Disease Index Homeopathy Papers

Sleep Easy with Homeopathy

Written by Robert Medhurst

Remedy Differentiating Symptoms: Aconite for anxiety, shock, fright or grief. Crataegus for insomnia of cardiac origin. Cocculus for jet lag and overwork, the sufferer’s bed feels too hard and uncomfortable. Nux vom for irritability, anger and gastrointestinal complaints.

If the New Year’s brought lots of new patients who are having difficulty sleeping, homeopathy can offer a wide range of benefits including an excellent speed of action, ease of use and low risk of drug interaction. Following are a few remedy suggestions that may help people who need sleep a little easier. Note: This is not an exhaustive list and anyone with chronic insomnia should have a full case taken.

Remedy

Differentiating Symptoms

Aconite

Insomnia related to anxiety, shock, fright or grief. The sufferer is frequently troubled by nightmares and insomnia accompanied by physical and mental restlessness. Symptoms are worse from pressure of bedding, during menses and in a warm room. Better in open air.

Arnica

Insomnia associated with jet lag and overwork, the sufferer’s bed feels too hard and uncomfortable, and they may be overtired. Also useful for insomnia related to recent injury. Worse from least touch or wine. Better for lying with the head low or lying outstretched.

Baryta carb

Often used for senile insomnia.

Crataegus

Often used for insomnia of cardiac origin.

Chamomilla Insomnia related to restlessness, irritability, anger or the overuse of coffee. This is a well-used remedy for children suffering from insomnia who refuse to be calmed. Also handy for insomnia and restlessness during the first part of the night and insomnia related to nightmares. Worse for being covered but better for sweating.
Cocculus Difficulty sleeping due to being overtired or exhausted. People needing this remedy are often emotionally sensitive, suffer from motion sickness and/ or depression. Symptoms are worse for touch, noise or cold, worse during menses and better for lying on the side.
Coffea c. This is an excellent remedy for insomnia, particularly where the person is troubled by unwanted thoughts and the nervous system is over-excited, causing an over activity of the mind and body. Worse for cold and noise and better for warmth. Also useful for insomnia during pregnancy.
Gelsemium
Insomnia associated with anxiety related to impending events such as stage fright in people who tend to be dull and drowsy, who cannot get fully to sleep, or have a restless or overly heavy sleep. Worse in damp, humid weather or in spring and better for reclining with the head held high.
Ignatia Sleepless from grief or sadness. Those who’ll benefit from this remedy are very light sleepers who often whimper while sleeping and have re-occurring bad dreams. Worse for cold open air and touch and better from pressure and warmth.
Kali phos Insomnia related to anxiety, mental strain, muscular fatigue, night terrors, restlessness or sleepwalking. Worse for touch, cold or fatigue and better for leaning against something.
Nux vom Insomnia associated with irritability, anger and gastrointestinal complaints in people who are impatient, fastidious and competitive. The person who’ll benefit from this remedy often wakes at around 3am, is worse for cold, dry weather, worse from eating and better for strong pressure and damp, wet weather.
Pulsatilla The Pulsatilla type is restless in the first part of sleep and can’t decide if they’re too hot or too cold and they may wake up too early.  Insomnia may be related to sadness, fear or irritability. Symptoms are worse from eating bread, fatty or rich food before sleep, and symptoms are worse before or during menses. Better in the open air or cool weather.

About the author

Robert Medhurst

Robert Medhurst BNat DHom DBM DRM DNutr is an Australian Naturopath & Homeopath with 40 years of clinical experience. He has written many articles and lectured on homeopathy throughout Australia and the U.S. Robert previously set up and operated 5 natural therapies practices in Sydney and Adelaide and was involved in teaching and medical research. He was formerly the Expert Advisor on Homeopathy to the Federal Government of Australia, Dept. of Health & Ageing. He specialises in homeopathy and is the author of The Business of Healing, the definitive guide for clinical practice establishment and management, as well as The Concordant Clinical Homeopathic Repertory. For more information see adelaidehillsnaturopath.com.au.

13 Comments

  • Dear Dr. Robert Medhurst,

    I have yet to find a single or a mixture of homeopathic remedy that has ever worked including one marketed specifically for this purpose.

    What if none of the symptoms described under various remedies fit? I think when these remedies do not work, it gives a bad name to homeopathy. In any case, homeopathy is claimed to fit the whole person (holistic) and not to treat individual symptoms. Or, am I wrong?

    What do you think of MELATONIN so lavishly advertised in this issue wit – as far as I could see – no price tag? I am very instinctively suspicious of such INSISTENT recommendation.

