Saturday, October 23, 2010

A Homeopathic Sleep Easy Solution

If you can’t sleep at night because you are suffering from insomnia you might need a homeopathic sleep easy solution. An occasional night without sleep might not seem like a big deal, but when it happens over and over again this vicious cycle can begin to take a toll on your daily activities and health. Worrying over getting a decent night’s sleep can be overwhelming.

Sleep is essential to your well-being for peace of mind and a wholesome body. On average people spend close to 30% of their life sleeping or at least trying to. Sleep is the time when your body rests and repairs itself and when the mind processes daily events through dreams. If you are sleep deprived you will show signs of restlessness during the day resulting in slow reflexes, lack of productivity and can lead to a form of psychosis, with delusions and hallucinations.

Chronic insomnia occurs when you are in pain, stressed, worried, anxious, panicked, ill and experience side effects of drugs, jet lag or other disruptions of your normal sleep/wake cycle. Symptoms of insomnia include; not being able to fall asleep easy, wake up during the night or wake up too early. Other causes can include other sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea or night terrors (nightmares). Sleep comes to those that can filter out internal and external stimuli and gradually shift their attention to slowing their heart rate and breathing pattern to gradually fall asleep. If your mental activity is overactive or you have a medical condition you have a hard time falling asleep as your body will produce anxiety hormones that re caused by an excited or fearful state, what is known as a flight or fight response. During this response, certain hormones (adrenalin and cotisol) are released, speeding up your heart rate, slowing down digestion, forcing blood flow to major muscle groups and changing various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength. No wonder you can’t fall asleep!

What can you do about your insomnia? First, you need to find if there is a medical or physiological cause. Usually once that is determined you can get proper treatment which can help the body to relax and slow down. Many physicians recommend prescription drugs that offer sedative properties. Some doctors and patients prefer herbal remedies especially if they are suffering from other medical conditions or on other prescriptions which can cause drug interactions and exacerbate medical conditions. Homeopathic supplements restore natural sleep/wake cycles while balancing and healing emotional states that prevent sleep.

Common herbal medications that calm the nerves and help induce drowsiness and relaxation are chamomile, valerian root, passion flower, hops, catnip and California poppy. Other alternative sleep aides are GABA, magnesium, potassium and calcium. Each can be bought individually or combined in capsule, tablet, extract or tincture. The most potent herbal sedative is valerian root which by itself can often induce sleep. Other herbs are more effective in combination such as passion flower and hops. Some homeopathic insomnia remedies are made from substances in nature like coffee, strychnine and arsenic that can cause wakefulness in healthy people. Prepared in minute, potentized doses and prescribed according to the patients cause for insomnia as well as the whole person, some these remedies need to be controlled and administered by a physician or homeopathic professional.

Arsenicum album is prepared by separating arsenic from iron, cobalt or nickel by baking it at high temperatures. The powder is ground and diluted with lactose so there are no atoms of arsenic left. The final product is sold in tinctures, tablets, pellets or powder. Arsenicum album is poisonous in its pure form and it is important that you buy it from a reputable source and take the proper recommended dose. Arsenicum album eases sleeplessness from worry and anxiety with a fear of dying. It also helps with those that wake up during the night.

Nux vomica not only calms the mind over worries and stress and for those with the insomnia symptom; not being able to get back to sleep it also helps with nausea, indigestion, heartburn and sour stomach from over eating and spicy foods. A homeopathic preparation of Nux vomica are most commonly in tablet form and comes in several strengths, including 6X, 12X, 30X, and 30C. Taking nux vomica for more than a week, or in high amounts of 30 mg or more, can cause severe side effects. Over dose of nux vomica has a predominantly neurological effect, and may cause painful seizures, spasms, difficulty breathing, dizziness and confusion. Other side effects include muscle cramps, pain and tenderness. Do not take Nux vomica is pregnant, nursing or have liver disease. Patients taking prescription drugs, herbs and supplements that are potentially damaging to the liver, such as kava, should consult with a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist.

Coffea cruda cures an over stimulated mind or for those that cannot fall asleep. Sold in pills or tablets in globule or pellet form. Coffea cruda is not advised for the elderly who suffer from tinnitus because it is prone to raise uric acid production which also causes kidney irritation and muscle/joint pain. Babies who are overly excited or teething may benefit from taking coffea cruda to alleviate these symptoms. But be aware it may cause increased urination.

Cocculus aides sleeplessness from nursing the sick, motion sickness, vertigo, anxiety, jet lag, lower back pain and nausea. It has also been proven very helpful for individuals drained by stress and tension. You can purchase cocculus as a tincture in 1/5 and 1/10 drug strength.

Chamomilla or Chamomile eases pain, nightmares, teething. irritability and restlessness. For more information on chamomile see: Fall Asleep Easy with Chamomile

Other homeopathic remedies for insomnia are through self-hypnosis tapes, relaxation exercises and meditation. These remedies can prepare you for sleep by deeply relaxing all your muscles, lowering your heart rate and slowing down your breathing. Some people can get the same relaxing feelings just by taking a warm bath in chamomile or lavender oils, drinking a cup of decaffeinated Sleeptime tea or a glass of warm milk.

Remember to keep your bedroom a place that is cool, cozy, quiet and free from external interruptions, which includes the family pet. Keep a familiar night time routine so your body and your mind can prepare for bedtime. Gradually decrease your daily activity and stimulation as you prepare for bed, for instance; read a book, listen to some soothing music or write in your journal. A journal is also a way for you to write down all your worries and anxieties. Getting it out of your mind and on paper can calm your mind and help you to fall asleep easy.

Note: Like prescription drugs, keep supplements out of the reach of children, never share your supplements with others, and use supplements only for the indication prescribed. The content provided in A Homeopathic Sleep Easy Solution is for information purposes only, intended to raise the awareness of different solutions for sleep problems and should not be considered medical advice. For medical diagnosis and treatment, please see your qualified health-care professional.
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