stress you’re under, the more serotonin you will need.
A Vicious Cycle

You need a good deal of serotonin before you can consistently go into deep, restorative sleep each night. If you don’t have enough serotonin, you won’t be able to get into that deep state and won’t make more serotonin. Individuals with fibromyalgia have low levels of serotonin. They also lack tryptophan and 5-HTP, which we’ll discuss in a minute. Studies show that fibromyalgia patients have higher levels of metabolites, which diverts tryptophan away from serotonin production.
A Gasoline Additive Won’t Work When The Tank Is Empty

Many of my patients are on Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (“SSRIs”). These drugs include Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft, etc. SSRIs are supposed to help people hang on to and use their naturally occurring stores of serotonin. Here’s the problem: That’s like using a gasoline additive to help increase the efficiency of your car’s fuel—when you’re out of gas! Most of the patients I see are running on seratonin fumes. There’s no gasoline in their tank (no serotonin in their brain). The gasoline additive (SSRI) won’t help. SSRIs do not make serotonin. Unfortunately, most people with FMS don’t have any serotonin. There is nothing to re-uptake.

Another study, conducted by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, compared the sleep patterns and associated symptoms of 50 women with FMS. The study showed that a poor night’s sleep was followed by an increase in the subject’s symptoms, especially body pain. Sadly, the study also showed that a poor night’s sleep, followed by an increase in symptoms, then went on to prevent the person from getting a good night’s sleep the next night, even though the subject was exhausted. This vicious cycle continues and creates a pattern of declining health.

How to Increase Your Seratonin Levels
Method #1: Exercise

Walking has been shown to increase the efficient use of serotonin in the brain. Dr. Batmanghelidj states: “There is a direct relationship between walking and the buildup of the brain’s tryptophan reserves.” Dr. Batmanghelidj goes on to write about tryptophan’s importance: “The brain tryptophan content, and its dependent neurotransmitter systems, are responsible for maintenance of the ‘homeostatic balance of the body.’ Normal levels of tryptophan in the brain maintain a well-regulated balance in all functions of the body—what is meant by homeostasis. With a decrease in the tryptophan supply to the brain, there is a proportionate decrease in the efficiency of all functions in the body.” I don’t recommend you begin a strenuous exercise program. Even walking should be done with restraint until you become stronger and feel better on the supplements I recommend for improving sleep and building up your stress-coping chemicals. Exercise is a stress—a good stress, but a stress, nevertheless. Until you build up your stress-coping savings account and are consistently sleeping through the night, I wouldn’t recommend any exercise other than walking for 10–20 minutes a day. Once you start to get stronger, you can increase your walking up to an hour a day. Don’t push it. Start slowly and gradually increase the time you walk each day.
Method #2: Take 5-HTP

Tryptophan is one of eight essential amino acids or “building blocks” in your body. Tryptophan is absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream and

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then dispersed throughout the body. 90% of tryptophan is used for protein synthesis, 1% is converted to serotonin, and the rest is used to make niacin. In the formation of serotonin, tryptophan is hydroxylated to 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). The amino acid 5-HTP, along with certain B-vitamins and key minerals, produces the brain chemical serotonin. 5-HTP is great because it also can increase melatonin levels by 200%. When taken correctly, 5-HTP turns right into serotonin. To put it another way, using 5-HTP is like pouring gasoline straight into your tank. There’s no need for an additive when you can simply replace your serotonin stores any time you get low. It may take months to get well, but once you start consistently going into deep, restorative sleep, you’ll feel better than you’ve felt in years.

Research presented at the Endocrine Society in San Francisco, in June 2002, showed that sleep deprivation markedly increased pain-causing chemicals by a whopping 40 percent.

