STEPS TO MANAGE SLEEP DISORDERS

STEPS TO MANAGE SLEEP DISORDERS
– GENERAL AND HOMOEOPATHIC MEASURES

Sleep is an opportunity for the brain and body to rest and be restored. In addition, many functions important to good health take place during sleep at night. The amount of sleep that people need can vary widely. Infants may need up to twenty hours; many children need from ten to fourteen per night. The average requirement for adults is estimated at six to eight hours, but many people need much more than that feeling chronically stressed and compromised, both physically and mentally, because of insufficient sleep.
A sleep disorder, or somnipathy, is a medical disorder of the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders are serious enough to interfere with normal physical, mental and emotional functioning. Polysomnography is a test commonly ordered for some sleep disorders.
Disruptions in sleep can be caused by a variety of issues, from teeth grinding (bruxism) to night terrors. When a person suffers from difficulty in sleeping with no obvious cause, it is referred to as insomnia. In addition, sleep disorders may also cause sufferers to sleep excessively, a condition known as hypersomnia. Management of sleep disturbances that are secondary to mental, medical, or substance abuse disorders should focus on the underlying conditions.

'SLEEP HYGIENE' SOLUTIONS FOR BETTER SLEEP
From having occasional difficulty sleeping to insomnia, there is a lot can do to get a better night's sleep, feel refreshed when awake, and remain alert throughout the day. It's called "sleep hygiene".
There are four general areas important to sleep hygiene:
 Our circadian rhythm, or 24-hour cycle
 Aging
 Psychological stressors -- those factors can cause difficulty falling asleep and disturb the quality of our sleep
 Common social or recreational drugs like nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol
Circadian Rhythm
We all have a day-night cycle of about 24 hours called the circadian rhythm. It greatly influences when we sleep and the quantity and the quality of our sleep. The more stable and consistent our circadian rhythm is, the better our sleep. This cycle may be altered by the timing of various factors, including naps, bedtime, exercise, and especially exposure to light (from traveling across time zones to staring at that laptop in bed at night).
Aging
Aging also plays a role in sleep and sleep hygiene. After the age of 40 our sleep patterns change, and we have many more nocturnal awakenings than in our younger years. These awakenings not only directly affect the quality of our sleep, but they also interact with any other condition that may cause arousals or awakenings, like the withdrawal syndrome that occurs after drinking alcohol close to bedtime. The more awakenings we have at night, the more likely we will awaken feeling unrefreshed and unrestored.
Psychological Stressors
Psychological stressors like deadlines, exams, marital conflict, and job crises may prevent us from falling asleep or wake us from sleep throughout the night. It takes time to "turn off" all the noise from the day. One must develop some kind of pre-sleep ritual to break the connection between all the stress and bedtime.
Social or Recreational Drugs
Social or recreational drugs like caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol may have a larger impact on our sleep than we realize. Caffeine, which can stay in our system as long as 14 hours, increases the number of times we awaken at night and decreases the total amount of sleep time. This may subsequently affect daytime anxiety and performance. The effects of nicotine are similar to those of caffeine, with a difference being that at low doses, nicotine tends to act as a sedative, while at high doses it causes arousals during sleep.
Alcohol may initially sedate us, making it easier to fall asleep; however, as it is metabolized and cleared from our system during sleep, it causes arousals that can last as long as two to three hours after it has been eliminated. These arousals disturb sleep, often causing intense dreaming, sweating, and headache. Smoking while drinking caffeine and alcohol can interact to affect our sleep dramatically. These sleep disturbances may be most apparent upon awakening, feeling unrefreshed, groggy, or hungover.
HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT FOR SLEEP DISORDERS
Professional homoeopaths do not generally prescribe remedies to treat symptoms individually, as the symptoms are considered to be only the outward sign that your vital force is struggling to overcome disease. Instead a remedy is prescribed for the whole person. Accurate prescribing is essential to the success of homoeopathy. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy.
Reportorial rubric
[Kent] Sleep, Sleeplessness
Acon., Argen. Nit, Arsenicum album, Belladona, Bryonia, Cactus, Calcerea, Chamomilla, China, Cicuta v, Coffea, Cyclamen,Hepar sulp, Hyosyamus,Kali ars, Kali Carb, Lachesis, Mercurius, Merc. Cor, Nux.vom, Opium, Phosphorus, Plumbum, Pulsatilla, Rhus.tox, Sepia, Stannum met, Silicea, Staphy, Sulphur, Thuja
[Complete] Sleep, Sleeplessness, night
Arsenicum album, Causticum, China, Cina, Coffea, Conium, Ferrem met, Graphites, Hyosyamus, Mag.carb, Moschus, Nat.mur, Nit.ac, Nux.vom, Olendar, Opium, Phosphorus, Plumbum, Rhus.tox, Silicea, Spigelia, Squilla, Thuja
[Boericke] Nervous system, Sleep, Insomnia (Sleeplessness)

