Insomnia-symptom,cause & homoepathic treatment

Insomnia

"I can't sleep!" These three words can explain nights of restless anguish for those who suffer from insomnia. An occasional night without much sleep is normal, but when it continues night after night, a vicious cycle can begin that can be exhausting and extremely frustrating. Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. The amount of sleep a person needs varies. While most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, some people do well with less, and some need more. But, if you feel that you do not get satisfying sleep, you may have insomnia, a sleep disorder.

Sleep is very essential for the well-being of mind and body. Not only does sleep provide needed time for rest to restore energy and allow the body to renew itself, but your mind needs sleep as well, in order to process the events and stresses of the previous day and to dream. An untreated sleep disorder can lead to a form of psychosis, with delusions and hallucinations. It can also reduce your daytime productivity by affecting co-ordination, reaction time, judgement, also can increase your risk of accidents, and put you at risk for illness and even early death.

Types of Insomnia: There are mainly two types of Insomnia:

·         Acute Insomnia: This runs its course in a few weeks or months and ends without treatment.

·         Chronic Insomnia: This lasts longer than three months and requires treatment.

Insomnia is the inability to obtain an adequate quality or amount of sleep. The difficulty can be in falling asleep, remaining asleep, or both – leaving the sufferer unrested upon waking.  It can be caused by various conditions, diseases, or circumstances. 

Transient insomnia is relatively common occurrence and usually lasts only a few days. Chronic insomnia lasts for longer than three weeks and increases the risk for injuries at home, at work or while driving due to decreased concentration, and can lead to depression.
 Here are 8 different causes of insomnia:

1. Insomnia due to a drug or substance is related to the use of any of the following substances, but it can also occur when you stop using the substance:

•             Alcohol

•             A food item

•             Medication

•             Caffeine

2. Behavioural insomnia of childhood occurs when children don't have a relatively specific bedtime. If children are not given a consistent bedtimes, they may linger awake for hours at night and set a behavioural pattern that could last.

3. Adjustment insomnia is also called short-term insomnia or acute insomnia, and it usually stems from stress. The insomnia should end when the source of stress is gone or with adaptation to the stress. This stress is not always as a result of a negative experience – it can be something exciting or just a big change.

4. Insomnia due to a medical condition is a symptom of a mental health disorder. The course and severity of insomnia are directly linked to that of the mental health disorder, but this insomnia is considered a   disorder only if it is severe enough to require separate treatment

5. Idiopathic insomnia is a lifelong sleep disorder that starts during infancy or childhood and continues into adulthood. This insomnia has no other explained causes. It is not a result of any of the following.

•             Other sleep disorders
•             Medical problems
•             Psychiatric disorders
•             Stressful events
•             Medication use
•             Other behaviours
This insomnia may result from an imbalance in your body, such as an underactive sleep system and/or an overactive awakening system, but the true cause of the disorder is still unclear.

6. Insomnia organic, unspecified is caused by substance exposure, a medical disorder or physical condition, but the specific cause remains unclear. Further testing is required and this name may be used on a temporary basis while further testing and evaluation are conducted.

7. Psychophysiological insomnia is associated with excessive worrying, specifically focused on not being able to sleep. The disorder may start suddenly following an event or develop slowly over many years.
People with this sleep disorder worry excessively about their insomnia and about being tired the next day, resulting in tension and anxiety as bedtime approaches. They may have racing thoughts that all relate to insomnia and trying to fall asleep, which makes falling asleep less likely.

8. Paradoxical insomnia is a complaint of severe insomnia. It occurs without objective evidence of any sleep disturbance. People with this disorder often report little or no sleep for one or more nights. They also describe having an intense awareness of the external environment or internal processes consistent with being awake, suggestive of a state of hyper-arousal. A key feature is an overestimation of the time it takes them to fall asleep. They also underestimate their total sleep time.

Causes of Insomnia: Some conditions that commonly lead to Insomnia are:

·         Certain physical conditions like: the need to urinate frequently, any illness causing pain or difficulty breathing can interfere with both sleep onset and sleep maintenance.

·         Watching exciting programs on television late at night.

·         Consuming excessive caffeine, alcohol or eating a large meal close to bedtime.

·         Vigorous exercise less than three hours before bedtime may disturb sleep patterns.

·         In the majority of insomnia cases, however, the main problem is emotional – worry, anxiety, arguments or depression.

·         Paradoxically, insomnia may result from the use of a sedative prescribed to relieve it.

