Insomnia

Insomnia Specialist
It’s relatively normal to have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep every so often. However, chronic insomnia can interfere with your physical and emotional health, work life, and social relationships. The health care experts at The Ash Center for Comprehensive Medicine in Manhattan use a patient-centered, functional medicine approach to diagnose and resolve the underlying reason for your sleepless nights.

Insomnia Q&A

The Ash Center for Comprehensive Medicine

What is insomnia?

Insomnia may be a brief issue that’s directly related to a stressful life event or upcoming change, such as difficulty falling asleep for several nights before you start a new job. This is considered acute insomnia, and it typically resolves without treatment.

Doctors usually diagnose chronic insomnia when you have difficulty sleeping for three nights or more per week for three months or longer. Insomnia may cause difficulty falling asleep or interfere with your ability to remain asleep through the night.

What causes insomnia?

There are many potential causes of insomnia. It may be linked to problems with your brain’s sleep/wake cycle. It’s sometimes due to side effects from certain medications, such as those taken for high blood pressure. Numerous other medical conditions may also cause insomnia, including:

  • Allergies and asthma
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Endocrine problems, such as overactive thyroid
  • Chronic pain
  • Arthritis


Anxiety and depression may also be responsible for insomnia. Eating your meals too late in the evening is another potential cause of sleeplessness. Sometimes even the fear of not being able to sleep can bring on a bout of insomnia.

How do you treat insomnia?

Dr. Lyon approaches insomnia from a comprehensive stance that considers all aspects of your health when investigating the cause of your insomnia. Once this information is obtained, the focus shifts to developing a successful care plan that treats the underlying cause and restores your normal sleep cycle.

Thus, treatment actually begins with a complete physical exam and careful review of your symptoms, current medications, health history, nutritional habits, and exercise patterns. Dr. Lyon may also order diagnostic studies to determine whether nutritional deficits, hormonal imbalances, or other concerns are affecting your ability to sleep.

Other treatments for insomnia may include

  • Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
  • Diet modifications to reverse nutritional deficiencies
  • Changes in the timing of your meals
  • Learning relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga


Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a nutrition expert who worked closely with Dr. Anthony Lyon to develop the Pure Essentials line of supplements. These carefully crafted formulas of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients are available for purchase at the center and offer therapeutic-grade solutions to many health concerns.

One Pure Essentials combination (Ultra Sleep Support, Ultra Calm, Relax Max) is designed to promote healthy sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed and restored by supporting the neurotransmitters responsible for quality rest.

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