Sleeplessness

Worry is the biggest cause of sleeplessness, a new online survey has revealed. The survey by YouGov has uncovered that 42 per cent of the people surveyed who suffer from sleeplessness are most likely to be kept awake at night by worries, including financial concerns and family problems.

As well as worries, the survey found the other top causes of sleeplessness:

• 13 per cent find noises, such as a snoring partner or traffic, the biggest night-time distraction.
• 12 per cent found medical problems like asthma and painful joints and muscles the main reason for sleepless nights*.
• 5 per cent thought drinking too much caffeine was most responsible for keeping them awake at night.

*If you are taking any medicines, including those obtained without a prescription, consult your doctor before taking other medicines.

The survey highlighted that a staggering 77 per cent of the 2,108 surveyed experience sleeplessness and if you apply this percentage to the British population you could estimate 36 million people in Great Britain could suffer from sleeplessness.

A report by the Mental Health Foundation highlighted the importance of sleep for the mental and physical health of the nation. A lack of sleep can lead to poor concentration and memory, lethargy, irritability, a decrease in co-ordination skills and low mood, which could affect their work and social life.

As the survey by YouGov suggests, sleep disturbances can occur in many forms, and each individual will have their own experiences, and their way of dealing with it. Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is based on treating the individual and stimulates the body’s own natural healing processes.

Ranjni Janda, registered Homeopath said: “We have seen a dramatic increase in people coming into the pharmacy asking for advice on sleeplessness over the past few years. If the reasons are known, they are usually associated with everyday pressures occurring in their lives at that time.

“We have found more and more people are looking for a natural sleep aid, and there are many homeopathic remedies which can be used to help. Chamomilla can help if you are feeling tired but cannot sleep and Cocculus can help if sleeplessness is caused by mental and physical exhaustion. Coffea may be beneficial for those suffering from restless sleep that regularly wake during the night, especially when too many thoughts are running through the mind, and Nux Vomica is useful for those that overindulge in food, drink and smoking to counter mental strains and worries resulting in sleeplessness.”