#BlogchatterA2Z- “S”: Sleeplessness: causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment!

This is day 19 of #BlogchatterA2Z and as “S”, I am ready to talk about another common disease aliments and its treatment. 

As “S”, I am talking about “Sleeplessness”? What is sleeplessness? What are causes and symptoms? What is scope of homeopathy treatment? 

This post is also a fourth post (first for second quarter) for #causeachatter campaign. My theme for campaign is #mentalhealthtalks.  

In this post, I will also discuss co-relation between sleep and mental health. Also, share some easy ways to improve sleep quality. 

Read the post to know more about it.  

What is sleeplessness?  

Sleeplessness or insomnia is a condition that involves trouble in falling sleep or difficulty in staying sleep. It is a common condition that affect at least 25% of people once or more in their lifetime and among this 10% of people are suffer from chronic insomnia or sleeplessness.  

Occasional sleeplessness is common problem and most of the people suffer from this once or more in their lifetime. When a person suffers from sleeplessness night for 3 days in a week, up to 3 months continuously, it considers as a confirm diagnosed case of insomnia and it requires a proper medical treatment.  

Sleeplessness could be caused by multiple factors such as biological and environmental. Short-term sleeplessness is not a serious disorder and usually respond well to lifestyle changes. But chronic sleeplessness is much serious disorder and usually caused by other systemic or sleep disorder. It negatively affects quality of life and results in poor physical and mental health.  

Type of sleeplessness  

There are types of sleeplessness:  

• Acute or adjustment insomnia: this is a short-term sleeplessness usually caused by change in environment or as a result of any recent stressful events. Some common examples of cause of acute insomnia are sudden change in temperature, new job or school, relocation to new place. This type of insomnia lasts only for few days and did not require any specific treatment and s 
• Chronic insomnia: when insomnia become long-term (3 days in a week for up to 3 months), then it is called chronic insomnia. There are two types of chronic insomnia. First is primary and second is secondary. Primary insomnia is also called idiopathic insomnia, because there is no specific cause id detected for the sleeplessness. Secondary insomnia means when the sleeplessness is caused by other systemic or medical disease.  
• Sleep onset insomnia: when patient has difficulty in falling sleep, when go on bed. This is usually common in people who work in night shifts.  
• Maintenance insomnia: when patient has a problem in stay in bed and wake up in any time during night. This type of insomnia is common in those people who suffer from arthritis, asthma or other chronic pain disorders.  
• Behavioral insomnia of childhood: common in young kids and respond well to setting healthy sleep routine.  

Causes of sleeplessness 

Sleeplessness can be caused by following factors:  

Lifestyle factors: such as 

• Poor sleep pattern that includes stay wake up late in bed by doing various activities such as watching TV, playing video games etc., eat late at night that disturb the sleep pattern.  
• Travel or work schedule (jet lag or working in night shift), change the circadian rhythm of body and disturb the normal sleep cycle and routine.  
• Excessive intake of caffeine 
• Alcohol consumption 
• Exercise before bed time  
• Over stimulation of brain due to any reason 
• Stress and Constant thinking about work, family, or finance responsibilities  
• Side effect of certain medication also causes sleeplessness.  

Mental disorders:  such as 

• Anxiety, depression or other mental diseases like post-traumatic stress disorder also disturb healthy sleep pattern 

Chronic systemic illness: such as 

• Any chronic systemic disease like asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, arthritis or other chronic pain disorders often disturb the normal sleep pattern.  

Sleep disorders: such as 

•  Sleep apnea: in this disorder, there is obstruction in upper airways causes disturbed sleep. Snoring is one of the major causes of sleep apnea. It could be life-threatening in some cases.  
• Restless leg syndrome: in this condition constant movement of leg disturb the sleep.  

Risk factors 

Here are some factors that increases the risk of sleeplessness:  

• Age: sleeplessness is more common in aged people. It is more commonly observed in people over age 60 years, due to changes in sleep pattern and health.  
• Sex: it is more common in women than men. Women are more prone to suffer from sleeplessness during menstrual cycle period, pregnancy and during menopausal period, due to hormonal changes.  for example, during menopause period, hormonal changes may cause various symptoms like night sweat and hot flashes that disturb the normal sleep pattern.  
• People who suffer from mental disorder or chronic physical ailments: these both kind of issues disrupt the normal sleep pattern.  
• Higher level of stress: people who are under higher level of stress due to any reason also have a higher risk of suffering from sleeplessness.  

Symptoms  

• Difficulty in falling asleep  
• Trouble in staying sleep at night  
• Waking up early  
• Restlessness and anxiety before bedtime  
• Poor concentration  
• Weak memory  
• Fatigue and lack of energy  
• Increased chances of accident  
• Poor performance at work place and school  
• Other associated symptoms of underlying disease (if cause of sleeplessness is that)  

Sleeplessness and mental health 

Image source: sleep.org 

This year, I am also participating in #causeachatter blogging campaign, and my theme for challenge is #Mentalhealthtalks. So, in this post, I would also like to talk about co-relation between your sleep quality and mental health. Good sleep is an essential factor for keeping us mentally healthy. 

One side, sleeplessness or poor quality make us prone to suffer from various mental disorders like anxiety and depression, another side various mental disorders causes sleeplessness as main symptom. Sleeplessness and mental diseases often have a sort of viscous cycle, where one thing lead to another.  

