Sleep For Brain Detox! – your SV Ayurveda Newsletter Nov 13, 2025, #44, Vol 15

Sleep For Brain Detox?

~ From Ayurveda to Modern Science ~

Do you feel like there simply are not enough hours in the day to accomplish all you need to do? Do you wish you could sleep less everyday so you could do more? Ayurveda teaches us that sleep is much more than a “mindless pause” meant to restore the physical body. And modern science has come to confirm this as well.

 Scientists confirm that 7-9 hours of sleep per night are necessary for an adult. This is not just to restore the body, but to reset the brain! The latest scientific findings demonstrate how the brain needs sleep in order to wash itself off from toxins created during the day’s activities: sleep is necessary for daily brain detox and reset! 

 How does this detox happen? A specific type of brain cells – called glial cells – shrink during sleep. When they shrink, they open up the interstitial gaps between neurons to allow cerebral fluid to flush out neurotoxins in the brain through a network of plumbing pipes - the glymphatic system. 

If the brain is not allowed this daily detox process through a proper continuous 8 hour cycle of sleep, toxic proteins may be formed and/or left behind. It has been found that these proteins may play a major role in chronic brain disorders such as: Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, or dementia. 

What does Ayurveda have to say about all this? Was there an understanding of sleep supplying necessary downtime for brain to flush out neurotoxins out of the brain tissue?

Shodhana and Rasayana

Vaidya Mishra not only emphasized the importance of regular sleep for full physical reset, but he elaborated – in great detail – on the topic of ”shodhana” or the detox properties of sleep, as well as the ”rasayana” or rejuvenative values of sleep body and mind. 

The detox and rejuvenative functions of sleep – “shodhana” and “rasayana” – have long been known in Ayurveda. The Carak Samhita Sutrasthana says that sleep or “svapn”(स्वप्न), along with a healthy diet or “ahar,” (अहर) as well as ethical balanced behavior or “Brahmacharya” (ब्रह्माचार्यः)are the 3 sub-pillars of life, or “traya upastambah (त्रया उपस्तम्बः):

The sutra goes on to state that with proper regular sleep the body gains “bala” or physical and mental stamina. In addition: 

• its overall immunity is enhanced; 
• complexion improves; 
• digestive and post-digestive activities are optimal;
• the mind gets more balance and nourishment from the physiology ;
• there is overall improvement in the assimilation and transformation of activities on the cellular as well as vibrational levels.

By nature, when the day wanes, if our body is attuned to Nature’s rhythms, we will naturally to shift gears and allow the body to slip into sleep. The sutra says:

When “manas” or the mind gets “klante,” fatigued, from activity or”karma,” enjoying the objects or “visyayebho” of the senses, then it wants to release itself (“nivartante”) of those objects by going into sleep or “svapiti.” This is the definition of sleep according to Ayurveda.

But in our modern day culture, sleep can be the most elusive thing. Even though now we may understand that it is indispensable, sometimes, no matter how tired we feel and want to sleep, we are not able to wind down, fall asleep, or stay asleep. There are different ways to correct sleep imbalances, based on external and internal factors.

Sleeplessness occurs when the brain is unable to disconnect from the activities of the senses. When the brain remains engaged in the objects of the senses – things that happened during the day – either extremely exciting or stressful; a task that was unfinished; an emotional charge that remains unprocessed; a stressful thought that won’t leave you. Your mind keeps running the episode over and over again. Due to different hetu-s or original causes, people are not able to disconnect or detach their minds from their senses, and then sleep eludes us. 

As we know, in Ayurveda, there is NOT one remedy for all. Each individual and condition is unique. Just so, there is not one way to correct a sleep imbalances, because there is not one reason that may cause insomnia. In SVA, Vaidya Mishra insists on following the हेतु लिङ्ग औषादि ज्ञानम् ”hetu ling aushadi gyanam” principle: first investigate and isolate the actual cause of the sleeplessness in order to be able to correct it fully and effectively.

In this modern day and age, regardless of our dosha, we all experience sleep disorders due to current cultural bad habits. The creation of digital culture has propelled our habits into a new next level of imbalance! Here are some things we can all benefit from!

General Recommendations for ALL: 

1)Turn down the lights: blue light forces our brain to reduce the production of melatonin which affects sleep quality;

2) Reduce the use of computers and cellphones, turn off the wifi in your home;: EMF is the #1 disruptor of the body’s internal clock, it also disrupts our vibrational channels or nadi-s that carry prana – prana is essential for health and for sleep; 

3) Do some gentle gentle stretching or yogic exercise or meditation to ease the muscles into the rest period of the day and disconnect the mind from stress.

But sometimes, we fall asleep on time but are unable to stay asleep, we may wake up an hour later with heart palpitations; or feeling hot and sweaty; or wake up and feel energized. Vaidya Mishra made many potent tridoshic remedies for sleep. Explore and find the one that you love most. You can use more than one at a time as well. These products pacify Prana Vata, Sadhak Pitta, and Shleshak Kapha – they help ground the mind, soothe the heart, and remove blockages that may trap hot pitta and disrupt sleep. One recipe may also help all body type

As a golden rule, regardless of your dosha, for dinner, NEVER eat spicy, sour, or (too) salty foods. You want to have easy to digest light meals with less or no salt at all and soft spices – some cumin, with fennel or coriander is great. Eat over-cooked easy to digest dinners, specially in Autumn. In addition, if you have your dinner but feel a bit hungry before sleep, make a “milk-date shake.”

*Recipe for “Milk-date Shake” before sleep (boil milk with a couple cardamom pods, a stick of cinnamon, a pinch of turmeric; take off the heat,  pour into a blender and add 1-2 pitted medjool dates and blend. Drink warm before bed). If you are kapha predominant constitution, add 50% milk and 50% water, or use almond milk instead of cow milk. 

*Give yourself a relaxing nourishing self-massage with a Vata Dosha pacifying massage oil Vata oil with Vit D and Magnesium is an ideal blend, as the Magnesium will also help relax the muscles and calm the mind. Apply the oil, leave on for 20 minutes. Then step into a hot bath with the 
Soma Nidra bath pouches for a divinely relaxing experience.

*Shower with Soma Nidra Soap;

*Take a bath with Soma Nidra Sleep Pouches an hour before sleep;

“*Spray Soma Nidra Oral Spray 20 minutes before sleep. This spray works within seconds through trans-mucosal oral delivery. It is delicious too!

*Drink Soma Nidra Tea ideally 2 hours before sleep. This tridoshic tea will pacifies your mind, soothe your heart, and balance kapha for deep restorative sleep. Drink it in the evening to allow time for the body to adjust.

*Apply Soma Nidra Aroma oil blend on your wrists and behind your ear lobes, or put a couple of drops in an aroma diffuser to release the aroma in your room during your sleep.

*Apply Mastik Shamana transdermal cream on your lower spine and/or massage your feet with it nice and slow.

Wishing you Sweet Soma Sleep and Blissful dreams!

Take Vaidya Mishra “With You” – Everywhere You Go!

if you ever had the opportunity to meet Vaidya Mishra in person, or have encountered him via his many youtube videos or online courses, then you know what we mean! We all want to have him travel with us in this earthly journey, to help us in our decisions along the way, through the timeless wisdom and knowledge of SV Ayurved. And now we can! If you have not discovered our podcast channel yet, we invite you to look it up and explore the timeless teachings of SVAyurveda, as well as fabulous talks by other SVAyurveda doctors and educators.

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