    Amir Cassam

    • Hi Amir Cassam
      Thanks for your interest in this article. You say, “I have yet to find a single or a mixture of homeopathic remedy that has ever worked including one marketed specifically for this purpose.” You appear to be saying that homeopathy doesn’t work. My experience is so overwhelmingly opposed to this that if this is your view, I’m afraid I can’t help you.
      Regards
      Robert Medhurst

      • I never said homeopathy does not work. What I said was that in my experience, the homeopathic remedies for SLEEP I have personally used and prescribed for my family members and friends have never worked. I am now 83 and studied homeopathy in London many many years ago and when I was studying it,it seemed to me as if – in the words of Dr Edward Whitmont (the title of his three-day seminar in London in 1991)- it was like “Opening Door”.

        But over the years, after retiring prematurly from from practising dental surgery, I took up study of homeopathy and acupuncture, including Dr Nogiere’s Auricular Therapy. I discovered that sometimes homeopathy works and sometime it does not. I thought it was due to my inexperience and gave up practising.

        But after coming to India, I have consulted renowned and some less renowned but highly experienced homeopaths for myself and found my earlier experience was repeated – sometimes they worked and quite often, they failed.

        I have suffered from eczema since last twenty years or more. But no homeopathy has worked. My present homeopath says that one should not treat skin conditions because it suppresses internal maladies yhat were trying to come to the surface. Does it take more than twenty years to do that? In the mean time, what does then one do all these years with scratching at nighjt causing bed sheets smeared with blood? This is only one example. I have never got any result from using homeopathy for clinical depression and had to go to psychiatrists. On the other had, I had some but rarely miraculous results with my patients and they still remember it.

        Homeopathy – I think -is still in its infancy. But esoterically inclined homeopaths would never allow it to develop. I wrote a few articles on the subject published in the British Homeopathic Journal (now called Homeopath) (Was Kent a Hahnemannian? and letter to the Editor under “Provings and Magic” supporting Vithoulkas. Also in Homeopathic Links (Is “Homeopathy compatible with esoteric healing practices? (that they published as a letter rather than an article it was meant to be since that journal is heavily esoterically inclined – Vithoulkas was very critical of the journal) and anothe one in UK based The Homeopath (“Science and Homeiopthaty: has science become one true religion?)

        I am very disappointed with Dr Medhurst’s reply. Homeopathy is not a magic. Sometimes it works and quite often it does not. WE need to discuss this without taking umbrage.

        Dr. Amir Cassam (retired) Please note that in India and Kenya where I was born and practised dentistry), dental surgeons are also called Drs.)

        Note to the Editor: Please correct any spelling errors as the result of my poor eyesight and old age

        • Hi again Dr Amir Cassam
          Thank you for that explanation. Had you used the term Dr in your title, I would have mentioned it when addressing you but since you did not, I addressed you as you did yourself. I took no umbgrage at your comment but simply addressed what you wrote. I’m sorry that you’ve not found homeopathy to be of use but again, that has not been my experience. Please note that I did not use the term, “magic” as you imply, but listed the remedies as “suggestions”. Thank you for your continued interest in this subject.
          Regards
          Robert Medhurst

          • Dear Dr Medhurst,

            There does not seem any point in continuing our discussion because it is getting us nowhere. You write, “I am sorry that you’ve not found homeopathy to be of use ….” What I said was that sometimes it works and quite often it does not. May be I should have avoided ‘quite often’ and instead said ‘sometimes’ it does not work. I did mean exactly the latter.

            I gave two conditions I suffer from where it has not worked SO FAR but I am still under an excellent homeopath and I have great faith in his experience and dedication. I have started with him only only four months ago and half of that time, I was in London. But since going to him, I have not had the unilateral attack of occipital or temporal neuralgia I have suffered from since a long time. It is too soon to tell if they may not recur. But before I went to him, I had them almost every two weeks for a couple of months.

            If I did not believe in homeopathy, I would not have continued going to a homeopath. If you have any suggestion about sleeping remedy, I would be most interested. However, none of the remedies described by you fit my case. You did not reply to my question about Melatonin.

