You’ve been there before. Dragging through the day. Uncontrollable yawning. Looking forward to getting a good night’s rest. You finally make it to the finish line, climb under the sheets and turn out the lights. And then it hits you—the second wind you needed earlier. You toss and turn. You rearrange the pillow. You will yourself to sleep. But nothing seems to work.
As the science that offers solutions tailored to your unique constitution, Ayurveda does not view all sleep challenges though the same lens. Having difficulty falling asleep (DFA) is a different imbalance than Early Morning Awakenings (EMA). This post is focused on DFA.
Does this sound familiar? If so, you have joined the ranks of millions of Americans who experience difficulties falling asleep. It is beyond frustrating, especially when you have the good intent of getting a sound night’s rest.
When looking to Ayurveda for a sleep solution, there are a few things to consider. First, calming your nervous system is generally the key to enabling a good night’s rest. In Ayurveda, your nervous system is governed by the biological energy of Vata (a.k.a. the energy of movement). A Vata imbalance often disrupts sleep, so to get ample rest, it is important to bring this energy into alignment. A second principle to note is that, to treat an imbalance, Ayurveda recommends finding the root cause. Once the root cause of your sleep deprivation is identified and removed, your body will be better positioned to bring alignment.
Below is a list of typical root causes.
- Stress: From dealing with a nasty stage of a work project to providing ongoing care for a sick family member, there are numerous stressors in life. Some people are equipped to handle it better than others. Additionally, overloading the senses is a very common type of stress that can cause insomnia.
- No daily routine: Handling life “on the fly” might seem liberating, but it will do little to free you from Vata’s winds come bedtime. The biological energy of Vata controls much of your daily life. