Ayurveda can bring remarkable improvement in patient's condition in terms of sleep: Study

New Delhi: Ayurveda can bring a remarkable improvement in a patient’s condition in terms of sleep, stated a study published in a journal of the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy, and stressed on the potential of ‘Panchakarma Therapy’ to resolve problems associated with insomnia.

The broad area of the study deals with sleep-deprivation and related conditions, and offers some time-tested solutions, the AYUSH Ministry said on Tuesday.

The case study published in the journal AyuHom said Ayurveda considers sleep extremely important to a person’s health and in fact, described as one among the three supportive pillars of life.

‘Anidra’ can be clinically co-related with insomnia which is a common sleep problem worldwide, it said.

The case study has been authored by Gopesh Mangal, Associate Professor and Head, PG Department of Panchkarma, National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur, along with Nidhi Gupta and Pravesh Srivastava, both PG Scholars in the PG Department of Panchkarma at the NIA.

According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, mental or social well-being and not merely the absence of disease, and sleep is one its essential pre-requisites.

In this day and age of erratic lifestyles, stress and other unpredictable environmental factors, quality of sleep has deteriorated for a large number of people. According to the estimates of the National Sleep Foundation of America, a third of the people in the world suffer from sleep disorders, the AYUSH ministry said in a release.

Against this backdrop, the potential of traditional ‘Panchakarma Therapy’ of Ayurveda to resolve the problems of insomnia cannot be over-emphasised, it said.

“The study report states that Ayurveda treatment led to a remarkable improvement in the patient’s condition in terms of sleep,” the ministry said. “The study included thorough examination and assessment grading before and after treatment of all the symptoms which were selected for assessment. This included yawning, drowsiness, fatigue and quality of sleep among others. Improvements were noticed in all the parameters.”

The case study also puts forward another instance of Shirodhara with Ashwagandha Taila accompanied by Shamana Chikitsa playing a beneficial role in the management of sleeplessness.