Alternative Approaches

Traditional Chinese medicine has included treatment for insomnia throughout its history. A typical approach may utilize acupuncture, dietary and lifestyle analysis, herbology and other techniques, with the goal of resolving the problem at a subtle level. Although these methods have not been scientifically proven, some insomniacs report that these remedies are sufficient to break the insomnia cycle without the need for sedatives and sleeping tablets.

In the Buddhist tradition, people suffering from insomnia or nightmares may be advised to meditate on "loving-kindness", or metta. This practice of generating a feeling of love and goodwill is claimed to have a soothing and calming effect on the mind and body. This is claimed to stem partly from the creation of relaxing positive thoughts and feelings, and partly from the pacification of negative ones. In the Metta Sutta, Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, tells the gathered monks that easeful sleep is one benefit of this form of meditation.

There are a number of alternative cures for this disorder that are currently marketed. Often, a combination of dietary and lifestyle changes is claimed to be the most helpful approach. However, it should be noted the reason they are considered "alternative" medical treatments is the lack of empirical evidence to back up such claims. There are always studies going on to either confirm or deny the effectiveness of such medicine, but in many cases even if no effect is shown to exist in a treatment, proponents will still believe in their effectiveness.