Ayurvedic Guide to Sleep Solutions

Overview

Are you struggling with irregular sleep? Maybe you have trouble falling asleep or constantly wake up in the middle of the night, desperately wanting to go back to sleep but unable to. Or you may find yourself sleeping more than necessary, which can also be a problem.

The truth is, these imbalances in our sleep patterns can be really discouraging and even debilitating. It can feel overwhelming to try and get back on track. However, there are ways to find balance again with the right solutions.

Ayurveda is an incredible, age-old, and vibrant discipline that offers a pathway to discovering enhanced harmony and equilibrium.

Ayurveda, a timeless art of living, offers a refreshingly simple and practical approach to balancing sleep cycles. This article will guide you towards several helpful Ayurvedic tools that can help you find your way back to balance.

Ayurveda and sleep

Sleep is considered a fundamental instinct in Ayurveda and vital for the well-being of all living creatures. It is essential in revitalising and energising our body, mind, and spirit.

Within Ayurveda, sleep is recognised as one of the three essential pillars for maintaining good health, known as nidra. The other two pillars are proper nutrition (ahara) and the management of sexual energy (brahmacharya).

Achieving a harmonious equilibrium among these three elements is essential for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.

Types of sleep

In Ayurveda, the three doshas – vata, pitta, and kapha – significantly determine our sleep patterns and overall bodily functions. Kapha, specifically, is responsible for the heavy tiredness we experience during sleep.

The ancient Sanskrit text Charaka Samhita sheds light on six different types of sleep. According to this text, sleep can occur naturally without any external imbalances, or it can be influenced by factors such as depression, an excess intake of kapha-increasing foods like chocolate, cheese, or fried food, exhaustion from physical work, chronic diseases, or imbalances/injuries within the body.

Ayurvedic sleep solutions

Engage in Meditation Twice Daily

Meditation is a valuable tool that equips individuals to manage stress and attain serene mindfulness. Scientific studies on sleep have revealed that meditation promotes healthy sleep patterns and enhances daytime vitality.

Establish a Consistent Daily Schedule

Adhere to a fixed routine by waking up, meditating, eating, working, exercising, engaging in leisure activities, and sleeping simultaneously each day.

Go to bed by 10 pm, which marks the conclusion of the kapha period, when both the mind and body naturally experience drowsiness. If you currently lack regularity in your routine, commence by documenting a schedule to follow during the initial weeks.

Begin with minor adjustments to ensure the accomplishment of your objectives and to avoid discouragement.

Embrace Outdoor Activities

Engage in dynamic outdoor activities throughout the day. Increased exposure to sunlight during the day enhances melatonin production at night.

Consume Foods that Pacify Vata

Individuals with vata body types or vata imbalances are more susceptible to experiencing sleep difficulties. If your mind remains highly active at bedtime, it is advisable to consume a vata-pacifying diet. 

Opt for an early, light supper consisting of options like soup, hot cereal, or toast accompanied by warm milk, ensuring a gap of at least three hours before retiring to bed.

Foods that balance vata or promote restful sleep generally possess warmth, moisture, oiliness, sweetness, saltiness, or sourness. Examples include nuts, vegetable soup, seeds, and whole grains.

On the other hand, foods that are cold, dry, uncooked, or spicy can exacerbate vata and contribute to insomnia. Reduce your intake of chilled salads, chips and salsa, crackers, and cold beverages.

If you indulge in dessert, it is advisable to have it after lunch rather than dinner. This allows your body to metabolise the sugar during the afternoon, preventing it from interfering with your sleep at night.

Regulate Vata Digestion

In the case of sporadic constipation, a common vata imbalance often associated with sleep issues, it is beneficial to opt for natural herbal remedies.

Furthermore, ensure proper hydration by consuming 6-9 glasses daily and drinking hot water for 2 weeks.

Reduce Consumption of Lattes

Avoid consuming caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, lattes, and other stimulants like sugar throughout the day, as they can overstimulate the nervous system. 

Instead, look for a coffee substitute that also provides powerful antioxidant benefits. However, if you find giving up your daily coffee difficult, try to have it earlier, preferably before lunch.

