Insomnia plagues over the globe, and is the most common
sleep complaint. Insomnia means "no sleep" in Latin, and the condition
is characterized by the inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake
refreshed.
Until few decades, sleep was thought to be a passive dormant part in our daily lives.
But with recent advances in Medical research, we now know that it is an
active process and it affects our physical and mental health in many
ways. Although quite a bit of what happens during sleep still remains to
be uncovered, it is clearly evident that the sleep is extremely
essential for our nervous system to work properly. Some experts believe
that sleep is more important for our nervous system. Unlike other
organs, the nervous system cannot replace the neurons (nerve cells), so
it shuts down during sleep and gives neurons (nerve cells) time to
repair and remove the byproducts of their cellular activity.
An individual is said to be suffering from insomnia (sleep disorder characterising inadequate sleep) when one or more of the following are present ; difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep, waking up too early in the morning, unrefreshing sleep.
Insomnia can be classified as Transient (short term), intermittent (on and off) and chronic (constant). Chronic insomnia can result out of a combination of physical and mental disorders both or either one of them. Depression is the most common cause although physical causes such as night pains caused by arthritis, kidney and heart disease, restless legs syndrome, Parkinson?s disease and hyperthyroidism also can be the causative factors for insomnia. In addition some other factors also have role in insomnia ? excessive caffeine (tea, coffee) intake, intake of alcohol before bedtime, smoking cigarettes before bedtime, ditrupted wake/sleep schedules, excessive sleeping in the afternoon and at times it is the worry of having a difficulty in sleeping that causes it. Though insomnia is found in both the sexes it seems to be more pronounced in women after menopause. It is also more in the elderly
Homoeopathic Treatment for InsomniaHomoeopathy has numerous remedies that can be used to treat acute insomnia.
For most acute diseases, homoeopathic remedies can be taken in 6x, 6c, or 30c potencies. Most people have no aggravation from taking these small doses up to a few times a day. However for the ten percent of American who have chronic insomnia, the advice of a professional homoeopath or medical professional is advised.
Listed below are some common homeopathic remedies that may be useful for sleep disorders.
Aconite napellus
The homoeopathic remedy Aconite napellus treats all types of nervous and panic disorders and is especially useful in insomnia caused by pain and fears. The remedy is useful for people who are woken from their sleep by anxiety, panic or fears. They can be very drowsy, after dinner and even while walking. Those needing this remedy can sleep walk. They can be found sleeping on their backs with hands over their heads, as sleeping on the sides aggravates them. Used for acute insomnia caused by shock, fright, bad news, or grief. Also for fear, anxiety, and restlessness. May be woken by nightmares.
Arsenicum album
Arsenicum album is made from elemental arsenic. The person needing this remedy can be greatly fatigued but too restless to sleep. They are anxious about small things, and they wake unrefreshed. Those needing Arsenic wake frequently during the night and may have many dreams, for instance dreams of storms, fires, and darkness. They may experience a burning sensation under the skin. When you feel sleepy during the day but anxious at night. Restless in bed with anxious dreams and nightmares. Also for warmth, warm drinks, moving about, and sleeping propped up in bed.
Belladonna
Belladonna is made from the Deadly Nightshade, a plant in the Solanaceae family. This remedy helps those who are very restless and are woken up by their nightmares. They may also experience jerking while sleeping. The Belladonna constitution is drowsy in the evenings with much yawning at this time. They may experience a pounding in the blood vessels of the head or be kept awake by hearing the blood pulsing in their head. Their dreams are anxious and vivid: of fires, robbers and assassins. They may wake with a headache, as well.
Calcarea phosphorica
Calcarea phosphorica is a mineral remedy that can be helpful to children who wake from growing pains in the legs. Any aches in the bones and joints that prevent sleep may be helped by this remedy, in both children and adults. Those needing this remedy have difficulty getting to sleep because of the pain and discomfort and then have difficulty waking from sleep. They can wake frequently during the night as well, and also dream of danger and fires. Difficulty waking and getting up in the morning, waking up before midnight. Painful teething in restless babies. Anxious, irritable, sluggish, and restless. Dislikes routine. Babies who scream in their steep and need lots of attention
Arnica
Good for physical overwork and when the bed feels too hard and uncomfortable. This remedy is also useful for jet lag.
Causticum
Bedwetting in the early part of the night. Over-sensitive child easily upset and tearful. Afraid of the dark. Strong sense of justice.
