Effect of Yoga and Naturopathy on Sleep Quality and Pain in PCOS Patients with Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Case Series

This case series aims to describe the clinical presentation of three PCOS patients with primary dysmenorrhea and report the outcomes of a tailored naturopathy, yoga, and dietary modification intervention on sleep quality and pain intensity. Primary dysmenorrhea is pain associated with the menstrual cycle without any underlying pathology. It ranks among the primary contributors to the health burden of women worldwide, with a prevalence of 71% globally. This case series included three diagnosed cases of PCOS with dysmenorrhea. Detailed histories and details of daily routine, sleep, and dietary habits were recorded. Patients were prescribed a daily 45-minute yoga protocol, 15-minute naturopathy therapy (hip-bath), and dietary advice such as avoiding eating junk, oily, spicy food and consumption of packaged juices and beverages, including more fruits, vegetables, and sprouts in diet along with min 2 litters of water intake. They were also asked to avoid eating before bed and late at night. Outcomes were compared from the previous menstrual cycle before the intervention to the subsequent menstrual cycle after the intervention. Patients reported a significant decrease in pain intensity measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), improvement in sleep quality measured Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQi), and overall day-to-day functioning during the menstrual cycle after the intervention. These findings indicate that a regular yoga regime and naturopathy, along with dietary modifications, can be beneficial for the management of dysmenorrhea. Further research is needed, including longitudinal studies and clinical trials with larger sample sizes, to confirm these findings and explore the mechanisms behind this improvement.