Go to Bed Before Pitta Time

Just like our bodies have their natural rhythms, so do the different hours of the day. In Ayurveda, we divide the day into two 12-hour cycles, each containing three four-hour cycles that are dominated by a specific dosha:

• Vata: 2-6 a.m./p.m.
• Kapha: 6-10 a.m./p.m.
• Pitta: 10-2 a.m./p.m.

Doshas are the mind-body characteristics in Ayurveda that govern the functions of our bodies and influence our energy levels throughout the day.

During Vata time, which is governed by air and space, it is a favourable period for creativity during the day and dreaming at night.

Pitta time, governed by fire, is conducive to day productivity and metabolic processes at night.

Kapha time, governed by earth and water, may make you feel heavier or more lethargic during this cycle, whether day or night.

To maintain balance with these natural rhythms, Ayurvedic practitioners recommend going to bed before 10:00 pm, when the fiery Pitta energy becomes dominant, and waking up no later than 6:00 am, when the sluggish Kapha time begins. If adjusting your sleep schedule to align with this Ayurvedic cycle seems challenging, try gradually shifting your routine in that direction until you achieve it.

Self-Massage for Better Sleep

Abhyanga, also known as daily self-massage, involves massaging warm sesame oil or ghee onto your head and the soles of your feet. It is important to avoid applying too much pressure on the head to prevent overstimulation. 

For those experiencing mild sleep issues, a gentle full-body self-massage followed by a warm bath can be beneficial. In post-menopausal women with sleep imbalances, an evening full-body oil massage has been found to support healthy sleep cycles significantly.

Drink Warm Milk

Drinking a glass of warm milk is another natural remedy for promoting good sleep. Warm milk contains peptides that help lower cortisol levels and support healthy sleep. 

You can add a small amount of raw honey or chyawanprash, an Ayurvedic superfood, to enhance its effects. Calming ingredients such as saffron, nutmeg, and poppy seeds can also be added to the warm milk.

Refrain From Using Sleeping Pills

The consumption of sleeping pills can disrupt the body’s natural sleep patterns. Instead, consider trying the subsequent natural sleep remedies individually until you discover the one that suits you best:

• Saffron: Heat two to three threads of saffron in one cup of warm milk.

• Nutmeg: Stir one large pinch of nutmeg into one cup of warm milk.

• Poppy seeds: Soak ¼ to ½ teaspoon of poppy seeds in one cup of warm water or milk for a few hours. Consume it warm.

• Gotu kola (Brahmi) tea: Brew one teaspoon of gotu kola leaves or ¼ teaspoon of powder with ½ cup of water.

• Chamomile tea: Brew one teabag or teaspoon of loose leaves with one cup of water.

• Ojas Nightly Tonic: This traditional evening beverage includes hot milk, coconut, almonds, dates, saffron, ashwagandha, Shatavari, raw honey, and ghee. Learn how to prepare it here.

Journal Your Thoughts

Life can get hectic, and our minds are often filled with thoughts, responsibilities, and daily stresses. Naturally, it can be challenging to switch off all that mental activity when we lay our heads down to rest!

A helpful way to clear your mind before bedtime is to write down your thoughts for a few minutes in a journal. Create a list of tasks you must address the next day to avoid worrying about them while trying to sleep. 

Additionally, jot down some positive experiences from the day to remind yourself of the good things in your life.

Using Aroma oil in a diffuser can help establish a calming and uplifting atmosphere while you write in your journal.

Choose the scent that appeals to you the most at that moment, as your body instinctively knows what it needs to find balance and signals this through attraction to certain smells.

Find Joy and Amusement

Include light-hearted entertainment into your daily routine. These practices promote healthy sleep patterns, Whether through humorous books, laughter, playful activities, uplifting movies, or spending time with loved ones.

Avoid situations that trigger anxiety, worry, or anger whenever feasible. Numerous studies have highlighted the correlation between stress and various sleep-related issues.

Practice Gratitude

If you struggle to fall asleep at night, one simple practice you can adopt is cultivating a sense of gratitude. While lying on your back with your eyes closed, gently reflect on all the positive aspects of your life and the moments that brought you gratitude throughout the day.

Gratitude is considered a sattvic emotion, characterised by its light and nourishing effects on the mind and body—it stands in stark contrast to stress and tension. The more you incorporate gratitude into your routine, the more it becomes a natural part of your daily life.

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