Sleep is essential for life – just as breathing and eating and drinking are. So how come it can be so difficult? As a homeopath, I have the pleasure of working with people on many different health issues, from eczema to IBS and back again, but regardless of the nature of the focus of our attention, sleep is very, very often part of the problem if not the problem itself.
So, what makes sleep so tricky to get right? The answer is that there are multiple variables that can upset sleep’s delicate balance, including what we eat, when we eat, how we exercise, when we exercise, not exercising, our hormones, stress, and so on. The list is lengthy and can feel overwhelming when life is already hard enough to get right.
A joined-up approach that looks at the issue from a 360 degree perspective is imperative, but homeopathy can play a very important part in restoring better sleep, and it will do so naturally and without side-effects.
Different people have different sleep issues, but this week we will look at the issue of being able to fall asleep at the beginning of the night.
Finding it hard to fall asleep at the start of the night may well be linked to low levels of magnesium in the system. Magnesium, after oxygen and iodine, is the third most important element for sustaining life. Magnesium also relaxes muscles and soothes nerves, so it can easily be seen how vital it will be for sleep.
Magnesium is easily lost through a high sugar intake as well as caffeine and alcohol, three of the props that often help us through a busy day. Additionally, it is quickly lost to the adrenals in times of stress. Magnesium deficiency is clearly a potential issue for many of us.
Restoring magnesium levels can be achieved by using magnesium sprays, taking baths with Epsom salts, eating green foods and raw chocolate or taking supplements. Getting your levels back up to a good level can take around 6 months.
Another issue to consider is what is on your mind when you are wakeful. For many people who are sleepless at this point of the night, there may be anxieties about the day ahead that seem to block sleep. The ever-present to-do list in the mind won’t be quiet. Homeopathic remedies such as Argentum nitrate, which is a fantastic remedy for anticipatory anxiety may well be helpful. Consider the remedy Zincum Metallicum too, if your anxious thoughts are combined with restless legs. Lastly, Kali Phosphoricum, the nerve nutrient, is another excellent homeopathic support for a better night’s sleep as it has a very calming effect on the whole system.
Next week we will look at remedies that may be of help when your issue is that you wake between 1-3am and find it hard to get back to sleep. Please get in touch if I can give you any more information about how homeopathy can help you get a good night’s sleep.
