Ayurveda-Yoga Combo Can Cut Bedwetting In Kids: Govt Study

Bedwetting, medically known as nocturnal enuresis, is common among children and is often a part of normal development. However, when it persists, it can affect a child’s confidence and become a source of embarrassment, anxiety and frustration for both the child and the family.

Now, a study from the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar, an Institution of National Importance under the Union Ministry of Ayush, has found that combining ayurvedic medicine with simple yoga exercises may offer greater relief than ayurvedic treatment alone.

The eight-week study, involving around 38 children aged 6 to 14 years, reported up to 70% improvement in bedwetting among children who received both an Ayurvedic formulation and yoga. The study also reported improvements in memory, concentration and irritability.

The findings, published in the peer-reviewed AYU journal, are significant in the context of the growing emphasis on generating clinical evidence for Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.

The study “Management of Shayyamutra (enuresis) through Yoga Asana along with Medhya Rasayana Churna – An open label, randomised controlled clinical trial" was conducted in the Department of Kaumarbhritya (Paediatrics) at ITRA by Prof. Vaidya Virendra Kori, Vaidya Sagar Bhinde and Vaidya Amisha Bavarva.

The children were divided into two groups. One group received Medhya Rasayana Churna, an Ayurvedic formulation containing Brahmi, Shankhpushpi, Yashtimadhu (liquorice) and Guduchi, twice a day with milk.

The second group received the same formulation along with four yoga asanas — Utkatasana, Ardha-Shalabhasana, Bhujangasana and Shavasana — practised in the morning and evening.

The difference between the two groups was notable. Children receiving the Ayurvedic formulation alone showed about 38% improvement in the frequency of bedwetting, while those receiving the combined intervention reported nearly 70% improvement, according to the study.

The combined approach was also associated with better cognitive and behavioural outcomes. Memory improved by about 61% in the yoga-plus-Ayurveda group, compared with 31% in the medicine-only group. Irritability reportedly declined by 66%, while hyperactivity showed a reduction of about 71%.

The researchers said improvements were also observed in concentration and morale. The study comes at a time when the government is putting greater emphasis on clinical research, evidence generation and scientific validation of traditional systems of medicine.

For years, Ayurveda and yoga have been widely used in India, but questions around the quality and robustness of evidence have remained important, particularly when traditional therapies are proposed for specific medical conditions.

Nocturnal enuresis, the medical term for repeated involuntary urination during sleep, is common in childhood. While many children eventually outgrow the problem, persistent bedwetting can affect confidence and emotional well-being.

According to ITRA Director Prof Dr Tanuja Nesari, bladder control and psychological factors may both play a role in some children.

The researchers believe that certain yoga postures may help strengthen muscles of the pelvic region and support bladder control, while ingredients such as Brahmi and Shankhpushpi have traditionally been associated with calming and cognitive-supportive properties.

The researchers have proposed that the combined approach may help address both physical and psychological aspects associated with bedwetting.

But experts caution that bedwetting can have several causes, including developmental factors, constipation, urinary tract problems, diabetes, sleep disorders and, in some cases, psychological stress. Persistent or newly occurring bedwetting therefore warrants medical assessment rather than self-treatment.

Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) affects roughly 7.6% to 16.3% of children in India, with a higher prevalence among boys and rural populations. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, about 5 million children wet the bed.