causes, Symptoms , modern approach , Diet and yogic approach to treat insomnia

1. DAVANAGERE UNIVERSITY
YOGA MODULE PRESENTATION ON
INSOMNIA
SUBMITTED TO :
CO-ORDINATOR
DEPT OF YOGIC SCIENCE
SUBMITTED BY:
SUMAN N S
IV SEMISTER
M.Sc. YOGIC SCIENCE

2. Insomnia
An overview and yogic approach to treat
Insomnia

3. Overview
• Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can
make it hard to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep,
or cause you to wake up too early and not be
able to get back to sleep. You may still feel tired
when you wake up. Insomnia can sap not only
your energy level and mood but also your
health, work performance and quality of life.
• How much sleep is enough varies from person
to person, but most adults need six to eight
hours a night.

4. • At some point, many adults experience short-term (acute) insomnia, which lasts for days or weeks. It's usually
the result of stress or a traumatic event. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a
month or more. Insomnia may be the primary problem, or it may be associated with other medical conditions
or medications.

5. Types of Insomnia
Insomnia include a wide range of sleeping disorders , from lack of sleep quality to lack
of sleep quantity. Insomnia is commonly separated into 3 types,
Transient insomnia - occurs when symptoms last up to three nights.
Acute insomnia - also called short-term insomnia. Symptoms persist for several weeks.
Chronic insomnia - this type lasts for months, and sometimes years. According to
the National Institutes of Health, the majority of chronic insomnia cases are side effects
resulting from another primary problem.

7. Causes
Insomnia can be caused by physical and psychological factors. There is sometimes an
underlying medical condition that causes chronic insomnia, while transient insomnia may be
due to a recent event or occurrence. Insomnia is commonly caused by:
 Disruptions in circadian rhythm - jet lag, job shift changes, high altitudes, environmental
noise, extreme heat or cold.
 Psychological issues - bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, or psychotic
disorders.
 Hormones - estrogen, hormone shifts during menstruation.

8.  Medical conditions - chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, congestive heart failure, angina,
acid-reflux disease , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, sleep apnea, Parkinson's and
Alzheimer's diseases, hyperthyroidism, arthritis, brain lesions, tumors, stroke.
 Other factors - sleeping next to a snoring partner, parasites, genetic conditions, overactive mind,
pregnancy.
 Media technology in the bedroom-Several small studies in adults and children have suggested
that an exposure to light from televisions and smartphones prior to going to sleep can affect
natural melatonin levels and lead to increased time to sleep.

9. Symptoms
Insomnia itself may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. However, there are many signs and
symptoms that are associated with insomnia:
 Difficulty falling asleep at night.
 Waking during the night.
 Waking earlier than desired.
 Still feeling tired after a night's sleep.
 Daytime fatigue or sleepiness.
 Irritability, depression, or anxiety.

10.  Poor concentration and focus.
 Being uncoordinated, an increase in errors or accidents.
 Tension headaches (feels like a tight band around head).
 Difficulty socializing.
 Gastrointestinal symptoms.
 Worrying about sleeping.

11. Pathogenesis
 Sleep disorders are associated with an impairment of melatonin production. Melatonin produced by the pineal
gland at night, plays a role in regulation of sleep-wake cycle and diminished-melatonin secretion may cause
insomnia.
 In primary insomnia there will be a abnormal corticotropin releasing factor(CRF) from the neuro endocrine
system . These findings all point to the possibility of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and excess
secretion of CRF , adrenocorticotropin hormone and cortisol hormone.

12. Diagnosis
 The diagnosis should be conducted by asking about the individual medical history and sleeping patterns.
 A physical exam may be conducted to look for following underlying conditions . And might screen for
psychiatric disorder , drug and alcohol use.
 For a diagnosis of insomnia, the disturbed sleep should have lasted for more than 1 month. It should also
negatively impact the patient's wellbeing, either through the causing distress or disturbing mood or
performance.
 One should ask for the sleep pattern from the patient and should advice to keep a dairy to regularly
update the sleeping conditions.

13.  Other tests may include a polysomnograph. This is an overnight sleeping test that records sleep patterns.
 Actigraphy may be conducted. This uses a small, wrist-worn device called an actigraph to measure movement
and sleep-wake patterns.

14. Risk Factors
Insomnia can affect people of any age; it is more common in adult females than adult males. It can
undermine school and work performance, as well as contributing to obesity, anxiety, depression,
irritability, concentration problems, memory problems, poor immune system function, and reduced
reaction time.
Some people are more likely to experience insomnia. These include:
 Travelers, particularly through multiple time zones.
 Shift workers with frequent changes in shifts (day vs. night).
 The elderly.

15.  Adolescent or young adult students.
 Pregnant women.
 Menopausal women.
 Those with mental health disorders.
 Users of illegal drugs.

16. Medications & its side effects
Medications:
 Prescription sleeping pills
 Antidepressants
 Antihistamines
 Melatonin
 Ramelteon

17. Side effects of medications :
Sleeping medications are often used as a quick way to treat symptoms of insomnia, which are commonly
caused by an underlying sleep disorder. Habitual sleeping pill users, even those taking them as properly
prescribed, can easily become reliant on the medication to fall sleep. This can lead to a number of health
consequences, including physical and psychological addiction.
Research suggests that the most effective method to cure chronic insomnia is to treat the underlying
disorder rather than simply use sleeping pills.
General sleeping pills side effects include, Dizziness , Head ache , Gastrointestinal problems , Prolonged
drowsiness , Allergic reactions , Death .

18. Sleeping pill overdose may lead to the Drowsiness , Slowed heartbeat , Shallow breathing , coma .
Combining certain behaviors or activities with sleeping pill use can lead to increased risks of danger and harm as
follows,
• Sleeping pills can cause people to feel drowsy or experience effects similar to those from alcohol use when used
improperly.
• Abnormal behaviors that an individual does not remember after taking a sleeping medication are called
parasomnias, and they are a common side effect of sleeping medications. Individuals may exhibit behaviors
such as sleep eating, sleep walking and sleep driving.

19. Yogic Management of Insomnia
Yoga is known to relax both the body and the mind. It also improves breathing and reduces stress. This is
why yoga promotes a restful sleep. Better sleep contributes to a better quality of life.
Sleep is a type of chitta vritti (mental modifications) according to patanjali yoga sutra which describes sleep as,
“Abhava-pratyayalambana vritti nidra” I-10 pys
It states that sleep is the vritti (modification) of absence of mental contents for its support. Sleep is also a one of the
state of mind, It is very important to understand this because if we are able to analyze the sleep condition of the
mind then we are able to understand Samadhi.
So the irregular sleep patterns or insomnia leads to many mental distraction and other psychosomatic diseases.

20. Yoga considers mind as the main cause of all psychosomatic diseases.
According to patanjali.
“Vyadhi sthyana samsaya pramadalasyavirati
bhranti darshanalabdhabhumikatva anavasthitatvani cittaviksepaste antarayah”I-30 PYS
Which means , disease , mental laziness, doubt, lack of enthusiasm, lethargy, clinging to sense enjoyments,
false perceptions, non attaining concentration, and falling away from the state when obtained are
obstructing distractions of the mind.
This distraction of mind will result in series of problems. Patanjali puts it in his yogasutra as,

21. “duhkhadaurmanasya angamejayatva
svasa- prasvasa viksepasahabhuvaha”I-31
Which means ,grief, mental distress ,tremor of the body , irregular breathing accompanies the mental
distractions .
This is the main causes and symptoms one experiences suffering from insomnia. To overcome the
suffering from these diseases one has to practice yoga to overcome the chitta vrittis.

22. Patanjali defines yoga as,
“yogascittavrittinoridhah”I-2
Yoga practices consists of Asana, Pranayama, Bandha mudras and Dhyana helps one to get relieved
from the underlying diseases also helps to tone the mental and physical body.
Insomnia is the disease which is mainly caused due to many underlying diseases to treat insomnia first
one has to treat the underlying diseases and some lifestyle changes is a must . If the underlying
diseases is not treated insomnia may become a source to many other diseases like anxiety , depression
, Bipolar disorders and other psychic conditions ,

23. As patanjali yoga sutra specifies that sleep itself is vritti so disturbance caused to vritti may lead to many problems ,
so in this situation one has to follow the method according to yoga sutra to overcome the diseases.
To overcome insomnia one has to apply several limbs of yoga sutras which help the individual to treat his illnesses
both physical and mental. In achieving this one should follow Yama, Niyama , Asana , Pranayaama and Dhyana the
limbs of patanjali yoga sutra.
Yama & Niyama:
By practicing yama and niyama, one can maintain his life style. To reduce the mental tensions, proper food,
sleep, cleanliness, prayer , self control .which are very important to deal with insomnia.