Chamomilla
Irritable baby who refuses to be calmed. Sleeplessness caused by teething, anger, or Colic. Moaning when asleep, eyes are half open when asleep.
For the person who exhibits irritability, peevishness, and restlessness. It is an antidote for overuse of coffee. Exhibits sleeplessness and restlessness during the first part of the night. They have frightening dreams.
Cocculus
If exhaustion is related to changing work shifts or too many nights of staying awake, as when caring for a sick person. For over tiredness and exhaustion, use 12X.
Coffea Cruda
Coffea, the homeopathic remedy made from the coffee bean, is very useful in cases of sleeplessness when the mind is awake and working. Shows inability to relax due to the overexcitement caused by good news or ideas. Vivid dreams, over active mind, over excitement. The thoughts are not fixed on a disappointment, but nevertheless the nervous system seems to be overexcited, as if from drinking too much coffee. Take 3X to 200X for insomnia following too much coffee drinking.
It is found coffea cruda useful for people whose brains will not stop racing.
Equisetum
Wetting the bed during dreams. Nervous-system immaturity.
Ignatia
Sleeplessness caused by shock, emotional stress, or grief, where the person has become overwrought and moody, with frequent yawning or sighing. Jerks limbs when falling asleep. Mood swings, no thirst, dreams with bottled up anger and tension.
Kali phos
Right terrors, or waking with a sinking feeling in the stomach. Caused by excitement or mental strain. Also for anxiety, irritability, and muscle fatigue Exhausted by stress or overwork.
Lachesis
Sleep problems during the menopause. Sensation of suffocation at the throat or bed swaying as you go to steep. Dread of going to bed because of sudden awakenings and the sensation of swaying. Tendency to hold breath white fatting asleep. Night sweats. Waking anxious and feeling unwell.
Muriaticum acidum
Generally used for emotional problems.
Nux vomica
Excellent for the person who is irritable and sleepless from stopping sedatives, or from too much mental stress, alcohol or food. For alcohol, overeating especially spicy, foods, noise, lack of steep. The sleeplessness typically occurs after waking up very early in the morning. The person cannot get back to sleep until just before the alarm goes off, and then gets up irritable and angry from lack of sleep.
For wakefulness in the middle of the night, use 6X to 12X.
Opium
If the person is feeling sleepy but unable to get to sleep, if the bed is too hot, or else sleep comes but it is so heavy that the person snores and cannot be roused.
Pulsatilla
Early waking with an overactive mind and/or recurrent thoughts. For anxious or vivid dreams, night sweats. Person is restless in first sleep, feels too hot and throws covers off, then feels too cold and lies with arms above head, not thirsty, or if the insomnia is worse after rich food.
Sepia
Difficulty falling asleep. Waking early feeling unrefreshed. Exhausted and depressed by over work and mental stress. Feels irritable and sleepy during the day. Suffers headaches, nausea and dizziness due to tiredness. Night sweats.
Sulphur
Awakened by the slightest noise and finds it difficult to get back to steep. Feels hot and thrusts limbs out from under the covers. Kept awake by a continuous flow of ideas. Vivid nightmares, disturbed and unrefreshing sleep, waking in the early hours then steeping late.
Thuja
Wakes up early and unrefreshed just before time to get up. Pain where you have been lying, feeling cold, sleep-talking, anxious dreams, stress headaches.
Schuessler Tissue Salts
Take the following remedies for the various disorders, ten tablets each twice per day until condition improves.
For insomnia:
Natrum muriaticum 30X
Kali phosphorica 12X
For oversleeping:
Natrum sulphorica 12X
For nightmares:
Natrum sulphorica 12X
For awake screaming:
Kali phosphorica 12X
For crying out in sleep:
Calcarea phosphorica 12X
For tiredness in the morning:
Natrum muriaticum 12X
Calcarea phosphorica 12X
For those hard to wake in the morning:
Calcarea phosphorica 12X
For constant desire to sleep in the morning:
Natrum muriaticum 30X
For sleep that does not refresh:
Natrum muriaticum 12X
For great drowsiness in old persons:
Silica 30X
For jerking of limbs during sleep:
Silica 30X
Natrum muriaticum 20X
For anxious dreams:
Natrum muriaticum 12X
For vivid dreams:
Kali sulphorica 12X
Also visit: http://www.sleepfoundation.org
Until few decades, sleep was thought to be a passive dormant part in our daily lives.
