Abstract
M.Tech.
Psychophysiological insomnia (PI) is defined as sleeplessness exceeding 30 minutes due to learned sleep-preventing behaviours and hyperarousal at bedtime (Aminoff, 2008; Robertson et al., 2007). It is a common condition, affecting twelve to fifteen percent of individuals, and studies have shown that it impacts significantly on the health, occupation and interpersonal relationships of sufferers (Robertson et al., 2007). The need for an effective medication for PI is therefore not only important due to its effect on quality of life, but also due to the shortcomings of many conventional hypnotics currently used in its treatment (Buysse et al., 2005).
The Homoeopathic Complex utilized in this study was used to treat common symptoms associated with PI such as: anxiety, intrusive thoughts, restlessness and alertness at bedtimes. It contained the following remedies: Ambra grisea 6cH, Arsenicum album 6cH, Coffea cruda 6cH, Delphinium staphisagria 6cH, Ignatia amara 6cH, Lycopodium clavatum 6cH, Passiflora incarnata 6cH and Valeriana officinalis 6cH (Vermeulen, 2000).
The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a Homoeopathic Complex on psychophysiological onset insomnia on male participants. The Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale (Appendix D) measured somatic and cognitive arousal at sleep onset and a Sleep Diary (Appendix E) was used to assess sleep onset latency as well as the quality and duration of sleep.
This was a double blind placebo controlled study using matched pairs. Participants were recruited by referrals from a registered clinical psychologist and advertisements placed at the University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein campus clinic and internet-based advertising spaces. Twenty eight male participants aged between 18 and 40, who met the inclusion criteria, took part in the four week study. During the initial consultation, participants signed the Patient Consent Form (Appendix A), completed the Research Screening Questionnaire (Appendix B) and underwent a relevant physical examination. Participants were matched in terms of the duration of their insomnia and then received either the placebo or the Homoeopathic Complex. Each participant was instructed to take 5 drops of the remedy under their tongues, in the evening before supper and again before going to bed and asked to complete the PSAS (Appendix D) and Sleep Diary (Appendix E) daily during the study. At follow-up consultations, during week 2 and week 4, the Follow-Up Form (Appendix C) was completed and a new Sleep Diary (Appendix E), PSAS (Appendix D) and bottle of medication was given to each participant. At completion of the
study, data was gathered and analysed by a statistician using Linear Regression and the Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon and Friedman tests (Devey, 2009).
Statistical analysis indicated that the group taking the Homoeopathic Complex had an increased total sleep time (p = 0.001) and significant reductions in arousal (p = 0.000), sleep onset latency (p = 0.011), quantity of awakenings (p = 0.001) and daytime fatigue (p = 0.005). Although there were no significant differences in the quality of sleep between the two groups, the experimental group (p = 0.315) still fared better than the control group (p = 0.418). Significant positive changes within the experimental group in almost all of the insomnia parameters lead to the conclusion that the hypothesis for the study could not be rejected.