I just read an interesting study that indicates that core body temperature might play a vital role in sleep. The study, done by the University of South Australia, shows that the body needs to drop its core temperature for sleep to occur naturally. The drop in the body’s core heat brings on increased feelings of tiredness in normal, healthy adults.

If the core temperature stays high, however, people have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, the study shows.

There’s more about this in the University of South Australia article "Getting to the Core of Insomnia", but if you’re having trouble sleeping, you might try opening a window, turning the thermostat down, wearing lighter bedclothes, or turning on a fan. And maybe instead of warm milk, you might try drinking a glass of iced lemon balm tea before bedtime.

I do know that for years now I haven’t been able to sleep in a warm room, and have trouble sleeping if I can’t open at least one window. Having a dog and cat doing their best to sleep on top of me doesn’t particularly help with the staying-cold part of the program. But I’m completely willing to test this thesis.

Since various studies put the number of Americans who have trouble sleeping at 25 to 50 percent of the population, this is an issue a lot of us have to cope with. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the answer, after all, is … “Chill!”

A few weeks ago I was involved in a serious car wreck when a kid in a truck tried to make it through an intersection and I plowed into him at 50 mph. The seatbelt and airbags saved my life, though my little car gave up the ghost, and I’m grateful to be alive. However, the same technology that saved me also did quite a number on my chest, neck and shoulders, so the past month or so has been a very full program of doctors’ visits, physical therapy and plant medicines.

In the emergency room I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I knew without a doubt that, at the very least, I was going to be dealing with some bruises and strains. I happened to have a bottle of arnica tablets (Boiron homeopathy) in my purse. So while I waited for the county sheriff’s deputy to finish filling out his paperwork, I took the first of what ended up being many doses of arnica.

For a few days I was too sore to even contemplate applying lotion to my skin, but eventually the worst of the bruising subsided and I started slathering on the arnica, capsaicin and ginger ointments. I ended up taking a muscle relaxer every night because it was the only way I could sleep. I was happy for that particular pharmaceutical at that particular time, but I hate taking stuff that makes me sleepy in the morning, so as soon as possible, I switched to my favorite Deep Sleep herbal tincture. I’m now taking Devil’s Claw for inflammation, and a handful of essential fatty acid capsules and Vitamin D3 to help with healing.

I’ve had ultrasound, trigger-point therapy and massage. I’m still worried by some stiffness in my neck, but I am so completely grateful for the multiple approaches that have supported my body in getting itself back on track. For the first few weeks after the wreck, I was frightened I would never feel better or even completely well again. But for the past several days I actually haven’t felt like I got hit by a truck, so I think I’m on the Royal Road to Recovery.

If anyone has other suggestions for dealing with the long-term effects of a trauma like this, I’d love to hear from you. (No legal advice, please. I actually have that covered.)