Your first thought might be… insomnia on a relaxing tropical island? It’s not surprising that some people, at times, have difficulty sleeping. In fact, a recent report from the Sleep Health Foundation Australia (“Rise and try to shine: the social and economic costs of sleep disorders”) estimates that 1 in 10 Australians have a sleep disorder that can substantially affect their well-being, safety, and productivity. However, the association of a sleep disorder such as insomnia with people living on a tropical island is probably a little more surprising. Nonetheless, kava has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy to help aid in the treatment of insomnia. Ni-Vanuatu people reportedly consume kava drinks both to help induce sleep and to help ensure a more rested sleep.

What is insomnia?

Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is one type of sleep disorder in which people suffer from some combination of either being unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. Insomnia may occur for a short time, for example, during periods of stress and anxiety, or insomnia may be chronic (aptly called chronic insomnia), lasting months on end.  

The symptoms of insomnia are not the same for everyone, and people experience insomnia differently. Some people have trouble falling asleep, while others don’t feel refreshed upon waking. Other symptoms of insomnia include often waking throughout the night or simply waking up earlier than desired without having the ability to fall back asleep.

As a result of the poor sleep associated with insomnia, the days can become more challenging as people may experience daytime effects, such as feeling too tired or sleepy to undertake normal activities or experience trouble concentrating on a task at hand. Others may feel irritable or moody, suffer from headaches, or lose interest in doing things. Unfortunately, these experiences may be further compounded with the anxiety that comes from the concern and worries about not obtaining a night of good sleep.

There have been numerous studies that have looked at a variety of causes relating to sleep disorders more generally, and insomnia more specifically. Typically, when there is no underlying cause associated with insomnia, it is referred to as Primary Insomnia. When there is an identified underlying cause associated with a general health condition, depression, anxiety, or some other sleep disorder, it is referred to as Secondary Insomnia. Insomnia may be worsened or compounded via the intake of various types of chemical compounds such as caffeine or from various other substances, for example, contained in some types of prescription medication.

 Other factors may also play a contributing role in sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Stress, for example, whether caused by grief, work-related issues, financial issues, or even personal relationship problems, can play a role. Additionally, people who work relatively unusual or long hours, such as shift workers, may find their poor sleep habits do not allow them to sleep as well as those who work regular hours throughout the day.

Given many of the previously mentioned contributing factors of insomnia are common to people from all walks of life, from any country, it is probably now a little less surprising to learn that even people living in a tropical paradise are susceptible to suffering from not only insomnia but other sleep-related issues –in Vanuatu, kava has a long tradition of being used to promote relaxation and sleep.

How is insomnia or other more general sleep disorders diagnosed and treated?

As a first step, it is always best to consult with a trusted health professional such as your local GP, who can undertake a thorough examination and help tailor a personal treatment plan.

In most cases, a sleep professional will ask about your sleep habits, medications, how much alcohol and caffeine you consume and other symptoms you may have. They will also likely try and determine if there are any underlying health conditions contributing to your insomnia. In any case, one of the first steps in helping to manage insomnia is to learn healthy sleep habits and change any lifestyle factors that are contributing to the problem.

Over the last 40+ years since the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA) published the first classification system dedicated to sleep disorders in 1979, scientific knowledge and understanding of sleep health have significantly evolved. Notwithstanding those changes, there are some remedies that have endured and continue to be advocated for. 

Many of those remedies for insomnia fall under the collective term of good “sleep hygiene”, which includes things such as: going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, ensuring one’s sleeping environment is conducive to sleep (including having a comfortable bed), getting regular exercise (but not in the evening), and doing something relaxing before bed. More contemporary remedies include avoiding electronic screens such as hand-held devices just before bed and avoiding “staring at the time” while trying to sleep. Other lifestyle remedies include cutting out caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol – or at least trying to reduce their intake. 

Kava – a Traditional Remedy for Insomnia                                                                                                                  

Of course, people have been experiencing sleep problems all over the world long before the ASDA was even formed. In Vanuatu, the quintessential traditional remedy to help aid in the treatment of insomnia is kava – most often consumed as a kava drink.

The kava root drink has had a long history of use in folk medicine within Vanuatu. Long before the arrival of European explorers, the Ni-Vanuatu people had discovered that chewing either fresh or dried kava roots would release a substance, now identified as the bioactive compounds called kavalactones, that could be diluted with water to create a kava drink with great beneficial effect. In fact, Kava has important cultural and historical significance throughout the regions of Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia for its relaxant and medicinal effects as a pain reliever, muscle relaxant, and as remedy for anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia.

It’s interesting to note that human and plant physiology inform the way in which kava has been traditionally consumed as a drink. All throughout the pacific, almost entirely, people down cups of kava all at once. It is not often savoured or sipped, likely owing to its bitter and earthy flavour and mud-like texture. But as many Pacific Islanders will attest, Kava is not consumed for its taste but rather for its effect.

Are You Ready to Reap the Benefits of the Kava Root Drink?

Kava has a long history of consumption within the South Pacific Islands and is considered a healthy and enjoyable beverage. As more and more people, both in Australia and abroad, try kava for the first time, they too are discovering for themselves why this “elixir of the pacific” is held with such reverence.

Here at Kava Vanuatu, our history goes back to 1995, when a group of like-minded individuals from various kava growing regions and islands formulated a plan to establish an organisation that would enable our kava growers to improve their standard of living and social welfare via the sale of their kava – knowing the quality of our kava directly affects the quality of our standard of living.

All Kava Vanuatu farmers are registered, and the cultivation and collection of kava plant material follows Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP). All the kava used in our products is export-approved Noble cultivars verified by the department of Biosecurity Vanuatu, and our kava is independently lab tested in Australia. Kava Vanuatu’s export facilities strictly conform to current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), and our processing and packaging facility is HACCP certified.

As leading manufacturers of 100% pure organic noble kava root powder, our dedicated team work tirelessly to ensure our customers receive consistently superior products. So, if you would like to learn more about kava powder uses, contact Kava Vanuatu today at contact@kavavanuatu.com.au.