Sleep termed as Nidra in Samskritam is one of the three pillars of life. We need to understand the importance of sleep and factors that favour it and disturb it. Only then loss of sleep can be relieved logically and comprehensively.

Importance of sleep – Maintains healthy body – gives energy, refreshes the system, improves immunity, aids in digestion, good for sense organs especially eyes and nasal tract, nourishes the cells and helps in improvement of weight for people who are lean. Rejuvenates the mind – gives clarity in thought process, provides stability, confidence and improves tolerance. Enriches the brain – promotes creativity and gives the base for intellectual functions.

Factors that favour sleep – Pleasant mind, contentment, physical exhaustion, mental fatigue, sweet unctuous food, milk-based diet, black gram, curd, regular use of hair oil and applying sesame oil on soles of foot.

Factors that disturb or lead to loss of sleep – unstoppable flow of thoughts, heavy food, indigestion, consuming dry spicy food,  habituation to caffeine and tea, strong wind, excessive heat or excessive chillness and diseases like abdominal colic, diarrhoea, bone pain

Loss of sleep can happen easily to people born with vata-pitta, pitta-vata or vata-kapha constitution in the descending order. Similarly it takes more time and treatment for these subjects in terms of restoration to normal sleep. Siropichu, Sirolepa, Sirodhara, Siroabhyanga, foot massage(padabhyanga) music therapy, deep breathing exercises, mindfulness are important procedures that give promising solution to insomnia. Ayurveda has unique medications both external and internal to effectively treat insomnia. Treatment duration ranges from few days to two months and very rarely it may be needed for six months.

What is vertigo?

Vertigo itself is a symptom not a disease where the person feels that either his surroundings are going round him or he himself is rotating/spinning. It is a disturbance of the sense of equilibrium and movements. Normal body balance is maintained by the sensors in the ears, eyes and whole body.

Severe vertigo can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, sweating and stomach disturbances.

What are the causes for vertigo?

• Heights or sudden change in floor texture.
• Migraine
• Infection in the middle/inner ear
• Meniere’s disease- it is a degenerative/age related condition where there is vertigo, deafness and tinnitus (ringing/buzzing in the ears)
• Head injury
• Surgery, Thrombosis/ blood clot/tumour of inner ear
• Heart disease like hypertension, hypotension
• Diabetes mellitus
• Low blood sugar, hypothyroidism
• Anaemia
• Cervical spondylosis
• Some antibiotics and pain killers

Homeopathic Management-

Homeopathy is based on a holistic approach taking the person’s mind, emotions and body into consideration and finding the root cause of the ailment and individualizing the case. The Homeopath will ask you a set of questions regarding the following so a keen observation of yourself and your physical condition is necessary.

Homeopathic treatment of vertigo focuses on selecting the remedies based on–

• Causative and triggering factors
• Symptoms specific to the patient, their modalities and concomitants- Factors that improve or worsen the condition, any other related/non related symptoms associated with present condition.
• The dosageis selected on the basis of many factors some of which are severity of the condition, age, how long one has been suffering etc thereby giving a permanent solution along with the general management.

Reference- A Short Book of ENT Diseases by KB Bhargava, SK Bhargava & TM Shah

Hair fall and grey hair are to be seen beyond cosmetic angle. They are indicators of tissue strength and imbalance in bioenergy ( vata, pitta & kapha ) . Though both could happen by the impact of external causes affecting the scalp, the core objective is to normalize circulation and improve quality of nourishment to the scalp. Hair fall differs from alopecia. The latter being stronger, evolves quickly and the cause is association of blood with kapha bioenergy. Younger the age, effective will be the treatement in alopecia patients. Local treatment through follicular stimulation and application of oil based paste gives good results. In older patients, apart from local application, alopecia treatment is about internal medications that detoxify and enhance the quality of circulating blood to the scalp. Constitutional favour is an essential requirement to effect good response in alopecia treatment for people above 20 years of age. Kapha pitta / Kapha vata prakriti ( constitution ) show less response to treatment especially if they are medosara ( fat based body type)

Hair fall on the other hand is a symptom of many diseases like hypothyroidism and anaemia. This has to be dealt internally through medications that correct tissue metabolism at the level of plasma, fat and bone. Application of oil can provide results only if combines with the above strategy. Stress, lack of sleep, calculative brain work are common causes of hair fall in the present era in younbg adults, though they are nutritionally well supported. Hair fall can be gradually arrested with response time ranging from 2 weeks to four months. Vata pitta- vata kapha prakriti individuals take more time in getting treatment benefits.

Grey hair occurs to even children and young adults in the present era. It is an outcome of unwholesome food habits ( viruddha ahara – contrasting food combinations like consuming milk with sour food ) early ageing of tissue , mental factors ( especially unexpressed anger, fear, depression, anxiety and want of respect ) . These causes basically increase the heat component of pitta bioenergy leading to phalitya ( grey hair) . Premature ageing can also be due to genetic factors ( adibala pravritta). Panchakarma ( especially purgation) followed by rejuvenative( rasayana) herbs will prove beneficial along with kesaranjaka ( colour correcting herbs) drugs as oil or lepa ( paste/hair pack ). Hair dyeing or colouring is a temporary process of adding pigment to or removing pigment from the hair shaft. Ayurvedic external medications play crucial role apart from nourishing nutraceutical supplements. Ayurvedic classics mentioned herbs, minerals & metallic products for hair dyeing. Treatment period range from weeks to few months with Pitta prakriti and rakta sara( tissue dominant) individuals taking more time to show changes. Interestingly Ayurvedic hair oils also include ingredients that relieve stress and improve sleep. Nasya ( nasal medication in the form of oil/ghee drops ) is an important aspect of treatment that is essential for disorders of head and it is much relevant to hair fall and grey hair relief also.