For more than a decade, Hardeep Kaur, of Gwalior, could not fully enjoy the fun times with her family and friends. She would be bothered by either a severe one-sided headache or a backache that would stop her from sitting or standing with ease. She would also get chest palpitations and vertigo occasionally.
The physical pain and random thoughts kept her awake at night. “Because of the lack of sleep, I felt uneasy most of the time,” she recalls.
Kaur, 52, was unhappy with the direction her health was taking. She met a few doctors who diagnosed her with migraine and insomnia. But the medications they prescribed only gave her temporary relief as the ailments would come back with the same intensity. Kaur was not happy with this and continued to look for a solution to her problems for a few years.
In 2020, she consulted a homeopath in her locality. After studying the history of Kaur’s physical and mental health, Dr Devesh Pathak of Om Homeopathic Clinic prescribed her medication and advised her on maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle she should follow.
Kaur says, “Within a month, I could see an improvement. I now sleep better, and my backache has reduced significantly. I am managing the migraine attacks well, too.”
Some symptoms
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder associated with a variety of symptoms.
According to research published in the journal of Frontiers in Psychiatry, a person with insomnia can have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty in falling asleep
- Difficulty maintaining sleep; waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to get back to sleep
- Waking up too early in the morning sleeping for only 3 to 5 hours and being unable to return to sleep
- Daytime complaints like exhaustion, lack of energy, sleepiness, impaired attention, concentration and memory, mood swings, poor job performance, reduced motivation, and social functioning
Insomnia can be both short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Acute insomnia lasts for a few days or weeks. For insomnia to be diagnosed as chronic, it should last for at least three days a week for at least three months. Chronic insomnia is also linked with hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
Read more about ways to beat insomnia here
Causes of insomnia
There could be a variety of reasons behind insomnia. Dr Pathak says insomnia can stem from both psychological and physical factors.
Stress, anxiety, and depression are some of its psychological factors.
Health conditions that involve chronic pain and discomfort can also result in insomnia. Certain medications, poor sleep habits and environmental factors such as light and noise must also be looked at.
Read more about the link between diabetes and insomnia here
How homeopathy can help
Dr Pathak says, “There is no separate medicine for migraine, backache, or insomnia. Homeopaths consider all the symptoms and give one medicine that covers all the health conditions.”
He says, “Psychological stress can be due to grief, insult, or financial loss. Only when you know about the stressful events in detail will you be able to prescribe a suitable medicine and give specific helpful tips.”
The medicine addresses the underlying cause such as stress and improves the quality of sleep by increasing resilience towards it. It stimulates the healing ability of the body and in managing the health conditions.
Experts say it is also important to take care of overall health by giving equal importance to diet, lifestyle and sleep discipline.
Read about ayurvedic management of insomnia here
Cultivating good sleep habits
- Follow a sleep schedule of waking up and going to bed at the same time
- Expose yourself to sunlight to set the circadian rhythm
- Avoid coffee, tea and beverages containing caffeine especially in the evening and close to bedtime
- Have a balanced diet containing all the micro and macronutrients such as fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and yoghurt
Read more about how nutrition can help tackle insomnia here
A study published in Nutrients suggests that a diet rich in protein can improve sleep quality.
- Have supper at least 3-4 hours before your bedtime
- As chronic health conditions can also lead to insomnia, they should be addressed with the help of a physician
- Avoid using electronic devices close to bedtime
- Do not do rigorous physical activities and exercises close to bedtime
- Make sure the surroundings are comfortable and the temperature of the room is not too cold or too hot. Make it sleep-friendly
- Practising yoga, meditation and breathing exercises help one to develop resilience to stress. Taking up relaxing activities before going to bed – such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to calming music – also helps in getting a good night’s sleep
