Top tips for Insomnia…
You might find it difficult to get to sleep initially, have trouble staying asleep, wake up multiple times or too early, or just awake unrefreshed from a night of tossing and turning. It is often difficult to pinpoint an exact cause and there are likely to be several contributing factors, homeopathic remedies & bach flower essences can help to reduce your response to stress, balance adrenals, reduce worry & act as a general relaxant without any of the side effects of sleeping pills. Which although may knock a person out to sleep invariably leave them feeling foggy & tired afterwards.
Any of the following can contribute to sleep disturbances:
Anxiety, work-related stress, worries, depression, loss of purpose, strong emotions.
Lifestyle (e.g. too many stimulants like coffee, alcohol or recreational/ prescription drugs). These can interfere with our circadian rhythms, and give the liver too much work to do overnight in terms of detoxifying.
Artificial lighting (you can set electronic devices to night mode, and make a cutoff point for screen-time in the evenings).
Noise and light pollution. Make sure you have good blinds/ curtains, especially if you live near street lamps. Wear ear-plugs or an eye mask if you need.
Too much time indoors, not enough fresh air and/ or exercise (unfortunately, modern lifestyles tend to be very sedentary and involve long hours, plus commuting time).
Eating late (especially rich, fatty food). This gives the digestive system a lot of work to do at the time of day when it is least active. The best times to eat a large meal is in the morning, up to midday.
Why is sleep is so important?
The rest and repair mode of the nervous system (the parasympathetic branch) becomes active during sleep, giving mind and body a chance to switch off and recuperate from the stresses of the day. If you’re not getting this it will effect not only your general energy & immunity but also your mental health.
Try these tried & tested top 10 tips for better sleep:
Avoid looking at screens (phones or tv) for at least an hour before going to sleep (longer if you’re more sensitive to stimulation). Instead read a book or listen to an audio book, relaxation app etc (ensure the device can be set on airplane mode when you’re ready to go to sleep)
If you have a tv in the bedroom do not watch it before going to sleep for at least 2hours. Ideally remove it from the bedroom entirely.
Switch mobile phones off or onto airplane mode to disconnect wifi.
Avoid any caffeine after 2pm if your bedtime is 10:30pm, 2:30/3pm if your bedtime is 11:30pm. Avoid excess sugar in the late evenings.
Melatonin is the hormone released to signal our body to sleep, bright lights from screens reduce this, hence avoiding these for an hour or so before sleep is essential if you’re sensitive or suffering insomnia. A natural stimulant for melatonin is darkness, so on turning the lights off if you stare into the darkness for 5-10mins this will stimulate melatonin release. You will find your eyes become naturally heavy so blink naturally & if tired close them. If you wake in the night don’t worry about lying awake just don’t turn the light on if possible, looking into the dark will help again the release of melatonin & signal your body it’s still sleep time.
Practice relaxing breathing exercises before trying to go to sleep or if you wake in the night & have difficulty getting back to sleep, Do three rounds of the following breath practice: Inhale to a count of 4 seconds hold it for 3 secs then exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds. Repeat twice more then focus on your breathing normally in & out through your nose.
If you still find yourself thinking or thoughts racing start counting slowly backwards from 300… so two nine nine, two nine eight, two nine seven etc. If you find thoughts popping in or lose where you were start again from 300. This actually takes much focus & prevents the ability to think of much else.
A few drops of Lavender oil on your pillow before bed or in a diffuser encourage relaxation.
Mediation practice during the day - apps like insight timer offer easy short guided meditations to encourage calm & relaxation, they also help you learn various relaxing breathing techniques.
Relaxing music, - nature sounds (eg Relax melodies) or an audio book are great ways to help switch off your mind, especially if you have woken up and are finding it hard to get back to sleep. It can help to have something neutral to listen to; it will distract you from repetitive thoughts. With some Apps, you can set the audio book or music to switch itself off after a period of time say15 minutes, by which time you might just find yourself sound asleep again.
Top 10 Homeopathic Remedies for sleep issues.
Coffea cruda
Whilst a strong dose of coffee in the morning will certainly wake most people up, the Homepathic use of the remedy (when potentized) is quite the opposite. It can calm a restless mind, slow down over-flowing thoughts and help promote a restful night's sleep. Use this remedy for insomnia stemming from restless anxiety, excited imagination, flow of ideas, and basically too many thoughts rushing around your head. There is great tiredness, with a desire to lie down and shut the eyes, but then finding it impossible to switch off your mind and drift off to sleep. Once finally asleep, there is frequent & sudden starting and waking.
2. Cocculus indicus
Insomnia that stems from mental or physical exhaustion or from cares and worries about loved ones or the family. This remedy is well-suited to worn-out people who care for others and work night-shifts. There can be an irresistible inclination to sleep in the morning with spasmodic yawning. Dreams are vivid, anxious and fearful. It may be useful for children who have a fear of ghosts that prevents sleep.
3. Passiflora - sleeplessness, restless & wakeful resulting from nervous exhaustion. Insomnia with tendency to trembling, twitching.
4. Valeriana officinalis
Sleepless with nightly itching and muscular spasms from excitement, worse on waking. Disturbed sleep with tossing and anxious and confused dreams.