But with recent advances in Medical research, we now know that it is an
active process and it affects our physical and mental health in many
ways. Although quite a bit of what happens during sleep still remains to
be uncovered, it is clearly evident that the sleep is extremely
essential for our nervous system to work properly. Some experts believe
that sleep is more important for our nervous system. Unlike other
organs, the nervous system cannot replace the neurons (nerve cells), so
it shuts down during sleep and gives neurons (nerve cells) time to
repair and remove the byproducts of their cellular activity.An individual is said to be suffering from insomnia (sleep disorder characterising inadequate sleep) when one or more of the following are present ; difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep, waking up too early in the morning, unrefreshing sleep.
Insomnia can be classified as Transient (short term), intermittent (on and off) and chronic (constant). Chronic insomnia can result out of a combination of physical and mental disorders both or either one of them. Depression is the most common cause although physical causes such as night pains caused by arthritis, kidney and heart disease, restless legs syndrome, Parkinson?s disease and hyperthyroidism also can be the causative factors for insomnia. In addition some other factors also have role in insomnia ? excessive caffeine (tea, coffee) intake, intake of alcohol before bedtime, smoking cigarettes before bedtime, ditrupted wake/sleep schedules, excessive sleeping in the afternoon and at times it is the worry of having a difficulty in sleeping that causes it. Though insomnia is found in both the sexes it seems to be more pronounced in women after menopause. It is also more in the elderly
Homoeopathic Treatment for InsomniaHomoeopathy has numerous remedies that can be used to treat acute insomnia.
For most acute diseases, homoeopathic remedies can be taken in 6x, 6c, or 30c potencies. Most people have no aggravation from taking these small doses up to a few times a day. However for the ten percent of American who have chronic insomnia, the advice of a professional homoeopath or medical professional is advised.
Listed below are some common homeopathic remedies that may be useful for sleep disorders.
Aconite napellus
The homoeopathic remedy Aconite napellus treats all types of nervous and panic disorders and is especially useful in insomnia caused by pain and fears. The remedy is useful for people who are woken from their sleep by anxiety, panic or fears. They can be very drowsy, after dinner and even while walking. Those needing this remedy can sleep walk. They can be found sleeping on their backs with hands over their heads, as sleeping on the sides aggravates them. Used for acute insomnia caused by shock, fright, bad news, or grief. Also for fear, anxiety, and restlessness. May be woken by nightmares.
Arsenicum album
Arsenicum album is made from elemental arsenic. The person needing this remedy can be greatly fatigued but too restless to sleep. They are anxious about small things, and they wake unrefreshed. Those needing Arsenic wake frequently during the night and may have many dreams, for instance dreams of storms, fires, and darkness. They may experience a burning sensation under the skin. When you feel sleepy during the day but anxious at night. Restless in bed with anxious dreams and nightmares. Also for warmth, warm drinks, moving about, and sleeping propped up in bed.
Belladonna
Belladonna is made from the Deadly Nightshade, a plant in the Solanaceae family. This remedy helps those who are very restless and are woken up by their nightmares. They may also experience jerking while sleeping. The Belladonna constitution is drowsy in the evenings with much yawning at this time. They may experience a pounding in the blood vessels of the head or be kept awake by hearing the blood pulsing in their head. Their dreams are anxious and vivid: of fires, robbers and assassins. They may wake with a headache, as well.
Calcarea phosphorica
Calcarea phosphorica is a mineral remedy that can be helpful to children who wake from growing pains in the legs. Any aches in the bones and joints that prevent sleep may be helped by this remedy, in both children and adults. Those needing this remedy have difficulty getting to sleep because of the pain and discomfort and then have difficulty waking from sleep. They can wake frequently during the night as well, and also dream of danger and fires. Difficulty waking and getting up in the morning, waking up before midnight. Painful teething in restless babies. Anxious, irritable, sluggish, and restless. Dislikes routine. Babies who scream in their steep and need lots of attention
Arnica
Good for physical overwork and when the bed feels too hard and uncomfortable. This remedy is also useful for jet lag.
Causticum
Bedwetting in the early part of the night. Over-sensitive child easily upset and tearful. Afraid of the dark. Strong sense of justice.
Chamomilla
Irritable baby who refuses to be calmed. Sleeplessness caused by teething, anger, or Colic. Moaning when asleep, eyes are half open when asleep.
