2nd Balkans Shiatsu Summit – in Zagreb (Croatia), April 11 & 12, 2026

Insomnia is one of the most widespread sleep disorders in modern society. It’s more than just ‘sleeping badly’: it’s a persistent difficulty in falling asleep, staying asleep or getting a truly restful sleep. According to several international surveys, around 30% of adults claim to suffer from symptoms of insomnia, and almost 10% experience a chronic form that profoundly affects their daily lives.

There are many causes: stress, anxiety, irregular pace of life, prolonged exposure to screens, pain, hormonal changes or disturbed eating habits. Insomnia often sets in silently, then creates a vicious circle: the more a person fears not sleeping, the harder it becomes to get to sleep. Paul Banester’s workshop will address this common disorder.

Anxiety is much more than just a temporary stress: it can become a profound disorder that affects daily life. According to the World Health Organization, around 4.4% of the world’s population suffers from an anxiety disorder, equivalent to over 359 million people. This feeling of constant worry can manifest itself in a variety of ways – through panic attacks, agitation, obsessive thoughts, or even physical symptoms such as palpitations or digestive disorders.

Anxiety is not limited to a difficult moment: when it is long-lasting and intense, it can seriously impair concentration, social relationships, work and general well-being. Unfortunately, many people do not have access to appropriate treatment. That’s what Mike Mandl’s training course is all about.

In this workshop led by Fanny Roque, we’ll look at how to combat depression. Depression is much more than a low mood: it’s a profound mood disorder that affects thinking, emotions, energy and sometimes even self-image. The World Health Organization estimates that around 5% of adults worldwide live with depression, making it one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. This figure underlines just how widespread this disorder is… and yet still too often misunderstood.

Depression can manifest itself in many ways: loss of interest in usual activities, persistent fatigue, intense sadness, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite, or feelings of worthlessness. It is not a sign of a lack of willpower, but the result of a complex combination of biological, emotional, psychological and sometimes social factors.

Finally, thanks to Sanja Novko, we’ll be talking about irritability. Irritability is an emotional state that is often underestimated, yet it can be one of the first signs of an inner imbalance. It manifests as heightened sensitivity, a disproportionate reaction to everyday stimuli or difficulty in dealing with frustration. According to some behavioral psychology studies, nearly 60% of adults report regular bouts of irritability linked to stress, fatigue or sleep disorders.

This condition never appears by chance: it frequently reflects an overworked nervous system. Lack of rest, accumulated tension, professional pressure, relational conflicts or an unstable lifestyle can all contribute to this emotional hyper-reactivity. Irritability then becomes a message from the body: a warning signal that internal resources are running out.