Can’t sleep because you’re thinking too much, worried or overstimulated? These are common problems which can often be helped with Bach Flower Remedies.
The nature of all sleep-depriving thoughts is repetition, thinking too much, making White Chestnut the go-to remedy for all sleep problems.
During our waking day, we have many thoughts, some wanted which is great, and some unwanted, which is fine too as for most people it isn’t too long before something distracts them causing them to drop the thought and refocus.
When we are lying in our beds at night we (hopefully) have no distractions which can mean that those pesky little thoughts that were so easily forgotten during the day can re-surface and without anything to draw your attention elsewhere they can quickly gain momentum, making your mind race and your body tense, not exactly the ideal conditions for falling asleep!
White Chestnut calms an anxious and racing mind, making it a lot easier to consciously direct your thoughts during the day and let go of thinking at night.
I recommend including White Chestnut in any sleep remedy you make.
A simple remedy you can try that will help in most cases of insomnia is 4 drops of Rescue Remedy and 2 drops of White Chestnut in a glass of water or in a treatment bottle. You can sip this during the day, just before bed and as often as you need during the night, aim for a minimum of 4 doses every 24 hours. If you are using a treatment bottle, take 4 drops AT LEAST 4 times daily, and take one of those doses at bedtime.
This simple remedy is also available as Rescue Sleep Drops and Spray and Sleep Melts
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Impatiens are for those who, for whatever reason, feel like it is taking too long to get to sleep. It could just be a temporary situation where you really want to get a good nights sleep because you have something important to do tomorrow, or you only have a few hours available for sleep before you have to get up again. Or it could be a more chronic situation where you tend to feel like everything in life happens too slowly. Either way, Impatiens will help soothe that uncomfortable uptight feeling, helping you to breathe deeply, relax and allow sleep to come in its own good time.
Similar to Impatiens, when you need Vervain you will feel tense and uptight but the reason for your tension is slightly different. Vervain is for those who are so wound up over something that they can’t relax and sleep, the difference is that they really don’t want to sleep and would be just as happy to get up and get on with whatever is on their mind. If this is a temporary situation where you have something to do and you have the energy now, then it’s not really a problem to miss out on a few hours or even a nights sleep, but if it becomes chronic and you are running on super high energy for too long you will eventually crash. Vervain will help you to balance out your energy so that you can sleep when you need to and work and play when you want to.
Elm will help you to sleep if your insomnia is a temporary problem bought on by a situation which has you feeling mentally and possibly physically overwhelmed, things like looming exams, a new job, a new baby, moving house, a wedding, Christmas or any other significant event that you need to organize, anything that produces a sudden increase in your normal responsibilities. You may have some aches and pains from strained or tense muscles but you will definitely be over-tired, desperately in need of rest but unable to as you are too worried about coping with the days that lay ahead. Even when you do manage to drop off your sleep tends to be restless and your dreams full of anxiety. Luckily this state is normally temporary and will pass on its own once the increased demands on you have ended, or you have adjusted, but Elm will help you to adjust more quickly and cope better with your responsibilities.
Elm gives you that little boost of strength and confidence which is all you really need to get past this bump in the road. Often just one day of use will give you relief from insomnia, but keep taking it until you are feeling like your old strong capable self again.
Rescue Remedy
If your sleep problems have come about after a traumatic experience then take Rescue Remedy on its own or along with any other remedies you choose. The effect of Rescue Remedy is relief from stress and so you can also add Rescue Remedy to any combination of remedies you have chosen to give a general relaxing effect.
How to Take Your Bach Flower Remedy
Make your remedy up by adding two drops of each to a glass or bottle of water. Add 4 drops if you are using Rescue Remedy.
Sip regularly during the day making sure that you have a minimum of 4 doses each day, and take one of those doses at bedtime.
Or Make your remedy into a Treatment Bottle so that it will last longer.