Elusive Sleep? Zzzzzzzzzz.

“What?

I’m sorry, did you say something?

My mind was wandering because I just didn’t get a good night’s sleep.”

Boy, if you had a nickel for every time you’ve heard someone say that … or even said it yourself …  you’d have a big ol’ stack of nickels.

Sleep may seem like a luxury. But it’s a necessary part of our existence. It’s certainly not something to scrimp on — at least, not on purpose.

But what about those days when sleep won’t come? You’re up to 3,489 sheep, yet you’re still wide awake!

Sleeping pills such as benzodiazepines or Ambien carry the usual array of side effects we expect from patented pharmaceuticals. Some can even lead to loss of motor function or amnesia. So, as usual, our answer is not to be found from Big Pharma.

Many people pat themselves on the back for going “natural” with their sleep aids. I’m sure you’ve heard a friend extoll the virtues of valerian or melatonin. But natural does not always mean perfectly safe. Indeed, valerian carries a potential for toxicity. Both valerian and melatonin can result in next-day fogginess. And melatonin must be taken in the proper dosage and at the precise time in order to perform as desired. 

In fact, melatonin is a hormone, my friends. And you know how I feel about tinkering with hormones.

Instead, I find (as I most often do) that homeopathically prepared botanicals are far superior to the gross form of herbs.

So, which homeopathic medicine is best for sleep? Let’s turn to the experts at Boiron.

As you should know from reading my blogs, the homeopathic pharmacists at Boiron know their medicines! They should. They’ve been in business for almost a century in France and opened BoironUSA 40 years ago. That is a lot of experience, my friends!

They have created a combination remedy called SleepCalm® (perfect name, wouldn’t you say?) by blending four single homeopathic medicines that, through clinical observation and study, have been shown to address sleep issues.

Let’s take a look at the back of this combination remedy to learn more about the ingredients Boiron has chosen*:

• Hyoscyamus niger (black henbane) 3C: Relieves restless sleep associated with nervousness.
• Nux moschata (nutmeg) 4C: Relieves restless sleep.
• Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) 3X: Relieves sleeplessness associated with worries and exhaustion.
• Stramonium (thornapple) 6X: Relieves sleeplessness with intermittent awakening.

That gives us a good start. But as I often suggest, open up your materia medica and do a bit more research on each of these medicines. As a student of homeopathy, you should understand what works and why!

Always stay curious.

Believe me when I say that homeopathy is the most valuable rabbit hole you can possibly fall into! So, learn as much as possible with the joy of knowing there will always be more to discover! Look at me, for instance. I’ve been studying and practicing for over 36 years and often glean new nuances. Indeed, homeopathy is intellectually delicious!

In fact, Christophe Merville, D.Pharm, director of education and pharmacy at Boiron (whom I’ve interviewed extensively as a lesson in the Academy of Practical Homeopathy®), has prepared a Q&A regarding homeopathy as an alternative to melatonin, as well as a white paper on SleepCalm® and a comparison of herbs, supplements, OTC sleep aids and sedatives. There is so much good information in those resources that I will be sharing them with my Mighty Members later this week. (If you haven’t joined, now’s the time!) 

But before I go, I’m sure you recall that each week in 2023, we’ve discussed a medicine that should be included in any well-stocked homeopathy kit. SleepCalm® has certainly earned its place among them.

If you order from Boiron’s website, don’t forget to use my name (Joette) in the coupon box at checkout to receive a discount. But let me be clear: I have no affiliate program with Boiron. That is, I have no financial relationship with them. I tell you about this and their other offerings simply because I like their products. Why? Well, number one, they work! And number two, they are an excellent entry point for those meandering the aisles of Walmart, Wegmans and other stores. 

My mission is to get homeopathy into the hands of all families, especially those unfamiliar with its many abilities. Building this support “from the moms up” will ensure that homeopathy will live on.

“But Joette, I don’t have any sleep issues.”

Well, that’s excellent! Perhaps you won’t need this medicine. But what about your family? What about after a crisis, when sleep patterns are interrupted? Heck, what about last night’s time change to Daylight Saving Time? (That extra evening sun is enough to throw off many people’s sleep patterns.)

Plus, others have reported SleepCalm® to be an excellent entry point into homeopathy when friends and relatives visit. Travel (changing time zones or simply being over-weary) can affect sleep. What better win-win than to provide a loved one with a box of SleepCalm® to ease their wakefulness? I’ll bet that in the morning, they’ll be asking more about homeopathy!

And that’s the perfect time to pass on the good news and further my mission — OUR mission!

Warmly,

P.S. You might enjoy the story of Boiron’s history in this short YouTube video: The Boiron Story: 90 Year Saga. It’s subtitled in English, so you’ll understand the narration. (But who doesn’t love listening to the beautiful French language?)

P.P.S. Thorough materia medicas can be expensive and, at first blush, daunting. But they can be ever so beneficial for the serious homeopathy student! However, sometimes a simple, plain-talk materia medica is often all the busy parent needs to look up a common medicine and its top keynotes quickly. That’s why I wrote A Materia Medica: Practical Homeopathy® for Busy Families. Through the lens of my stories and experience, you’ll learn important information about 150 of the most used homeopathic medicines. It’s a great entry-level materia medica AND one that may be more easily accessible during a health emergency.

*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.