Have a good Sleep
Good Sleep is a blessing.
It is very important for the brain and body to rest and be restored.
There are many body’s functions that take place during sleep to keep the body healthy and revive.
There may be difference of opinions about the amount of sleep that people need. Infants may need up to twenty hours; many children need from ten to fourteen per night. The average requirement for adults is estimated at Five to eight hours.
Symptoms
Insomnia (sleeplessness) can be defined as complaint of inadequate or poor quality sleep due to numerous reasons. The insomnia includes
a) Waiting long or having difficulty falling asleep
b) Waking up frequently after falling asleep and difficulty returning to sleep again.
c) Having very short duration of sleep or waking very early in the morning
d) Un refreshing/ heaviness feeling at morning etc
Causes -
The most common sufferers of insomnia include the unemployed, divorcee or widow or a hospitalized person. Usually, women sleep more than men. In the same manner, they are the leaders in suffering from sleeplessness also. Sleep can be disturbed for everyone due to urination or thirst. But insomniac patients will have any one of the following triggers that drowns them in a sleepless state.
- Noise
- Light
- Temperature and humidity
- Uncomfortable pillows
- Uncomfortable bed
- Recovering from jet lag
- Hunger
- Habits of overwork or extended sleeping schedule
- Overexcitement or anxiety or depression
- Thoughtful and restless
- Nightmares
- Drugs and smoking
- Excess coffee or tea intake
- Painful and chronic diseases
- Fear of strangers
- Fear or change of environments due to strange places, loneliness, hospital stay, etc.
- Fear of any other cause
Besides, there are certain diseases which often cause sleeplessness
Nervous disorders - Any nervous stimulation of reticular system will disturb the person and keep him/her awake. Any lesion of mid pontine area which separates lower portions from cortex will prevent going to sleep, causing complete sleeplessness.
Respiratory disorders - Any breathing difficulty can cause arousal from sleep
Circulatory disorders - lack of oxygen, due to poor circulation
The insomnia not only reduce energy, but affect the whole body’s functions. Many people with insomnia have complaints of lack of concentration, dulness, muscles twitching, restlessness, headache, weak memory etc.Sleeplessness is an indicator that the person is in trouble, either with his/her mind or body, is hiding secrets, is over conscious and/or is a silent sufferer.
Some tips for good sleep:
Sleep arises from the balance of the inhibition and arousal stimuli. First of all, calm your mind and shut all your thoughts, then sleep will not or never get away. Some people go on changing the place and positions, covering the face, legs, ears, hands and eyes, switching off the lights, etc., for getting good sleep. Every tic of the clock will alarm, trigger and wake them up. Sleep is not the matter of all those things, but it is in the calmness of the mind. Removing the actual cause could help. Following tips can help in sleeping:
- Never miss dinner even if you have no desire to eat.
- Take a light meal.
- There should be a gap of at least one hour between dinner and going to bed.
- Take a walk before sleep
- Try to relieve tension, anxiety and fear through walk, having gossip with family members,friends etc.
- Forget the day’s activities and expect tomorrow's dawn of brightness
- Take a warm bath.
- Read some mind relaxing books for sometime before sleep
- Stay in comfortable position and situation to get a good start-up.
- Relax your mind.
Note: Sleeping Posture tells about you. For further details read my article
How you sleep?
Your Sleeping Posture tells about you.
http://www.homeopathypakistan.blogspot.com/2009/02/your-sleeping-postures-and-your-traits.html
Tissue Salts for good sleep
Kali Phos the calming nerve nutrient cell salt;
Mag Phos just what muscles and nerves need to release tension, leg or back spasms; and Iron phosphate
Ferrum Phos sleep support when tiredness, simple anemia
Note: A lower potency (6X, 12X) should be used.
Homeopathy and insomnia:
In Homeopathy, the remedy is selected on the basis of symptoms of the patient, including physical, mental (emotional states, depression, anxious, etc) and family history. Homeopathy treats the patients, rather than the diseases or its effects. Homeopathy acts neurologically and helps the brain attain calmness. So it can give a permanent solution. It gives psychological support to withstand emotional conditions. Homeopathy, with its dynamic approach, can cure sleeplessness wonderfully. The major credit point with Homeopathy is its nil side-effects and also its effective cure which is permanent without any persistent usage of drugs or dependency or habit-forming.
Homeopathic remedies are useful during episodes of insomnia, and may also help individuals with longer-standing sleep disorders. If problems are serious or very distressing, consult a professional homeopath.
Select the remedy that most closely matches the symptoms.
Aconite
Insomnia after a fright.
Actea Racemosa
During menstruation
Arsenicum Album
When anxious and agitated
Avena sativa
Sleeplessness from worry/anxiety or due to nervous exhaustion from overworks.
Belladona
Insomnia despite being really sleepy
Calc Phos
Cannot get to sleep before midnight and then feels dreadful trying to wake up in the morning.
