Have a hard time falling asleep? Too many thoughts before finally catching some rest? Call it the bane of modern living, sleep is the first casualty of a life lived in the fast lane, with bigger numbers to chase, goals to meet and competition to beat. And soon it becomes a vicious circle of self-harm as insufficient sleep leads to poor productivity at work and the constant pressure to deliver results does not let you sleep. So here are a handful of simple and easy to implement Ayurveda inspired tips to help you sleep well and deep.
1. When should you hit the bed?
Ideal time to hit the sac according to Ayurveda is 10 PM, post which the Pitta dosha kicks in and the body cells get into repair mode. You staying up after 10 PM can obstruct this natural repair mechanism.
2. Try the blue light detox
Blue light is found in the natural sun light. During the day, the blue light is an important determinant of when we should sleep and when we should wake up. It increases alertness and makes you feel good during the day. But guess where else it is found. Your gadgets emit the blue light too! In the night, artificial light, emitting blue light can interfere with the function of the pineal gland which releases melatonin, a hormone to dim your alertness to induce sleep. This is why, blue light detox is recommended by Ayurveda experts these days, where in you hit the bed early and definitely keep your gadgets aside before going to sleep to avoid the consequences of digital strain.
3. Meditate in your down time
Meditation is known to help you sleep better. Meditating just before going to sleep may not be advised for people of certain Prakriti. Meditation is especially recommended for those suffering from insomnia and hypertension, as a steady practice of meditation provides you clarity of mind, increases sleep time, improves the quality of your sleep and lets you stay asleep through the night.
4. Avoid a large meal at night
Have your dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed. A large meal can be heavy to digest and sluggish digestion can affect sleep.
5. Try Yoga Nidra during the day
In the afternoon, you can give yourself a Yoga nidra or Yogic sleep break, which is a structured powernap, a meditative way of giving yourself deeper rest, where you take restful awareness through different parts of the body, relaxing them one by one and eventually on completion of the guided meditation, you feel rested and re-energized mentally and physically.
6. Abhyanga or a 15-20 minute head and foot massage before dinner
A light head and foot massage with right essential oils like Shankara’s Nourishing Foot Oil that has essential oils and extracts of calming herbs, can help you sleep significantly better, especially if the lack of sleep is due to Vata imbalance. It is rich with the essence of sunflower, jojoba, grapeseed, lemon basil, dashmoola, neem, cardamom, camphor, lemongrass, manjistha, lavender, ginger, olive leaves andAshwagandha.S
You can also massage your head, body and tightened calf and shoulder muscles with Shankara’s Muscle Release Oil, which is both soothing and aromatic, while the host of powerful, rare, exotic and highly beneficial ingredients like sunflower oleic oil; almond oil; sesame oil; grapeseed oil; squalane (Olive-derived); aloe vera oil; castor oil; jojoba oil; vitamin E Tocopherol; essential oils of sweet birch, lavender, camphor, cedarwood, helichrysu, boswellia extract, Melissa, licorice extract, arnica extract, blue chamomile, yarrow and turmeric, are designed to help soothe inflamed muscles and joints. The oil positively supports the natural healing properties of the body.
