Common Chemicals Could Be Sabotaging Your Sleep

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted November 17, 2024

Do you have trouble sleeping?

Many of us blame common causes like afternoon coffee or evening screen time.

But what if the real culprit is something you’d never expect—lurking right in your home?

New research points to troubling evidence about how everyday chemicals could sabotage your shut-eye…

Scientists have uncovered an alarming link between common chemicals and poor sleep quality.

We’re not talking about rare pollutants, either. In fact, you likely encounter these widespread chemicals daily.

It’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short. You might know them as “forever chemicals” because they practically NEVER break down in the environment or your body.

But here’s what makes this discovery disturbing…

A recent study found that people with higher levels of four specific types of PFAS in their blood experienced:

• Less total sleep time,
• poorer sleep quality, and
• more frequent sleep disruptions.

While the research happened to focus on young adults, there’s good reason to believe these chemicals are affecting ALL of our sleep. After all, they don’t discriminate by age when it comes to their other health effects.

In fact, considering the disruptions these chemicals are causing in young, healthy adults, we should be even MORE concerned about what they might be doing to more vulnerable populations such as seniors.

And these sleep-stealing chemicals are hiding practically EVERYWHERE, including in…

• Non-stick cookware
• Stain-resistant carpets and furniture
• Water-resistant clothing
• Food packaging
• Cleaning products

But there’s some good news as well. While you can’t completely avoid PFAS (they’re too widespread), you CAN significantly reduce your exposure.

• Replace non-stick cookware with stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic-coated options.
• Choose natural materials for furniture, carpeting, and clothing whenever possible.
• Filter your drinking water with activated carbon filters or reverse osmosis systems.
• Avoid fast food packaging, microwave popcorn, and stain-resistant treatments.

Remember, while more research is needed to confirm these findings in older adults, PFAS are already linked to numerous health problems. So, poor sleep (and its many health consequences) is just one more reason to reduce our contact with them.

P.S. Could YOUR drinking water be contaminated with PFAS? Find out…

Source:

Li, S., Goodrich, J. A., Chen, J. C., Costello, E., Beglarian, E., Liao, J., Alderete, T. L., Valvi, D., Baumert, B. O., Rock, S., Eckel, S. P., McConnell, R., Gilliland, F. D., Chen, Z., Conti, D. V., Chatzi, L., & Aung, M. (2024). Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and disrupted sleep: Mediating roles of proteins. Environmental Advances, 17, 100585.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND