A Study to Explore the Concepts of Insomnia and its Treatment in Unani System of Medicine

Prespective

J Psychiatry Mental Disord. 2023; 8(1): 1066.

A Study to Explore the Concepts of Insomnia and its Treatment in Unani System of Medicine

Humaira Bano*; Masroor Ali; Jamal Akhtar

Research Officer Unani; Scientist-4, RRIUM, JJ Hospital Byculla, India

*Corresponding author: Humaira Bano Research Officer Unani, Scientist-4, RRIUM, JJ Hospital Byculla, Mumbai (CCRUM, New Delhi), India. Email: banu786.mau@gmail.com

Received: March 30, 2023 Accepted: April 10, 2023 Published: April 17, 2023

Abstract

Insomnia is a common problem across the world due to various reasons as increasing mental work and stress, less physical activities, social and personal life problems, lifestyle diseases and medication. Consensus proved its 30% incidence overall in the population but sleep-maintenance insomnia is considered up to 66.5%.

The study aims to enlighten the Insomnia in Unani classical books in the mean of weighted causes, pathological condition and best treatment. Gathering tribute knowledge of insomnia from Unani books and framing up it on newly researched neurotransmitter consideration in the same meaning, as Unani System of medicine describes Su-i-mizaj Har yabis (hot and dry temperament) is a pivotal cause that is a pathological condition develops after hitting several causes as a collection of briny liquid, accumulation of waste material in the passages of the brain and meninges and Gastro-intestinal insufficiency, excessive flatus, headaches and cancer etc. these condition directly or by signalling motivates the nerves and brain cells and sometimes obstacle in the passage of psychic powering pathway causes more psychological disorders. In the right direction of reason, Unani physicians have presented lucid and articulated treatment to restore the brain’s temperament by administration of soothing and tranquil medicines, evacuate waste from brain channels and regularize the CSF flow and ion exchange.

The study is concluded the result with hypothesis to set some clinical trials of mentioned drugs schedule and recommended modulation in a new scale to make practical generalize its result for future studies.

Keywords: Insomnia; Unani medicine; Neurotransmitter; Trended unani treatment

Introduction

Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which a patient has trouble falling or staying asleep. The same concepts are presented in the Unani system of medicine; indeed it is a psychological condition that occurs after over casting of hotness and dryness in the brain due to excessive istifragh (evacuation) out of the body or taking some hot medicines and foods, stimulation from the waste product of GIT, collection of briny fluid in the brain and some illnesses or severe pathological conditions in the body [1-3].

It is one of the challenges in the outpatient department. Especially for chronic diseases, e.g. systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, coronary insufficiency and its medication as Dopamine agonists, Psychostimulants, Anticonvulsants, decongestants, Steroids, Beta-agonists, Theophylline, alpha agonists, beta-blockers, Diuretics, Appetite suppressants, Caffeine, Alcohol and Niacin [4].

Lack of sleep is proven to slow down brain function drastically. Everything from memorization to simple motor abilities impacted by insomnia. Incidence of drug-induced insomnia is high, above 60 years of age about 50% has been reported, while consensus proved its 30% incidence overall in the population. Insomnia was reported by 66.5% of patients, with sleep-maintenance insomnia the most frequent issue, followed by early morning awakening and sleep-onset insomnia [5].

Insomnia is one of the most frequent complaints around the world but also one of the least understood, recent research has begun investigating how neurotransmitters function in insomnia [6].

Aim of the Study

1. To explore Insomnia in the Unani system of medicine, and its effect on the body, even for those who have long-lasting medication in the direction of chronic illnesses.

2. To fix the co-relation between observed facts of Unani physicians with newly researched possible neurotransmitter imbalance effects.

Study method

• This is an exploratory study; literature is extracted from the classical Unani books from the 9th AD to the 20th AD.

• Modern knowledge is obtained from the latest research papers available on the internet as PubMed and research gate and other research sites to use them in a correlation manner and precise them in a single frame.

• The discussion will be done to explore insomnia and its utmost suitable, reasonable and safe treatment in the view of trended Unani prescription patterns.

• The study will be concluded to hypothesise the possible future study.

Rational of Study

While conducting the OPD at the Co-location research Centre of Unani Medicine at J.J Hospital, Byculla Mumbai, it revealed that enough patients visited OPD merely for insomnia treatment. Interrogation and investigation brought to notice that many of them were using some medicines for co-morbidities for a long period, like Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and chronic allergies, ischemic heart disease and joint pain etc. After prescribing the Unani treatment, patients had reported significant results; to bring it on clinical trials required an exploratory basic study of insomnia.

Unani Concepts

A deprived sleep or staying awake is called Insomnia (Sahar) [1-4]. Wakening and sleep cycle are normal physiological sets of the mind, controlled by the power of Rooh-e-Nafsaniya (psychic pneuma). Insomnia occurs due to higher casted Hotness and dryness in the brain. Sleep is a resting, and waking is a movement phases of the body; while sleeping, innate heat confined within cells to make nerve and brain cells free from burden of work and relax and widen its passages [7]. It is a psychological disorder, immense the brain and body functions [3].

Sleep is endowed for the resting of nervous system and enhancing metabolism in untidy body [7]. Sleep is different from other body’s works by two means; one-the time of sleeping is fixed by the nature; second –promoters substances of sleep are responsible for its activation [1].

The motion of the psyche is a motion of pneuma because the power in the body exists or inherits with pneuma, thus no power regulation is possible without motion in pneuma [8].

Modern Concepts

Insomnia is one of the Complex symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Cortisol level considered the causative factor, and Stress is the stimulus for its secretion [9,11,19]. Balance Neurotransmitters maintain the heartbeats, breathing, and digestion and may be behaviour. On the other hand, it creates discomfort to severe illness at worst. Stress, eating the wrong foods, toxins and genetics may be a reason for all imbalances. Serotonin converted to melatonin it may synthesize by the pineal gland. Low levels of GABA may come with low levels of serotonin/melatonin or may cause sleep problems [9,11]. Neurotransmitters include compounds such as acetylcholine, hypocretin, histamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine secreted from structures deep within the brain and the brain stem. The new study reveals that the sleep-wake state appears dependent upon the concentration and balance of ions in the CSF. They can change the electrical activity of cells, causing them to either polarize or depolarize. When depolarization occurs in neurons, the cells become excitable, alert, and awake [10]. Histamine is probably a strong contributor to arousal or staying awake [11]. GABA helps decreasing activity of wakefulness promoters and will block serotonin messaging in different parts of the brain [9,11].

Citation:Bano H, Ali M, Akhtar J. A Study to Explore the Concepts of Insomnia and its Treatment in Unani System of Medicine. J Psychiatry Mental Disord. 2023; 8(1): 1066.