Are You One of the 30% With Acute Insomnia? Or Part of the 10% With Chronic Insomnia?

Struggling to sleep? You’re not alone. Around 30% of people experience acute insomnia, and about 10% deal with chronic insomnia.

Whether it's a short-term problem or something more long-standing, it’s worth understanding what’s going on, what you can do about it and how homeopathy may have a place in dealing with the issue.

What is acute insomnia?

Acute Insomnia is when you find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep for at least 3 days per week for up to 3 months.

There’s usually a clear reason behind it, perhaps its stress at work, a family issue, or a big life change. It’s often linked to the body’s fight-or-flight response, where your nervous system goes into high alert to deal with perceived stress or danger.

Thankfully, for many people, poor sleep passes once the stressful event calms down.

What is chronic insomnia?

Chronic insomnia is when there are problems sleeping at least 3 days per week for more than 3 months. You’re giving yourself plenty of time to sleep, but still find it hard to fall asleep, or stay asleep.

This is when poor sleep becomes a pattern, not just a one-off reaction to stress. And that’s when it’s time to look a bit deeper into what’s really going on.

Is there a third type of insomnia?

A study, found out that not everyone fits neatly into the “acute” or “chronic” insomnia boxes. Some people live in that frustrating in-between space, where sleep is still poor but doesn’t meet all the criteria for either. Instead, persistent poor sleep develops that does not meet the criteria for either acute insomnia or chronic insomnia.

This is sometimes called "subsyndromal insomnia", "intermediate insomnia", or "persistent poor sleep". It’s not often talked about, but it’s very real, and it deserves proper support.

Stress and insomnia - what's the link?

In acute insomnia, stress, flicks the switch on your fight-or-flight response. Your body gears up to protect you, heart rate increases, muscles tense, glucose floods the bloodstream. All of this makes it hard to switch off and sleep.

It is thought that there is an increased state of “preparedness” for longer-lasting demands or threats. This is when there is a lower-level activation of the fight/flight system. The nervous system is still activated but at a lower level than with the fight-or-flight response.

In some people, this state doesn’t fully turn off. It just ticks along in the background,a kind of low-grade hyperarousal, keeping your nervous system quietly activated. That can lead to more persistent, low-level sleep issues.

Homeopathy for natural sleep support

Homeopathy, alongside a few lifestyle changes, can be a gentle but effective way to support your sleep, especially if stress or emotional tension is playing a part.

Homeopathy is good as a natural sleep support as it looks at you as a whole person, not just your sleep problems. It asks: Why aren’t you sleeping? What else is going on in your life or health? And it works to help your body restore balance from the inside out.

If your sleeplessness is new or linked to a stressful event, here are 5 homeopathic remedies that are often considered:

Coffea Cruda

For those “wired but tired” nights when your mind just won’t switch off. You might feel overstimulated, restless, and unable to relax, even if you’re exhausted.

Nux Vomica

Great if stress, overwork, or too much coffee, alcohol, or screen time are messing up your sleep. You may wake in the early hours.

Arsenicum Album

Helpful for anxious types who wake between 1–3 a.m. with restless thoughts.

Gelsemium

Useful if you're struggling to sleep before a big event or under performance pressure. You feel weak, heavy, and drowsy, but still can’t drift off.

Ignatia Amara

Often used when sleep is disrupted by grief, emotional stress, or a recent shock. You may find yourself sighing a lot or feeling like you’re holding everything in.

Homeopathy for long-term sleep issues

If your sleep troubles aren’t shifting, it’s probably time for a more tailored approach. A homeopath will look at your emotional patterns, physical health, and past stress, then matches remedies that fits you as an individual.

So whether you’re dealing with a rough patch or something more persistent, homeopathy works to gently restore balance so better sleep comes naturally.

If you’re curious about using homeopathy to support better sleep my free eBook “Homeopathy for Better Sleep” might be just the thing.

It’s packed with easy-to-understand info, practical tips, and a closer look at the remedies that can help you get the rest your body needs.

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Is homeopathy for you?

Homeopathy is used all over the world for so many health issues, including insomnia. If you would like to discuss your insomnia, feel free to contact me.

Next steps

If you would like to speak to me about how homeopathy may help with insomnia I offer a free 20 minute discovery call. During this call, we talk about you, your symptoms, and how they are affecting you. I will ask you some questions to see if homeopathy may be beneficial to you.

I am always happy to hear from you.

Naziana x

Contact Naziana