5. Arsenicum album
This remedy is characterised by anxiety with a very restless sleep with fearful dreams of robbers, thieves or stealing. There is a feeling of constant drowsiness in the evening with much yawning followed by insomnia with a great deal of agitation, teeth-grinding, tossing & turning and jerking of the limbs on the point of going to sleep. Sleep is very un-refreshing and light; the slightest noise is heard, and there can be extreme temperature fluctuations. Dreams are anxious, horrible, lively and angry and there is great difficulty getting back to sleep after waking.
6. Nux Vomica
Characterised by worry around work or business affairs, this often causes insomnia from anxiety, anger, irritability, or the over use of caffeine, alcohol, or drugs. This remedy is most appropriate for individuals who wake up early in the morning & cannot get back to sleep, or for children who often have dreams of school or fights and may be awakened by slight disturbances.
7. Ignatia:
Sleeplessness or insomnia from grief, loss or worries. Anxious thoughts, depressing emotions, over straining mind, relationships or business worries. Jerking of limb on going to sleep. Very light sleep, hears everything that happens around. Frequent changing positions at night. Recurrent Nightmares, dreams about grief, death of loved ones, broken relationships. Children can awake from sleep with piercing cries.
8. Lachesis
In this remedy, there is an aggravation of general symptoms during or after sleep, the person wakes into aggravation. The quality of sleep is light with frequent and easy waking, tossing & turning, groans & sighs, starts & fright. It may be helpful when sleep is impossible on the left side or disturbed by vivid and constantly changing dreams, or even a sense of suffocation. Drowsiness and insomnia might alternate every two days. There is a feeling of liveliness and talkativeness in the evening with great drowsiness by day, worse after a meal.
9. Graphites
Drowsiness during the day, and early in the evening but then difficulty in falling asleep at night. Sleep is very light indeed; more like dozing than a deep sleep. Graphites may help where it is difficult to fall asleep before midnight on account of a rush of anxious thoughts and digestive problems. Eventually, a deep sleep arrives in the morning just as the alarm is about to go off. There may be dreams of death and fire and constant talking during sleep. It can also be a very good remedy for bed-wetting in children.
10. Hyoscamus niger
This is a good remedy for insomnia in over-active children who wake up frightened from imaginary fears or visions. They may wake with convulsions and there can be loud moaning with sleep-talking & grinding the teeth. Eventually they become drowsy and fall into a deep sleep.
Top 7 Bach Flower Remedies for sleep.
Discovered by Dr Bach in the 1930’s, the Bach Flower Remedies are made from the wild plants, flowers and trees of the countryside. Taking them is a natural way to establish inner harmony and emotional balance. The remedies are safe and helpful for both adults, children, and can even be given to animals and plants.
If you’re experiencing sudden or general anxiety, Rescue remedy can be helpful, its used for shock, sudden bad news, general anxiety, emergencies and associated stress as well as first aid use. This contains five flower remedies - Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, Rock Rose and Clematis. If you are fearful, anxious, shocked or confused, even in terror or panic Rescue remedy will come to your aid.
I’ve used these marvellous essences since discovering them in 1993 and having the good fortune to study a practitioners course at the house of Dr Bach in Oxford in 1997. I often prescribe clients a bespoke mix to take alone or alongside their homeopathic remedies.
Up to seven flowers can be combined to make a personalised mix depending on your emotional state. They are in liquid form & taken directly on the tongue or in water to sip two to three times a day or as needed.
These are my Top 7 Bach flower remedies for Sleep, they can be used singularly or combined together, just choose the ones indicated for you. They can be bought individually from many health food stores, homeopathic pharmacies such as Helios or Ainsworths supply individual remedies and can also make a mix in a 30ml dropper bottle to last 2 years.
Agrimony - Brings inner peace for those who try to keep their worries hidden putting on a brave face, they may seem carefree at times but this conceals a turbulent mind. Restless at night, caused by churning thoughts. Generally dislike being alone and under stress may resort to drugs or alcohol. Agrimony can enable a lighter sense of being, allowing the person to open up if needed and laugh at his own worries, it also helps to foster optimism, humour and deep relaxation with inner courage.
Elm - For those overwhelmed with Responsibility. Brings relief from anxiety, bestowing calm and relaxation when overwhelmed by workload, restores perspective and a sense of being capable, efficient, intuitive and grateful.
Impatiens - For those who are irritable, impatient and often nervous. They want everything done quickly and mental tension through frustration and other pressures can often keep them awake. The remedy bring patience, calm, relaxations to slow and control a hectic, hasty mind and body from a busy personality. It fosters relief from anger and irritability.
Vervain - Tenseness & hyper anxiety are the keynotes of this remedy, extremes of mental energy, highly strung perfectionists who ‘run a thing to death’ Sensitive to injustices they can become obsessed or even fanatical about certain issues, they also often tackle too many jobs at once. Though this energy is good in making change the resulting tenseness can result in an inability to relax & subsequent sleeplessness.
White Chestnut - A remedy par excellence for unwanted thoughts & persistent worries. This can be from a worrying or distressing situation preying on the mind or persistent unwanted thoughts that cause a troubled mind and sleeplessness. Gives relief from repetitive spiralling aids relaxation, eases tension and soothes inner agitation replacing this with a quiet calm mind, at peace to control thoughts at night & put them to constructive use during the day to solve issues.
Cherry Plum -Fear of mind giving way, desperation, verge of nervous breakdown, fear of losing control and reason. Included in rescue remedy for this reason, it can help these negative feelings bringing calmness, self control, peace of mind and strength of purpose.
Rescue Remedy.