Study: Homeopathy and Coffee-Related Insomnia

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20673648

Effects of homeopathic medicines on polysomnographic sleep of young adults with histories of coffee-related insomnia.

Bell IR, Howerter A, Jackson N, Aickin M, Baldwin CM, Bootzin RR.

Department of Family and Community Medicine, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA; Department of Psychology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Homeopathy, a common form of alternative medicine worldwide, relies on subjective patient reports for diagnosis and treatment. Polysomnography offers a modern methodology for evaluating the objective effects of taking homeopathic remedies that clinicians claim exert effects on sleep quality in susceptible individuals. Animal studies have previously shown changes in non rapid eye movement sleep with certain homeopathic remedies.
METHODS: Young adults of both sexes (ages 18-31) with above-average scores on standardized personality scales for either cynical hostility or anxiety sensitivity (but not both) and a history of coffee-induced insomnia participated in the month-long study. At-home polysomnographic recordings were obtained on successive pairs of nights once per week for a total of eight recordings (nights 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23). Subjects (N=54) received placebo pellets on night 8 (single-blind) and verum pellets on night 22 (double-blind) in 30c doses of one of two homeopathic remedies, Nux Vomica or Coffea Cruda. Subjects completed daily morning sleep diaries and weekly Pittsburgh sleep quality index scales, as well as profile of mood states scales at bedtime on polysomnography nights.
RESULTS: Verum remedies significantly increased PSG total sleep time and NREM, as well as awakenings and stage changes. Changes in actigraphic and self-rated scale effects were not significant.
CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated the feasibility of using in-home, all-night sleep recordings to study homeopathic remedy effects. Findings are similar though not identical to those reported in animals with the same remedies. Possible mechanisms include initial disruption of the nonlinear dynamics of sleep patterns by the verum remedies.

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Source: www.ghanahomeopathy.org

"Our vision is the establishment of homeopathy as a recognised part of the health care system in Africa and Ghana in particular. Our charity's main objective is the relief and prevention of disease working closely with local community developments and initiatives. Further, we support the development of homeopathic education and vocational training facilities together with local partners, in conjunction with established health workers and local practices. Our vision extends to make homeopathy available to deprived communities as a valid and affordable form of treatment and to initiate health education."

"At the clinic we work as a team of three including Christopher and Gideon. We take cases and reptertoirize together and then move to the Materia Medica to make sure the remedy selection is good for the patient. We keep the clinic open twenty four hours without any break and sometimes work at midnight during emergencies." - Emperor

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