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

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. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Conclusions-The NIH Public Access

Multiweek Resting EEG Cordance Change Patterns from Repeated Olfactory Activation with Two Constitutionally Salient Homeopathic Remedies in Healthy Young Adults

“…Nonetheless, the present data raise the possibility of adding psychophysiologic EEG measures to self-reported symptom patterns in distinguishing effects of one homeopathic remedy from another in future homeopathic pathogenetic trials. 2,28,29,32 The phenomenon of time-dependent sensitization (TDS) may also be relevant to the current observations. 34 TDS is the progressive amplification of host response by intermittent repeated exposures to an initially low-dose agent or stressor.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] The use of CAM therapies worldwide, involving both self-care and practitioner services, is extensive and growing. [6][7][8] Historically, CAM clinicians and researchers often rely on patient self-reports rather than on laboratory measures for outcomes evaluation.…”

Effects of Homeopathic Medicines on Mood of Adults with Histories of Coffee-Related Insomnia

“…Notably, the greater number of significant subjective mood effects with CC parallels more significant effects of CC than NV on PSG sleep patterns in the objective physiological component of the same study [20]. Previous animal studies, for instance, showed that CC 30c produced sleep effects similar to a pharmaceutical dose of caffeine [15][16][17].…”

“…Die Bedeutung von individuellen Persönlichkeitszügen, Angstsensitivität oder Typ-A-Persönlichkeit (zynischer Feindseligkeit) und dem homöopathischen Konstitutionstyp (HTYPE-NV, HTYPE-CC) auf die Wirkungen der Substanzen wurde untersucht, um ein differenzielles Ansprechen, wie es klinisch postuliert wird, zu erfassen. jective effects of one dose of placebo versus verum homeopathic remedies CC 30c or NV 30c [20]. The purpose of the present within-subjects study was to determine whether two different homeopathic remedies (CC vs. NV) exert differential effects on subjective mood ratings of healthy adults with a history of coffee-induced insomnia and different individual trait characteristics.…”

“…Subjects were instructed not to consume alcohol on the day of the recordings and not to consume caffeinated beverages or tobacco for 6 h prior to each PSG, but were otherwise encouraged to maintain their own habitual dietary and sleep-wake patterns in order to obtain naturalistic data. PSG physiological data are reported elsewhere [20].…”