·         Some people, especially the elderly or those working at night or traveling across time zones, develop a reverse sleep pattern: drowsiness in the morning, sleep during the day and wakefulness at night.

·         Hormonal changes during menstrual cycle and menopause.

·         Sleeping besides a partner that snores too loud.

Symptoms of Insomnia:

·         Difficulty falling asleep.

·         Waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep.

·         Waking up too early.

·         Unrefreshing sleep.

·         It can cause other problems during the day such as sleepiness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability.

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES FOR INSOMNIA

( Doses and repition as per doctors advise)

Agaricus Muscarius

Agaricus Muscarius sleep remedy can choose, if one has: General signs are general Paralysis, sensation as if pierced by needles of ice, violent bearing-down pains. Symptoms appear diagonally as right arm and left leg; pains are accompanying by sensation of cold, numbness, and tingling. Mind signs are sings, talks, but do not answer, loquacity, aversion to work, indifference, and fearlessness. Head signs are vertigo from sunlight, dull headache from prolong deskwork, headache with a nosebleed. Eye signs are reading difficult, and type seems to move (to swim). Faces sings are facial muscles feel stiff, and twitch. Stomach signs are gastric disturbance with sharp pains in the liver region. Female signs are severe bearing-down pains, especially after menopause. Respiratory signs are expectoration of little balls of mucus; cough ends in a sneeze. Heart signs are irregular, tumultuous palpitation. Back pain with sensitiveness of the spine to touch, twitching of cervical muscles. Extremity’s signs are itching of toes and feet as if frozen. Skin signs are burning, itching, redness, and swelling, as from Frostbites. Sleep signs are paroxysms of yawning, on falling asleep, starts twitches and awakes often.

Ambra Grisea (Ambr)

Ambra Grisea sleep remedy can choose if one has excitable, nervous children, thin, nervous patients, extreme nervous, and hyper-sensitiveness. Furthermore, for patients are weakening by age or overwork, anemic, and sleepless. Mind signs are music causes weeping. Head signs are tearing pain in upper half of the brain, and senile dizziness. Hearing Impaired. Stomach signs are distention of stomach and abdomen after midnight. Urinary signs are feeling in the urethra as if a few drops’ pass-out, urine turbid even during emission, form brown sediment. Female signs are itching of the pudendum with softness and swelling, discharge of blood between periods at every little accident. Respiratory signs are nervous, spasmodic cough with hoarseness and eructation, hollow spasmodic barking cough coming from deep in the chest. Heart signs are palpitation with pressure in the chest as from a lump lodged there, or as if chest obstructs. Sleep signs are cannot sleep from worry, must get up. Extremity’s signs are cramps in hands and fingers. Modalities – worsen by music, presence of strangers, from any unusual thing, morning, and warm room; better by slow motion in the open air, lying on painful part, cold drinks.

Avena Sativa (Aven)

Avena Sativa sleep remedy can choose if one is alcoholism, nervous exhaustion, sexual debility, sleeplessness, and especially of alcoholics or bad effects of morphine habit. Mind signs are inability to the keep mind on any one subject. Head signs are nervous headache, and nervous states of many female troubles.

Calcarea Carbonica (Calc)

Calcarea Carbonica sleep remedy can choose, if jaded (weary) stale (uninteresting from overuse) mental or physical due to overwork, abscesses (localized collection of pus) in deep muscles, polypi (a small vascular (vessels that conduct and circulate fluids) growth on the surface of a mucous membrane) and exostoses (a benign outgrowth from a bone, usually covered with cartilage). Mind signs are apprehensive, fears loss of reason, misfortune, forgetful. Head signs are icy coldness in & on the head, much perspiration, and wet the pillow. Eye signs are spots and ulcers on cornea, chronic dilatation of pupils. Ear signs are otorrhea (discharge from the external ear), and enlarged glands. Nose signs are nostril’s sore, ulcerated, and takes cold at every change of weather. Mouth signs are persistent sour taste, swelling of tonsils, goiter (abnormally enlarged thyroid gland; it can result from underproduction or overproduction of hormone). Stomach signs are craving for indigestible things (such as chalk, coal, and pencils), frequent sour eructation, sour vomiting, dislike of fat, loss of appetite when overworked, abdomen inguinal & mesenteric glands swollen, distention, and gall-stone colic. Male sign is frequent emissions. Female signs are the menses too; early, profuse, long with cold, damp feet. Respiratory signs are painless hoarseness, suffocating spells, worse going upstairs, chest very sensitive to touch, percussion, or pressure. Extremity’s signs are cold, damp feet, soles of feet raw. Sleep signs are same disagreeable idea always arouses from light slumber.