For the person who exhibits irritability, peevishness, and restlessness. It is an antidote for overuse of coffee. Exhibits sleeplessness and restlessness during the first part of the night. They have frightening dreams.
Cocculus
If exhaustion is related to changing work shifts or too many nights of staying awake, as when caring for a sick person. For over tiredness and exhaustion, use 12X.
Coffea Cruda
Coffea, the homeopathic remedy made from the coffee bean, is very useful in cases of sleeplessness when the mind is awake and working. Shows inability to relax due to the overexcitement caused by good news or ideas. Vivid dreams, over active mind, over excitement. The thoughts are not fixed on a disappointment, but nevertheless the nervous system seems to be overexcited, as if from drinking too much coffee. Take 3X to 200X for insomnia following too much coffee drinking.
It is found coffea cruda useful for people whose brains will not stop racing.
Equisetum
Wetting the bed during dreams. Nervous-system immaturity.
Ignatia
Sleeplessness caused by shock, emotional stress, or grief, where the person has become overwrought and moody, with frequent yawning or sighing. Jerks limbs when falling asleep. Mood swings, no thirst, dreams with bottled up anger and tension.
Kali phos
Right terrors, or waking with a sinking feeling in the stomach. Caused by excitement or mental strain. Also for anxiety, irritability, and muscle fatigue Exhausted by stress or overwork.
Lachesis
Sleep problems during the menopause. Sensation of suffocation at the throat or bed swaying as you go to steep. Dread of going to bed because of sudden awakenings and the sensation of swaying. Tendency to hold breath white fatting asleep. Night sweats. Waking anxious and feeling unwell.
Muriaticum acidum
Generally used for emotional problems.
Nux vomica
Excellent for the person who is irritable and sleepless from stopping sedatives, or from too much mental stress, alcohol or food. For alcohol, overeating especially spicy, foods, noise, lack of steep. The sleeplessness typically occurs after waking up very early in the morning. The person cannot get back to sleep until just before the alarm goes off, and then gets up irritable and angry from lack of sleep.
For wakefulness in the middle of the night, use 6X to 12X.
Opium
If the person is feeling sleepy but unable to get to sleep, if the bed is too hot, or else sleep comes but it is so heavy that the person snores and cannot be roused.
Pulsatilla
Early waking with an overactive mind and/or recurrent thoughts. For anxious or vivid dreams, night sweats. Person is restless in first sleep, feels too hot and throws covers off, then feels too cold and lies with arms above head, not thirsty, or if the insomnia is worse after rich food.
Sepia
Difficulty falling asleep. Waking early feeling unrefreshed. Exhausted and depressed by over work and mental stress. Feels irritable and sleepy during the day. Suffers headaches, nausea and dizziness due to tiredness. Night sweats.
Sulphur
Awakened by the slightest noise and finds it difficult to get back to steep. Feels hot and thrusts limbs out from under the covers. Kept awake by a continuous flow of ideas. Vivid nightmares, disturbed and unrefreshing sleep, waking in the early hours then steeping late.
Thuja
Wakes up early and unrefreshed just before time to get up. Pain where you have been lying, feeling cold, sleep-talking, anxious dreams, stress headaches.
Schuessler Tissue Salts
Take the following remedies for the various disorders, ten tablets each twice per day until condition improves.
For insomnia:
Natrum muriaticum 30X
Kali phosphorica 12X
For oversleeping:
Natrum sulphorica 12X
For nightmares:
Natrum sulphorica 12X
For awake screaming:
Kali phosphorica 12X
For crying out in sleep:
Calcarea phosphorica 12X
For tiredness in the morning:
Natrum muriaticum 12X
Calcarea phosphorica 12X
For those hard to wake in the morning:
Calcarea phosphorica 12X
For constant desire to sleep in the morning:
Natrum muriaticum 30X
For sleep that does not refresh:
Natrum muriaticum 12X
For great drowsiness in old persons:
Silica 30X
For jerking of limbs during sleep:
Silica 30X
Natrum muriaticum 20X
For anxious dreams:
Natrum muriaticum 12X
For vivid dreams:
Kali sulphorica 12X
Also visit: http://www.sleepfoundation.org
Warning:
The
above given information is for general awareness of the
commoners. Homeopathic medicines referred here should not be taken
without consulting your Homeopathic Physician.
