UNANI PERSPECTIVE OF SEHAR (INSOMNIA): A REVIEW

Abstract

Insomnia is defined as difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep. It is also defined by ICD-10 as difficulty in getting off to sleep and difficulty in the maintenance of sleep and unsatisfactory sleep quality. It is highly prevalent sleep disorder with direct and indirect economic and professional consequences, affects daytime functioning, behavior, and quality of life. People with insomnia have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. According to Unani system of medicine, a condition which corresponds with Insomnia is found in the classical Unani texts with the name “Sehar”. Further it is mentioned that Sehar is excessive wakefulness due to the temperament Haraarat and Yaboosat which refines the Rooh e Nafsani and its movement outwards. Normal sleep is thought to be because of Rutoobat vo Buroodat in the body and if there is derailment of balance, it implies the predominance of Yaboosat vo Haraarat widespread in the brain, which is said to be the major cause for Sehar. Unani system of medicine has endowed with enormous single and compound drugs and regimes for the management of Sehar and a wide range of treatment options are used internally as well as externally. In this review the concept of the Sehar (Insomnia) is reviewed in classical Unani texts which includes the Definitions, Asbab, Risk factors, Alamath, Taskhees, Awarizath and Ilaj of the Sehar (Insomnia). Though Unani medicine is an ancient system of Medicine, it has addressed Sehar (Insomnia) in more detail with the reference to Aetio-pathogenesis, Clinical features, Prognosis, Management and Prevention which has been discussed in Unani are far rational, easy, safe and effective.