            The word ‘magic’ has quite often used by esoteric minded homeopaths and also in debates in BDJ in late 1990s. Vithoulkas disparaged this term under “Provings and Magic” I did not mean to not apply to to you. My apology if it sounded like that

            Amir Cassam

  • Dear Robert Medhurst,

    I read the remedies for Sleep Easy and it seems you have not mentioned about those who are severely suffering from diabetes mellitus. Normally people suffering from diabetes, do not get good sound sleep. Several patients are awake in the nights. Such patients are also suffering from Erectile Dysfunction. Could you please advise some good and effective remedies which will cure these symptoms in a considerably low duration that is with excellant speed of action. Another very important thing you have not mentioned is the dosage of the medicines you have suggested in your list. All these things will be very convenient for the sufferers of the disease. Hope you will communicate with me for explanation of these suggestions.
    Have a good day.
    Sreedharan

    • “…Note: This is not an exhaustive list and anyone with chronic insomnia should have a full case taken…” Especially conditions like diabetes and erectile dysfunction, needs a full case.

      • Hi Gunther Benkenstein
        I couldn’t agree more. The list of remedies I mentioned in this article are for first-aid use by the neophyte, or for consideration as part of a review of the entire case by the practitioner, particularly where there are difficulties in taking the case. Over many years of prescribing homeopathic medicines, the remedies listed frequently arise in my repertoriation and those of many others where the primary presenting complaint, at least that expressed by the patient, is insomnia. If the insomnia is secondary to some other issue, then quite obviously one may have to look further for a solution than at a group of remedies noted for insomnia.
        Regards
        Robert Medhurst

    • Hi Sreedharan
      Thanks for your interest in this article. Please read my response to Gunther, but in addition note that insomnia can be secondary to almost any pathology, so in reality, I could only satisfy your desire by mentioning every remedy in the materia medica and the relationship between each individual remedy and insomnia. In specific regard to diabetes mellitis, the cases I’ve seen that often correspond to the provings and clinical entries for it include Uranium nit, Plumbum, Phos ac, Bovista, Lycopodium and Opium. In regard to erectile dysfunction, for the same reasons consider Lycopodium, Agnus castus, Selenium, Caladium, Phos ac or Phosphorus. It’s essential to note here that these suggestions are without any reference to the cause, which may be emotional, psychological, neurological, and so on, the consideration of which may change the remedy suggestion significantly.
      Regards
      Robert Medhurst

  • Dear Dr Medhurst,

    I wonder if you can help me? I want to try the natural remedy that was advertised at the time probably by Google. It contains Meltonin. I did mention it to you in one of my letters for your advice. But there was no response.

    I know that Meltonin is a hormone. But the medicine advertised had many other constituents including a flower remedy.

    I wonder if you know its name or where can I order? I am not requesting you for advice which might be unethical although I don’t think so. Just information that concerns sleep – the subject of your article in the July issue.

    Dr Amir Cassam

    • Hi Dr Amir Cassam

      I’m sorry about the delay in my response to you regarding Melatonin. I’m afraid I’m not aware of the product that you’ve mentioned and so cannot comment on it. In regard to Melatonin as a chemical entity, the evidence thus far appears to support its use in insomnia and of course its role in the neurochemistry of sleep is well established. In regard to its use in potency, a recent proving done in Australia with the 6X potentcy on 8 provers found, in summary, the following pathogenitic symptoms: Anger and suppressed anger, Dyslexia, mistakes in spelling and writing, Ecchymosis, eye, Forgetful of words while speaking (word hunting), Headaches, Impatience and irritability, Itching skin, Prostration of mind, Waking at 2am, Weakness of memory. Insomnia was not strongly represented here and to date, I’ve yet to find any substantial evidence, anecdotal or otherwise, to support the use of potentised melatonin in insomnia. As to your own problem in this area, the remedies I mentioned in the article are in my experience the ones more commonly arrived at after repertorising the cases of those who’ve consulted me for the condition. I have to say though that in my experience around 10% of people simply do not respond to homeopathy, at least initially and in these cases I usually suggest herbal or conventional medicines. In the statements you’ve made regareding your sporadic responses to homeopathy, it may be that you, at least partially, fit into this this category and if the remedies mentioned in my article, and those prescribed for you, have no effect, you may be better advised to use something other than homeopathy.

      Regards
      Robert Medhurst

  • Hi Dr Medhurst,

    I’ve immigrated to Australia recently. I live with my family in Adelaide and stumbled to this site in my search of a good homeopathy information in Adelaide.

    I’m in search of Homeopathy store or place where I can buy natural remedy for my family and myself. I would like to meet with a professional in the field as well. I would probably work with him/her on regular basis when a family member has any health issue.

    Would you be so kind to suggest me a place and a doctor as well? My email name is aviolito and the domain is @gmail.com (I’ve split my email so I don’t receive automated spam).

    Thank you

Leave a Comment

Subscribe
Homeopathy for Everyone
Learn homeopathy with the world's greatest experts every month - for FREE!
World's No.1 Homeopathy e-Journal - for the community, by the community.
No Thanks!
close-link