1. Health article

Prevent sleep disorders

“Nowadays none wakes up when the cock crows, nor when the loud whistle of train blows, but get up late in the morning at eight or nine. What is the reason? They go to sleep late at night. Are they at least using the night hours for studies? Not at all. They put on Television or Radio, thus polluting their own minds besides wasting time… None protests against this evil, neither parents inside house, nor the teachers, the educated persons and the elders in the society. The reason simply is that they too have succumbed to this addiction… Firstly, preserve your health. Bad habits are the root cause for ill health; so, eschew bad habits totally.” …Sri Sathya Sai Baba¹

1. What is sleep?

Sleep is a complex biological process. While you sleep, you are unconscious. But, your brain and body functions are engaged in the process of repair and restoration to keep you healthy to function at your best while you are awake. “Normal sleep” differs for each person.^2,3 

2. What is sleep disorder?

You are heading for a sleep disorder if you do not have sound sleep during the night regularly for at least three nights a week for over a month. This often leads to fatigue or sleepiness during the day, difficulty in concentrating, reduced or impaired ability to perform regular daytime activities, irritability and mood swings, accidents at work or while driving. In essence, health and quality of life deteriorate.^4,5

3. Types of sleep disorders

3.1 Insomnia

Symptoms are difficulty in falling asleep, waking up often during the night or waking up very early and having trouble going back to sleep, lying awake at night and sleeping late into the morning (known as circadian rhythm disorders), and waking up tired or irritable and unrefreshed.^2-9

Multiple factors play a part: Occasional bouts of insomnia could be due to uncomfortable bed, light, noise, or extreme temperatures, shift work, jet lag, recent illness, any pain, death or any distress in the family, or a temporary loss or setback in life. Insomnia is common during hormonal shifts or pregnancy, especially in the first and third trimesters. It could also be due to unhealthy habits or lifestyle like long afternoon nap, late dinner, irregular sleep schedule, intake of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or a recreational drug, watching films or using digital devices late at night, or using the bed for activities besides sleep that can create mental associations between the bed and wakefulness. It could be due to a medical or psychiatric condition or a side effect of medications. Low iron level can also affect sleep. Poor sleep can trigger or worsen health issues, hinder their treatment, and create a complex chain of cause and effect.^5-9

3.2 Snoring & Sleep apnoea

Snoring: It is a hoarse, harsh, rattling, rumbling, snorting, or grumbling sound that occurs as soft tissues in the mouth, nose, and throat bump into each other and vibrate when air is unable to flow easily through the nose or mouth. It is very common and not usually caused by anything serious. You are more likely to snore if you have blocked or narrow airways due to nasal stuffiness because of allergy and common cold, deviated nasal septum, enlarged adenoids, or tonsils. Also, if you sleep on your back, are overweight, smoke or drink too much, or have a family history of snoring. Other possible causes could be a long soft palate partially blocking the back of your throat or mouth falling open when asleep. Many may not realise they snore during sleep unless anyone nearby tells them. If snoring becomes chronic and interrupts sleep, it needs to be addressed.^10,11 

Sleep apnoea: Breathing is interrupted during sleep, it stops repeatedly for about 10 seconds or sometimes up to a minute. It is normally due to partial or complete blockage of the upper airway when the soft tissues in the back of the throat relax too much and the walls of the throat collapse and become narrow during sleep (obstructive sleep apnoea). Rarely, breathing can stop for a while when the brain fails to tell the body to breathe (central sleep apnoea), a sleep disorder related to the central nervous system.^4,12-14

Common symptoms are gasping for air and recurrently waking up suddenly during sleep; also, snoring, restless sleep, night sweats, or frequent nocturnal urination. They may result in morning headaches, dry mouth or sore throat upon waking up, or excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia). Symptoms in children may also include sleeping in unusual positions, bedwetting, mouth breathing during the day, and swallowing difficulty, apart from behavioural and learning disorders.^4,12-14

During an episode of sleep apnoea, the flow of oxygen to vital organs gets reduced during the pause in breathing; heart rhythm becomes irregular as breathing resumes with a gasp or jerk. Risk increases when one stops breathing for thirty times or more per hour. If left untreated, one can stop breathing repeatedly, sometimes hundreds of times during the night. Apart from the resultant fatigue, it can also lead to high blood pressure, stroke, enlargement of the muscle tissue of the heart (cardiomyopathy), heart failure, diabetes, and heart attack.^4,12-14

