Abstract

INSOMNIA IN AKAALA JARA (PREMATURE AGEING) – AN OVERVIEW

Dr. Fareeda Begum Shaikh* and Dr. Sreejaya T. K.

Abstract

Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by either any one or all of the three features- inability to fall asleep, difficulty in maintaining the sleep or early awakening from the sleep.[1] According to Ayurveda, the Swasthya depends on three Upastambha i.e. Ahara, Swapna (Nidra) and Brahmacharya which are known as tripod of life. Sleep is one of the most important factors of health associated with happiness and good health and also an outcome of relax physical and mental state. Jara is a natural process of degeneration of structural and functional entities of the human body.[2] When this process is prepond due to lack of selfcare and negligence, there appears the lakshanas of Akaala jara, insomnia is one among it. Vata and pitta are the sole factors which affects the generation of sleep. The ideal sleep duration of an adult is 7-8hours which is varied nowadays due to the work pressure, personal problems, and habits like alcohol or environmental factors. Sleep is a result of activity in certain sleep provoking areas in the brain stem. States and stages of sleep are defined on the basis of typical EEG, Electrooculogram (EOG a measurement of eye-movement activity), and the EMG. There are two types of sleep, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement sleep (REM). NREM sleep is divided in to stages 1,2,3 and 4 representing a continuum of relative depth. The detailed understanding of Akaala jara, importance of nidra, various causes for Nidrahani and its management are included in this article.

Keywords: Insomnia, Sleep physiology, NREM, REM, Nidra, Nidraguna, Premature ageing