Treatments for Insomnia - Mental Health Disorders

Treatments for Insomnia

Botanical Therapies.     Several plants have sedative effects, including passion flower ( Passiflora incarnata ), hops ( Humulus lupulus ), skullcap ( Scutellarea latriflora ), chamomile ( Matricaria chamomilla ), and valerian ( Valeriana officinalis ). In a large double-blind study involving 128 subjects, reported in a 1992 issue of Psychopharmacology , valerian root improved the patients' subjective ratings for sleep quality and sleep latency (the time required to get to sleep), and did not leave them feeling lethargic the following morning.

Homeopathic Therapies.     Dr. Stephen Cummings and Dana Ullman in Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine suggest that homeopathic formulas can be very helpful for occasional insomnia, including Nux vomica, Coffea Pulsatilla, Passiflora, Arnica , and Chamomilla. They advise patients with recurrent or chronic insomnia to seek professional homeopathic care.

Hormone Therapy.     Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain which regulates the body clock and induces sleep. As reported in the April 1994 issue of Your Health, a synthetic version of melatonin has been successfully used to treat insomnia. Neuroscientist Richard Wurtman of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology gave subjects either melatonin or an inert placebo substance, placed them in a dark room at midday, and told them to close their eyes for 30 minutes. In the stressful environment of having to sleep on demand, it took the volunteers with the placebo 25 minutes to fall asleep. Yet those who took melatonin were able to fall asleep within five to six minutes. Judith Vaitukaitis of the National Center for Research Resources is quoted in the article as suggesting that melatonin may be a natural, nonaddictive agent that could improve sleep for millions of Americans.

Sleep Therapy.     Sleep therapy may be able to help insomniacs sleep better. An experimental study at the Medical College of Virginia, reported in the September/October issue of Natural Health, placed 24 adults (with an average age of 67) who had suffered from insomnia for an average of 13 years on an eight-week program of sleep therapy. Before, during, and after the study, participants kept a sleep diary in which they recorded their sleep patterns and their emotional reactions to sleep. During the eight-week program, researchers instructed participants to use their beds only for sleep and sex, and to forego reading, watching television, or eating while in bed. After the eight weeks, more than half of the participants reported that they were sleeping better with fewer awakenings. Although almost 50% had used sleeping pills before the study, none resumed these medications in the year following therapy.

Exercise.     When the body is exercised, it becomes naturally fatigued and people who exercise regularly find it much easier to fall asleep naturally. H. Kaplan, in his book Modern Synopsis of Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, cites several studies which indicate that regular aerobic exercise helps promote healthy sleeping patterns. However, exercise should not be performed just before bedtime. It should be of moderate intensity and last a minimum of 20 minutes at the target heart rate.

Like all other body organs, the human brain is composed of molecules and cells whose functioning is influenced by many different factors. Brain tissues can be affected by injury, infectious disease, inherited genetic errors, chemical toxins, and stressful or tragic events. When, as a result of one or a combination of these factors, the brain becomes biochemically unbalanced, depression, phobias, and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia can result.

Mental disorders can pose tragic problems for both their sufferers and their families. Fortunately, major advances have been made in noninvasive treatment of these disorders. Scientists have begun to map the brain and identify the specific neurotransmitters that are responsible for emotions and mental disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and panic disorders. This chapter has suggested that holistic therapies such as nutrition, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, hormones, botanical medicines, exercise, and massage, when used in a combination with psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, or cognitive therapy, can help treat psychological disorders. The goal of holistic treatment is to return the patient to natural, total mind/body health as quickly as possible in the least invasive way.