Sangeetha, an engineer by profession, always complained of lack of sleep. It resulted in fatigue and dark circles under her eyes and she also failed to control her temper many a time. Though the sleeping pills did help her, the pill-induced sleep brought in more discomfort and fatigue, that she herself avoided taking them. It was then that Sangeetha approached an ayurvedic health resort and sought help.

``The treatment there worked wonders,’’ says Sangeetha. It was the soothing oil massage on head, neck and shoulders – shiro abhyanga – that gave her a very relaxed feeling and lulled her to sleep. The oil massage on head helps prevent migraine attacks and provides relief from stress and tensions. It also helps the nervous system to be completely in a relaxed (parasympathetic) state. These factors will assist the patient to have an uninterrupted sleep, A study had been conducted among the patients who underwent regular shiro abhyanga and it revealed that the disorders like migraine, headache and insomnia were less exhibited in the patients during the weeks in which they underwent the therapy. Sleep disturbances were found less in those who took a daily oil massage on the head. ``My grandma used to oil my hair and massage my head daily when I was a student. When I grew up, I quit all those habits. But now I know my grandma was right,’’ says Sangeetha.