Authored by Dr Harsh Sharma, Edited and Peer Reviewed by Dr. Pooja Sharma

Published September 12, 2023, Last updated September 12, 2023

Sleep Apnoea is one of the most common sleep disorders. Breathing stops and starts repeatedly. This causes a disturbed sleep. Patients keep feeling tired all day long because of this disturbance in night sleep.  Here are some of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea which are very effective –

1. Cenchris Contortix
2. Ignatia
3. Grindelia Robusta
4. Opium
5. Lachesis

   Before we come to the indications suggesting the use of these homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea, let us try to understand the problem a little better.

What is Sleep Apnoea

While there are many types of sleep apnoea, obstructive sleep apnoea is the most common. Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs when the throat muscles relax and block your breathing. This happens unknowingly during sleep. It tends to occur more in obese men.

Snoring is a common symptom that points towards the presence of this problem. Obstructive sleep apnoea is slightly different from primary snoring. Tissues in posterior part of throat vibrate in both cases but much more in obstructive sleep apnoea. This causes louder snoring. Moreover, the breathing stops for a while, sometimes even more than 10 seconds. Therefore you start breathing with loud gasps or jerks. This causes restless sleep which is not refreshing. Oxygen flow to your vital organs may get restricted. Heart rhythm is also disturbed at times.

What causes Sleep Apnoea

A few important points that tend to increase the likelihood of getting sleep apnoea are as under-

1. Obesity – Being overweight is the single most important risk factor. It has been found that more than 50% of people who have sleep apnoea are either obese or at least overweight.
2. Neck circumference – if you have a thicker neck, the chances of having this trouble increase.
3. Hypothyroidism – Having hypothyroidism leads to weight gain. This can increase the chances of having sleep apnoea.
4. Deviated Nasal Septum or DNS – If the nasal bone is deviated to one side, it can lead to nasal obstruction.
5. Smoking – the habit of smoking can predispose one to this disorder. Smokers are three times more likely to have sleep apnoea as compared to non smokers.
6. Family history- having someone in your family who has the same problem tends to increase your chances of having sleep apnoea.
7. Gender- Males are two to three times more likely to have this as compared to females.

Complications of Sleep Apnoea

Untreated sleep apnoea can lead to some serious complications, some of which can even be life threatening. Snoring and disturbance in your partner’s sleep are some of the minor issues that you may have to face. There are some other issues which can have more serious consequences-

1. Disturbed sleep – Since the sleep gets disturbed every now and then, you tend to wake up unrefreshed. This leads to fatigue and sleepiness during the daytime. You may tend to doze off while sitting or sometimes even while driving, causing a huge risk to life.
2. Hypertension- Oxygen levels tend to drop during the episodes of sleep apnoea. This strains the heart and can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiac issues like atrial fibrillation.
3. Diabetes – Sleep apnoea increases the risk of insulin resistance and thus diabetes.

Treatment of sleep apnoea

For treatment of sleep apnoea, it is very important to understand the cause in each individual patient. As I have mentioned earlier, obesity, smoking, deviated nasal septum and hypothyroidism are common causes of this trouble. Therefore, if the doctor can identify a particular cause in your case, it is important to treat that particular cause. Let us say, you are obese. In such a case, losing weight and coming down to your prescribed body weight will help you treat sleep apnoea. In another case, if you are suffering from hypothyroidism, you should concentrate on treating hypothyroidism first. Quitting smoking can help in case you are a smoker. Similarly, if you have an allergy, you should treat that allergy first.

Often, it is difficult to find a particular cause of the problem. In such cases, modern science recommends some machines like Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). It delivers air pressure through a mask while you sleep. There are some other oral devices too which are available. In cases where these do not work, surgeons recommend surgery to remove some extra tissue blocking the airway. Tonsils and adenoids too are removed.

Homeopathic treatment of sleep apnoea

Homeopathy has a stellar record in treatment of sleep apnoea. It is very effective and there is hardly any need for surgery. A homeopathic doctor takes all your symptoms into account before prescribing the right medicine for you. Obesity, smoking, hypothyroidism, your personal habits, your medical history, allergies and your family history too are taken into account before prescribing the right medicine. This holistic approach is precisely why homeopathic medicines are more effective in the treatment of sleep apnoea.

5 Best Homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea

There are many homeopathic medicines that can be used for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea. The trick is to match the symptoms of the patient with that of the homeopathic medicines. The medicine which matches closely the symptoms of the patient will be the right choice for that particular patient. That is why there are multiple medicines in homeopathy for any single disease. Over the years, I have treated hundreds of cases of obstructive sleep apnea. Here are the 5 best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea based on my experience of over 2 decades.

1. Cenchris Contortrix – One of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea with vivid dreams

2. Ignatia – One of the best homeopathic medicines for obstructive sleep apnea with sighing respiration

3. Grindelia Robusta – Best homeopathic medicine for sleep apnoea with smothering on falling asleep

4. Opium – One of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea with sleepiness

5. Lachesis – One of the best homeopathic medicines for obstructive sleep apnoea with exaggerated sensitiveness to touch

I am giving a few details of the above mentioned medicines. This is for educational purposes and not at all meant to facilitate self medication.

1. Cenchris Contortrix – One of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea with vivid dreams

When the sleep is full of vivid dreams, Cenchris Contortix is one of the best medicines for sleep apnoea. It is ironical that a person who has obstructive sleep apnea should have vivid dreams but that is how it is. At times the dreams are horrible. There is mental and physical restlessness. Excessive swelling is also a marked feature. This medicine acts as a wonderful restorative, calms the mind and improves the sleep markedly.

2.Ignatia – One of the best homeopathic medicines for obstructive sleep apnea with sighing respiration

When deep sighing and sobbing is a marked symptom, Ignatia is one of the best homeopathic medicines for obstructive sleep apnoea. There is a marked sense of hysteria in this medicine. Emotional upheaval is always present in patients who need Ignatia. It is more frequently indicated in women. There is jerking of limbs on going to sleep.

3. Grindelia Robusta – Best homeopathic medicine for sleep apnoea with smothering on falling asleep

When there is a sensation of smothering after falling asleep, Grindelia is one of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea. The patient stops breathing when falling asleep, wakes up with a start and gasps for breath. He or she is unable to breathe when lying down.

4. Opium – One of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea with sleepiness

When there is sleepiness throughout the day, Opium is one of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea. The patient is very sleepy but cannot actually go to sleep. There is loss of breath on falling asleep. General sluggishness and painlessness runs throughout the remedy. The breathing is heavy.

5. Lachesis – One of the best homeopathic medicines for obstructive sleep apnoea with exaggerated sensitiveness to touch

When there is an exaggerated sensitiveness to touch, more so near the neck region, Lachesis is one of the best homeopathic medicines for sleep apnoea. The patient cannot bear to have any tight clothing around his neck or waist. He feels a sense of choking when anything is felt around his throat. Usually, Lachesis patients are very garrulous. Jealousy and talkativeness are two characteristics that define a Lachesis patient.