The Naturopathic approaches in helping Insomnia/sleep disorder

Insomnia is a sleep disorder marked with difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. People with insomnia sometimes wake up many times during the night or even have trouble going back to sleep.

It is important for the well-being of a person to get enough sleep. Otherwise, several health problems can occur including:

• Obesity
• Suppressed Immune System
• Heart Disease
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Endocrine Disorders
• Other Ailments As
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Premature Aging
• Kidney Disease…

… have all been linked with lack of sleep.

Causes of Sleep disorder or Insomnia

The main causes of insomnia may be:

• Digestive Disorder
• Constipation
• Mental Tension, Fear, Worry
• Reading Books or Watching T.V. till late night
• Intoxicants as coffee, Tea
• Increasing Blood Flow towards the head can reduce sleep
• The mind filled with thoughts during sleep can disturb the sleep as tension, jealousy, attachments, fear, and aversions
• Obscene literature can disturb the mind and cause sleep disturbance

SYMPTOMS

• A feeling of Pain in Head
• Heaviness in Head
• A feeling of Tiredness and Weakness
• Nausea
• Irritation
• Burning Sensation in Eyes
• Body Ache

Naturopathy Treatments

Natural bath or hotfoot bath are relaxants. Sanjeevani-Gohana also provides Spinal pack that promotes sleep.

Chest Pack application enhances sleep. In winter season taking bath with water of normal temperature is beneficial.

Enema: The cleansing of the bowel is important in getting relief from sleeplessness permanently. Lemon water enema has been found especially helpful to cleanse out the bowel.

Cold Mud Pack: over the abdomen and the forehead after the enema is especially beneficial.

Cold Hip Bath: Cold hip bath also is beneficial in enhancing sleep.

Foot Bath: is a relaxant and induces sleep

Massage: takes away the tension and makes a person sleepy

Cold Spinal Bath: relaxes the body and helps to sleep

Acupressure

Other good habits are inculcated in the naturopathy program at Sanjeevani – Gohana that help out in better sleep and body functioning patterns:   

• Taking a nap
• If you suffer from occasional insomnia, taking occasional naps help you to sleep better at night. A 20 – 30-minute nap will help you rest but also prevent health problems related to insomnia.
• Going to bed feeling sleepy: the all-day program induces sleep by bedtime at 10 pm
• Sleeping and waking at the same time daily
• Drinking warm water before sleeping
• Taking a light early dinner: there is at least a 2-3 hour gap between dinner and bedtime.
• Breathing Exercises included in Yoga and Meditation classes
• Progressive Muscular Relaxation or Yognindra is taught in Dr. Mathur’s yoga classes that help to induce sleep
• A glass of  lemon water with honey is given after yoga in the morning
• Kunjal
• Jal Neti
• Yogic asanas that are most helpful in sleeping included in your Yoga classes:
• Surya Namaskar, Katichakrasana, Tadasana,  Supta Pavanarnuktasana, Dhanurasana, Bhujangasana, Matsyasana, Mandukasana, Pranayam – Kapalbhati, Suryabhedan, Shitali, Chandrabhedi Pashchimottanasana, and Shavasana
• Relaxation Therapy Sanjeevani Gohana provides a swimming pool for floatation therapy. Peaceful music playing through the treatment allows the patients to absorb the good vibrations and relax. This can be extended to home and listening to relaxation music in the evenings before going to bed can help.

Other remedies include taking hot water bath for about 20 minutes with Epson salt. Some find a relief with Acupuncture.

Food as Medicine:

Supplement foods that are included in your diet and others you can include at home, depending upon your eating habits:

Food Taking a Light snack at Night

Eating a light snack that is high in carbohydrates like crackers or bread, increases the serotonin which in turn reduces anxiety.

L-tryptophan:

L-tryptophan is an amino acid in the body’s process that creates serotonin that helps in sleeping. It is found in the

OMEGA 3

Omega 3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids or essential fats. The body does not produce them. They come from supplementary and dietary sources.

• Nuts and seeds: chia seeds, flaxseed, and Hemp seeds, walnuts
• Plant oils: Soybean oil, flaxseed oil, and canola oil
• Plants: Edamame, Kidney beans Spinach, Soy products
• Poultry: turkey, chicken, and goose, Eggs, Milk
• Fish and other seafood: Cold-water fatty fish- salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and herring

OMEGA 6

Omega 6 foods include:

• Poultry
• Nuts
• Eggs
• Cereals
• Hulled Sesame Seeds
• Whole-Grain Bread
• Durum Wheat
• Grape Seed Oil
• Most Vegetable Oils
• Borage Oil
• Evening Primrose Oil
• Flax/Linseed Oil
• Blackcurrant Seed Oil
• Hemp Oil
• Rapeseed Or Canola Oil
• Cottonseed
• Soybean Oil
• Sunflower Seed Oil
• Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Corn Oil
• Pumpkin Seeds

OMEGA 9

In 100 grams of the following foods, the following amount of Omega 9 is found:

• Olive oil: 83 grams.
• Cashew nut oil: 73 grams.
• Almond oil: 70 grams.
• Avocado oil: 60 grams.
• Peanut oil: 47 grams.
• Almonds: 30 grams.
• Cashews: 24 grams.
• Walnuts: 9 grams

Melatonin:

Melatonin is a powerful hormone that facilitates sleep, the long term use is avoided. Supplements must be taken under supervised prescription.

However, it is also found naturally in foods as:

• Dates/ Khajoor
• Munakka/ Raisin (variety of dehydrated grapes)

Tart Cherry juice: taking an 8 oz. glass of tart cherry juice twice in a day helps to sleep better and longer. The compounds responsible for the color of cherries increases L-tryptophan and stops its retardation.

Lavender Oil Therapy: the aromatherapy of smelling lavender oil just before bedtime helps in improving sleep quality. Sleep disturbance occurs in women between the age span of 45 to 55 around the onset of menopause.