The Importance of 5-HTP
5-HTP has been shown to be effective in treating a wide range of health problems:
Fibromyalgia

I recommend 5-HTP to most of my patients. Carefully controlled tests have shown that patients with FMS were able to see the following benefits from taking 5-HTP:

• • • • • • •

Decreased pain Improved sleep Fewer tender points Less morning stiffness Less anxiety Improved moods in general, including in those with clinical depression Increased energy

Depression

Studies comparing 5-HTP to prescription antidepressants generally used to treat FMS, including tricyclic (amitriptyline) and SSRIs (Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, etc.) show 5-HTP to be as effective or more effective than prescription medications. Furthermore, 5- HTP doesn’t have some of the more troubling side effects associated with prescription medications. One European study showed that the combination of MAO Inhibitors like Nardil or Parnate, together with 5-HTP significantly improved FMS symptoms. On the other hand, other antidepressant treatments were not effective. The doctors conducting this study stated that a natural painblocking effect occurred when serotonin and norepinephrine levels were enhanced in the brain. More norepinephrine means more energy and improved mood.
Insomnia

5-HTP has been shown to be beneficial in treating insomnia, especially in improving sleep quality by increasing REM sleep (deep sleep).
Headaches

5-HTP has been used to successfully treat and prevent chronic headaches of
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various types, including migraines, tension headaches, and juvenile headaches.
Obesity

Clinical trials of obese individuals have demonstrated decreased food intake and subsequent weight loss with 5-HTP supplementation.

Don’t Take Tryptophan—Take 5-HTP
There has been some recent bad press about 5-HTP and a contaminant. Known as “Peak X”, this contaminant is a potentially hazardous toxin that was found in several batches of tryptophan back in the early 1980s. This led to the FDA banning the amino acid tryptophan from being purchased over the counter until recently. Tryptophan is derived from bacteria, and this is where the potential contamination can occur. This is really not a concern when using reliable, high-quality vendors. Some people take tryptophan in order to increase seratonin levels. But 5HTP, a derivative of tryptophan, is a better choice for several reasons: First, 5-HTP easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and is readily absorbed into the brain where it turns into serotonin. Second, tryptophan has to turn into 5-HTP first before turning into serotonin. Unlike 5-HTP, only a fraction of tryptophan can be absorbed into the brain. Third, 5-HTP comes from a plant native to Africa (Griffonia simplicifolia), and therefore doesn’t have the risk associated with bacteria-derived tryptophan. I always recommend using 5- HTP instead of tryptophan. The 5-HTP I recommend to my patients has been thoroughly tested (every batch is third-party tested) and is guaranteed (as it states on each bottle) to contain no Peak X or any other contaminants. If you would like to get the 5-HTP I offer my patients, call my office at 205 -879-2383 or click here to purchase online.

Don’t Forget Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential, too, of course. A deficiency of any of the synergistic nutrients (magnesium, calcium, and vitamins B6, B12, B1, and B3) will prevent the production of serotonin. This is one of many reasons why I recommend that people take a good optimal-daily-allowance multivitamin. If you want to enjoy a good night’s sleep, boost your energy levels, and feel good day in and day out, take a good optimal multivitamin. You can find a number of acceptable ones at your health food store. You can also get the ones I use by calling my office at 205-879-2383 or using the link above.

Steps to Sleeping Soundly
If you suffer from low serotonin levels, low moods, anxiety, depression, or fibromyalgia, I advise you to begin to take 5-HTP. If you’re not sure if you’re low in serotonin, take my “Brain Function Questionnaire" to find out. You can find it at: www.BrainFunctionTest.com

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If you do not suffer from low serotonin states, simply use melatonin supplements. More on that below.
How to take 5-HTP

Take 5-HTP on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before bed, with four ounces of grape juice. This allows it to get past the blood-brain barrier and be absorbed directly into the brain. 5-HTP will never leave you feeling dopey, drugged, or hung over. If you need to wake up in the middle of the night, you can. You should be able to go right back to sleep. One of three things will happen when taking 5-HTP with a beginning dose of 50mg: Scenario 1: You will fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night. If this is the case, stay on this dose. After a few days, if you start to have problems with sleep again, increase your dose of 5-HTP as described below. Scenario 2: Nothing happens. This is the typical response to such a low dose. Continue to add 50 mg each night (up to a maximum of 300 mg) until you fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night. You should stay at the minimum dose needed for deep sleep (up to a maximum of 300 mg per night). For example, let’s say you take 50 mg of 5-HTP 30 minutes before bed on an empty stomach with four ounces of grape juice but don’t fall asleep within 30 minutes or don’t sleep through the night. If this happens, add an additional 50 mg for a total of 100 mg of 5-HTP. Take as directed above. If you don’t fall asleep within 30 minutes or don’t sleep through the night (7-8 hours of sleep), add an additional 50 mg for a total of 150 mg. Keep increasing as needed up to 300 mg or until you fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night. Scenario 3: The dose makes you more alert. This occurs more often in CFS patients and is due to a sluggish liver. If this happens, don’t take 5-HTP at bedtime. Instead, take 50 mg with food for one to two days. Taking 5-HTP with food will slow it down and allow the liver to process it like any other food. Taking 5-HTP with food will usually not make you sleepy. If after one to two days you have no further problems with 5-HTP, you should increase to 100 mg of 5-HTP with each meal (up to 300 mg a day). Taking 5-HTP with food will help raise your serotonin and normalize your sleep/wake cycles. It may take a little longer to see positive results when taking 5-HTP with food (one to two weeks), but don’t worry. You will eventually build up your serotonin stores and start to see an improvement in your sleep, pain, moods, any IBS issues, and energy.

