If you’re struggling with insomnia in San Diego, you’re not alone. Chronic sleep issues are affecting more people than ever before, especially in high-stress urban environments where fast-paced lifestyles, artificial lighting, and poor sleep hygiene are the norm. Unfortunately, conventional medicine often offers limited solutions—temporary sleep aids or generic recommendations that don’t address the full picture.

At Integrated Medicine Ministries, Dr. Novick takes a different approach. Using the principles of functional medicine, she helps patients uncover and correct the root causes of insomnia, creating personalized healing plans that support deep, restorative sleep without dependence on medications. Her approach is rooted in clinical science, integrative therapies, and spiritual wisdom—blending physiology and faith to help you achieve long-term results.

What Is Functional Medicine for Insomnia?

Functional medicine is a systems-based, individualized approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying the underlying causes of symptoms rather than just masking them. When applied to insomnia, functional medicine considers the intricate relationship between your neuroendocrine system, gut health, stress response, nutritional status, and circadian biology.

Sleep is not simply a passive process—it’s an active, regulated cycle influenced by multiple biochemical and environmental signals. Many conventional strategies for treating insomnia involve external interventions like sleep medications, melatonin supplements, or cognitive behavioral therapy. While some of these may provide short-term relief, they often fail to address the true dysfunction happening within the body that disrupts natural sleep.

Functional medicine asks the deeper question: “Why aren’t you sleeping?” Whether it's a hormonal imbalance, hidden inflammation, environmental toxin, emotional stress, or disrupted circadian rhythm, Dr. Novick works to uncover the specific drivers of insomnia for each individual patient.

Common Root Causes of Insomnia

Many people seeking help for insomnia have tried over-the-counter solutions like melatonin, herbal teas, sound machines, or sleep hygiene protocols, only to experience inconsistent results. That’s because true healing from insomnia requires a personalized, root-cause approach.

Some of the most common underlying contributors to insomnia include:

1. Cortisol Dysregulation

Your adrenal glands produce cortisol—a hormone that follows a natural rhythm, peaking in the morning and declining at night. In people with chronic stress or HPA axis dysfunction, cortisol levels may stay elevated in the evening, keeping your mind alert and your body in a state of “fight or flight.” This can make falling asleep or staying asleep nearly impossible.

2. Blood Sugar Instability

Nighttime blood sugar crashes are a surprisingly common cause of frequent awakenings between 1–3 a.m. If your body’s glucose levels drop too low during the night, it will release adrenaline and cortisol to bring them back up—often waking you up in the process.

3. Gut-Brain Imbalances

Your gut is a major site for neurotransmitter and hormone production, including serotonin, which is a precursor to melatonin—the hormone that signals your brain it’s time to sleep. Dysbiosis, leaky gut, or chronic infections can impair this pathway and affect both your mood and sleep.

4. Thyroid or Adrenal Issues

Both hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue can affect your energy levels throughout the day and disrupt your body’s ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. You may feel wired but tired at night, or wake up exhausted even after a full night in bed.

5. Nutrient Deficiencies

Critical nutrients involved in sleep regulation include magnesium, B6, zinc, iron, and tryptophan. Even a minor deficiency in one of these can lead to reduced melatonin production, poor GABA signaling, or increased anxiety—further compounding your sleep issues.

6. Circadian Rhythm Disruption

Artificial light exposure, shift work, travel, and inconsistent sleep routines can throw off your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. Without consistent light-dark cues, your pineal gland doesn’t know when to secrete melatonin, and your body may lose its natural sleep-wake rhythm.

7. Environmental Toxins and EMFs

Environmental toxins—like heavy metals, mold exposure, or even electromagnetic fields (EMFs)—can create subtle, chronic stress in the body that interferes with sleep-regulating pathways. While often overlooked, these factors are increasingly relevant in modern-day life.

Dr. Novick is highly skilled in identifying and addressing these deeper imbalances through comprehensive testing and personalized care plans—something most conventional doctors don’t offer.

Dr. Novick’s Functional Medicine Approach to Insomnia

Dr. Novick offers a unique blend of science-based diagnostics, integrative therapies, and faith-based guidance. Her approach doesn’t rely on generic sleep solutions. Instead, she designs a comprehensive, whole-person plan for each patient, using functional medicine tools to restore true healing.

Your journey with Dr. Novick may include:

Detailed intake and timeline mapping to identify patterns and triggers behind your insomnia
Advanced lab testing, including hormone panels (cortisol, melatonin, thyroid), nutrient analysis, gut microbiome testing, and inflammatory markers
Customized nutritional interventions to stabilize blood sugar, support detox pathways, and replenish depleted nutrients
Personalized supplement protocols using evidence-based nutrients and herbal adaptogens to promote relaxation and sleep
Nervous system regulation tools including breathwork, mindfulness, prayer, and lifestyle strategies
Environmental guidance to reduce blue light exposure, eliminate sleep disruptors, and support a healthy circadian rhythm
Emotional and spiritual support to address unresolved trauma, anxiety, or other psychological factors that may be contributing to your insomnia

Unlike symptom-based treatments, Dr. Novick’s model is built on the idea that true rest comes from alignment—physiologically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Why Patients Choose Dr. Novick for Insomnia in San Diego

Dr. Novick is a respected functional medicine practitioner in San Diego who specializes in chronic, complex conditions that are often dismissed or mismanaged by the traditional healthcare system. Her warm, attentive approach creates space for healing that addresses the full spectrum of what’s going on—not just your sleep, but your whole life.

Integrated Medicine Ministries is more than a clinic. It’s a healing ministry. Dr. Novick integrates her knowledge of biochemistry, neuroendocrinology, and environmental medicine with the deeper layers of emotional and spiritual care. Every treatment plan is built not just to relieve symptoms, but to restore harmony between the body and soul.

Whether you’ve been dealing with insomnia for months or years, Dr. Novick offers a path forward—grounded in truth, science, and compassion.

Ready to Sleep Again?

If you're looking for natural, root-cause solutions for insomnia in San Diego, Dr. Novick’s approach may be exactly what you need.

Want to learn more? Book a free “Get to know Dr. Novick” call to see if this personalized, functional medicine approach is right for you. Press the button below to get started.

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Functional Medicine for Insomnia in San Diego: Dr. Novick Can Help You Sleep Naturally