Siddha Varmathadaval therapy in the management of stress-related insomnia: A case report.
- 1Sri Sairam Siddha Medical College and Research Centre, West Tambaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: [email protected].
- 2Sri Sairam Siddha Medical College and Research Centre, West Tambaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Abstract
Insomnia affects 10-30% of adults globally, with limited non-pharmacological options. This single-case report documents Siddha Varmathadaval therapy for stress-related insomnia. A 55-year-old woman presented with four-month history of insomnia (difficulty initiating/maintaining sleep) and daytime fatigue. Thookaminmai (insomnia) of Vatha-Pitham origin per Siddha principles was diagnosed. Baseline assessments showed severe insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI] = 21/28, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] = 15/21, Athens Insomnia Scale [AIS] = 13/24, Perceived Stress Scale-10 [PSS-10] = 31/40). The patient underwent twenty-one consecutive daily Varmathadaval therapy sessions using Sukku Thailam (90-120 minutes each), administered by a trained Siddha physician. Post-therapy improvements included ISI = 8/28 (62% reduction), PSQI = 6/21 (60% reduction), AIS = 4/24 (69% reduction), and PSS-10 = 12/40 (61% reduction). Traditional Siddha parameters (Manikadai Nool, Neikuri) demonstrated progressive improvement correlating with clinical outcome. Sleep latency decreased (45 → 15 minutes) and total sleep time increased (4-5→6-7 hours). Benefits were sustained at 4-week (ISI = 9) and 12-week (ISI = 11) post-treatment follow-up, with mild stress-related variation. Varmathadaval therapy produced clinically significant, sustained improvements in stress-related insomnia. The therapy was safe and well-tolerated. Controlled trials with prospective stress assessment are warranted.
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BibTeX
@article{sakthivel2026siddha,
title = {{Siddha Varmathadaval therapy in the management of stress-related insomnia: A case report.}},
author = {Kanishka Sakthivel and Mary Princess Sulekha Stephen Rajaiah},
journal = {Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.jaim.2026.101367},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42868869},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Siddha Varmathadaval therapy in the management of stress-related insomnia: A case report.
AU - Kanishka Sakthivel
AU - Mary Princess Sulekha Stephen Rajaiah
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine
DO - 10.1016/j.jaim.2026.101367
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42868869
AB - Insomnia affects 10-30% of adults globally, with limited non-pharmacological options. This single-case report documents Siddha Varmathadaval therapy for stress-related insomnia. A 55-year-old woman presented with four-month history of insomnia (difficulty initiating/maintaining sleep) and daytime fatigue. Thookaminmai (insomnia) of Vatha-Pitham origin per Siddha principles was diagnosed. Baseline assessments showed severe insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI] = 21/28, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI] = 15/21, Athens Insomnia Scale [AIS] = 13/24, Perceived Stress Scale-10 [PSS-10] = 31/40). The patient underwent twenty-one consecutive daily Varmathadaval therapy sessions using Sukku Thailam (90-120 minutes each), administered by a trained Siddha physician. Post-therapy improvements included ISI = 8/28 (62% reduction), PSQI = 6/21 (60% reduction), AIS = 4/24 (69% reduction), and PSS-10 = 12/40 (61% reduction). Traditional Siddha parameters (Manikadai Nool, Neikuri) demonstrated progressive improvement correlating with clinical outcome. Sleep latency decreased (45 → 15 minutes) and total sleep time increased (4-5→6-7 hours). Benefits were sustained at 4-week (ISI = 9) and 12-week (ISI = 11) post-treatment follow-up, with mild stress-related variation. Varmathadaval therapy produced clinically significant, sustained improvements in stress-related insomnia. The therapy was safe and well-tolerated. Controlled trials with prospective stress assessment are warranted.
SN - 0975-9476
SN - 0976-2809
ER -