Holistic Tips On Insomnia
        By Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., Holistic Wisdom C.E.O.

There are many causes of insomnia. If you struggle with it, or know someone who does, here are some useful tips on how to manage it.

Some of the symptoms of insomnia are:

1) An over-active mind which causes difficulty falling asleep.

2) Nervousness and restlessness.

3) Nightmares once asleep that wake you up.

4) Irritability.

5) Mood swings involving hysterical behavior. If these symptoms continue you can actually develop a fear of bed time, so that you begin to have anxiety over the anxiety that prevents you from sleeping in the first place! It becomes a pretty nasty cycle, one that can be broken when you take corrective steps.

Many experience insomnia due to emotional stress, however there are other causes such as: pain; excess caffeine, alcohol and drugs; food allergies; or sleeping in an uncomfortable environment.

It is interesting to note that only in recent years, sleep- disorder medicine has become a branch of medicine. There are now centers and treatment located throughout the U.S.

There are many conflicting reports around taking sleeping medications, and a recent study indicated that 50 percent of people who take sleeping pills for insomnia find that the condition worsens.

About 80 percent of our sleep is NREM (non-rapid eye movement) and 20 percent is REM (rapid eye movement). If you feel tired most of the time it is probably because you have not had enough REM sleep. If you have problems with your memory it is probably because you have not had adequate REM sleep.

It is also reported that 80% of people who report that they are tired, often actually get adequate sleep, and that the problem lies in nutritional deficiencies which can be cleared up by taking a good multivitamin and mineral supplement while improving their diet. Exercise is also reported to assist those who have fatigue problems regardless of whether the fatigue is caused by lack of sleep or a general sense of fatigue.

If you find that you are struggling with insomnia and you believe it to be due to an emotionally stressful event in your life, or if you are struggling with anxiety or depression, you may want look into getting counseling to work through it. Whether you get counseling with us or somewhere else, it may be just what you have needed to not only deal with the emotional stressors in your life, but to get some sleep!

Here are some herbal remedies that may be helpful-

Chinese Herbalism:

~ Wild Jujube
~ Fleeceflower
~ Hoelen

Herbalism:

~ A warm bath with an infusion of chamomile, catnip, lavender or limeflowers.
~ A cup of warm tea: chamomile or blends such as Celestial Seasonings (TM) Sleepy Time or Tension Tamer Teas.
~ Make a small lavender filled pillow to sleep near.

Aromatherapy:

~ Chamomile
~ Marjoram
~ Lavender
~ Clary Sage
~ Rose
~ Neroli

Use in bath, on skin mixed with a light carrier oil, or apply a few drops to your handkerchief to put in your pillow.

Flower Essences:

~ White Chestnut for worrisome thoughts & mental arguments.
~ Scleranthus for indecisiveness.
~ Vervain, Vine, Elm, Beech, or Impatiens for stress, strain, frustration and an inability to relax.

Vitamins & Minerals:

~ Vitamins B
~ Vitamin C
~ Folic Acid
~ Zinc
~ Calcium

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