Insomnia

Doctors James Krag and Sarina Grosswald answer your questions on insomnia and explain how Transcendental Meditation can help


I tend to awaken in the middle of the night. Sometimes I'm sweating or feeling very agitated. Will practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique help me sleep through the night?

Dr. Krag: There are many reasons for insomnia, but the most frequent cause is anxiety and stress. Of course, it is possible that some practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique can occasionally have the problem of insomnia. However, since the TM technique helps lessen stress, most people with insomnia who learn the Transcendental Meditation program find that it becomes less and less of a problem.


If I sit in a chair and close my eyes, I fall asleep immediately. What good would TM do me?

Dr. Krag: This is simply an indication that you are in need of rest and likely have a "sleep debt." The Transcendental Meditation technique provides a profound level of rest and over time it will assist you in "paying off" the "sleep debt," leaving you feeling more clear and more energetic during the day.


What about stress due to sleep deprivation? I almost never get a good night's sleep. Does the Transcendental Meditation technique help with that?

Dr. Grosswald: It's interesting that you should ask, because research shows that Americans are the most sleep deprived people in the world. The stress of not sleeping accumulates over time.

And even if you are getting normal sleep once in a while, sleep does not dissolve the accumulated stress of day-in-and-day-out pressures of daily life; it can only dissolve the fatigue of today. So fatigue and stress keep building. Even when you go on vacation, the relaxation doesn't last very long once you get back to your usual lifestyle. That's why everyone needs a way to dissolve the accumulated fatigue and stress of daily living, which is made worse by sleep deprivation.

Practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique on a regular basis allows you to throw off that accumulated stress. Research indicates that the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation improves health, including psychological well-being. Researchers estimate that 70 to 90% of disease is stress related, so if you have a mechanism for reducing stress, it improves your overall health and all aspects of your life.

Scientific Research

Depression, anxiety and insomnia

Nuestros expertos médicos

Dr. James Krag, M.D.

James Krag, M.D. es miembro de la Asociación Americana de Psiquiatría, presidente de la Sociedad Psiquiátrica de Virginia, y el ex presidente de la Asociación de Psiquiatras de la Comunidad de Virginia hace cuatro años. En la actualidad es Director Médico del Liberty Point, un programa de tratamiento residencial para adolescentes con problemas psiquiátricos.

Dr. Sarina Grosswald, Ed.D.

Sarina Grosswald, Ed.D. es experta en el aprendizaje cognitivo y recientemente dirigió el primer estudio de investigación sobre los efectos del programa de Meditación Trascendental en niños con problemas de aprendizaje basadas en el lenguaje. Dr. Grosswald y su trabajo han sido publicados extensamente en los medios de comunicación nacionales, incluyendo PBS y ABC News.