Questions and Answers
I don’t have fibromyalgia but I can’t sleep at night. Should I take 5-HTP or melatonin?

If you’re not low in serotonin (you don’t suffer with anxiety, depression, or low moods) and don’t have fibromyalgia, then melatonin is most likely the best supplement for you. Please see survey questions above or even better, take the Brain Function Questionnaire at www.BrainFunctionTest.com to see if you’re low in

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serotonin. If you do suffer from anxiety, depression, low moods, IBS, or especially if you have fibromyalgia, you should take 5-HTP to boost your serotonin levels. Remember, serotonin increases deep sleep (by increasing melatonin levels by 200 percent), reverses IBS symptoms, boosts mood, reduces pain, and lowers anxiety levels.
Can I take 5-HTP along with antidepressant medications?

Yes. You can take melatonin, 5-HTP, or any amino acid along with antidepressant medications. In fact, 95 percent of my patients are already taking antidepressants when they come to see me. Most individuals are on selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), such as Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa. These medications are trying to re-uptake serotonin in the brain (think “gasoline additive”). However, most patients taking these have little serotonin, due to their bankrupt stress-coping account. Therefore these medications don’t provide much help. Once you start filling your brain up with serotonin (from taking 5-HTP), then prescription SSRI medications will have something to re-uptake.
Can I take 5-HTP with sleep medications?

Yes. I don’t recommend that you discontinue taking your sleep medications. Instead, I suggest you start using 5-HTP and increase the bedtime dose until you sleep through the night. At some point, you should be able to work with your medical doctor and slowly wean off the prescription sleep medication. Remember, all prescription sleep medications have side effects. Interesting note: 5-HTP itself never causes a hangover. Taking 5-HTP with some prescription sleep medications may in rare cases cause a hangover, but taking 5-HTP alone does not.
Can I take 5-HTP with any medication?

Yes. 5-HTP can be safely taken with all prescription medications. I wouldn’t recommend that 5-HTP be used for patients with bipolar depression or schizophrenia, however. These conditions are best referred to an orthomolecular psychiatrist who specializes in these complicated disorders.
What if I’m taking a prescription sleep medication and sleeping all night?

If you’re taking Elavil (or other tricyclic antidepressant), Trazadone, Ambien, or Flexeril (one of the prescription drugs that promotes deep, restorative sleep), and you’re falling asleep within 30 minutes, dreaming, and sleeping 7-8 hours, then you should continue taking the sleep medication. You should add 5- HTP (50 mg) three times daily with food. If no problems arise after two to three days, you should then increase to 100 mg with each meal. Remember, the reason you’re taking these prescription drugs is because you have a serotonin deficiency, not a drug deficiency. You want to build up your serotonin levels so that eventually you won’t need prescription sleep medications. You may be taking a sleep medication that helps you go into deep sleep.

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

This does help you to build up stress-coping serotonin levels. However, these medications don’t actually produce serotonin. Instead, they help you to use serotonin more effectively. You’ll quickly use up most of your serotonin from daily stress. So, even if you’re using sleep medications that help you sleep through the night, the key is to build up serotonin levels with 5-HTP and the vitamin and mineral cofactors. Remember, 5-HTP and its cofactors are what make serotonin.
What if I’m using sleep medications that don’t promote deep sleep?

