Poor sleep can make the most patient man lose his cool. Poor sleep can affect your mind and body irreparably. Lack of qualitative rest shows up as signs of premature aging on your skin like dryness and fatigue and eye bags are an unwelcome addition as your days are spent in a daze.

Instead of depending on alcohol or popping pills to sleep, many have switched their preferences to Ayurveda for improved sleep without bargaining with physical and mental health. Ayurveda, an ancient science of healing and longevity, has simple yet very effective herbal measures to help you get quality sleep, even if the number of hours remained less.

1) Boil milk with 10 gm of cumin seeds and licorice and have it at night after dinner

While cumin (Jeeraka in Sanskrit) has melatonin that improves your sleep cycle, it is also anti-congestive and is rich in essential oils that help in treating cold and flu. Presence of riboflavin, vitamin B6 and niacin in cumin regularizes brain function too.

To add some sweetness to the preparation, we add licorice or Yashtimadhu which is a healthy digestive agent along with being a great taste maker. Liquorice detoxifies and cleanses the body, improves strength and immunity, is useful in treating abdominal tumor or bloatedness, diarrhea, or worm infection and skin diseases. In the ancient days, licorice was used in many herbal formulations to dilute the unpleasant taste of the other herbs present in the medicine.

Milk is known to contain tryptophan which produces serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a calmness bossing hormone which provides you restful sleep. In Ayurveda, milk is called the elixir par excellence.  Milk also regulates Kapha dosha in the body that is needed for proper sleep.

2) Harmonizing body oils

One of Ayurveda’s most splendid offerings for sleep health is body oils made from the essential oils of herbs that specifically aid a good sleep. A warm bath with these body oils before going off to sleep, can improve the workings of your parasympathetic nervous system. this part of your nervous system is responsible for rest in the body.

Shankara’s Sundarya Body Oil is formulated to balance your Doshas, nurture and uplift your skin to make it look fresh, rested and supple. It works on your skin which has started showing signs of fatigue from lack of proper rest, and can be used as a bathing or massage oil to provide total relaxation and calming night’s sleep. Shankara’s Sundarya Body Oil is most calming due to the presence of essential oils of  sesame, Jojoba, squalane, hazelnut, aloe vera, borage, castor oil and evening primrose, clary sage, cardamom and chamomile.

3)  Mix 10 gms of Triphala Churna with honey and have it after dinner

Before hitting the bed, you can have a spoon of honey mixed with 10 gms of Triphala powder. Triphala (three fruits) is a popular Ayurvedic formulation that consists of extracts of three power fruits-Indian gooseberry (Amalaki), Beleric or Vibhitaki and Harde whole or Haritaki, which are rich sources of antioxidants. The formulation is good for the respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, reproductive and nervous systems.

Indian gooseberries are good coolants that reduce pitta dosha and work on the liver and immune system, while beleric manages the kapha and improves respiration. Haritaki is an effective detox agent and balances all the three doshas.

Honey, like milk, contains tryptophan, is scientifically proven to improve and give you longer restorative sleep cycles.

-Having spoonful of honey about an hour before the bed time ensures sufficient glycogen production, so the body does not release stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) in the morning right after you wake up.

-It stabilizes sugar levels in the body

-Helps release melatonin needed by the body for recovery and rejuvenation of body tissues in the resting period.

4) Drink a glass of sugarcane juice after dinner at bed time

In you have had a mentally consuming day, it is likely that your head is still abuzz and you are sleepless from the brain activity. On such days, you need to eat or apply natural ingredients or foods that increase the Kapha in the body for you to be able to sleep off.  In such cases, sugarcane juice is a great option. Sugar cane is nourishing and a natural coolant. It increases Kapha dosha slightly and calms down the Pitta in the body.

5) Mix 25 gms of lac powder with 100 ml of boiled coconut oil and massage the body

Coconut oil contains saturated fats that prevent sugar or insulin levels from increasing in the body while you are sleeping. It also regulates the secretion of stress hormones in the body, so you do not wake up anxious and restless. Coconut oil is also a good carrier oil. it helps absorption and assimilation of other essential oils into the skin. A gentle massage with virgin and cold pressed coconut oil reduces fatigue and stress. Lac has multiple benefits for the body. From being an excellent rejuvenating agent, it also pacifies Kapha and Pitta in the body. It is helpful in treating joint pain, renal and spleen problems and wounds. Lac is good for the liver. Lac is good for increasing bone density and making them stronger.

6) Head and foot massage for 15 to 20 minutes before food

Ayurveda experts recommend a 15-20 minute head and foot message before dinner. The massage purges the body of fatigue and stress, while preparing you for an undisturbed eight hours of sleep. Healthy feet are directly connected to an energized body.  Shankara’s nourishing foot oil has essential oils and extracts of calming herbs. It is rich with the essence of sunflower, jojoba, grapeseed, lemon basil, dashmoola, neem, cardamom, camphor, lemongrass, manjistha, lavender, ginger, olive leaves and Ashwagandha.

7) Yogic sleep

After a long day of activity both mental and physical, take time to mindfully rest. It is very important to end the day with a guided meditation of Yoga Nidra (Yogic sleep). End your work out session with Yoga Nidra. Without proper rest after the work out, you miss out on the most important aspect of exercise-deep spiritual rest.