Why is it so hard to get a good night’s rest?
Sleep is one of the most important foundations of good health. A good night’s rest makes us face the day with vigor, while ongoing sleep troubles erode our sense of well-being. During sleep, our unconscious mind busily processes both recent events and past unresolved issues, and sleep can be viewed as a sensitive indicator of our alignment with our true self. When we are fully aligned with our inner being we tend to sleep soundly and have excellent energy the following day, whereas any discrepancy between our conscious and unconscious minds may interrupt sleep.
Many approaches such as exercise, proper nutrition, and Chinese medicine can be used to improve sleep, and those who have a disordered lifestyle need to establish regular sleep habits as a first step. But we have less control over sleep than over dietary habits and lifestyle, as anyone who has tried falling asleep only to be kept awake by an overactive mind knows firsthand. So in many cases sleep problems persist regardless of what we do in our waking moments.
Among the most powerful healing methods for addressing such challenging cases is classical homeopathy. Classical homeopathy works by addressing the underlying causes of physical or psychological symptoms at the level of mind and spirit, and it does so by re-aligning mind, body, and spirit so that they function in full balance and harmony. Because sleep quality is correlated with the degree of this alignment, sleep is one of the most sensitive indicators of overall well-being, even when it is not in itself the patient’s main concern.
Because of how homeopathy works, improved sleep and energy are very common side-benefits of homeopathic treatment, and a positive shift in sleep and dreaming patterns early on in treatment suggests that healing is taking place. Some people start to sleep better and dream less due to the resolution of unconscious issues that no longer need to be re-experienced in sleep. Others may instead experience increased dreaming, yet paradoxically wake up more refreshed than before: this is due to improvement in one’s awareness of previously unconscious worries which have now resurfaced to be integrated into one’s conscious life experience.
At other times, sleep disturbance may result simply from physical tension or pain. These situations are often perpetuated by an overactive sympathetic nervous system (the ‘fight-or-flight’ response), and any therapy that promotes calmness has the potential of improving sleep. There are many forms of massage and physical therapy that target tight muscles and connective tissues, as well as mind-body techniques such as meditation that address the mental-emotional causes of muscle tension.
A novel hands-on therapy that neutralizes the effects of stress on muscle tension is Bowen technique, which uses gentle plucking motions over certain muscle groups to reset the body’s tension patterns. In as little as 2 to 3 sessions, Bowen technique can have a lasting effect on chronic tension patterns, promoting physical relaxation and a healthy posture.