Absin, Acon., Anacardium, Arsen album, Avena, Belladona, Calcerea, Camph, Camph – monobrom, Cann ind, Chammomilla, Cimcifuga, Cinchona, Coca, Cocaine, Cocculus, Coffea, Cypripedium pubescens, Gelsimium, Hyoscyamus, Hyoscyaminum hydrobromatum, Ignasia, Kali brom, Lupulus hum, Nux.vom, Opium, Passiflora, Pulsatilla, Scutellaria lateriflora, Sulphur, Sumbulus ferula
[Boenninghausen’s] Sleep, Sleeplessness
Aconite, Arsenicum album, Bryonia, Calcerea, Chamomilla, Coffea, Hepar sulp, Kali Carb, Mercurius, Nux.vom, Pulsatilla, Sepia, Silicea
Remedy Individualizing Symptoms
Aconite Sleeplessness related to anxiety, shock, fright or grief. The sufferer is frequently troubled by nightmares and insomnia accompanied by physical and mental restlessness. Symptoms are worse from pressure of bedding, during menses and in a warm room. Better in open air.
Arnica Sleeplessness associated with jet lag and overwork, the sufferer’s bed feels too hard and uncomfortable, and they may be overtired. Also useful for insomnia related to recent injury. Worse from least touch or wine. Better for lying with the head low or lying outstretched.
Arsenicum Album feel sleepy during the day but anxious at night. Restless in bed with anxious dreams and nightmares. Also for warmth, warm drinks, moving about, and sleeping propped up in bed.
Chamomilla Sleeplessness related to restlessness, irritability, anger or the overuse of coffee. This is a well-used remedy for children suffering from insomnia who refuse to be calmed. Also handy for insomnia and restlessness during the first part of the night and insomnia related to nightmares. Worse for being covered but better for sweating.
Cocculus Difficulty sleeping due to being overtired or exhausted. People needing this remedy are often emotionally sensitive, suffer from motion sickness and/ or depression. Symptoms are worse for touch, noise or cold, worse during menses and better for lying on the side.
Coffea c. This is an excellent remedy for insomnia, particularly where the person is troubled by unwanted thoughts and the nervous system is over-excited, causing an over activity of the mind and body. Worse for cold and noise and better for warmth. Also useful for insomnia during pregnancy.
Gelsemium Sleeplessness associated with anxiety related to impending events such as stage fright in people who tend to be dull and drowsy, who cannot get fully to sleep, or have a restless or overly heavy sleep. Worse in damp, humid weather or in spring and better for reclining with the head held high.
Ignatia Sleepless from grief or sadness. Those who’ll benefit from this remedy are very light sleepers who often whimper while sleeping and have re-occurring bad dreams. Worse for cold open air and touch and better from pressure and warmth.
Kali phos Sleeplessness related to anxiety, mental strain, muscular fatigue, night terrors, restlessness or sleepwalking. Worse for touch, cold or fatigue and better for leaning against something.
Nux vom Sleeplessness associated with irritability, anger and gastrointestinal complaints in people who are impatient, fastidious and competitive. The person who’ll benefit from this remedy often wakes at around 3am, is worse for cold, dry weather, worse from eating and better for strong pressure and damp, wet weather.

Opium If the person is feeling sleepy but unable to get to sleep, if the bed is too hot, or else sleep comes but it is so heavy that the person snores and cannot be roused.
Pulsatilla The Pulsatilla type is restless in the first part of sleep and can’t decide if they’re too hot or too cold and they may wake up too early. Insomnia may be related to sadness, fear or irritability. Symptoms are worse from eating bread, fatty or rich food before sleep, and symptoms are worse before or during menses. Better in the open air or cool weather.

MOTHER TINCTURES
Absinthium
Sleeplessness due to nervous excitement
Avena sativa
Insomnia with despondency
Passiflora Incarnata
60 drops in a ounce of hot water at 8pm induces sleep
Thea
For nervous sleeplessness with history of tea abuse
Piscidia
Here cause of sleeplessness is mental worries
Hypericum
The key actions are antidepressant, antispasmodic, analgestic, astringent, antiviral, sedative and it stimulates bile flow

References

1. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine
2. Wikipedia.com/sleep disorders
3. Repertory of the Homeopathic Materia Medica, Dr.J.T.Kent
4. Complete Repertory by Roger van Zandvoort
5. Repertory to Homeopathic Materia Medica” by Oscar E. Boericke
6. www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders
7. http://www.holisticonline.com/remedies/sleep/sleep_ins_homeopathy.htm
8. Quick Bedside Prescriber – J.N.SHINGHAL.
9. http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/sleep-easy/
10. http://www.homeohome.com/about-swasthya-clinic/articles-patients/46-articles-for-laymen-general/183-insomnia-and-homoeopathy.html
11. Boenninghausen's therapeutic pocket book by Clemens von Boenninghausen
12. Principles of Prescribing, Dr. K.N.Mathur.
13. LILIENTHAL S., Homoeopathic Therapeutics
14. DEWEY W. A., Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics


Dr. S. SABARIRAJAN., M.D. (Hom) (Gen.med)
Dr. S. R. AMEERKHAN BABU., M.D. (Hom) (Gen.med)
Reader, Dept. of Practice of Medicine
Vinayaka Mission’s Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital,
Salem, Tamilnadu.