How Integrative Intervention Alleviates Insomnia- Related Stresses: A Qualitative Study

Insomnia is a common sleep problem. Persistent insomnia impacts patients' daytime functioning and quality of life. Yet, Individuals with insomnia remain largely untreated because of barriers to assessment and management. Needs of patients remain unmet. Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit (I-BMS) model has been applied to assist individuals with insomnia in alleviating their distressed mood. This study attempted to identify the mechanism of I-BMS intervention and understand participants' subjective evaluation of the program. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 informants who were selected from the I-BMS intervention group. Content was transcribed and analyzed using grounded theory. Three main themes and eight subthemes emerged including “Experiences of insomnia-related stresses”; “Ways of living with insomnia: Mind-body practices and attitude changes; “Beyond sleep improvement: The integration of body, mind, and spirit contributing to quality of life”. To summarize, participants experienced insomnia as a disturbance, which was probably triggered by, and at the same time, reinforcing other life stressors. Insomnia posed a negative impact on participants' physical well-being and emotional state which were key to their quality of life. After attending the I-BMS classes, informants slept faster, deeper, and found themselves filled with energy and strengths during the next day. They learnt to “accept” insomnia, and their sleep-related anxiety was reduced. Through body-mind education and simple Qigong movement, informants became more aware of integration of mind, body, and soul, and thus regained control over their sleep quality and quality of life. Consequently, they were more able to strike a balance in their sleep-wake cycle by applying experiential learning from I-BMS to their daily lives. Given the complex nature of insomnia and its frequent concurrence alongside other life stressors, comprehensive assessment and management of insomnia should be developed. I-BMS provides an integrative alternative approach in tackling insomnia and related stresses.