If you’re in tune with the worlds of complementary medicine or spiritual healing\u2014or if you’ve been on Instagram recently and seen beautiful shots of gemstones\u2014you’ve likely heard about crystals, minerals, and gemstones said to have health and healing benefits for the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People claim the stones interact with your body’s energy points (aka chakras), alleviating stress, improving concentration and creativity, and even helping you sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But while popular, can these pretty gems actually <\/em>help you rest? Plus, if you’re going to use them, where should you start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, medical professionals, energy healers, and holistic specialists weigh in about using crystals for sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Terry Cralle, RN, certified clinical sleep educator, points out that there is currently no scientific or medical evidence supporting claims about the healing properties of crystals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a Time <\/em>article on the topic notes, studies on crystals are few and far between<\/a>. One, conducted in 2001, found that people reported experiencing sensations after holding both real and fake crystals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe found that lots of people claimed that they could feel odd sensations while holding the crystals, such as tingling, heat, and vibrations, if we’d told them in advance that this is what might happen,” Christopher French, a professor of psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London told TIME<\/em>. \u201cIn other words, the effects reported were a result of the power of suggestion, not the power of the crystals.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n To this extent, Cralle says there could be a placebo effect\u2014the belief<\/em> that a crystal could work as opposed to the crystal truly \u201cworking”\u2014at play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Placebo treatments are effective in helping people feel better from all sorts of medical issues<\/a>, including sleep disorders such as insomnia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lack of scientific medicine aside, many complementary health experts say crystals do possess benefits in and of themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOften what keeps us up at night are lower vibrational energies like stress, worry, anxiety, or fear,” says Heather Askinosie, co-founder of Energy Muse<\/a> and co-author of Crystal Muse: Every Day Rituals To Tune In to The Real You<\/a><\/em>. \u201cEven an overwhelmed mind and busy thoughts can prevent us from turning off and falling\u2014or staying\u2014asleep.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Askinosie explains that crystals have a stable energy frequency, so they can align your energy with theirs. \u201cBy attuning our energy with their own, crystals can help us release any lower vibrational energy that prevents us from sleeping soundly.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, who feels what can vary, notes Jessica Brodkin, founder of Love and Light Services<\/a>. \u201cSome people are really sensitive and they feel a lot, some people only feel a little, and some people feel nothing at all.” Brodkin notes that this could be innate to someone but also related to how spiritual or in-tune someone is with mindfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crystals might also bring about feelings of mindfulness. \u201cSimply holding a crystal and feeling the smooth texture, rough edges, and feeling the crystal in your hand is a form of mindfulness,” says Katie Ziskind, licensed marriage and family therapist and owner of Wisdom Within Counseling<\/a>. \u201cBeing mindful can help you get present and allow your mind to stop focusing on the worries of the past or anticipations of the future.” This, she notes, could help clear your mind and help you sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat science says about crystals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So, can crystals help you sleep?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n