Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Bach’s Concerti of Flower Remedies for Sleep


Dr. Edward Bach was a British doctor, who after tending to soldiers returning from war, collapsed and was told he had only three months to live due to a malignant tumor.  Because of his will to advance his work in medicine, he grew stronger and was able to healthfully return to his research. Frustrated by conventional medicine’s habit of focusing on disease rather than the whole person, Dr. Bach began to adapt his vaccines to a homeopathic paradigm. This lead him further into the realms of creating pure remedies and he began collecting plants and flowers for his research. In 1930 he gave up his regular medical practice to devote his life to the true healing found in nature.  His natural gifts as a healer brought him farther ahead in the field as he tested thousands of plants and flowers, finding remedies to unblock distress and disease in order to allow healing to take place. Based on each person’s mental or emotional state, he was able to create a formidable and effective way to diagnose and treat a myriad of illnesses. 

The Remedies
Bach Flower Remedies are composed of 38 different formulae that correspond to specific characteristics of the person being treated. A treatment is selected based on individual attributes, with combinations created to help transcend the problem in a natural and non-invasive manner.

Lack of Sleep
When we don’t get a good night’s sleep it is all too obvious in the way we are affected the next day.  Less productive with a poorer memory and a cranky disposition are just some of the symptoms.  As sleeplessness accumulates, it can lead to serious health problems, compromising the immune system as well as other normal functions of the body and mind. 

Sleeping Well
When we sleep well, we awaken alert, refreshed, and optimistic. A good night’s rest means we’ve completed all the necessary phases of sleep so essential for memory, muscle repair, and the release of hormones we need for appetite and growth. With rapid eye movement (REM) comprising 25% of our sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) the other 75%, we experience repetitive cycles that occur every 90 minutes to assure our bodies that we are getting what we need to incite body function to perform at its highest.  Moving through the following day with clarity, purpose, energy, and a positive attitude is the result of balanced sleeping habits.

Bach’s Sleep Remedies
There are many Bach Flower Remedies for sleep. None are habit forming, nor do they contain sedatives. These remedies help to ensure a peaceful sleep by dealing with the cause of restlessness or inquietude.  Look at the four I have listed below and then do your own research to find which ones correspond best to your condition, if you have problems sleeping.  Adding these remedies to your health protocol on top of an intelligent diet and the absence of anything overly stimulating before you hit the pillow will help you find the deep and healing sleep you deserve.

Agrimony
This flower helps to calm the mind. With the many distractions that occur throughout a day, we often become unconsciously preoccupied with what is yet unresolved. The brain then becomes overactive once the body slows down, keeping us awake with the torment of trying to find solutions.



Olive
Olive helps to treat profound exhaustion. Deep-seated fatigue can often come from a need for perfectionism, an overwhelming amount of responsibilities, or the inability to find resolutions to problems over time. Olive helps to regenerate the mind and the body, which corresponds to its symbol of hope and renewal.

Scleranthus
Random thoughts, a lack of mental discipline, and lack of satisfactory conclusions can often keep us burning the midnight oil. Scleranthus is a flower that helps calm the mind so that it does not interfere with natural sleep patterns.




Vervain
If you are a person who dwells on problems or who is awash with plans and ideas that do not cease, chances are that sleep doesn’t come easy. Vervain helps to relax the mental state from any type of intensity, including over-enthusiasm. Calming and medicinal, Vervain is also an excellent antidote for people who suffer from irregular breathing, called sleep apnea. Once the mind is at ease, natural breathing patterns can be normally restored.

Rescue Sleep, Rescue Night
Two formulae designed for people with insomnia or other problems related to stress, worry, impatience, and irritability, Rescue Sleep and Rescue Night help to calm the restless mind. Consisting of Cherry Plum for dissolving anger, Clematus for mental clarity, Rock Rose for dissipating panic, Star of Bethlehem for relaxing mental trauma, and White Chestnut to still the restless mind, these remedies are excellent choices when something stronger is necessary. Rescue sleep comes as a spray and Rescue Night comes in capsules or drops.

As with any homeopathic formula, consult your health-care provider before embarking on a remedy, especially if you are taking medication.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the info, particularly where you suggested a possible relationship between Vervain and sleep apnea. Is that based on direct experience? It's the first time I've seen the association made in my Bach reading.

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