Cocculus indicus
After several sleepless nights Feels anxious, worries, especially about loved ones. Sleep is restless
Coffea cruda
Unusual activity of the mind; wakeful; mind full of ideas, races from one idea to the next; mind keeps going over the day's events.
Daphne indica
Inability to sleep, often from aching bones; nightmares; patient starts when falling asleep.
Gelsemium
For fear of not sleeping orAfter receiving bad news
Ignatia
When upset
Kali phosphoricum
Great nerve tonic. Helps for sleeplessness due to overwork, business worries and over-excitement; nightmares in children; restlessness and heat during sleep.
Lupulus humulus
Over-excitability; nervous tremors; wakefulness.
Nux Vomica
Loss of sleep especially from overwork, mental strain or too much caffeine. Wakes feeling tense and exhausted. After too much alcohol or eating too much
Passiflora incarnata
Quietens the nervous system and produces normal sleep. Insomnia in infants, children and the aged. Neuroses in children. Useful for restlessness and wakefulness due to physical and mental exhaustion.
Stramonium
For fear of the dark
Sulpher
Sleeplessness resulting from a sedentary lifestyle. Due to feet burning
Theridion
Sensitive to the slightest noise
Valeriana officinalis
Sleeplessness from nervous excitement; patient lies wide awake, tossing and turning, falling asleep toward morning with vivid dreams; nightmares and hallucinations at night; dread of being alone especially in the dark.
Zincum Metallicum
Because of restless legs
Here some Homeopathic medicines are elaborated in detail. For further reading, kindly consult a Homeopathic Materia Medica.
Aconitum Napellus
This remedy can be helpful if a person panics with insomnia. Fear and agitation come on suddenly when the person is drifting off to sleep, or may even wake a sleeping person up.
Arsenicum Album
People who need this remedy are often anxious and compulsive about small details, and have trouble sleeping if they feel that everything is not in place. They are often deeply weary and exhausted, yet feel restless physically and mentally. Sleep, when it arrives, can be anxious and disturbed, with dreams full of fear and insecurity.
Belladonna
The sleepless conditions calling for Belladonna are due to congestion; sleep is extremely restless, as a rule it is interrupted by talking, startings, muscular jerkings and spasmodic motions; frightful images appear on closing the eyes and the patient therefore dreads sleep. Children awake from sleep frightened. Oftentimes there is a violent throbbing in the brain which prevents sleep. The dreams found under Belladonna are frightful ones, and they constantly awaken the patient. It is probably our best remedy for insomnia due to cerebral hyperaemia; that is, it will be most often indicated, also after morphine which produces cerebral hyperaemia of a passive variety. Aconite comes in here, too, but with Aconite there is intense anxiety and restlessness, fear of disaster or death. Cuprum, Stramonium and Zincum have the symptom that the patient is aroused from sleep frightened. Lycopodium. Here the child awakens very cross; very sleepy during the daytime. Belladonna is most useful in restless sleep during dentition; sleeps with eyes partially open; sudden starting, twitching, hot head and dilated pupils will indicate it.
Calcarea phosphorica:
This remedy is often helpful to children with growing pains, and also to adults who have aching in the joints and bones, or neck and shoulder tension that make it hard to fall asleep. The person lies awake for many hours, feeling upset and irritable—then has trouble waking in the morning, feeling deeply tired and weak.
Cannabis Indica
In obstinate and intractable forms of insomnia, Cannabis is one of the best remedies we have to induce sleep. An irregular sleep is more of an indication than absolute insomnia. It produces a tranquil slumber, relieves the nervousness and neuralgic pains , and even if given in doses of from 5 to 15 drops of the tincture in water it leaves no bad effects behind. Halbert says do not use it lower than the third potency which is a commendable suggestion. Other remedies for the want of sleep are the following, which have been used empirically, but which are far superior to the hypnotics of the allopathic school: Passiflora incarnata in doses of from 30 to 60 drops, and repeated if necessary, will induce sleep when mental irritation or pain is the cause of the wakefulness. Camphora mono-bromata is useful for sleeplessness due to the continued use of tea. In insomnia of locomotor ataxia or epilepsy give 3X potency. Coca. Sleeplessness from mental exhaustion or anaemia; a useful remedy in worn-out brain workers, night watchers and those who have lost much sleep. Avena sativa in doses of from 10 to15 drops of the tincture will oftentimes induce a peaceful dreamless sleep in those who are nervous and exhausted. It is not impossible that a complete proving of these latter remedies will show further their value in sleeplessness. Arnica and Gelsemium should not be overlooked in sleeplessness from overexertion. Of prime importance are the casual indications of sleeplessness, and these are legion.
