Daily Routines based on Ayurveda for Improved Sleep Quality and Restful Nights
In the ancient practice of Ayurveda, sleep disorders are not just seen as isolated issues, but as signs of imbalances in the body's three vital energies, or doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. By understanding and addressing these imbalances, Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to improving sleep quality.
For those with a predominantly Vata dosha, anxiety, restlessness, and difficulty falling asleep are common. To pacify Vata, Ayurveda recommends grounding and calming practices such as warm, cooked meals in the evening, the use of herbs like Ashwagandha, gentle yoga poses like Tree Pose and Cat-Cow, alternate nostril breathing, and drinking warming Vata-balancing herbal teas.
On the other hand, an imbalance in Pitta can lead to overheating, irritability, early waking, and intense dreams. Pitta calming strategies include cooling foods and herbs, practicing cooling breathing techniques, gentle Moon Salutations yoga, sitting facing north during evening rituals, and avoiding spicy or heavy food late at night. Routine and emotional balance are crucial in reducing Pitta-related sleep disturbances.
An excess of Kapha can cause excessive lethargy and daytime sleepiness but restless or insufficient nighttime sleep. To reduce Kapha excess, Ayurveda suggests stimulating and warming approaches like ginger, cinnamon, holy basil teas, Kapalabhati breathwork, Sun Salutations, sitting facing east for evening routines, and invigorating mantras and visualization to combat heaviness and sluggishness.
In addition to these dosha-specific recommendations, Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of following an early sleep schedule, maintaining a light, easily digestible evening diet, incorporating daily rituals such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises, and using Ayurvedic herbs known for their calming and adaptogenic effects.
One such herb is Ashwagandha, an Ayurvedic herb known for its stress-reducing properties and ability to lower cortisol levels, which can help support more restful sleep. It can be taken as a powder mixed in warm milk or brewed as a tea before bed. Another calming herb is Brahmi oil, known for its effects on the mind and often used in Abhyanga, an Ayurvedic practice involving a gentle oil massage before bed, which helps calm the nervous system, relax the body, and signal to the mind that it's time to wind down.
A gentle evening tonic in Ayurveda, made by combining turmeric and saffron with warm milk, can help ease physical tension and quiet the mind. Jatamansi Oil, derived from a Himalayan plant, is used in Ayurveda to calm the mind and nervous system, and can be massaged into the scalp before bed to help release mental tension.
By incorporating these Ayurvedic practices into your evening routine, you're not just preparing your body for a good night's rest, but also setting the stage for deeper, more consistent rest. Going to bed early is important, but it's also about how you prepare your body and mind to rest. With Ayurveda, we begin to understand our doshas and create the conditions for natural, deep, and rejuvenating sleep.
[1] "Ayurveda and Sleep Disorders: A Review" - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine [2] "Dinacharya: The Ayurvedic Daily Routine" - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine [3] "Ayurvedic Herbs for Sleep: A Comprehensive Review" - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine [4] "Meditation in Ayurveda: A Historical and Contemporary Review" - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine [5] "Yoga in Ayurveda: A Comprehensive Review" - Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
- Incorporating science-backed Ayurvedic practices, such as using Ashwagandha, Brahmi oil, and gentle evening tonics, may aid in promoting sleep health-and-wellness by reducing stress, calming the mind, and signaling the body for rest.
- By following an Ayurvedic approach to sleep aided by Ashwagandha, Brahmi oil, and other calming herbs, one is not only improving sleep quality but also supporting overall health-and-wellness, in line with the holistic principles of Ayurveda.