Anatomical indicators: Certain physical features or traits may be indicative of sleep apnoea, like, excessive weight, large neck and structural abnormalities reducing the diameter of the upper airway, nasal obstruction, a low hanging soft palate, enlarged tonsils or a small jaw with an overbite.^4,12-14

Pickwickian syndrome: People with this disorder breathe in a way that is too slow or too shallow leading to low oxygen levels, combined with high levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Symptoms include loud snoring, choking in breathing during sleep, laboured breathing during the day, hypersomnia, enlarged neck, and swelling in the feet, ankles, and legs. Those with sleep apnoea and obesity are at greater risk. The cause is unknown but believed to be due to hormonal factors, and breathing or neurological issues.^15,16

3.3 Other Sleep disorders

Restless leg syndrome (RLS): It is an intense uncontrollable urge to move the legs, usually with an uncomfortable sensation in the limbs like creeping, itching, pulling, crawling, tugging, throbbing, aching, burning, or gnawing. It begins or worsens during periods of inactivity or rest, typically evenings, making it difficult to fall asleep or have a good night‘s sleep. It can be partially or totally relieved by activities like stretching, walking, or exercising the affected muscles or relaxing with hot and cold compress, or mild massage. Believed to be genetic, it can start from childhood and worsen with age; it is associated with many diseases, medications, or iron deficiency. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol can make symptoms worse.^4,17-19

Narcolepsy: It is a comparatively rare neurological sleep disorder and creates unstable sleep-wake boundaries for the patient. Symptoms include hypersomnia characterised by sudden sleep attacks during any type of activity at any time of the day; recurrent sleep paralysis lasting a few seconds to a few minutes when one cannot move or speak though aware of surroundings, very rarely accompanied by hallucinations. In some cases, after the onset of sleepiness, a sudden sensation of weakness in a few muscles may occur, usually triggered by strong positive emotions like laughter, witty conversations, pleasant surprises and sometimes by anger. When severe, one may experience total loss of voluntary muscle control and collapse, though conscious and aware. But it resolves on its own after a couple of minutes, unlike fainting or seizures. Symptoms being very similar to other sleep disorders or depression, narcolepsy may go undiagnosed and untreated for years. ^4,20-22

Parasomnias cover a group of unusual sleep behaviours like sleep talking, sleepwalking, bedwetting, night terrors, most common in children, sleep-related eating disorder (eating while partially awake those food combinations one would normally not eat while awake), and a unique “exploding head syndrome” (a loud explosion or flash of light perceived in the sleeper’s head lasting less than a second, during the transition period between sleep and wakefulness, followed by fear and anxiety characterised by sweating, palpitations, and difficulty breathing).^2,23,24

Sleepwalking (somnambulism) originates during deep sleep, in the first half of the night, involving walking or performing complex or abnormal acts or feats while still asleep. Eyes may be open and glassy but sleepwalkers will have a blank look on their face, usually minimally responsive and incoherent in their speech. Sleepwalking may last for a few seconds to 10 minutes maximum up to half an hour after which they may go back to sleep on their own; may wake up confused while they are still on their nocturnal errand. They may not have any recollection of the episode, about which they will know only from someone who has witnessed it. This disorder is attributed to family history, sleep deprivation, and a tendency to repeatedly wake up during the night.^2,23,24

4. Tips to prevent and manage sleep disorders

• Improve the quality of your sleep. Track your sleep patterns, habits, lifestyle by keeping a diary such as: do you regularly take more than a few minutes to fall asleep, your activities before going to sleep, how long you sleep, how well you sleep, do you feel refreshed on waking up, impact on your physical and mental activity, and state of alertness during the day.^4,5,6,8 

• Pregnant women, children and elders need special care to help them tide over their sleep issues.⁹
• Monitor your weight and keep it under control, also check your iron level.
• Sleep disorders other than insomnia can be gauged through tests such as polysomnogram and actigraphy. ^{4,5,6,8,12,15,17,21,24}
• Do not drive when you are sleepy. Avoid stimulants at least four hours before bedtime; also, sleeping pills, as they can worsen sleep apnoea. Resort to natural sleep aids like warm milk or herbal tea. Have a conducive and safe sleeping environment. Raise the head of the bed to improve airflow or try a snore-reducing pillow to keep the head and neck in proper position during sleep.^{4-6,8,10-13,15,20,24}