Camphora (Camph)

Camphora sleep remedy can choose if one has a cold, with chilliness and sneezing, characteristic of camphor that the patient will not cover. Head signs are fleeting stitches in temporal region and orbits, head sore, occipital throbbing synchronous with the pulse, nose cold and pinched; tongue cold, flabby, trembling. Male signs are desire increased, chordee (painful erection of the penis, usually with downward curvature), priapism (condition in which the penis is continually erecting), nightly emissions. Sleep signs are insomnia with cold limbs, subsultus and extreme restlessness.

Cannabis Indica (Cann-I)

Cannabis Indica sleep remedy can choose if one has a condition of intense exaltation, in which all perceptions and conceptions, all sensations and emotions are exaggerating to the utmost degree. Mind signs are very forgetful, cannot finish sentence, uncontrollable laughter, and sub-conscious (or dual nature state). Head signs are feeling as if the top of the head were opening and shutting, involuntary. Sleep signs are very sleepy, dreams of dead bodies, grinding of teeth in sleep.

Chloralum (Chlor)

Chloralum sleep remedy is the use in physiological doses, is a powerful hypnotic and cardiac depressant, emotional excitability, hallucinations, night terrors in children, and muscular prostration. Sleep signs are insomnia, hallucinations, horrid dreams, and somnolence.
Cocculus (Cocc)

Cocculus sleep remedy can choose if one has painful contracture of limbs & trunk, tetanus (rare but often-fatal disease that affects the central nervous system by causing painful muscular contractions), many of the evil effects of night watching are relieving by it. It shows a special attraction for light-haired females, especially during pregnancy, causing much nausea and backache. Mind signs are time passes too quickly, profound sadness, cannot bear contradiction. Head signs are vertigo, nausea, especially when riding or sitting up. Abdomen signs are distended with wind, feeling as if full of sharp stones when moving, pain in abdominal ring as if something is a force through, abdominal muscles weak; it seems as if a hernia. Extremity’s signs are paralytic pain in small of the back, pain in shoulder and arms as if bruised. Sleep signs are spasmodic yawning, coma vigil, constant drowsiness, after loss of sleep, night watching. Modalities – condition becomes better lying on one side or the other.

Coffea Cruda (Coff)

Coffea Cruda sleep remedy can choose if one has neuralgia in various parts, always with great nervous excitability and intolerance of pain, unusual activity of mind and body. Head signs are it seems as if brain were turning to pieces, as if a nail were driving into the head, sensitive hearing. Sleep signs are wakeful, on a constant move, sleeps until 3 AM after which only dozing, wakes with a start, sleep disturbed by dreams, sleepless on account of mental activity, flow of ideas with nervous excitability. Modalities – condition becomes worse in the open air.

Cypripedium (Cypr)

Cypripedium sleep remedy can choose if one has skin symptoms correspond to those of poisoning by Rhus, it is fine as an efficient antidote, nervousness in children from teething and intestinal troubles, debility after gout, hydrocephaloid symptoms result of long exhausting diarrhea, sleeplessness, cerebral hyperasthesia in young children often the result of over-stimulation of brain. Head signs are a child cries out at night, wakeful and begins to laugh and play headaches of elderly people and during a climacteric.

Daphne Indica (Daph) .

Daphne Indica sleep remedy can acts on lower tissues, muscles, bones and skin. There is a sudden, lightning jerks in different parts of the body, craving for tobacco, burning in stomach, parts of the body feel separated, fetid breath, and urine sweat. Head signs are feeling as if the skull would burst, as if the head were separate from body, heat in the head, especially in vertex, tongue coated on one side only. Urine signs are thick, turbid, yellowish, and like rotten eggs. Extremity’s signs are right toe swollen, painful, pain shoots upward into abdomen and heart, rheumatic pains in thighs, & knees; cold feeling on buttocks, and shooting pains shift rapidly. Modalities – condition becomes worse by cold air. Sleep signs are entire inability to sleep sometimes causes by aching in bones, dreams with nightmare, dreams of cats, starting on falling to sleep with chilliness and clamminess.

