Comparison of the effectiveness of yoga and Nasya Karma for insomnia – A randomized controlled trial

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder associated with disturbed sleep quality, stress, cognitive impairment and reduced quality of life. This study investigated the effectiveness of yoga and Nasya Karma (nasal therapy) compared to standard treatment for insomnia.

Method

The study included 120 patients aged 18 to 45 years who were diagnosed with insomnia according to DSM-V criteria. The participants were divided into three groups:

Group 1 (yoga group): 60 minutes of yoga daily, 6 days a week for 48 days. The sessions included yoga nidra, jal neti and regulated breathing exercises.

Group 2 (Ayurveda group): Nasya Karma (Pratimarça Nasya) with 2 drops of oil in each nostril, twice daily for 48 days.

Group 3 (control group): Standard treatment according to conventional medicine.

The evaluation was based on the following scales:

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ)

WHO Quality of Life Scale – Brief (WHOQOL-Brief)

Results

1. sleep quality and stress:

The yoga group showed the greatest reduction in stress scores (PSS: 11.73 ± 1.96) compared to the Ayurveda group (16.51 ± 4.49) and control group (17.91 ± 4.62) (p < 0.01).

Sleep quality improved significantly more in the yoga group (PSQI: 4.63 ± 2.28) than in the Ayurveda group (9.18 ± 3.80) and control group (11.86 ± 6.54) (p < 0.05).

2. quality of life:

General health: Yoga (7.92 ± 1.14) > Ayurveda (7.08 ± 1.32) > control (6.54 ± 1.38)

Physical health: Yoga (29.10 ± 3.02) > Ayurveda (26.13 ± 3.72) > control (22.72 ± 4.05)

Mental health: Yoga (24.23 ± 3.01) > Ayurveda (21.64 ± 3.19) > control (18.83 ± 4.00)

Social health: Yoga (12.18 ± 1.81) > Ayurveda (10.72 ± 2.06) > control (9.97 ± 1.89)

Environmental influences: Yoga (32.86 ± 3.48) > Ayurveda (28.83 ± 5.51) > control (25.51 ± 4.65)

3. cognitive function:

Forgetfulness: yoga (10.26 ± 3.20) < Ayurveda (15.13 ± 3.35) < control (18.86 ± 6.57) (p < 0.05)

Distractibility: Yoga (10.81 ± 3.77) < Ayurveda (14.57 ± 3.64) < control (17.05 ± 6.81) (p < 0.05)

False triggers: Yoga (11.07 ± 3.08) < Ayurveda (15.51 ± 4.66) < control (17.54 ± 7.43) (p < 0.01)

The study showed that yoga is significantly more effective than Ayurvedic nasya therapy and standard treatment in insomnia patients. Yoga improved sleep quality, stress reduction, cognitive function and quality of life more than Nasya Karma and standard therapy. Future studies should investigate the long-term effect and the combination of both methods.