Sleep incubation [enkoimesis] in medical practice at Asclepieia of ancient Greece - The ancient Greek sleep medicine.
Sleep medicine June 1, 2025 George Kapotsis, Paschalis Steiropoulos, Nikoletta Rovina et al.
Therapeutic incubation—a ritual sleep practice in ancient Greek healing sanctuaries such as the Asclepieia—was used to induce apocalyptic dreams for healing. Although originally mystical, the concept parallels modern holistic and personalized medicine. This practice played a key role in transitioning medicine from empirical traditions toward scientific approaches, sowing seeds for modern therapy. The study examines therapeutic incubation as a holistic patient approach and a placebo effect, and explores its connections to contemporary therapeutic procedures.