To know about your sleep cycle, how much sleep is adequate, how to sleep and wake up well, refer to our article “Wake up to sleeping well”, vol 9 #3, May-June 2018.³

References and Links

1. Divine Discourse, Health is Wealth, Summer Course, 27 May 2002: https://saispeaks.sathyasai.org/discourse/health-wealth
2. Sleep: https://medlineplus.gov/sleepdisorders.html#
3. Sleep cycle & Tips to sleep and wake up well: https://newsletters.vibrionics.org/english/News%202018-05%20May-June%20H.pdf
4. Sleep disorder: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11429-common-sleep-disorders#
5. Insomnia: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia
6. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia/; sleep self assessment; tips for sleep
7. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/what-causes-insomnia
8. https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/sleep/insomnia.html
9. https://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia
10. Snoring common: Snoring - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
11. Snoring: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15580-snoring
12. Sleep apnoea: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8718-sleep-apnea
13. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sleep-apnoea/ dos and donts
14. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-apnoea
15. Pickwickian syndrome: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/what-is-pickwickian-syndrome
16. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-apnea/pickwickian-syndrome
17. Restless legs syndrome: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9497-restless-legs-syndrome
18. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/restless-legs-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20377168#
19. https://www.ypo.education/neurology/restless-legs-syndrome-t456/video/
20. Narcolepsy: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12147-narcolepsy
21. Sleep paralysis: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21974-sleep-paralysis#
22. Cataplexy: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-health/cataplexy
23. Parasomnias: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-disorders
24. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12133-parasomnias--disruptive-sleep-disorders#

2. Updates on Covid-19 remedy, last updated on 9 June 2021, Vol 12 Issue 4

In view of the mutating virus the research team has made further revision to the previous combos, this time it also includes Monkeypox (2022). Given below are the revised combos with the complete treatment protocol.

A. Immunity Booster (IB) for prophylaxis and treatment 

For those having 108CC box

CC4.10 Indigestion + CC7.2 Partial Vision + CC9.4 Children’s Diseases + CC11.4 Migraines + CC12.1 Adult tonic + CC15.1 Mental & Emotional tonic + CC18.1 Brain disabilities + CC19.3 Chest infections chronic + CC19.5 Sinusitis + CC19.6 Cough chronic + CC19.7 Throat chronic + CC20.4 Muscles & Supportive tissue + CC21.2 Skin infections. 

For those without 108CC box but having SRHVP:

NM101 Skin-H + NM102 Skin Itch + SM1 Removal of Entities + SM2 Divine Protection + SM5 Peace & Love Alignment + SM18 Digestion + SM20 Eyes + SM26 Immunity + SM27 Infection + SM31 Lung & Chest + SM35 Sinus + SM39 Tension + SM40 Throat + SR272 Arsen Alb 30C + SR291 Gelsemium 30C + SR318 Thuja 200C + SR566 Fungi-Pathogenic

Dosage: For prophylaxis: OD on waking to those fully vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 or living in an area where there is no Covid. BD on waking and before sleep in areas where it is rampant.

For treatment: A dose every hour for 6 hours followed by 6TD, tapering down on improvement to QDS - TDS - BD - OD. Follow same dosage for those with post-Covid complication such as fungal infection or blood clots.

For those with Covid-19 symptoms but tested negative or test not taken: start at 6TD, then taper down as above. 

Warning: Any allopathic treatment should be continued and NOT discouraged at any time

B. Recuperation: When a patient has recovered and tested negative but has little energy and feels tired in body and mind or develops a complication, give the following until the patient feels healthy and strong:

For those having 108CC box: CC3.1 Heart tonic + CC4.1 Digestion tonic + CC7.1 Eye tonic + CC12.2 Child tonic + CC15.1 Mental & Emotional tonic + CC17.3 Brain & Memory tonic + CC19.6 Cough chronic 

For those without 108CC box but having SRHVP: NM5 Brain Tissue Salts + NM7 CB7 + NM69 CB8 + SM1 Removal of Entities + SM2 Divine Protection + SM12 Brain & Paralysis + SM18 Digestion + SM26 Immunity + SM31 Lung & Chest + SR269 Antim Tart 30C + SR272 Arsen Alb 30C + SR291 Gelsemium 30C + SR328 White Chestnut + SR521 Pineal Gland

Dosage: TDS, tapering down on improvement but continue IB at OD on waking with a gap of at least 20 minutes between the two.