So, it is very important to take care of your sleep quality and establishing a healthy night routine to get a good night sleep. Here is a good infographic to understand the co-relation between sleeplessness and mental health.  

Diagnosis  

In most of the cases, doctors confirm a diagnosis of sleeplessness by physical examination. A detail case taking is necessary to know cause of sleeplessness. In chronic and complex cases, some tests like sleep study are recommended that requires staying in hospital at one night. 

Lifestyle modification to treat sleeplessness  

Image source: Sclhealth.org  

Mild and acute cases of sleeplessness respond so well to lifestyle modification such as:  

• Set a healthy sleep patterns that involves sleep on time, use good quality mattress, keep the room dark by adjusting curtain, maintain an ideal room temperature. 
• Work on improving your sleep hygiene:  try these steps, such as take a relaxing bath, relax your mind by using mind calming activities like read a book or practice a mediation for good night sleep or listen a calming music. 
• Eat at least 2-3 hours before sleep time and go for a stroll after dinner.  
• Drink 1 cup harm milk before sleep. It is considered as a good help in good night sleep.  
• Exercise daily (during morning or day time) helps in reducing stress level and offer great help in getting a good night’s sleep.  
• Limit intake of caffeine and other strong stimulant  
• Switch off screen and other digital devices at least 30 minutes before bed time.  
• Avoid exercise before bedtime.  
• Minimize time spent awake in bed 
• Avoid sleeping during day time 
• Manage your stress level effectively by practicing simple habits like write down your next day’s schedule and to-do list, organize your stuff priorly, and have a clear mindset before sleep time.  

Homeopathic treatment  

Homeopathy offers great help in treatment of sleeplessness. Here are few indicated remedies that work great in treating sleeplessness or insomnia symptoms.  

Passiflora Inc. Q 

Image source: distacart.com 

Passiflora is one of the top-grade remedies for treating insomnia. It is usually used as a general l remedy to treat sleeplessness symptoms. The key symptoms are sleeplessness, restlessness and exhaustion. When these symptoms caused by any lifestyle factors such as excessive work, Passiflora gives good results.  

Dose: 20-30 drops of Passiflora Q in half cup of like warm water, use at night (30 minutes before sleep) 

Note: do not use Passiflora for long time, use this only up to 15-20 days to treat acute symptoms. Later on, use other indicated remedies based on your individual symptoms.  

Kali phos 

Image source: distacart.com 

Kali phos is also called “nervous tonic” in homeopathy. It is great remedy for treating sleeplessness caused by general stress and anxiety. patient also has symptoms of nervous exhaustion, weakness, stress and irritability. It is also useful for students who had an academic pressure and get sleeplessness due to performance pressure in exam. This remedy relives physical and mental fatigue caused by overexertion.  

Dose: 6X potency, 3-4 tablets, 4 times a day 

Coffea cruda 

Image source: distacart.com 

Though coffee is used a stimulant and help in keeping us awake, but in homeopathy it works in exact opposite way. Coffea is cruda is another excellent remedy for treating sleeplessness symptoms caused by overexcitability and overactivity of nervous system. Whenever, there in increased nervous activity like after hearing good news, create a state of overthinking and excitability, coffea is the remedy to use. Patient also has symptoms of restless anxiety, flow of too many thoughts and tiredness. This medicine calms the restless mind and helps in ensuring good night sleep.  

Dose: 200 potency, 5-6 globules, 2 times a day. 

Ignatia amara 

Image source: distacart.com 

Ignatia is another top-grade remedy for treating sleeplessness symptoms. When patient has a peculiar history of sudden loss or grief (like death in family, or sudden financial loss), and this loss causes a state of emotional shock. Grief, sleeplessness and depressed mental state, then ignatia is the remedy to use.  

Dose: 30 potency, 5-6 globules, 2 times a day 

Bach flower rescue remedy 

Image source: distacart.com 

Edward Bach (a famous homeopath) has created bach flower remedies in year 1900s. These remedies considered great in treating various kind of emotion stress, anxiety and pain. Bach flower rescue remedy is one of the best choices for relaxing the brain and bring a sense of calmness. It is very useful in treatment of sleeplessness and usually did not cause any side effects. 

Dose: take 4 drops on directly tongue or mixed in TSP of water. Repeat as necessary.  

So, these were some common remedies to treat sleeplessness symptoms. What are your thoughts? Please share with me.  

So, this is all for now,  

As “T”, I will talk about “Toothache and homeopathic treatment”. Stay tuned to know more! 

Read the previous posts of the series here: 

A: Acidity: causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment  

B: baby colic : causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment 

C: Common childhood injuires: causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment! 

D: Diarrhea: causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment! 

E: Ear pain, causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment 

F: “Fever”- causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment! 

 G: “Gingivitis”: causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment! 

H: “Hair loss”: common causes, symptoms & homeopathic treatment!  

This post is a part of Blogchatter A2Z Challenge

Disclaimer: the post is written for educational purpose only. did not intend to cure, treat or diagnose any disease condition. always consult your doctor before making any significant changes to your medication or starting any new medication.

This post is a part of #CauseAChatter with Blogchatter.