Ask most New Yorkers why they can’t sleep and they will say, “I am up all night thinking, planning, daydreaming. I have a lot to do. The vibe is frenetic. Neighbors are known to give all night parties with BOOM BOOM music. When a warm bath and a romantic movie fail, here are simple ways to calm and settle your nerves and improve sleep patterns. Try one of these.
From India: Help from a Goddess
Saraswati is a highly regarded goddess of culture, beauty, purity, and music. She is named after a river in India and is often depicted playing a veena a large string instrument. Saraswat Churna, named for the goddess, is a mild tasting herbal powder made by Baidyanath or Vadik in India and sold in East Indian groceries. It is recommended for improving the health of the nervous system, memory, and concentration. It is said to relieve anxiety, worry, stress, fear, sleeplessness, and improve immunity. How perfect for most of us!
What surprised me are the ingredients:
• Withania somnifera (AKA ashwagandha) a wonderful rejuvenating tonic for firm muscles that reduces lower back pain and improves memory and sleep for mentally and physically exhausted persons.
• Cumin - digestive
• Caraway seeds - digestive
• Ginger and black pepper - digestive
• Piper longun a spicy, rejuvenating pepper pod
• Acorus calamus - a form of sweet flag used for flavor and to quiet the mind
• Convolvulus pluricaulis (AKA Bindweed; in Sanskrit: Shankhapushpi )
-a plant commonly mentioned in Ayurveda (traditional East Indian healing arts) for use in mental stimulation and rejuvenation therapy. One study shows shankhpushpi to have anti-ulcer effects due to augmentation of mucin secretion and glycoproteins. Another study shows that shankhapushpi may be helpful in improving symptoms of hyperthyroidism by reducing the activity of a liver enzyme. The whole herb is used medicinally with cumin and milk in fever, nervous debility, loss of memory, also in syphilis, and scrofula. Shankhapushpi is used as a brain tonic. The plant is reported to be a prominent memory improving drug. It is used as a psychostimulant and tranquilizer. It is reported to reduce mental tension.”The ethanolic extract of the plant reduces total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and nonesterfied fatty-acid.”
The usual dose is 1/2 to 1 tsp. of the powder in a cup of warm water or milk twice daily. The peppers feel warming, grounding, and soothing for digestion. If after taking the remedy for several days, you develop signs of inflammation, such as burning joints or dry mouth, use a lower dose.
Put it all together and Saraswat Churna (powder) is balancing because it supports adrenal and nervous system health for prevention and treatment of burnout. It is digestive for people who stay awake and nervous trying to figure out their life and it is soothing and rejuvenating for the mind. Wonderful! I tried it and was soothed to a calmer state and eventually a deeper sleep.The brain becomes frayed in the City. Saraswati offers a brain balm. Incense and prayers to the goddess are also nice.
From China: Mulberry and Ginseng
I was recently introduced to Shui De An Capsules for insomnia. The Chinatown herb shop capsules contain:
• White mulberry -the main ingredient; nourishes blood and moisturizes. Used for dizziness, insomnia, premature graying hair, constipation of elderly people, or diabetes “thirsting and wasting” type diseases of chronic thirst.
• Chinese ginseng - digestive and balancing, necessary in order to prevent diarrhea when moistening tonics like white mulberry are used.
• Jujube red Chinese date (quieting for the heart and anti-anxiety)
• Oriental arborvitea
• Fu ling (a diuretic)
• Dan shen (red sage to improve circulation, reduce cholesterol, and ease heart stress)
• Anemarrhena (reduces fever)
• Dwarf lily (cools lungs and reduces stress and feverish conditions)
• Schizandra (a rejuvenating tonic for vision and energy)
• Atractylodes (for bloating and indigestion)
• Chinese licorice (reduces spasm, digestive and supports immunity)
• Polygala (Yuan zhi root) “calms the spirit and facilitate the flow of Qi in the heart: used for insomnia, palpitations with anxiety, restlessness and mental disorientation. This herb was traditionally used by Daoists as a tea to improve visions. It should not be used with a fever or night sweats and chronic thirst.
Put this all together and you have a major herb for moistening and rejuvenating the senses, herbs to ease heart-action and produce calm and rest. The normal dose is 1 - 2 capsules before bed. I tried it and by the third night enjoyed falling asleep before my usual hour of 3 in the morning. I stayed asleep and had nice dreams.
I can recommend either of the above natural remedies and expect to become more calm and intelligent from using them.
ANALYSIS
It is interesting to approach the problem of insomnia from several angles. There are usually a number of reasons why we cannot sleep. A sleep drug may feel like a knock-out medicine that, by regulating brain chemicals, sedates energy and the mind. An Asian approach to troubled sleep patterns is mult-faceted as illustrated by the above remedies. Both Saraswat Churna and Shui De An Capsules contain herbs that regulate digestion, circulation, enhance vitality, and ease troubled emotions. These are the root causes of insomnia. Individual issues aggravate problems in these areas.
It is interesting to see that we require a stimulant in order to sleep well. The East Indian Saraswat powder contains ashwagandha, a form of ginseng that enhances muscle strength, and the Chinese formula contains ginseng, a stimulant. In order for the heart and internal processes to work well–and for us to rest well–we require vitality not sedation.
It is also interesting to realize how Asian medicine treats anxiety and worry. According to Chinese traditional theory, the site of worry in the body is the spleen/pancreas. If we weaken that aspect of digestion with rich, fat, low value foods, the result will be bloating, water retention, poor absorption–and on an emotional plane–worry. How interesting. Imagine reducing the negative effects of obsession–mulling over problems, lying awake trying to decide what to do–with an herbal remedy for improved absorption. It makes sense. If we can digest food better, we can digest problems as well. Blood sugar balance, at the very least, remains healthy.
The Indian formula goes one step further. The digestive herbs ginger, pippli (pepper longun) and black pepper do more than improve digestion. They themselves are an energy stimulant. Apparently, to overcome worry and obsession we need drive to get out of a rut. Getting out of a rut, improves thinking and gets us to sleep.
The richness of Asian healing traditions comes from the realization that people are complex and that the body, mind, and spirit are related in ways we barely comprehend.
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