Homeopathy And Self-Care Remedies For Insomnia

Are you struggling to fall asleep every night? Is your sleeplessness bothering you and affecting your health adversely? If yes, you might be suffering from insomnia. And, if you are wondering what insomnia is, what symptoms of insomnia are, how to treat it, and what self-care tips and home remedies can help you to obtain relief in it, think no further. Read on to learn all about it.

Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which a person suffers from an inability to sleep soundly. It is characterized by a sleep loss or difficulty in falling asleep. Insomnia is typically followed by sleepiness during the day, low energy levels, and depressed mood. On average, an adult sleeps for 6-9 hours. For some people, just 5-6 hours of sleep works well. And, infants and children require 16-20 hours and 10-13 hours of sleep respectively.

Insomnia can be Acute or Chronic

Some causes of acute insomnia include stress, excessive worry, jet lag, work-shifts, acute illnesses, certain medications, and any emotional or physical discomfort.

Chronic insomnia may be due to long-term depression, anxiety states, and chronic illnesses causing severe discomfort or pain.

Symptoms of Insomnia:

The most common symptoms of insomnia are listed below.

• Insomnia can affect any age group, but it is more commonly observed in the youths, due to their changing lifestyles and hectic work schedules, and the elderly (65+) age group.
• Trouble in falling asleep and restless sleeping states
• Poor quality of sleep making one feel unrefreshed after sleep
• Frequent headaches and dizziness
• Feeling irritated and having an inability to focus, thereby resulting in poor performance at school or work
• Feeling exhausted, changing moods, feeling more angry and impulsive causing errors or accidents
• Intestinal distress
• Chronic insomnia can lead to other chronic disease conditions

Treating Insomnia with Homeopathy:

Insomnia can affect millions of individuals worldwide. Homeopathy works wonders in treating sleeplessness. It is a natural and safe aid to treat insomnia. It causes no side-effects as it is prepared from natural substances. It not only treats the symptoms of insomnia but also improves the overall general sense of well-being of the individual. Homeopathy goes to the very root cause of the problem. Homeopathy medicines are selected keeping in mind that Mind and Body are one and not separate. Equal importance is given to the mental and physical symptoms while selecting homeopathic remedies. No two individuals are alike, even twins are two different individuals. And, homeopathy strongly believes in treating an individual holistically, which means as a whole, based on its principles of individualization. Homeopathy medicines help restore and improve the disturbed functions of the natural Defence System of the body i.e. the Immune System and enhance the natural healing capacities of the body once again.

So, what can you expect with homeopathy?

• Homeopathy aims at correcting the disease internally at a deeper level.
• It helps the individual to cope with daily life’s stress and heavy pressure situations by bringing a sense of calmness and relaxation of mind, thereby improving the quality of sleep.
• Homeopathic treatment is absolutely safe, gentle, and natural without any side-effects, unlike anti-depressant, anti-narcoleptic, hypnotics, dopamine agonists, anti-convulsants, and anti-histaminic medications that help only for a short-term, also are habit-forming, and cause many side-effects. Effects of Homeopathic medicines stay in the body and the results are long-lasting.
• As mentioned earlier we treat the patient as a whole, so we prescribe medicines based on the physical and mental constitution of our patient after doing a detailed case-study. This is the constitutional treatment in Homeopathy.

Some Homeopathic Remedies for Insomnia:

1. Arsenic Album
2. Coffea Cruda
3. Gelsemium
4. Ignatia
5. Lycopodium
6. Nux Vomica
7. Passiflora
8. Phosphorus
9. Sulfur

It is strongly advised not to self-medicate. Homeopathic medicines work wonderfully when prescribed under the guidance of an experienced homeopathic physician.

Self-help Tips to Manage Insomnia:

Some self-help tips and home remedies for Insomnia:

• Develop a routine, and follow a fixed sleeping schedule.
• Live an active lifestyle, avoid short naps, and avoid exerting yourself mentally and emotionally just before going to bed, for instance, avoid studying or reading books and newspapers, watching the news, crime shows and sad stories on television, etc. just before going to bed.
• Avoid having heavy and late-night meals, beverages, smoking, alcohol, and caffeine late in the evening.
• Think happy thoughts, be positive, and create a peaceful sleeping environment. Have a warm bath and listen to quiet music to relax your mind and body before going to bed.
• You should have a comfortable bed to sleep on, meditate, exercise, or to do some form de-stressing yoga regularly.
• Break the vicious cycle of worrying, particularly, when you don’t get sleep. Wake up and invest time in a hobby, as it will naturally make your mind tired and induce sleep.

Home Remedies for Insomnia:

1. Having a glass of milk sweetened with honey 1-2 hrs before bedtime is said to be associated with inducing good sleep. This combination increases natural melatonin production which helps induce sleep.
2. Crush 1 nutmeg in 1 glass of water, boil this mixture and cool it for the next 1 hour. It is ready to have after 1 hour. Nutmeg works as a natural sleeping aid.

3. Soak 3-4 strands of saffron in 1 cup of boiling water for the next 10-15 minutes. Drink this just 1-2 hours before going to bed. Saffron helps induce good sleep.

4. Boil 1 teaspoonful of Fenugreek seeds in 2-3 cups of water, and have it 1-2 hours before going to bed. It helps induce good sleep.

5. Chamomile is a mild sedative and aids in soothing digestion. It relieves stress and offers a sense of calmness and relaxation. Steep chamomile tea bag in the boiled water and drink this once it is cooled down.

6. Banana is an edible fruit and a rich source of magnesium. Eating a banana 3 hours before sleep puts you to good sleep.

7. Mix 2 tablespoons of Apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of honey in 2 cups of water and have it. Honey naturally increases the insulin level and increases the production of serotonin, which relaxes our mood. Vinegar has been long associated with inducing sleep.

8. Take 1 teaspoon of cumin and boil it in 1 cup of water, and have it just 1-2 hours before going to sleep. Cumin has tranquilizing effects.

9. Have a warm bath or a full-body gentle massage. It has a pampering effect on the mind and helps prepare the body for deep sleep.

10. Aromatherapy with lavender oil is also beneficial to beat insomnia. Rub 3-4 drops of lavender oil on your palms and inhale it just before going to bed. It relaxes your mind and body and helps to put you to good sleep.

Sleep is essential for one’s well-being, and it’s the best meditation. Sleeping brings positivity, stabilizes sugar levels, builds strong muscles, and builds a healthy body.

So, if you suffer from Insomnia any time, be assured of Homeopathy and these basic self-help tips and home remedies and follow them to get rid of sleeplessness and enjoy a good sleep.

• Written by Dr. Anam S., Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah