Insomnia: The Ayurvedic Perspective

Good rest and sleep can often be the cure you are looking for. A restless mind is never enjoyable. Mental fatigue, caused by lack of sleep, affects concentration and gives way to physical tiredness.  Sleep is an essential periodic state of rest for the mind and body. Without proper sleep, our body and mind will not function to its potential and may even develop psychological problems.

Most people will experience sleepless nights occasionally, but insomnia is on the rise in our general population, with an estimated 30-50% being affected. Approximately 50% of insomnia cases are caused by psychological or emotional problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, pain, aging, too much caffeine, irregular schedules of sleep and prescription drugs (many over the counter medications contain caffeine and other stimulants).  It is also important to consider that as our age increases the body produces less melatonin, which is a hormone that helps control sleep. It is not recommended to use sleeping pills for more than four weeks, so another solution is required.

Here we will examine the stages of sleep and note ways to improve our changes of getting a decent nights rest.

Stages of Sleep:

Stage 1: Light sleep where you drift in and out of sleep and can be awakened easily.  The eye moves slowly and the muscle activity slows. Many people experience sudden muscle contractions preceded by a sensation of falling.

Stage 2: Eye movement stops and brain waves become slower with only an occasional burst of rapid brain waves.

Stage 3: Extremely slow brain waves called delta waves are interspersed with smaller, faster waves.

Stage 4: The brain produces delta waves almost exclusively.

Stage 3 and 4 are referred to as deep sleep, and it is very difficult to wake someone from them. In deep sleep, there is no eye movement or muscle activity.

REM: Breathing becomes more rapid, irregular and shallow, eyes jerk rapidly and limb muscles are temporarily paralysed.  Brain waves increase to levels experienced when a person is awake.  Heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, males develop erections and the body loses some of the ability to regulate its temperature.  This is the time when most dreams occur.

What can you do to enjoy better sleep:

• Frequent oil massage (full body – can be self massage or from therapist) using medicated oils followed by warm water bath to relax the mental state & release tension from body. 
• Herbal Medication such as ashwagandha ksherapaka, brahmi ghruta help to combat the stress.  Here at Back2helath we have herbal formulas for insomnia and stress management.
• Avoid sleep during the day time as it makes it harder to fall asleep at night. 
• Avoid or limit your use of caffeine (coffee, tea, softdrinks, chocolate), decongestants, alcohol and tobacco, instead drink milk. 
• Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking as these are also stimulants. 
• In chronic insomnia patients clinic treatment such as Shirodara followed by application of oil on head are found very effective.  Daily application of oil on to head relieves headache, balding or greying of hair, makes the roots strong think and dark.  Oiling head strengthens the nerves in the head, sharpens the sense organs, improves the scalp and enhances good sleep.

Complications due to lack of sleep:

• Increased risk for depression
• Impaired concentration
• Slowed reaction time and poorer work performance
• Impatience and irritable,
• Higher incidence of accidents,
• Insomnia can lead to severe fatigue, anxiety, depression and lack of concentration. 
• Chronic insomnia more likely can develop psychiatric problems such as depression and anxiety disorders. 
• Long-term sleep deprivation may increase the severity of chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. 
• Insufficient sleep can also lead to serious or even fatal accidents.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 100,000 crashes each year are due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel.

Treatment Allopathic:  Commonly Doctors recommend sleeping pills to promote relaxation or sleep but, avoid prescribing it for the long term because they may cause side effects.  In addition, sleeping pills can become less effective after a while.

Treatment Using the Ancient Science of Ayurveda:   Traditional text explains that happiness, sadness, nourishment, emaciation, strength, strength-less, libido or infertility, consciousness or insanity, all depends on sleep itself.  Therefore sleep is a very important component for existence. Natural sleep is best i.e. not under the influence of medication or drugs.