Chamomilla
For sleeplessness in children due to severe pain, Chamomilla is a sovereign remedy. It quiets the irritability and the emotional excitement and the patient sleeps. It is also adapted to weak, nervous women. The sleep is tormented by dreams which are fanciful, vivid and anxious; the patient is hot and thirsty. Moaning in sleep. This is also a remedy acting better in the higher potencies. Ignatia has sleeplessness from depressing news, recent grief, causing a hyperaemia. Coffea, sleeplessness from good news. Opium suits sleeplessness when the patient is sleepy but cannot get to sleep, is kept awake by hearing distinctly ordinary noises, such as the ticking of clocks and the crowing of cocks. Great drowsiness is characteristic of the remedy.
Cocculus:
This remedy is often helpful to those who feel “too tired to sleep” after long-term sleep loss—from getting up with an infant, taking care of someone who is ill, a disruptive work schedule, travel and jet lag, or chronic worry and insomnia. The person may feel weak and dizzy, with trouble thinking, and may be sleepy, irritable, or tearful.
Coffea cruda
Mental excitement and nervous stimulation that keep a person from sleeping suggest a need for remedy. Thoughts preventing sleep can be happy or distressing. The person may be looking forward to something that will happen in the morning, but feels stressed and exhausted as the night wears on. If the person falls asleep, it is usually very light with vivid dreams, and disturbed by any little noise or motion. (This remedy can also help if overuse of caffeine is the cause of sleeplessness.)
Gelsemium
For the insomnia of brain workers, Gelsemium is a remedy. It is indicated in business men who pass restless nights, awaken early in the morning and worry over their business affairs. It also is most useful in a state of alternate excitement and depression. Bryonia is useful where the business cares of the day keep him awake. Gelsemium has also sleeplessness from emotional disturbances, and after evening company. Ambra grisea is another remedy for sleeplessness from worry and business troubles. The patient goes to bed tired, but immediately becomes wakeful. It is especially suited to thin, spare men who are nervous and subject to nervous chills.
Hyoscyamus
Sleeplessness from nervous excitement; the brain is full of bewildering ideas and images. After long illnesses and the brain cells are illy nourished this remedy is very useful. It is especially indicated in sleeplessness in children, who twitch, cry out frightened and tremble. Sleeplessness from overworked minds and without apparent cause may be benefited by Hyoscyamus. Talcott says: "Hyoscyamus paints the mental town of its victim a brilliant and luminous red." The patient is jolly and wakeful. Hyoscyamus lacks the anxiety of Aconite, the violence of Belladonna, the pessimism of Nux vomica, and the stupidity of Gelsemium.
Ignatia
If insomnia is caused by emotional upset (grief or loss, a disappointment in love, a shock, or even an argument) this remedy may be helpful. The person is sensitive and nervous, and may often sigh and yawn in the daytime, but find it hard to relax at night. As the person tries to fall asleep, the arms and legs may twitch or itch. If sleep arrives, it is usually light, with jerking of the legs and arms, or long and troubling nightmares.
Kali phosphoricum
A person with insomnia from nervous exhaustion caused by overwork or mental strain, or following a taxing illness, may respond to this remedy. The person is very weak and sensitive to everything (noise, lights, touch, and pain). Irritability, depression, and anxiety with an empty feeling in the stomach are often seen.
Lycopodium
People who need this remedy often have no memory of dreams and often doubt that they have slept at all. Insomnia may set in primarily because of worry: lack of confidence can make them doubt their own abilities, although they are usually very capable. Insomnia caused by digestive trouble, especially gas, can also indicate a need for this remedy. The person feels drowsy after meals, but has trouble sleeping at bedtime. Ravenous hunger in the night that wakes a person up is another indication for Lycopodium.
Nux vomica
People who have insomnia after over-indulgence in stimulants, food, and drink-or after overexertion, either physically or mentally-may benefit from this remedy. They may be able to drift off, but sleep is light, and they often awaken in the early morning (typically three a.m.) and lie awake for hours. On getting up, they are tense, impatient, and irritable, with a feeling that they sorely need more sleep.
Silicea (also called Silica):
This is a useful remedy for nervous people with low stamina who get too tired, then have insomnia. The person often goes to sleep at first, but awakens suddenly with a hot or surging feeling in the head—and finds it hard to fall asleep again. People who need this remedy usually have anxious dreams, and some (especially children) sleepwalk frequently.
Sulphur
This remedy may be helpful if insomnia comes from itching—or an increasing feeling of heat in bed, especially in the feet. The person is irritable and anxious, and often feels a need to throw the covers off. Lying awake between two and five a.m. is typical. Insomnia that develops because of a lack of exercise may also be helped with Sulphur.
Zincum metallicum:
People who need this remedy often have insomnia from mental activity. They can get wound up from overwork—or be naturally inclined toward nervousness and just have trouble relaxing. Their legs and arms often feel extremely restless, and lying still in bed may be impossible. Even during the daytime, a person who needs this remedy may feel a constant need to move the muscles.