If you are using one of the sleep medications that does not promote deep, restorative sleep, then you will definitely need to take 5- HTP. Medications that don’t promote deep, restorative sleep include the following: Zanaflex, Neurontin, Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Restoril, Dalmane, Doral, Halcion, Prosom, Buspar, Librium, Serax, Tranxene, Valium, Risperdal, Symbyax, Topamax, and all muscles relaxants (except Flexeril). Try taking 5-HTP with these medications. If this combination makes you feel hung over the next day, try reducing the dose or frequency of your prescription medication. I recommend that you consult your medical doctor about slowly weaning off these medications. Severe withdrawal symptoms can occur if these medications are discontinued too quickly. Another option is to try the following recommendations: If you’re sleeping well, start taking 50 mg of 5-HTP with food. After a couple of days, increase to 100 mg with each meal. After a couple of weeks, you can try (with the help of your medical doctor) to slowly reduce your sleep medications and add 5-HTP at bedtime. You should start with 50 mg, and then increase each night until you fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night.
What if I have a “Serotonin Syndrome Reaction”?

Serotonin Syndrome occurs when a person gets too much serotonin. This can cause rapid heartbeat, increased pulse rate, elevated blood pressure, agitation, and, in a worst-case scenario, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia). I have seen thousands of individuals on 5-HTP in my 7 years of recommending it, and have seen only one person with a Serotonin Syndrome Reaction. She was not a patient. She had a history of irregular heartbeats and chemical sensitivities, and also had CFS. I would have never recommended that she take 5-HTP at bedtime. Instead, I would have had her start with 50 mg with food, if I would have recommended it at all. Instead, she took 50 mg at bedtime. The first night, it made her more alert (a sign not to take it at night). She then increased to 100 mg the next night. She began having Serotonin Syndrome Reaction. This caused her to be anxious and have arrhythmia for the next few hours. This is not to scare you. I use 5-HTP with individuals with known heart conditions: MVP and heart disease. I always start with a low dose (50 mg) and warn the patient to stop taking it at bedtime if he or she has a funny reaction. These people are already on incredibly toxic heart medications that increase their risk for heart failure, stroke, and death. If I don’t get them to consistently go into deep, restorative sleep each night, they will never get well. So, I don’t worry about using 5-HTP. Once you start reading about the medications and

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

combinations of medications you’ve been taking and their potential dangers, you’ll know just how safe 5-HTP is.
What are some of the other potential side effects of 5-HTP?

Other than some patients becoming more alert when taking 5-HTP at bedtime, I have heard very few complaints from patients. The literature says that individuals may have headaches and nausea from taking 5-HTP. I have had less than a half dozen patients with one of these side effects. The headaches and any nausea go away after a couple of days. Some patients will complain of fatigue when taking 5-HTP during the day with food. If so, I have them take 100 mg at lunch and 200 mg at dinner. If they continue to have problems with fatigue after taking the lunchtime dose, I’ll suggest they try 300 mg at dinner.
What do I do when I still can’t fall asleep and sleep through the night, even when taking 300 mg of 5-HTP?

Most people will be consistently sleeping through the night within a week of starting the 5-HTP protocol. However, there are always those who won’t. First, make sure you are taking 5-HTP as you should be and at the maximum dose of 300 mg. If after two weeks you are not falling asleep and staying asleep through the night, add 3 mg of sublingual melatonin. It dissolves under your tongue for rapid absorption. Take it 30 minutes before going to bed, and up to 9 mg of sublingual melatonin if necessary.
What if I can fall asleep within 30 minutes but can’t stay asleep?

Make sure you’re taking 300 mg of 5-HTP at bedtime or 400 mg with food. Then, if you’re falling asleep within 30 minutes but continue to wake up throughout the night, try taking 3 mg of timed-release melatonin. This will help keep your melatonin levels steady throughout the night. If needed, take up to 9 mg of timed-release melatonin. If needed, you can even take 300 mg of 5-HTP, plus 3-9 mg of sublingual melatonin at bedtime, along with 3-9 mg of timed-release melatonin. Start at a low dose and increase only if needed.
Can I take 5-HTP, melatonin, and prescription sleep medications at the same time?

