Why is sleep important?
Whatever your health goal may be—whether you are trying to hit a fitness goal, lose weight, manage a chronic health condition like diabetes or blood sugar balance, or your hormones, or if you’re recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery—whatever you are striving for in your life, if you are not giving sleep its due importance, you are not going to hit your goal as easily.
You may be working out and eating really good meals and organic food, but if you’re not getting good quality, deep sleep consistently, you may not see the results you’re looking for.
Sleep really impacts every area of our life— how you perform at work or school, your memory, your moods, your ability to show up in your friendships and relationships, and of course your physical health as well. From your hormones, metabolism, blood sugar balance—everything is immediately affected, and immunity, too. If you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more susceptible to catching infections or falling sick.
Wisdom of Ayurveda: Timing of Sleep
According to Ayurveda, what time you sleep is as important as how much time you sleep.
Ayurveda suggests that we fall asleep during the Kapha time in the evening, which is from 6pm to 10pm.
This is the time when the dominant energy naturally makes us feel lethargic, heavy and sleepy.
Once the kapha time passes and the next phase of pitta energy begins to accumulate, between 10pm and 2am, it may be more challenging to fall asleep. If you find yourself awake around midnight, you might even feel more energetic and hungry — midnight snacking anyone?
According to Ayurvedic wisdom, different organs in our body activate to cleanse, and repair through our sleeping hours. If we are not sleeping or resting them, we miss out of the full effect of these biological processes.
Similarly, waking up in the Vata time of the morning closer to dawn is considered sattvic, or very auspicious and brings lightness, clarity and a positive energy to your mind and body.
Reflect on times in your life when you have consistently slept early or woken up early and how you left then.
Have you had a time when you had to wake up early say 4am or 5am for a flight and once awake you feel surprisingly alert and bright?
Also, what time you eat your meals has an impact on how well you sleep! A heavy meal close to bedtime is going to keep your heart-rate high through the night and you may not digest your meal very well either! So try to give a gap of 2-3 hours between dinner and bedtime.
Nasya involves gently lubricating the nasal passages with warm herbal oils, such as sesame or Brahmi oil. This ritual helps clear congestion, calm the mind, and promote a deep sense of relaxation. Practiced in the evening, it prepares the nervous system for rest and enhances mental clarity. It’s particularly beneficial if stress or sinus issues are keeping you awake.
Massaging your feet with warm oil before bed grounds the body and soothes the mind. Oils like sesame or coconut infused with calming herbs like Ashwagandha or lavender work best. This practice stimulates marma points (energy centers), reducing stress and promoting restful sleep. It’s an easy and relaxing way to signal your body that it’s time to wind down.
Yoga Nidra is a guided relaxation technique that allows the body and mind to rest deeply. Practiced lying down, it takes you through systematic relaxation of each part of the body while maintaining awareness. Just 20 minutes of Yoga Nidra can feel as restorative as several hours of sleep. This practice reduces stress hormones and helps release mental tension, paving the way for a peaceful night’s rest.
Watch our Podcast Episode to hear from Dr Ram and Afrin about Ayurvedic Sleep Rituals
SLEEP HYGIENE TIPS
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Ayurveda recommends 8-9 hours of sleep between 9pm and 7pm. According to Ayurveda, it is important to sleep in the early part of the night.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Develop a routine that includes calming activities, such as taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. Aromatherapy with essential oils like lavender, can help as well. Bonus points for a self-reflective journaling time before bed. There are also many options of meditations, sleep nidra, etc to help you fall asleep.
Make sure your bedroom is conducive to sleep: Keep your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark, and use comfortable bedding. Even small amounts of light can disrupt your sleep, so use blackout curtains and turn digital displays off. Crack a window open to get some cool breeze or set your thermostat to between 64 to 68 degrees.
Limit exposure to electronic devices: Avoid using phones, tablets, and laptops before bed as the blue light can disrupt your circadian rhythm and interfere with sleep.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Try to avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol, particularly close to bedtime.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help you sleep better, but avoid exercising too close to bedtime.
Limit naps: If you must nap during the day, keep it short (20-30 minutes) and early in the afternoon.
Don’t eat heavy meals before bed: Try to avoid eating heavy or spicy meals before bedtime as they can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep.
Manage stress: Stress can keep you up at night, so try to find ways to manage it, such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.
Get plenty of natural light during the day: Exposure to natural light during the day can help regulate your circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality at night.
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