Fall Series Webinarswith Karen Allen CCH

Adjuncts In Constitutional Care:Insomnia

Roadmap for OurTraining Session Today

● Normal sleep and it's impacts on health● Sleep disturbance: Maintaining Causes● Supportive options for clients– Life style and environment choices– Help getting to sleep and staying asleep

● Homeopathics● Breathing exercises● Gemmotherapy● Foot reflexology● Herbal support: teas, aromatherapy and Bach Flowers

● Normal sleep: 7-10 hrs/day– You are getting enough when you wake without an alarm– Regenerative function on all body systems– Concept of sleep bank account

● Insufficient sleep: common chronic health complaint– 30% of adults experience insomnia– 3rd most common complaint after colds and headaches– Concept of sleep bank account– Contributes to weight gain, chronic pain, poor immune function

● Chronic insomnia: 3 nights/wk or 16 nights per mo

Sleep:The Goal is Regeneration

● Increasingly common with age– During aging, melatonin levels from the pineal gland can

fall and make sleep harder to achieve / maintain● Women are more than twice as likely to experience in-

somnia as men– especially around menstrual period – in perimenopause/ menopause

Insomnia:Who are We Talking About?

● Any pain condition ● Acid reflux / GERD● Restless leg syndrome● Urinary issues with frequent nocturnal urination● Overactive thyroid / restless / can't settle● Stress / worry / anxiety / overwork● Effects of many medications● Women are more than twice as likely to experience in-

somnia as men – especially around menstrual period and in perimenopause/ menopause

Insomnia:Likely Terrain and Diagnoses

● Diagnosis based on: – Client report– Sleep study

● THERAPEUTICS:– Anti- anxiety medications (Xoloft, Xanax)– Anti-depressants (Welbutrin, Prozac)– Sleeping meds: Ambien, Lunestra, Rozerem– CPAP machine for apnea related sleep disturbance

Conventional Diagnosis and Therapeutics

● Well, it could be...– Is insomnia life-long for the client?– Is there a family history?– Is the onset since some major life event?

● Or maybe not so much?– Lifestyle issues (diet, exercise, caffiene, work)– Prescription meds that disrupt sleep– Sleep issues as fall out from other symptoms

Hey, Wait A Minute!Is this Constitutional?

● Diet with protein / carb balance, and healthy fats● Reduce / avoid caffeine and alcohol● Reduce / avoid light/stimulation in the hour before bed, in-

cluding television, iPad, computer● Exercise, but not in the evening● Create good sleep hygiene– Regular routine for bedtime and sleep– Prepare for bed: warm bath, food with tryptophan, stretching, tea– Comfortable environment, 70 degrees or less– Limit ambient light in the room– White noise / air flow / fan– Manage issues with bed companions

Insomnia:Lifestyle Choices

● Organ support for the endocrine system– Pineal gland 6c or 12c nightly before bed for 3-5 days

OR– Anterior pituitary 12c 2-3 times weekly, especially for women with

menstrual or menopausal issuesOR

– Hypothalamus 12c 2-3 times weekly, especially after hormonal insult

● Gemmotherapy to quiet nervous system and stimulate melaton-in release, taken 15-30 minutes before bed

– Linden (Lime Tree) – Fig

Insomnia:Homeopathic Support

Insomnia:Reflexology

● Teach clients 'Belly Breathing'– The abdomen should rise and fall, not the chest

– Breathe in to a count of 6, out to a count of 6

– 10 breaths then start over

● Teach clients to break thought patterns by thinking of unrelated words: frog aspirin elbow table banana etc

● Try using a mental mantra – one word said over and over in the mind like 'one' or 'calm'

● Try listening to quiet music or a familiar books on tape story

Insomnia: Breathing and Mind Games

● Aromatherapy: Lavendar and Chamomile– Use an infuser or drop a few drops into a piece of cloth and put it

inside the pillow case– Use scented oil to massage feet / reflexology

● Bach Flower Remedies can help– Rescue Remedy and Rescue Sleep– Impatience (irritable about not sleeping)– White Chestnut (repetitive churning thoughts)– Vervain (overexcitement)– Mimulus (afraid to go to be because of not being able to sleep)

Insomnia:Aromatherapy and BFR

● Naturopathy has so much to offer– Magnesium– 5HTP– Herbal formulas

● Teas before bed (use a small cup!)– Chamomile– Oat grass– Valerian

Insomnia:Nutritional Supplements and

Teas

SO... are you ready to begin?

● Review Your Cases– If you have past cases with clients who had insomnia, review

their cases – Investigate options and select a plan for the practice case, re-

gardless of whether you are still seeing the client● Try it Yourself – If you have a sleepless night, try some of these yourself– You can speak authentically about what you have experienced

– Your Questions?

Webinar: Adjuncts In Constitutional Care

InsomniaNovember 18, 2014

This document serves as verification that :____________________

has completed 1 hour of training with Karen Allen CCH in homeo-pathic therapeutics and client management.

These hours can be used to meet the pre-requisite formal training or continuing education criteria for the Council for Homeopathic Certification.

Please print and keep as your record of attendance.