If you’re taking prescription sleep medications and not sleeping through the night, then follow the protocols above. Start with 5-HTP. If you don’t consistently fall asleep and stay asleep while also taking your prescription sleep medication (preferably one that puts you into deep sleep, as discussed earlier) with 300 mg of 5-HTP, then you need to add melatonin. By the way, you should already be on my CFS/Fibro Formula (which contains 680mg of magnesium) or some other high-dose, broad-spectrum multivitamin and mineral formula with a minimum of 500 mg of magnesium. If you aren’t having a daily bowel movement, then you’re probably still deficient in magnesium. Increase your magnesium by 140–150 mg (use magnesium chelate, citrate, or taurate) at dinner each night until you begin to have normal bowel movements each day. If you start to have loose bowel movements, simply reduce the amount of magnesium you’re taking.

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant and sedative. A deficiency can cause low serotonin states, muscle tightness, constipation, fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia.
I get sleepy after dinner, and then catch my second wind right before bedtime. What should I do?

Some patients have trouble falling asleep because their cortisol levels are too high at bedtime. You get a little sleepy, then catch that second wind and can’t fall asleep. You may be sleepy earlier in the evening but attempt to stay awake a little longer. After all, you may not want to go to bed at 8pm, but want to finish household chores, watch a movie, read, etc. An adrenal cortex test profile would help uncover any abnormal cortisol fluctuations. You can order this test from your doctor or through my office. You could also try phosphatidylserine along with L-theanine. Phosphatidylserine helps block the release of cortisol. L-theanine boosts alpha brain waves as it reduces mind chatter. You should take 200–400 mg of phosphatidylserine at dinner or two hours before bed. Then take 100 mg of L-theanine before dinner and 100 mg of L-theanine 90 minutes after dinner (on an empty stomach).

“The goal is to get as restful and natural sleep as this puppy enjoys every day. It is indeed possible, when you work WITH your body’s natural mechanisms.” —Dr. Rodger Murphree

Some patients have bouts of hypoglycemia during the night, and this wakes them up. Low blood sugar stimulates the release of cortisol. If you’re waking up during the night, eating half a banana or other carbohydrate-rich food should help you go back to sleep.
I’ve tried everything above. Now what?

I suggest you order a Comprehensive Melatonin Profile and an Adrenal Cortex Profile to find out why you can’t get to sleep or stay asleep. Another option is to consult your medical doctor for a trial of prescription sleep medications that actually promote deep, restorative sleep (Trazadone, Ambien, Elavil, or Flexeril). I recommend that you continue taking 5-HTP along with the prescription medication. After a few months, you may be able to wean off your prescription sleep medication and just use 5-HTP and if needed, melatonin. Some of my patients have also had success using all natural herbal remedies. I’ve taken three of the best herbal remedies for sleep and combined them into one formula, called my Herbal Sleep Formula. The relaxing properties of three standardized botanicals are often helpful in promoting deep sleep. Hops (Humulus lupulus), Passion Flower leaf (Passiflora incarnata), and Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower. You may also find similar products at your local health food store, or you can get it from me at www.HerbalSleepFormula.com.

Conclusion
Become a detective: Look for clues. I had one patient with a terrible problem with blood sugar levels. She was very sensitive to all juices. I missed this initially, but when she couldn’t sleep, I started asking her questions. She just happened to bring up that she had trouble with fruit juices. Needless to say, I took her off juice and had her take 5-HTP with water. She started sleeping. In my many years of helping patients, I’ve learned to be “patient” myself: I

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

step back, sort through the facts, and look to see what I’m missing. With all the tools and facts I’ve mentioned above, I can assure you that there’s a good chance help is available for you. We just need to spot all the clues. I look forward to helping you through your current situation. All the Best, Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

Appendix: A Tour of Sleep Drugs And Their Real Effects On You
Sleep Disorder Drugs
Ambien (zolpidem)
A short-acting drug that usually lasts for four to six hours. If a patient takes a half-dose before bed, then he can take an additional half-dose if needed four to six hours later. Even though the literature on Ambien suggests patients don't build up a tolerance, many do. Some patients do well on Ambien; others build up a tolerance over time and need higher and higher doses until finally the medicine no longer works. Ambien does promote deep, restorative sleep. However, the side effects are similar to fibromyalgia and CFS.
Side Effects

Did You Know...
Each year Americans consume five billion sleeping pills, and about 15,000 Americans die from taking sleeping pills.

