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 so you could do more?
Why do we need to sleep at all anyways?! Is there not another way of plugging in and recharging back to full – without having to spend 7-8 hours passively dormant and non-productive? Is there not a way of restoring the body’s energy without sleep?
Ayurveda actually teaches us that sleep is so much more than a “mindless pause” meant to restore the physical body. And modern science is slowly but surely catching up and confirming what Ayurveda has known forever!
For example: the scientific consensus is now between 7-9 hours of sleep a night for an adult. This is not just to restore the body, but to reset the brain! Groundbreaking studies demonstrate how the brain needs sleep in order to wash itself off from toxins created during the day’s activities. Yes, you read that right modern science now confirms that sleep is necessary for brain detox and reset!
A specific type of brain cell – the 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 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 play a major role in chronic brain disorders such as: Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, or dementia.
So science confirms that sleeping 8 hours a night – minimum – is a necessary detox for the brain. Through this nightly process neurotoxins are flushed out of the brain tissue. Ayurveda already elaborates on this topic of “Shodhana and Rasayana” in great depth.
Vaidya Mishra not only emphasized the importance of regular sleep for a 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.
The detox and rejuvenative functions of sleep – “shodhana” and “rasayana” – have long been known an expounded in the Carak Samhita Sutrasthana. We read 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 (त्रयाउपस्तम्बः).
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 shift gears and allow the body to slip into sleep. The sutra says:
When “manas,” the mind, gets “klante” or fatigued, from too much 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. So now we know! But sometimes we are tired and sleepy and we want to sleep but can not…. The body is in overdrive mode and the mind won’t settle down. Or we fall asleep exhausted but wake up between midnight and 2am and can’t fall back asleep at all… There are very many scenarios of sleeplessness as you can imagine…
The question then is:
if sleeping through the night is a problem, How Can Ayurveda help?
In our modern day culture, sleep is the most elusive thing. No matter how tired we feel and want to sleep, we are not able to wind down, fall asleep, nor stay asleep, because our modern lives are not only fast-paced externally with deadlines and racing against the clock; but because our circadian cycles are also being disrupted by electromagnetic technology and highly “agneya” potent devices. So one must use different approaches 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 – something 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 in its attempt to resolve it.
In this situation, unless one takes strong supplements or sleep aids, one will not be able to disconnect or detach their mind from the senses. Sleep then becomes and elusive dream.
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 sleep imbalances, because there is not one reason that may be causing the insomnia.
In SVA, Vaidya Mishra insists on following the हेतु लिङ्ग औषादि ज्ञानम् “hetu lingam aushadi gyanam” principle: first investigate and isolate the actual cause of sleeplessness in order to be able to correct it fully and effectively. In this sense, based on one’s physiology, there can be 3 distinct ways of addressing sleeplessness, depending on our dosha: Kapha, Pitta, and Vata.
In this sense, based on one’s physiology, there can be 3 distinct ways of addressing sleeplessness, depending on our dosha: Kapha, Pitta, and Vata.
General Recommendations:
1)Turn down the lights, specially blue light, as it 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) Gentle stretching or yogic exercise or meditation to ease the muscles into the rest period of the day and disconnect the mind from stress will go a long way.
Here are more dosha specific guidelines for those who need a little more pacification…
VATA
Sleeplessness that is caused by too much Vata, or air and space accumulation, can result from:
*the overuse of EMF devices such as computers, cellphones, etc.
*from eating or drinking too much dry or drying foods or drinks (snacks, caffeinated drinks);
*from skipping meals or not eating enough, or eating on the go;
*eating too much pungent and spicy meals; or cold food;
*over-engaging in physical or mental activity without taking proper breaks;
*travelling for long hours (flying, driving too much) without a break to recover and reset the body
In this case, the mind gets overwhelmed, it needs a nourishing nurturing break to ground itself and recover.
Sometimes, even if one falls asleep, they wake up fatigued and foggy – sleep is scattered and not grounded enough. In this case, one should adopt one or more of the following steps:
*proper vata pacifying foods that are more unctuous and grounding in nature;
*Drink a “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 it’s too heavy you can do 50% milk and 50% water.
*Give yourself a self-massage with a Vata Dosha pacifying massage oil (Vata oil with Vit D and Magnesium);
*Drink Soma Nidra Tea 2 hours before sleep;
*Use the Soma Nidra Oral spray a few minutes before going to bed;
*Shower with Soma Nidra Soap;
*Take a bath with Soma Nidra Sleep Pouches an hour before sleep;
*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 Mastishk Shamana transdermal cream on your lower spine, as well as on your feet – massage gently.
