Trouble Sleeping? A Naturopathic Doctor's Root-Cause Approach to Insomnia and Poor Sleep

Lying awake at night. Waking at 2 or 3 a.m. and not getting back to sleep. Getting up again and again to use the bathroom. Waking up unrefreshed. Poor sleep wears down your energy, mood, and health, and a sleeping pill doesn't tell you why it's happening.

I'm Dr. Elie Klein, ND, a naturopathic doctor (naturopath) with 23 years of clinical practice. I look for the reasons your sleep has broken down, then work on those.

Who this page is for

This page is for you if you have:

• Trouble falling asleep
• Waking in the middle of the night, often between 2 and 4 a.m.
• Frequent urination at night
• Night sweats or hot flashes that disturb your sleep
• Sleep that doesn't leave you refreshed
• Anxiety, a racing mind, or stress that follows you to bed

Ready to talk? Start with a free 15-minute conversation, or book your first consultation.

Book a Consultation or a Free 15-Minute Call

Why sleep breaks down

Sleep problems rarely have a single cause. These are the ones I look for most often:

• Light and electromagnetic exposure at night. Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that tells your body it's night. Many people are also concerned about electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from devices close to the bed, and reducing that exposure is a simple step to try.
• Stress and stress hormones. When cortisol and adrenaline stay high into the evening, your body stays on alert and can't settle.
• Low blood sugar overnight. Your liver stores glucose as glycogen and releases it through the night. If those stores run low, your body releases stress hormones to make up the difference, and those can wake you, often in the 2 to 4 a.m. window.
• Hormone imbalance. Falling progesterone, estrogen dominance, and the hot flashes and night sweats of perimenopause and menopause are a very common cause of broken sleep, especially for women in their 40s and 50s.
• Frequent night urination. Getting up repeatedly to urinate fragments sleep. Its causes include blood sugar, blood pressure, hormones, and fluid balance, all worth investigating.

My root-cause, functional medicine approach

I take a careful history of your sleep, your daily rhythm, your stress, your diet, and your hormones. We look at the timing of your wake-ups, which tells us a lot. Where it helps, I use targeted testing, such as blood sugar, thyroid, and hormone markers.

Your plan is individualized. It can include a personalized diet plan that supports steady blood sugar overnight, lifestyle changes (light, evening routine, stress), targeted nutraceuticals, and, when appropriate, bioidentical hormones to restore hormone balance. I support you in putting it into practice.

My approach isn't meant to replace your doctor's care. If you take sleep medication or any other prescription, keep taking it as prescribed. Any changes are made with your doctor.

How we work together

1. Before your visit: you complete a health questionnaire and send me your recent lab work.
2. Your consultation: a one-on-one video visit where we go through your sleep and history, unhurried.
3. Targeted testing: only what's needed to find the causes.
4. Your plan: individualized, with my support.
5. Follow-up: we track your sleep and adjust.

What we aim for

Falling asleep more easily, sleeping through the night, fewer night-time bathroom trips, and waking up refreshed. If you'd like examples of the results other people have experienced, reach out to me and I'll send you a link.

Virtual care across Ontario, or in person in Vaughan (Greater Toronto Area)

Appointments are by secure video from the comfort of your home, whether you live in Toronto, Vaughan, Markham, Mississauga, Hamilton, Ottawa, or anywhere else in Ontario. If you prefer a one-on-one visit in person, you're welcome to come to my home office in Vaughan, in the Greater Toronto Area. Most extended health plans in Ontario cover naturopathic care.

Book a Consultation or a Free 15-Minute Call

Related reading

• Menopause symptoms and hot flashes
• Fatigue and low energy
• Healthy weight management
• Hormone imbalance: a naturopathic doctor's guide

Frequently asked questions

Why do I wake up at 2 or 3 a.m.?

A common reason is a drop in blood sugar overnight when liver glycogen runs low, which triggers stress hormones that wake you. Hormone shifts and stress can also contribute.

Why do I keep waking to urinate at night?

Blood sugar, blood pressure, hormones, and fluid balance can all play a part. It's worth looking into, because it fragments your sleep.

Can menopause cause insomnia?

Yes. Falling progesterone, hot flashes, and night sweats often disrupt sleep. See my page on menopause.

Can blue light and screens affect sleep?

Yes. Blue light in the evening suppresses melatonin. Dimming screens and lights at night helps many people.

Can a naturopath help with insomnia?

Yes. As a naturopathic doctor, I look for what is disrupting your sleep, whether it's blood sugar, stress, hormones, or your environment, and build an individualized plan.

Can I get sleep care virtually?

Yes. I see patients across Ontario by secure video, from my home office in Vaughan, in the Greater Toronto Area.

This page is educational and isn't meant to replace your doctor's care.