Better Sleep with MCAS

Let’s talk about getting better sleep with MCAS. Sleep can be a major issue when you have a complex chronic illness like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). Without adequate sleep you can’t function at your best, you are chronically tired, and you are prone to accidents and making mistakes. But beyond that, mast cell mediators can actually cause insomnia, excess histamine can cause sleep disturbance, and sleep deprivation can be a trigger for your MCAS symptoms. It is a self-perpetuating cycle that can lead to total misery.

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What is MCAS?

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. MCAS is serious and disabling and people with MCAS experience often significant and debilitating symptoms daily, including anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.

MCAS is often found in combination with other chronic conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).

Frequently healthcare providers do not know about MCAS, and the tests for MCAS are problematic because they are not uniformly reliable. MCAS can be difficult to manage. Treatments include blocking mast cell mediators with anti-histamines and mast cell stabilizers, as well as avoiding triggers.

Check out this post on how to manage MCAS.

Normal sleep physiology

There are a number of physiological processes that normally happen at night while you rest and digest. For some people with MCAS, body functions can be a trigger for mast cell activation. Your body is digesting the food from your last meal of the day, and digestion can be a trigger for mast cell activity. Your body naturally releases histamine around 3 a.m. Your body also detoxes during the night, typically between 2-4 a.m., which adds another source of potential mast cell activation.

The bucket theory

The bucket theory offers a helpful analogy for understanding symptom reactions with MCAS.

Think of your body as an empty bucket that you want to keep from overflowing. Different foods and activities fill your histamine bucket at different speeds but they combine to form the total level of histamine in your body (how full your bucket is). A fuller bucket means you have more histamine symptoms. When you manage triggers, reduce exposure to known triggers, and take medications and supplements to reduce histamine, you can manage the level of your bucket.

Know your typical symptom progression

Knowing your symptom progression in a symptom flare is the key to developing your own rescue plan. In this post, I discuss how to determine your own symptom progression. Once you know what typically happens in your symptom progression you can design a rescue plan to address those symptoms.

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Homeopathy for sleep

One of my favorite sleep remedies is Energetix Relax Tone. Relax Tone is a homeopathic remedy that is helpful for restlessness and sleep. I discuss homeopathy for MCAS in this post.

Supplements for better sleep with MCAS

There are three aspects of sleep that can be impacted by MCAS: Trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and waking too early. Supplements can target these issues, though many sleep supplements are not tolerated by people with MCAS or histamine intolerance. For instance, GABA is well known for improving sleep, but I am not able to tolerate it. 

Always speak with your healthcare provider before adding supplements to your routine. And start slowly, only adding one new supplement every four days so that you can tell whether you are reacting to it.

Chamomile – either in capsule form or as a tea, helps reduce stress so that you can fall asleep, and it lowers inflammation. I like to make a pint jar of chamomile tea each day and put it by my bedside. I have a cup of it at bedtime with my supplements, and then it is ready to drink if I wake up during the night.

Melatonin – Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle and helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. I like this brand.

DIM – Estrogen stimulates your mast cells to release histamine and, excess estrogen is implicated in insomnia. If you know you have estrogen dominance then DIM can help you metabolize estrogen during the night when it is likely to wake you up.

Magnesium – Magnesium supplements can help with constipation as well as sleep. My favorite oral form of magnesium is this one. I like to use Earthley Good Night Magnesium Lotion at bedtime to help to stay asleep. I put it on my legs or belly at bedtime. Getting a couple of forms of magnesium into your system helps with absorption.

Using frequency healing for sleep

Individualized specific microcurrent can be wonderful for getting balanced sleep, insomnia, and the particular issues that affect your sleep.

Healy is an individualized specific microcurrent device (ISM) that uses an app on your phone to control which programs you want to run. Tiny amounts of healing current are delivered to your body and energy field through a small device that you can clip to your clothing.

This post discusses getting started with Healy.

This post discusses the pros and cons of Healy.

This post covers using Healy for MCAS.

Ten Strategies for Better Sleep with MCAS

1. Unwind Early – A good bedtime routine is critical because routine calms mast cells. Take a bath, put on your jammies, have a cup of herbal tea, read a book in a quiet room, brush your teeth, and dim the lights to signal to your brain that it’s time to go to bed.
2. Don’t Use Caffeine – Caffeine is stimulating and can cause mast cell activation. If you can tolerate caffeine at all, try to limit your caffeinated beverages to the morning and avoid caffeine eight hours before bedtime.
3. Keep it Blah – Emotional upset triggers mast cell activation, so it is best to have emotional conversations and interactions in the early part of the day. Likewise, having an orgasm can be an MCAS trigger, so morning is often the best time for lovemaking. This allows you time to deal with the potential mast cell activity earlier in the day.
4. Skip Alcohol – Alcohol is a known histamine liberator. You may be tempted to use alcohol because it is sedating, but besides the histamine problem, then it wakes you up repeatedly, causing fragmented sleep.
5. Clear Your Brain – Write down your to-do list so you aren’t thinking about it while you are trying to fall asleep. Journal before bed to review the day and clear your mind. Keep a pen at your bedside so you can write things down and avoid ruminating about them. You’ll sleep better if you can go to bed with an empty mind.
6. Unplug from screens – ideally be screen-free for two hours before bedtime. The blue light from phones, TVs, and computers is stimulating and can negatively affect sleep quality. Keep bedtime simple, quiet, and dim.
7. Avoid Naps – Napping disrupts the sleep cycle, and it can lead to poorer quality sleep. If you do nap, make it brief, and take an 8-20 minute power nap.
8. Harness the Power of the Breath – Fall asleep fast with the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Inhale to the count of 4, hold your breath to the count of 7, and exhale to the count of 8. Or use any of the breath techniques I mention in this post.
9. Close Your Senses – Wearing earplugs while you fall asleep can help you focus inward. Or to drown out any external noise you can use a sleep program on your phone, a fan, or a sound machine. Cover your eyes too! Sleep hats and eye masks are a good way to shut out external light that might keep you awake.
10. Use an Air Filter – Keep your bedroom cool and keep the air clean with a HEPA air filter. I like this filter because it is compact, cost-effective, and offers a nice hum like a sound machine.

Sign up for the SSP!

The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a listening therapy based on Polyvagal Theory that helps heal nervous system regulation. Many people with MCAS have nervous system dysregulation stemming from infections, toxic exposures, concussions, and trauma. The SSP is an easy-to-use app where you listen to specially filtered music for 30 minutes each day for a 5-hour cycle. Studies show the SSP has a profound effect on mental health and chronic conditions

You can sign up for the SSP here!

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Rocks and Roots chronicles my journey solo backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail and overcoming nervous system dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome symptoms to hike 328 miles successfully.

Check out this powerful frequency device

Healy is an individualized microcurrent device I use to reduce inflammation. Check out this post for more about Healy.

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Click here for more information.

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Disclaimer

The preceding material does not constitute medical advice. This information is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, cure or treatment. Always seek advice from your medical doctor.