24. Asana :
Asanas removes all types of lethargy and different types of physical ailments of the body and one will be free
from the physical pains of the body.
 Tadasana , hastapadasana , marjaryasana, baddakonasana . It soothes the nerves and tones the muscles.
 Haalasana , viparita karani , vajrasana , shishu asana . These asana helps to relax the mind and helps in the
normal secretion of the hormones.
 Savasana helps in toatally relaxing both the body and mind this asana plays a important role in curing
insomnia.

25. Praanayama :
Pranayama is the science of breath control. In pranayama, the mind and consciousness is withdrawn
deep inside to the core of the being. This stabilizes and optimizes all functions of the body. Only in this
stillness can energy levels of the body be harmonized.
 Ujjayi , nadishodana and Bramhari pranayama helps one to cure all diseases and is tones the mind
and bring the breathe under control and helps to activate parasympathetic nervous system which
reduces the mental pressure and bring both the mind and body under control.

26. Meditation
Patanjali advises meditation to stop restlessness. In this state, the mind goes to the root of each
problem and finishes with it, and then sleep gives complete rest to the organism.
 Chaning Omkara(pranava japa) and So-Ham are the two meditative techniques which will helps to
calm the mind and increase concentration which soothes both physical and mental level and one
will be free from distractions and other psychic problems.
 Meditation plays an important role in treating insomnia , it helps to reduce the abnormal secretion
of the cortisol and adrenocorticotropin hormone.which also avoids other diseases arising from
insomnia.

27. Relaxation techniques
 Deep relaxation techniques like yoga nidra are very beneficial has it provides complete relaxation to both body
and mind.

28. Panchakosha theory
As per pacnchakosha theory Insomnia mainly effects three koshas, They are
I. Annamaya kosha : chronic insomnia is mainly caused due to underlying diseases which are mainly generated in the
annamaya kosha due to improper management of the life style and body.
II. Pranamaya kosha : As the physical body is damaged or diseased then the subtle body i.e. pranamaya kosha gets
effected naturally , which fails to produce enough energy for the physical work .
III. Manomaya kosha : When both annamaya kosha and pranamaya kosha is effected then it degenerates the manomaya
kosha by bringing in unwanted thoughts and abnormal production of the horomones which increases the negative
thoughts and emotions it may further lead to the other mental problems.
According to yoga, Asanas clears problems arized in annamaya kosha , pranayama clears problems from pranamaya kosha
and meditation clears problems from manomaya kosha.

29. Panchavimsati theory
According to this theory which totally consists of 25 entites , Insomnia mainly corrupts the mahat(buddi) which
leads to the damage of all the tanmatras , panchamahabutas , manas , panchagnyanendria , panchakarmendrias in a
series .
Due to the imbalance in the panchamahabutas which inturn effects panchagnyanedria and pachkarmendriya leads
to underlying diseases caused in individual body which effects the manas leading to a mental problem like
insomnia.
To overcome this issue one should balance the mahat(buddhi) by following yamas and niyams and bringing the
lifestyle and food style in balance .

30. Tridosha Theory
Vata, Pitta and Kapha the three bio-humors(tridoshas) that all physical functions of the body regulate. A normally
functioning Kapha provides a healthy sleep, while different reasons different types of insomnia cause increased Vata
and Kapha reduced.So the increased level of vata and of the kapha leads to insomnia which may be caused due to
underlying diseases or malnutrition .
Food which increases kapha i.e. which mainly contain Madura , amla , lavana rasa has to be used and food which
increases vata i.e. Kashaya, tikta and usna rasa has to be avoided.

31. Conclusion
As insomnia is a disorder caused due to the underlying diseases , not maintaining proper lifestyle and increased
stress and anxiety . So first before curing insomnia the underlying problem has to be cured by developing healthy
food habits and maintaining discipline in ones life . Medical treatment to cure insomnia may lead to severe side
effects leading to other psychological problems.
By following the yogic method one will get completely cured of insomnia with other underlying diseases because
yoga will act on root i.e the cause rather than the symptoms which not only reduces the diseases but also promotes
the overall health.

32. Refrences
1. Article., Yoga for Insomnia and sleep disorders , Laura mendez , yogagoaindia.com
2. Article., Insomnia:Everything you need to know, medical news today.com
3. Book., Four chapters on freedom, swami satyananda saraswathi, Yoga publication trust , munger
Bihar, India.
4. Book., Hathayoga pradipika ,swami swatmarama,the adyar library general series volumeIV.
5. Book., Sankyakarika , Ishwarkrishna,
6. Book., Astanga hrdaya of vagbhatta , Dr. R Vidyanath , Chaukamba surabharati prakasana , Varanasi.

33. Thank you