Sleep

We tend to overlook quantity and quality of sleep in searching for our cause of disharmony. In reality, sleep underpins very firmly a satisfactory state of health. To deprive oneself of sleep is hugely detrimental, not just because it affects judgment or causes grumpiness.

The first things you are most likely to notice, if you are sleep-deprived, is a drastic increase in the frequency of your yawns. Yawning, contrary to popular belief, is not brought on by lack of sleep but instead by a decrease in the amount of oxygen that gets to the brain. This decrease in the flow of oxygen usually happens when one doesn’t take deep enough breaths which in turn, is usually caused by lack of sleep. The nervous system thrives on oxygen. Without oxygen, intellectual function becomes poor, and nerve impulse transmission is adversely affected. When you are tired and in need of sleep, muscular efficiency greatly declines, and we become weak and lethargic. Furthermore, cellular repair and cell division are reduced, plus the normal endocrine synchronization of the body systems is thrown off balance, and this can affect immune function, digestion and elimination too, so lack of sleep can have subtle but far reaching health effects.

One such evidence of poor bodily synchronization which is related to sleep is in what the French sometimes call a ‘liver crisis’. This actually covers a whole host of symptoms such as sensitivity to certain foods which must be avoided, excess gas, constipation, diarrhoea, bilious headache, puffy eyelids, stiff hands and feet, aching joints, and crucially difficulty awakening in the morning, . The urine is dark in the morning, but becomes increasingly clear and copious during the day (and sometimes long into the night, which is another reason for insomnia). In the evening a person may have a great deal of nervous energy and be unable to sleep. There is often a mild aching and feeling of fullness in the upper right part of the abdomen.

Which came first, the insomnia or the poorly French liver? Again we are brought back to holistic principles of generally healthy living in order to circumvent such problems, and put the body on an even keel. It is also worth mentioning that keeping late hours as opposed to ‘pure’ insomnia is also a problematic issue. If sufficient hours are slept, but at the wrong part of the day or night, then problems can still result. Dr Christopher, the American herbalist and author, recommended unbroken sleep between the hours of 10pm to 2am, saying that each one of these precious hours were worth two at other times. He should know. He was often  called out to ailing patients at night. Other authorities say the hours between 11pm- 7am are sacrosanct, but you will find your own balance.

So, before paying a visit to a GP for a prescription of sleeping pills, have you tried every naturopathic alternative first? Barbiturates will weaken your system overall. They do not provide quality restful sleep, but rather a drugged paralysis in which vital processes are mostly suspended. Plus they are one more job for the beleaguered liver to perform in detoxification.

Probably the best thing to do in order to achieve a good night’s sleep is determine in advance what time you will go to bed, and stick to it. Everything you do prior to that should be with this moment in mind, i.e. indulge in a night- time ritual. Avoid harsh stimulatory experiences before retiring (loud music, TV, computer screens) Breathing exercises will definitely help. Do not eat after 8pm as it taxes the organs of elimination. The quality of food throughout the day is also important. Certainly avoid sugary foods and caffeine which promote an adrenal response. Even of you only drink caffeine in the morning, and do not believe it has any physiological affect on you, please desist if you are having sleeping problems. Over a short period of time, I guarantee it will help you!

Quality of bed clothing and bedlinen may be an issue. Use natural fibres such as cotton rather than man- made, in order to prevent ionic charges building up and frustrating your attempts to sleep. Dr.Christopher also advised walking barefoot on dew- laden grass before retiring, in order to ‘de- charge’ the body. He recounts an amusing story of a insomniac sceptic who falls asleep almost immediately.

Do you remember your dreams at night? Sleep should be a creative and inspirational time. The Celts believed our souls passed to the other side, and journeyed in the faery realms of our ancestors overnight. Dreams were oracular messages to be celebrated, not just synaptic junk we randomly discharge at night. Studies have shown for a long time that vitamin B6 is implicated in dream recall. I remember years ago, my last dreams for a long time were of trying to control crazy students in my chaotic classroom. Then nothing. I cannot remember a single dream for five years. Vitamin B6 is utilised very rapidly when we are under stress. My body was telling me there was something wrong; that I was under too much pressure, and I needed to recharge and re- supply my cells with vital wholefoods, vegetables and fruits.  If you cannot remember your dreams, then I recommend you go and buy a juicer and replenish your vitamin B6!

Chamomile tea is much under- rated as a herbal infusion at bedtime. People tend to regard it as puny in comparison to the other herbal ‘big guns’. But the mechanism of action of chamomile seems to be greatly enhanced in times of stress, for reasons we cannot explain. A cup of chamomile tea may be relaxing to a normal, healthy person through the day, but in an insomniac at bedtime, it works wonders! Other herbal strategies may be to have a bath with essential oils of Lavender, Marjoram, and Clary Sage. Or dropping a few essential oils onto your pillow to promote sleep (we call this knockout drops). Sometimes a drop or two of warmed olive oil in the ear provides a delightful warming sensation which is soothing.

If the above attempts fail, there are many herbal helpers to get you off to sleep. Most notably, Valerian, Hops, and Passionflower. These are widely available in proprietary herbal pills from a dispensing chemist, but I would urge you to pay attention to the quality of what you are taking. Many mass marketed herbs contain chalk, fillers, chemical additives, preservatives and other unwanted substances. Before you judge the efficacy of herbal medicine in helping you with sleeplessness, (1) remove the obstacles to sleep (consider the naturopathic triangle), and (2) use pure, unadulterated herbs of quality in adequate doses.

If you really cannot get to sleep, you can use this powerful technique to change your breathing. Usually if you are frustrated and wakeful, you will take a few deep, cleansing breaths now and then, as they are generally considered to be relaxing. In reality this ends up more like a puffing and panting, which will only serve to keep you awake. But if you observe a person who is asleep, you will notice their breathing is very shallow, almost between the worlds. The body’s demand for oxygen is relatively low during sleep. By shortening your breath, and making it as shallow as you can bear, you will notice your blood gasses change, which facilitates sleep. It is actually quite uncomfortable to shorten the breath in this way, almost like an auto- strangulation. But this method is very effective.

You can precede the above breathing exercise by playing ‘tense & relax’ before you go to sleep. Start with the head & eye sockets, tense them as hard as you can, then relax. Then the neck and thorax, then the arms, etc. etc. finishing with the feet. There is really no reason to deprive yourself of a good night’s slumber.

Sleep Well!

by Andy Patterson; Herbal Therapist