You are interested in pacifying your doshas and following an ayurvedic regimen but need to sleep first to get energy to revamp your lifestyle? Then try the Total Bliss Capsules for a quick and effective reset!
PITTA
All of the above Vata pacifying recommendations can be done to help with sleep by an individual of any constitution, but sometimes things need to be addressed specifically for Pitta problems. Pitta imbalance prone individuals may experience lack of sleep primarily due to stomach/food related imbalances. If they do not eat a proper meal that has high protein content, their fiery high metabolism will not settle down enough to allow soma to ground them and give them deep rejuvenative sleep. They will wake up during high pitta time, between 12am and 2am, sweating and hot, with a restless mind, probably with heart palpitations, emotionally strung. When this happens, it is important to pacify pachak or digestive pitta. Here are some recipes:
1) Eat a sweet juicy pear, to help you fall back asleep
2) Make the Milk-Date Shake recipe
3) Have some yoghurt: add 2 pinches nutmeg powder and some raw honey, mix and eat.
High Pitta individual must make every effort to go to bed no later than 10pm – 9:30 lights out is best! If they are awake past 10pm, they will experience a second wave of energy, and they will be drawn to engage in intense mental or physical activities instead of allowing the physiology to rest and detox. The longer they stay awake into the night, the harder it becomes for them to fall wind down and fall asleep, accumulating more pitta, and resulting in higher pitta related imbalances – mood swings and crankiness resulting from excess heat in the body.
Between 10pm and 2am, Pitta organs become more active and go into detox mode: the liver, spleen and pancreas. When one is fast asleep between 10pm to 2am, our body is repaired through nightly detox and rejuvenation, waste products go into proper detox pathways and the body produces the most refined tissue that maintains health and happiness: ojas.
The shastras – ayurvedic texts – highlight that proper sleep produces ojas, and support a toxin-free cellular system.
If pitta types consume alcohol or meals that are high in spices as well as pungent, their physical brain will need an extra-boost of Soma to settle down at night. Soma is the raw material for neurotransmitters. When there is not enough soma, the brain starves and it becomes difficult for it to get disconnected from the “horses” – aka: the senses as per Vaidya Mishra – resulting in poor sleeping patterns.
What to do?
*Eat protein rich yet light meals before sleep
*Consume some Rose petal preserve with/after dinner
*Have more squashes during the day or for dinner and reduce salt in the evenings, even Soma Salt;
* Avoid any/all pungent spices at night or after 2pm: no black-pepper, chillies, or even channel-opening herbs such as oregano, rosemary etc
*Drink the milk/date shake recipe given above (Vata imbalance section)
*Make a cup of Soma Nidra tea and sip slowly 2 hours before bedtime;
*Apply DGL transdermal cream on your liver and stomach area, gently massaging in circular motion;
*Take a shower with Soma Nidra soap, spray the Rose Body Silk lotion after shower
*Give yourself a gentle calming massage with Pitta oil with Magnesium
*LAUGH EVERY DAY! specially in the evening, and at the end of stressful day – make sure you end things on a high happy note: “don’t worry be happy”!
KAPHA
Lack of sleep related to kapha imbalance can result from eating heavy clogging meals during the day; not having enough exercise in the morning or having only sedentary activities/work during the day; consuming yogurt at night; sleeping during the day – late into the morning or taking a nap after lunch… In all these instances, the physical channels between mind and body get clogged, and the mind cannot communicate properly with the senses, making it difficult to disconnect the senses from the mind.
If you are prone to kapha imbalance – your body tends to have a slower metabolism and accumulate more soma. This is how you can balance things:
*Incorporate daily exercise/yoga into your life: it does not have to be intense, but it must be regular! As the body responds to the cumulative benefits;
*Eat spice rich food for lunch and dinner – you may also add fresh ginger and Thai green chilies if your pitta is not off and your agni needs support. This will help oxygenation to the brain and the body overall, and better circulation will help fall asleep and stay asleep!
*Apply Prana-Flow roll-on or cream on arms legs as well as your lower spine morning and evening;
*Use Soma Nidra oral spray – 2-3 squirts before bed;
*Drink a cup of Soma Nidra Tea or use any of the other Soma Nidra products to help induce sound sleep, however, all these will work best when you incorporate exercise and balanced meals into your routine
*most important is to make sure you do not sleep beyond 6am in the mornings. Sleeping beyond 6am accumulates more Soma in your physiology resulting in clogged channels. For a Kapha type, this can cause Pitta and Vata imbalances.
Wishing you blissful somagenic nights…
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Vaidya Mishra the voice of Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda, an uninterrupted living tradition.
