ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Yoga nidra is practised by sages for sleep. The practice is simple to use and has been clearly laid out, but its role in the treatment of chronic insomnia has not been well studied. METHODS In this randomized parallel-design study conducted during 2012–16, we enrolled 41 patients with chronic insomnia to receive conventional intervention of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (n=20) or yoga nidra (n=21). Outcome measures were both subjective using a sleep diary and objective using polysomnography (PSG). Salivary cortisol levels were also measured. PSG was done before the intervention in all patients and repeated only in those who volunteered for the same. RESULTS Both interventions showed an improvement in subjective total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, reduction in total wake duration and enhancement in subjective sleep quality. Objectively, both the interventions improved TST and total wake duration and increased N1% of TST. Yoga nidra showed marked improvement in N2% and N3% in TST. Salivary cortisol reduced statistically significantly after yoga nidra (p=0.041). CONCLUSION Improvement of N3 sleep, total wake duration and subjective sleep quality occurred following yoga nidra practice. Yoga nidra practice can be used for treatment of chronic insomnia after supervised practice sessions.
ABSTRACT
Purpose – Sleep habits play an important role in the health of young children. Sleep is often compromisedeither because of parents by pressuring children to study into late hours or due to sleep habits of childrenthemselves. The aim of study was to assess the sleep habits of school going children in the capital stateof Delhi, India. Methods – A total of 1457 students aged 9-17 years participated and filled validated ‘Schoolsleep habit survey’ form. A performa was also developed to collect information on usual presleep habits ofschool children. Data was analysed using SPSS ver 20. The form was filled by parents and children together.Results – Sleep onset latency >30 min was reported by 8.6% of the students. Mean bedtime of studentswas 10.49±1.14h on schooldays and 11.10±1.37 h at weekends. On weekends, students woke up later at8.08h±1.76h than schooldays 5.46±1.41h. Older age category (>15 years) slept for lesser duration than theyounger age. On weekends girls slept longer than boys. Majority of the students considered themselves tobe ‘good sleepers’. Lower academic grades in school were found to be associated with insufficient sleep.Number of family members played a significant role on quality of sleep. 23.7% reported to be active onelectronic gadgets prior to sleep. Students reported a reduced parental influence on bedtime with increasingage during schooldays. Boys felt that parents influence the sleep time more on schooldays. Conclusion-sleep problem in the form of increased sleep onset latency was reported by 8.6% children themselves. Useof electronic gadgets, lack of parental influence on setting bed times was seen.
ABSTRACT
Purpose of the study Endoscopy Normal Reflux Disease (ENRD) is a common presentation of reflux disease. These patients are symptomatic but do not have abnormal endoscopy findings. They may have pathological intraesophageal reflux. Lifestyle modifications are the mainstay of management of these patients. Posture plays an important role in their management. It was felt that exact quantification of reflux pattern with different postures in ENRD cases should be studied to include it as a part of management of these cases. Basic Procedures Fifteen male patients were studied. 24 h ambulatory pH metry was done for all patients. Half an hour recording was studied for various postures: supine, supine with 30° head end elevated, upright, right and left lateral recumbent position. The data of pH metry for half an hour of each of these postures was studied. Results and Interpretation All fifteen patients were ENRD cases and were upright refluxers. None of them had an abnormal supine reflux pattern. The percentage time of reflux and the reflux episode duration was significantly low in supine (P<0.05) and supine with 30° head end elevated (P<0.005). Conclusion In our study of 15 upright refluxers, supine with 30° head end elevated and supine position were the postures associated with least reflux. Posture can help reduce the reflux significantly and can be used as an effective means in management.