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Sleeping problems
Lack of sleep leads to lapses in concentration, irritability and irrationality amongst other things. Insomnia is not a single night or even several nights of disturbed sleep, but a persistent pattern of short-sleeping which leaves the sufferer feeling unrested, worn out, and ragged round the edges.
Most people who complain of insomnia do in fact get some sleep, but not as much as they would like. Insomnia can be due to having to get up during the night to pass urine, due to prostate problems or during pregnancy; or the cause may be too many late meals, too much caffeine, a food allergy, overindulgence in alcohol or drugs or something as simple as an airless or overheated bedroom.
Often the causes are emotional. Anxiety caused by pressure of work or financial problems, depression, grief or too much excitement. Coming off sleeping pills or tranquillizers can also cause insomnia. In fact, one of the commonest causes of insomnia is fear of not being able to sleep.
Another commonly recognized cause of problems is snoring, sleep apnoea, in which breathing stops for a short time, then starts again and difficulty in breathing through the nose. Snoring can be reduced by avoiding alcohol and sedatives, and cutting down smoking and losing weight.
Other sleep disorders include nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, sleep-talking, rocking, head banging, grinding teeth, restless legs and disturbed breathing.
Chronic sleep problems require constitutional treatment but in the short-term the remedies below may help.
· Mind, overactive as the result of good or bad news, inability to switch off Coffea 30c
· Sleeplessness due to great mental strain, over-indulgence in food or alcohol, or withdrawal from alcohol or sleeping tablets, person wakes around 3am or 4am then falls asleep just as it is time to get up, has nightmares, is irritable during the day Nux Vom 30c
· Person restless in first sleep, feels too hot and thrown covers off, then feels too cold and lies with arms above head, not thirsty, insomnia worse after rich food Pulsatilla 30c
· Sleep problems worse after shock or panic, restlessness, nightmares, fear of dying Aconite 30c
· Feeling wide awake and irritable during first part of night, especially if person is a child and want to be carried around Chamomilla 30c
· Mind very active at bedtime going over and over work done during day, person aware of dreaming a lot, talks and laughs in sleep, wakes around 4am Lycopodium 30c
· Person yawns a lot but cannot sleep, dreads not being able to sleep, especially after emotional upset, when sleep comes nightmares come too Ignatia 30c