Short-term memory loss, fuzzy thinking, sedation or next-day hangover, mood disorders (anxiety and depression), flu-like symptoms, muscle aches and pains, and lack of coordination. Ambien may also cause fatigue, headache, difficulty sleeping, and memory loss. Long-term use (two weeks or more) can result in constipation, upset stomach, joint pain, upper respiratory infections, sore throat, urinary infection, and heart palpitations. As it does with most drugs, the liver must work to process this drug. Therefore people with sluggish liver function should use this medication with caution. The most common side effects include dizziness and diarrhea. Some patients complain of loss of coordination or concentration. Ambien is known to cause amnesia (short-term memory loss). Patients are cautioned against abruptly stopping the medicine, because withdrawal symptoms commonly occur.

Lunesta (eszopiclone)
This drug is similar to Ambien.
Side effects

Allergic reactions (itchy, watery eyes, rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, tongue, or throat), confusion, anxiety, depression, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there), lightheadedness, fainting spells, falls, sleepwalking or performing other activities while asleep, slurred speech or difficulty with coordination, vision changes, restlessness, excitability, or feelings of agitation, dizziness, daytime drowsiness (sometimes called a 'hangover' effect), headache, strange dreams, bad taste, and slight stomach pain.

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It does promote deep, restorative sleep. But, once again, consider the potential side effects.

Tricyclic Antidepressants
Examples are: Doxepin, Elavil, Trazadone, Amitriptyline, Despramine, Imipramine, and Pamelor. Tricyclic antidepressants block the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine. This produces a sedative effect and promotes deep Stage III and IV restorative sleep. But as you’ll read below, they are associated with numerous unwanted side effects. Like other antidepressant medications, these drugs are processed by the liver and can cause liver toxicity. They deplete the natural sleep hormone melatonin and CoQ10. Anyone taking tricyclic antidepressants, betablockers, or statin drugs should be taking CoQ10 on a daily basis. These drugs deplete CoQ10, which is vital for proper heart, brain, muscle, and liver function. Low levels of CoQ10 can cause a host of unwanted symptoms, including fatigue, muscle pain, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, brain fog, tingling in the hands and feet, swelling, and mood disorders. To find out more about CoQ10 please click here, or call my

office at 205-879-2383.
Trazadone (desyrel)
An antidepressant that increases a person’s ability to hang on to serotonin. It reduces anxiety and promotes deep, restorative sleep. I’ve found this drug to be quite helpful when 5-HTP or melatonin doesn’t work.
Side Effects

Upset stomach, constipation, early morning hangover, bad taste in the mouth, heartburn, diarrhea, rash, rapid heartbeat, mental confusion, hostility, swelling in the arms or legs, dizziness, nightmares, drowsiness, and fatigue.

Elavil (amitriptyline)
An antidepressant that has become synonymous with treating FMS. It was one of the first drugs to be studied in the treatment of FMS. It can be very helpful in reducing the pain associated with FMS, but it has several potential side effects. It is also prone to lose its effectiveness over time. It does promote deep, restorative sleep.
Side Effects

Elavil may cause weight gain, early morning hangover, neurally mediated hypotension (low blood pressure), depression, poor sleep, anxiety, and irregular heartbeat. For more information on why antidepressant drugs are often ineffective and how you can naturally beat anxiety and depression please see my book, Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression. You can get it by calling my office at 205-879-2383.

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

Muscle Relaxants
Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine)
A muscle relaxant chemically similar to the antidepressant Elavil. It is sometimes used as a sleep aid. Flexeril does allow the patient to go into deep Stage IV (restorative) sleep. It is quite sedating.
Side Effects

Gastritis and a feeling of being hung over or “out of touch,” prevent most patients from remaining on this drug for very long.

Baclofen (lioresal)
A muscle relaxant similar to the natural neurotransmitter GABA. Does not promote deep, restorative sleep.
Side Effects

Fatigue, drowsiness, low blood pressure, weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, depression, weight gain, and insomnia.

Zanaflex (tizanidine)
A muscle relaxant that has gained some popularity among physicians treating FMS. It is sedating, but it doesn’t produce deep, restorative sleep. And it doesn’t help increase serotonin levels; it only tranquilizes the nervous system. For this reason alone it should be avoided.
Side Effects

Zanaflex is associated with numerous side effects, including liver failure (at least three individuals have died from taking this medication), asthenia (weakness), somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), dizziness, urinary tract infection, constipation, liver injury, elevated liver enzymes, vomiting, speech disorder, blurred vision, nervousness, hypotension, psychosis/ hallucinations, bradycardia (slow heart action), sore throat, and dyskinesia (defect in voluntary movements). The stuff is poison!

