According to the CDC, more than a third of us are sleep deprived getting less than the recommended minimum of 7 hours of sleep at night. Research is pretty clear that this lack of sleep often results in difficulties concentrating, remembering, and performing daily tasks. Those that regularly get less than this recommended 7 hours of sleep are also much more likely to suffer from chronic conditions like high blood pressure, depression, and obesity. It is true, folks... Lack of sufficient sleep has been linked to being overweight. And! Not getting enough sleep has even been shown to increase levels of inflammation in the body after arguing with a spouse. Arguments with a spouse are bad enough!
Sometimes this lack of sleep is intentional. At times, it is a choice that we are making to spend time doing things other than sleep. For instance, more than 75% of us would apparently rather do other things like relax, spend time with loved ones, exercise, or have sex than sleep. It is a tough dilemma: miss out or sleep a bit more.
Commonly used options don't work for everyone
For many of us, however, not sleeping at least 7 hours a night isn't a choice. Some have a difficult time falling asleep. Others have a difficult time staying asleep. At times, it is simply giving ourselves permission to go to sleep. There are many tips for maintaining good sleep hygiene like going to bed at the same time, limiting coffee/alcohol/other stimulants, decreasing water a few hours before bedtime, avoiding television and cell phone exposure close to bed, along with getting plenty of exercise.
But for some people this isn't enough. Commonly prescribed pharmaceutical sleep aides like Ambien often have side effects that are unmanageable for many people. For these people it is frequently the mental symptoms like agitation, feelings of intoxication, confusion, or hallucinations that make this option intolerable. Or, there is a personal or family history of addictions so these kind of medications are too big of a risk to take. Or, maybe they simply want a more natural option. For what ever the reason, pharmaceuticals are not the best answer for everyone.
Looking for a more natural choice
Some people turn to more natural options like melatonin or valerian root, while others of us turn to homeopathy. Homeopathy can be an effective and inexpensive solution to support sleep.... one that doesn't result in addiction. Sometimes self-selecting a homeopathic remedy to help improve sleep is effective. Many other times, it is helpful to have an expert guide you thru the process.
Coffea cruda is one of the most common homeopathic remedies used to improve sleep. This remedy is a super-diluted preparation of coffee. That's right. Coffee. Sometimes homeopaths recommend coffee to improve sleep! We aren't talking about your basic americano from your favorite local coffee store though. We are referring to pellets that have been medicated with a specially extracted form of coffee and sold in tubes like the one pictured here.
This remedy highlights how homeopathy works so well though! "Homeo" roughly translates to similar. And "pathy" roughly translates to disease. With homeopathic medicines, we actually work to ease symptoms by using medicines that would create similar symptoms in a healthy state. This slight aggravation of these similar symptoms is used to stimulate the bodies' natural, innate healing ability. Preliminary research seems to confirm what so many of us have seen with our patients over the years: this can be effective way to improve the amount and quality of sleep. Just as pharmaceuticals are the preferred option for some, homeopathy is the preferred option for others of us.
Treating the person not the disease
Coffea cruda is not effective for every person that has sleep difficulties. Rather, it is most likely to be effective for those who experience sleep difficulties similar to drinking too much coffee. Homeopathic Coffea cruda is most likely to improve sleep in those that have a difficult time falling asleep due to thoughts about nothing in particular and a general feeling of being "jittery". Similar to when drinking coffee.
If this isn't a good description of your sleep difficulties, not to worry. There are at least 800 other homeopathic preparations that have been shown clinically to ease sleeplessness. This is where having an expert help to guide you comes in handy. As you are looking for a well-trained homeopath that you trust, here are a few other remedies that are often used to help ease sleep difficulties:
Sulphur: people who react positively to Sulphur often experience sleeplessness from heat and waking between 2-5a, especially with the urging for a bowel movement. People that will react positively to Sulphur are frequently known to stick their feet out of the covers at night too cool them off.
Arsenicum album: people who are likely to react positively to Arsenicum album tend to be chilly, anxious, and restless. They are particularly plagued by sleep difficulties between midnight and 3a, especially from thoughts and anxiety about their health.
Nux vomica: those who react positively to Nux vomica are often prone to over-indulgences of food, alcohol, and/or work. They will frequently experience waking sometime between 2-4a with thoughts of work or business affairs.
Again, these are only a handful of remedies that are used to help ease sleep difficulties. Keep in mind, your sleep should improve with time when you take an appropriate remedy. There may still be some nights that are not 100% restful, but there should be a general improvement. If not, it is time to schedule some time with your homeopath to find a new remedy. BTW, it is often helpful to have someone else help you monitor your response to a homeopathic. A decent number of people can find a homeopathic remedy for themselves, but it is really difficult to accurately self-assess the reaction.
Can always be a sign of something more serious
Insomnia can be a signal of a more serious underlying condition such as bipolar disorder, thyroid dysregulation, or many others. There is also always the possibility of a worsening of symptoms after beginning anything new, including homeopathy, so you should always work with a professional before beginning anything new or different. Including the information in this or any of my posts. The information above is intended to be for educational purposes only.
This is your health we are talking about after all. Your most valuable asset is worth consulting individually with a professional.
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