Sleep

In Oriental medicine, insomnia and sleep issues can come from a variety of different patterns: digestive issues and inflammation, a deficiency (where the yin substance of the body is not substantiated enough to hold and house the spirit at night), inflammation and agitation of the nervous system, and so on.

It can take some sleuth work to get to the root cause, but these are some of the first things I recommend and can be helpful regardless of what pattern is at play. 

OmniBlue Ocean Minerals.  In Oriental herbalism we look at the energetics of a substance to understand how it works within our systems.  Minerals, like rocks, are heavy and descending in nature (if you pick a rock up and let go, it will drop quickly to the ground).  Taking this at night can help bring the energy of the body down out of the mind and calm the body to help transition into sleep.  *Start with a small dose and work up, to make sure it agrees with your stomach.

Taking an Epsom Salt bath in the evening.  This can be extremely calming to an inflamed or sensitive nervous system.

Mighty Plugs: The World's Finest Earplugs.  I learned of these from an amazing Osteopath who was recovering from a traumatic brain injury and used these to help seal off her nervous system at night so she could sleep.  When the nervous system is inflamed, or even just agitated, it can increase noise sensitivity.  These earplugs help limit the input one is exposed to at night, allowing the body to drop into sleep. 

Ease Magnesium Spray.  A few sprays of this onto the body before going to bed is a great alternative to taking magnesium internally, as you bypass the digestive system for people with sensitive stomachs, and the body can absorb it transdermally. 

With love,
Kelly