Other Sleep Drugs
Sonata (Zaleplon)
Designed to last only four hours. It helps prevent morning hangover. I’ve not found it to be very effective though: Most of my patients have trouble sleeping through the night, not just with getting to sleep. Does not promote deep, restorative sleep.
Side Effects

Abdominal pain, amnesia, dizziness, drowsiness, eye pain, headache, memory loss, menstrual pain, nausea, sleepiness, tingling, and weakness.

Ramelteon (Remerem)
It is the first in a new class of sleep agents that selectively binds to the melatonin receptors. This drug is designed to help people use their natural melatonin more effectively. No published studies as of the time of this writing have indicated whether Ramelteon is more or less safe or effective than melatonin, which certainly costs less. This drug does promote deep, restorative sleep. However, look at the

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

potential side effects:
Side Effects

Drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, head pain, depression, acute infection of ear, nose, throat, joint pain, muscle pain, trouble sleeping, and diarrhea. I recommend that patients take melatonin and avoid all these potential side effects. The makers of this drug like to claim that this drug is standardized and is a higher quality product than the melatonin supplements you can get over the counter. What they don’t say is that there are several high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade melatonin supplements available over the counter. And at $10 compared to $200 plus for a month’s supply of Remerem, melatonin is not only safer and often more effective, it is substantially less expensive.

GABA Inhibitors
GABA inhibitors include the drugs Gabitril (tiagabine) Lyrica, and Neurontin (gabapentin) They are anticonvulsant medications originally used to control seizures. They are now being used to block nerve-related pain (neuralgia), including pain caused by herpes zoster. These medications are also being prescribed for chronic headaches (with some success) and fibromyalgia (with little success). I’ve not found them to be helpful for the diffuse extremity pains associated with fibromyalgia. They don’t promote deep, restorative sleep and can cause many of the same symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, including fatigue, muscle aches, poor mental clarity, and mood disorders. Most patients can wean off these medications with the help of their physician within about four weeks with no problem.
Side Effects

Americans now take an average of ten prescriptions or more a year. However, side effects to these drugs now take the life of one American every five seconds. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, prescription drugs are the #3 killer in the U.S. Only cancer and heart disease take more lives each year! Yet the pharmaceutical industry continues to spend over 200 billion dollars each year to remind us that we need to take even more drugs.

There are several side effects associated with their use, including somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), dizziness, weakness, fatigue, double vision, fluid retention, ataxia (muscular incoordination), thought disorder, possible long-term ophthalmic problems (abnormal eyeball movements and disorders), tremors, weight gain, back pain, constipation, muscle aches, memory loss, weakness, depression, abnormal thinking, itching, involuntary muscle twitching, serious rash, and runny nose. Don’t these side effects sound like some of the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia and CFS?

Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers are drugs like Inderal (propanol), Lorpressor (metoprlol), Tenormin (atenolol), and Toprol (metoprolol). They are used for longterm management of angina (chest pain), mitral valve prolapse, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. Beta-blockers slow the heart rate, which reduces cardiac output. This leads to low blood pressure and fatigue. The brain and muscles don’t get enough blood and oxygen. This can lead to fuzzy thinking, poor memory, depression, anxiety, and physical fatigue.

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

These drugs don’t promote deep, restorative sleep. In fact, they prevent it. They deplete CoQ10, which is vital for proper heart, brain, muscle, and liver function. Low levels of CoQ10 can cause a host of unwanted symptoms including fatigue, muscle pain, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, brain fog, tingling in the hands and feet, swelling, and mood disorders. For more information about CoQ10, click here, or call my office at 205879-2383 for a free newsletter.
Side Effects

Mark Houston is an M.D. and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt School of Medicine. Dr. Houston says that side effects associated with beta-blockers include congestive heart failure, reduced cardiac output, fatigue, heart block, dizziness, depression, bradycardia (decreased heart beat and function), cold extremities, parathesia (a feeling of “pins and needles”), shortness of breath, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, headaches, poor memory, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, wheezing, bronchospasm, Raynaud’s Syndrome (burning, tingling, pain, numbness, or poor circulation in the hands and feet), claudication, muscle cramps, muscle fatigue, lowered libido, impotence, postural hypotension, raised triglycerides, lowered HDL, raised LDL, and hyperglycemia.

