There are many reasons that lead to having sleep disorders or issues. It could vary from medical to lifestyle or nutritional deficiencies; it has been estimated that over 160 million Americans struggle with sleep-related problems in all age groups. It is important to address medical sleep conditions with your doctor or a specialist. In addition, Ayurveda provides many natural sleep solutions that can be integrated into your daily life.
Ayurveda says that sleep (nidra) is one of the three main pillars of overall health and balance. A minimum of six hours of deep sleep is recommended for our body to rejuvenate and recover from the stress and the hard work from the previous day. Lack of proper sleep is a root cause for many major health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, etc. Lack of mental clarity, being easily frustrated, brain fog, fatigue are some common signs of having sleep issues. Being in sync with the internal rhythm is crucial to keep our mental, physical and emotional balance.
Our universe is made up of 5 elements (panchmahabhuta)—space, air, fire, water, and earth. Humans mimic nature and are also made of these same energetic elements. In Ayurveda, these elements are grouped into 3 doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha.
Vata is a combination of space and air.
Pitta is made up of fire and water.
Kapha is composed of water and earth elements.
These energies are present in all aspects of our lives such as our environment, seasons, and in the daily cycle of the day. It is important to keep our inner biological clock in sync with the chronological rhythm of the environment.
Images of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha from Ayurveda.com (The Ayurvedic Institute)
The natural rhythm of vata, pitta, and kapha in a 24 hour day is seen as:
Vata time = 2:00 AM – 6:00 AM & 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Pitta time = 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM & 10:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Kapha time = 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM & 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
According to the ancient scriptures of Ayurveda, to stay in harmony with the natural rhythm, it is recommended to go to bed before 10:00 p.m. and wake up before 6 a.m. or sunrise. If you try to go to sleep around 11 p.m, you might notice that you are hungry and would like a small snack before bedtime. This happens because, at 10 p.m, pitta time starts and wakes up our digestive fire.
Also, you might have noticed that the more we sleep past 6 a.m., the more sluggish we feel and harder to wake up. This occurs because the kapha time has started in the morning and kapha is the heavy energy. When we are in tune with nature, we can experience good sleep and stay healthy.
Here are some easy and simple tips for better sleep:
- Go to bed before 10 p.m. and wake up before 6 a.m. Avoid afternoon naps.
- Eat a light dinner and avoid eating or snacking past 7 p.m.
- Enjoy a relaxing evening bath with epsom salt and lavender essential oil
- A weighted blanket calms the vata element and aids in good sleep
- At bedtime, massage your feet with Brahmi oil (herbal ayurvedic formulation) or plain coconut oil (wear socks to avoid slipping on the floor)
- Do 2 minutes of alternate nostril breathwork (pranayama) before bed
- Wrap up all mental work and put away all electronics by 9 p.m.
By implementing these techniques into our daily routine, we can have good sleep and increase our overall vitality. You will feel full of energy in the morning and have clarity of mind.
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