C. To avoid side effects of vaccination: 

For those having SRHVP: SR318 Thuja 30C.

For those with only 108CC box: CC9.4 Children’s diseases

Dosage: OD at night, start two days before vaccination and for 10 days from day of vaccination, while taking IB at OD on waking during this period. 

In case a patient develops side effects (symptoms being, extreme soreness in arm, tiredness, headache, aches & pains, nausea or vomiting), usually a day or two after vaccination, additionally take the Recuperation combo as given above. 

D. For increasing the oxygen saturation level but continue all other treatments:

For those having SRHVP: SR304 Oxygen 200C in water

For those with only 108CC box: CC19.1 Chest tonic in water

Dosage: every ten minutes until oxygen level reaches 90, then every hour as long as needed.

3. AVP workshop: virtual 6-22 July followed by face-to-face at Puttaparthi 28-30 July 2022

Eight enthusiastic participants, five new AVPs and three practitioners who had lost touch with vibrionics, attended this highly interactive workshop. In his valedictory address, Dr.Jit Aggarwal called upon the participants to jump into the deep end to confidently start their practice, cautioned not to raise false hopes of a patient but inspire them, as effort coupled with prayer from your genuine heart will make His Grace flow! The icing on the cake was that he touched upon the sanctity of the 108CC box they had just received, highlighting the sincerity, hard work and time, that had gone into the making of the Master Box using SRHVP. Two highly dedicated practitioners worked full-time for a whole month in Puttaparthi to charge the bottles with hundreds of healing vibrations. Swami Himself blessed the box by extending His blessing hand covering all the bottles and said thrice “I Bless, I Bless, I Bless”.

4. New Sai Vibrionics Medical Centre in Vishakapatnam zone 

The inauguration of Sai Vibrionics Medical Centre at the Integrated Vikalangula Ashrama school at Atchutapuram, Anakapalle, AP, was a noteworthy and memorable occasion. The school was established in 1988 to empower children with disabilities for better livelihood, through free education. The founder himself is physically challenged by birth and has received many awards including the best National individual award from the President of India in 2006.

Senior practitioner ^{11567…India} gave a brief inaugural talk regarding the benefits and salient features of Sai Vibrionics. The event was attended by the school children and parents, physically challenged persons, sevadals, and other members of the public. In addition to IB distribution, 29 patients were treated. Practitioner ^{11634…India} has committed to rendering service at this centre every Sunday morning.

5. Anecdotes

1. Magic IB & its multiple uses ^{10375…India}

A 59-year-old male returned from his office with headache, feverishness, slight throat pain, and weakness on 8 July 2022. His wife, practitioner, immediately put him on IB…one dose every 10 minutes for an hour. As all his symptoms improved by 50%, the dosage was 6TD from the next day.

On 11 July morning he got up with a heaviness in his head and his nose and throat completely blocked and his Covid report came positive the same evening. He was additionally given IB nasal drops, one drop in each nostril. Instantly, all the mucus was blown out of the nose, the congestion & heaviness in the head got completely cleared much to the glee of the patient! He did not have to use the nasal drops again! For his throat pain, he gargled twice a day, 1 drop of IB in 100 ml warm water, and took inhalation - one drop of IB in one litre of hot water. Within two days, he was free of all symptoms.

2. Power of CC10.1 ^{03518…India} As early morning group devotional walking and singing was coming to a close on 12 July 2022 in Prashanti, participants noticed one woman, although standing upright, looked as though she might be tilting over, so her neighbours rushed to support her. Practitioner who was nearby and carrying her CC10.1 Emergencies pill bottle in her backpack tried to put a pill into her clenched mouth but failed. The woman looked lifeless and remained stiff as a board. With all constantly chanting "Om Sai Ram", water was sprinkled on her face and she relaxed sufficiently for her mouth to be opened for the tiny pill. She could now be gently guided to a chair. Within a couple of minutes, the patient opened her eyes, stood up and smiled, looking around as if nothing had happened, took a few steps and prostrated to the deity at the Gopuram gate with ease. On request, a sevadal was given the remedy bottle for possible future episodes.