Gelsemium (Gels)

Gelsemium sleep remedy can choose if one has dizziness, drowsiness, dullness, trembling, and muscular weakness. Head signs are vertigo, pain in temple extending into the ear. Eye’s signs are ptosis, eyelids heavy, dim-sighted, orbital neuralgia, toith contraction & twitching of muscles, hysterical amblyopia. Mouth signs are trembling, post-diphtheritic paralysis, feeling of a lump in the throat, difficult swallowing, and pain from the throat to ear. Stool signs are diarrhea from emotional excitement. Heart signs are feeling as if it was necessary to keep in motion (or else heart's action would cease), weak slow pulse of old age. Sleep signs are cannot get fully to sleep, delirious on falling asleep, insomnia from exhaustion and from uncontrollable thinking, yawning.

Ignatia (Ign)

Ignatia sleep remedy can choose if you have, mental and emotional element is the uppermost, & interference of co-ordination function. It is especially adapted to the nervous temperament, women of sensitive, easily excited nature, dark colored, mild disposition, quick to perceive, and rapid in execution. Head signs feel hollow, heavy, and worse from stooping. Stomach signs are sour eructation, much flatulence, sinking in the stomach, relieved by taking a deep breath. Sleep signs are very light, jerking of limbs on going to sleep, insomnia from grief, cares, with itching of arms and violent yawning, dreams continuing a long time. Modalities – worse in the morning, open air, after meals, coffee, smoking, liquids, external warmth; better while eating, change of position.

Lecithinum (Lec)

Lecithinum sleep remedy can choose if one has been increasing number of red corpuscles and amount of hemoglobin. Lecithin has a favorable influence upon the nutritive condition and especially upon the blood, hence its use in anemia and convalescence, neurasthenia and insomnia. Always tired, weak, short breath, flesh loss, symptoms of general breakdown, and sexually weak. Mind signs are forgetful, dull, and confused.

Passiflora Incarnata (Passi)

Passiflora Incarnata sleep remedy is an efficient anti-spasmodic, suitable for whooping cough, morphine habit, delirium tremens, convulsions in children, neuralgia, atonic (exhibiting a lack of muscle tone) condition generally present. This remedy has a quieting effect on the nervous system and produces normal sleep. It is suitable for neuroses of children, hysteria, worm-fever (worm affections with or without fever), teething, spasms, and tetanus. Stomach signs are painful diarrhea. Respiration signs are asthma, nocturnal cough. Head signs are violent ache as if the top of the head would come off- eyes felt as if pushed out. Stomach signs are leaden, dead feeling after or between meals, flatulence, and sour eructation. Sleep signs are restless, wakeful resulting from exhaustion (especially in the feeble, infants and the aged), insomnia of infants (aged, mentally worried, and overworked) with a tendency to convulsions.

Sumbulus (Sumb)

Sumbulus sleep remedy can choose if one has many hysterical, nervous symptoms: this remedy is useful for neuralgic affections, anomalous, and cardiac disorders. Numbness is due to cold, numbness on left side, and insomnia of delirium tremens (fifteen drops of tincture). There is a sensation as if water drops down spine, asthma, and tissue remedy for sclerosed arteries. Head signs are emotional & fidgety, dull in morning, clear in evening, tenacious (fixed point of view), and mistakes in writing. Respiration signs are yellow mucus in nose, throat-choking constriction, constant swallowing, a spasm of pharyngeal muscles, and tenacious mucus in the throat. Stomach signs are belching of gas. Heart signs are nervous palpitation, neuralgia around left breast and left hypochondriac region, cardiac asthma, aching in the left arm, heavy, numb, weary, and loses breath on any exertion. Pulse Female signs are ovarian neuralgia, abdomen full, distended, and painful. Urinary signs are oily pellicle on the surface of urine. Modalities – worsen symptoms with active exercise and left side.

Xanthoxylum (Xan)

Xanthoxylum sleep remedy can choose if one has paralysis, especially hemiplegia, painful haemorrhages, after-pains, neuralgic dysmenorrhea, and rheumatic affections. Mind signs are nervous, frightened, and mental depression. Stomach signs are abdomen griping, diarrhea, and dysentery with tympanites. Female signs are menses too early and painful, and pain in back and down legs. Sleep signs are hard, un-refreshing, dreams of flying, and sleeplessness in neurasthenics.

Herbs for Insomnia

The following herbs can be used during the day, or try using 20-30 minutes before bedtime. But doses are on the experience basis.

Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis): Chamomile is a time-honored sedative herb which can be safely used by children and adults alike. Chamomile tea is commonly used in Europe, South America, and Mexico for insomnia and restlessness combined with irritability, particularly in children. Chamomile oil can also be put in bath water (5-6 drops) to soothe overwrought nerves, diluted to 2% to make an excellent massage oil, or used as an inhalant.

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3 x daily; Tincture, 30 drops 3 x daily.

Hops (Humulus lupulus): In the early 1900s, Eclectic physicians used hops as a sedative specifically for insomnia due to worry or nerve weakness (Bell, 1925; Ellingwood, 1983). Hops, a major flavoring component of beer, has a long history of use for sleeplessness, nervousness, and restlessness. Hops pillows are sometimes used for mild insomnia.

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3 x daily; Tincture, 30-40 drops 2-3 x daily.

Lavender (Lavandula officinalis): Lavender is a gentle strengthening tonic for the nervous system. A few drops of lavender oil added to a bath before bedtime are recommended for persons with sleep disorders. Additionally, the oil may be used as a compress or massage oil or simply inhaled to alleviate insomnia.

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3 x daily; Essential oil--oil may be inhaled, massaged into the skin (use 10 drops essential oil per ounce of vegetable oil), or added to baths (3-10 drops).

Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata): Herbalists consider passion flower an important herb for insomnia caused by mental worry, overwork, or nervous exhaustion. In England it is an ingredient in forty different commonly-sold sedative preparations. Passion flower is used for minor sleep problems in both children and adults (Bruneton, 1995). It is an excellent sedative with no side effects even when used in large doses (Spaick, 1978).

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup 3 x daily; Tincture, 30-60 drops 3-4 x daily.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): In the United States, herbalists use valerian extensively for its sedative action against insomnia, nervousness, and restlessness. It is recommended for those type of people who have a hard time falling asleep, because it shortens sleep latency. It also reduces nighttime waking. Valerian is an excellent herbal sedative that has none of the negative side effects of Valium and other synthetic sedatives. It works well in combination with other sedative herbs, such as California poppy, skullcap, hops, and passion flower.

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup as needed; Tincture, 2-5 droppersful 2-3 x daily.

Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa): Wild lettuce is a mild sedative and nervine used for restlessness and insomnia. It may be found in a variety of formulas for the treatment of acute and chronic insomnia. It is used homeopathically for restlessness and insomnia (Boericke, 1927). Because of its safety of use and calming effects, wild lettuce is a good children's remedy.

• Dose: Tincture, 2-3 drpfls 3-4 x daily.

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica): California poppy is my favorite sedative and sleep-promoting herb which can currently be found in a variety of herbal remedies sold in the United States for promoting sleep, helping one to relax, and easing mild anxiety. Because of its mild sedative and analgesic properties, it can be given safely to children. Clinical and laboratory work on California poppy has clearly demonstrated the plant's sedative and anti-anxiety properties; it has been shown to improve both sleep latency and quality (Bruneton, 1995).

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3 x daily; Tincture, 30-40 drops 2-3 x daily.
• Note: Since the tea is mild, a tincture is recommended when a stronger dose is desired.

Kava kava (Piper methysticum): Kava is the national drink of Fiji and is popular throughout the South Seas. It imparts a calm feeling, relaxes the body, and sometimes enhances communication and dreaming. This sedative herb is often used for sleeplessness and fatigue.

• Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3 x daily; Tincture, 3-4 droppersful 2-3 x daily.

Following  some simple sleep hygiene measures will help promote a restful sleep:

·         Establish a regular schedule for going to bed and getting up. Avoid daytime naps.

·         Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine late in the day as they are stimulants and can keep you from falling asleep. Alcohol may help sleep onset, but cause early morning wakefulness.

·         Avoid vigorous exercise within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime because it may stimulate you and make it hard to fall asleep. Taking a mild walk or performing yoga before going to bed might help.

·         Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime. However, a light snack at bedtime may promote sleep.

·         Keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature and minimize light and noise.

·         Follow a routine to help relax before sleep, such as reading a book, listening to music, or taking a warm bath.

·         Drink a warm cup of milk before going to bed. Milk contains an amino acid that boosts serotonin in the brain, and enhances sleep.

·         Don’t use your bedroom as a place to work.

·         Relaxation techniques, meditation and sexual intercourse have a relaxing effect for many people.

Adequate sleep is essential to health and peak performance as much as exercise and good nutrition. Hence, to get relieve from sleeplessness and to promote a restful sleep with the help of a safe, natural, effective.