Benzodiazepines or Anti-Anxiety Medications
The most common of these medications are Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Restoril, Busbar, Tranxene, Serax, Librium,Tegretol, Valium, Trileptal, Seraquel, Risperdal, Symbax, etc. These drugs are usually prescribed for anxiety. They’re addictive, and patients build up a tolerance so that the drug eventually loses its effectiveness as a sleep aid. In fact, patients often become addicted to these drugs within two to three weeks. These medications are loaded with side effects that cause further health problems (depression, fatigue, memory loss, “fibro fog’” etc.), yet don’t promote deep, restorative sleep. They actually deplete the natural sleep hormone melatonin, and CoQ10. Benzodiazepines are central nervous system depressants. That’s why depression and fatigue are common side effects. They act on the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid). GABA acts as a calming chemical as it transmits messages from one cell to another. Directly or indirectly, these drugs influence almost every brain function and most other bodily systems, including the central nervous, neuromuscular, endocrine, and gastrointestinal systems.
Benzodiazepines have numerous side effects

These include poor sleep, seizures, mania, depression, suicide, ringing in the ears, amnesia, dizziness, anxiety, disorientation, low blood pressure, nausea, fluid retention, decreased sexual desire and performance, weakness, somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), headaches and tardive dyskinesia. A mind boggling 40 percent of adults who are 60 or older experience druginduced tics or tardive dyskinesia (tremors or uncontrollable shakes) from taking a benzodiazepine drug. Sadly, for many, these tremors are permanent. Over 61,000 older adults have developed Parkinson’s disease

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How You Can Finally Get A Great Night’s Rest

Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.

from using benzodiazepines and antidepressants. The crippling side effects and addictive nature of these drugs has been known for at least 40 years, yet doctors continue to prescribe them at an ever-increasing rate. Surveys show that over 5.6 million adults over the age of 65 are now taking benzodiazepines. An incredible 50 percent of all women 60 and older will be prescribed a benzodiazepine drug. And because addiction often occurs within 2-4 weeks of starting these drugs, the majority of folks are now dependant on these drugs. Tolerance to the initial sleep benefits of these drugs may occur within one week. Symptoms of tolerance are identical to drug withdrawal symptoms and may include anxiety, panic, severe insomnia, muscle pain and stiffness, depression, suicidal thoughts, rage, heart and lung problems, and extreme fear of public or crowded spaces. Tragically, only 10-30% of people are able to successfully stop taking these drugs. Most are addicted for life.

There ARE solutions to your sleep issues. This report just scratches the surface on the natural, bodyfriendly treatments available. Please contact Dr. Murphree at (205) 879-2383 if you want to pursue anything you saw in this report, or would like to arrange for a personal consultation.

These drugs can severely impair mental clarity, especially in the elderly. In a study in the state of Washington, in 46% of the patients with drug-induced mental impairment, the problem was caused by minor tranquilizers or powerful sleeping pills (benzodiazepines, Ambien or Lunesta); and in 11 percent, by antipsychotic drugs (antidepressants). How many of these folks are then erroneously diagnosed as having senile dementia, Alzheimer’s, or worse? Seniors taking benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressant medications (Elavil, Trazadone, Doxepin, Tofranil, etc.) are involved in a conservatively estimated 16,000 auto accidents each year. These same drugs cause over 32,000 seniors to fall and suffer hip fractures each year. Sadly, this contributes to the death of more than 1,500 seniors each year. Even though they are promoted as being safer than older drugs, Serotonin re -uptake Inhibitor Drugs aren’t without risk. Elderly patients taking Zoloft and other similar drugs had 80% more falls than those not on antidepressants. After learning more about benzodiazepines, doesn’t it seem totally ludicrous for a sleep specialist to prescribe Klonopin after a failed sleep study? It never ceases to amaze me to learn how utterly incompetent some doctors have become. This is most likely from the propaganda promoted by their favorite drug rep who pays for 60% of their “continuing education” in exotic locations like Hawaii or Palm Springs, or aboard a luxury cruise liner sailing the Caribbean.

We’ve covered a lot of ground in this report. If you want to find out more about any of the advice I’ve outlined above, please call my office at 205-879-2383.

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