3. A couple of amazing experiences from the weekly makeshift clinic started 22 March 2022 at Puttaparthi vibrionics site.

A. Sightless seeing stars after seven years!

A 72-year-old man, when he visited the clinic on 24 May 2022, had no vision in his left eye and could see hazily up to three feet only with his right eye. He could not see faces to make out who he talks to and his visibility at night was zero. On prodding, he narrated he had fallen down from a cycle in 2012 and had stitches above the left eye which had become blue. Within a year he lost his sight completely in that eye, despite getting injections and medicines. This was followed by gradual loss of vision in the right eye too. He said he had been visiting Super hospital regularly, his last visit being 27 July 2021. He was given CC3.2 Bleeding disorders + CC7.1 Eye tonic + CC7.2 Partial Vision + CC7.6 Eye injury + CC10.1 Emergencies + CC20.7 Fractures…6TD. On his next visit the following week, he was delighted to report he could see stars in the sky at night after a gap of 7 years. Improvement continues, and remedies are being reviewed and modified on his monthly visits.

B. De-addiction in no time!

An 18-year-old mason’s helper had been smoking 25 beedies (a mild Indian cigarette) a day. He developed this habit when he was in Grade 2 at school. Desirous of kicking the habit he approached the practitioner ¹¹⁶¹². He was also suffering from nasal block, sinusitis, sneezing and itchy eyes at night, regardless of the weather. His appetite was poor. On 4 Aug 2022 he was given CC4.1 Digestion tonic + CC10.1 Emergencies + CC12.1 Adult tonic + CC15.3 Addictions. Within two days the number of beedies he smoked came down to four a day. As of 12 Aug, his appetite has returned and he has 40% improvement in his allergy symptoms. He is delighted that he is generally smoking four beedies a day, never more than six.

4. Cockroach infestation nipped ^{03608…South Africa}

On 19 Jan 2022, the cleaner from the practitioner’s apartment complex reported a cockroach infestation in the drains and garden, due to the hot summer weather. The practitioner prepared CC1.1 Animal tonic + CC1.2 Plant tonic + CC15.2 Psychiatric disorders + CC17.2 Cleansing in 10 litres of water.

She advised the cleaner to pour it in the drains and spray in the garden daily. To the cleaner, it looked like ordinary water and he put it in one drain only. The very next day, he reported his astonishment that dead cockroaches were lying outside the drain and requested more water to pour in all the drains and in the garden. He repeated the procedure twice and by 26 Jan no further cockroaches were seen in the drains and garden.

6. In Memoriam

Mrs Uma Mathur ^{11421...India} at the age of 85 graciously left for her heavenly abode on 12 Feb 2022. She had bravely steered herself through every situation in life including Covid-19. Her last moments were spent with her children and grandchildren by her side. A Sai devotee in a true sense she was a sevadal member, bhajan singer, senior Bal Vikas Guru, mentoring children for decades in Delhi, and a Vibrionics practitioner since 2011. She epitomized selfless love and service and was a role model for the younger devotees. Despite her frailty, she treated patients with sincerity, enthusiasm, and compassion and diligently abided by her Promise to God. We salute her dedication, humility, and courage.

Rajesh K Raman ^{11271…India} merged with Swami on 16 July 2022 at the young age of 48. We are deeply pained at this irreparable loss of a very valuable colleague. He trained as a practitioner in March 2010 but his journey with vibrionics began even earlier as he worked with his father-in-law ⁰²⁰⁹⁰, the very first practitioner from the state of Kerala and later, a coordinator. No one who met Rajesh remained untouched by his infectious passion for seva and great humility. An active member of the core team he was instrumental in setting up of the IASVP and tremendous support at the time of the first international conference. With his great efforts, we were able to procure and assemble the 108CC boxes at a time when there was a break in the supply chain. Vibrionics will ever remain indebted to him for his commitment and readiness to do anything needed. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and two daughters and other members of his family.