Current Science

Basavaraj R. Tubaki ¹, Anupriya Verma ¹, Arun Sasidharan ¹, S. Sulekha ¹, T. N. Sathyaprabha ¹, D. Sudhakar ², C. R. Chandrashekar ³, G. S. Lavekar ⁴, Bindu M. Kutty ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560 029, IN
2 Advanced Centre for Ayurveda, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560 029, IN
3 Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru 560 029, IN
4 Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, New Delhi 110 058, IN

Abstract

This study demonstrates the clinical efficacy of Manasamitra Vataka and Shirodhara (Ayurvedic treatments) over clonazepam in preserving slow wave sleep and promoting sleep quality in patients of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) with co-morbid generalized social phobia. Whole night polysomnography was carried out to assess the sleep architecture and spindle- delta dynamics. The study highlights the sleep promoting and preserving nature of Manasamitra Vataka and Shirodhara in GAD patients with co-morbid generalized social phobia. Ayurvedic treatments were helpful in improving the subjective quality of sleep and preserve sleep organization. Further studies are needed to confirm the potential of Ayurvedic interventions as a treatment of choice in the management of anxiety disorders.

Keywords

Clonazepam, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Manasamitra vataka, Shirodhara, Sleep Architecture.

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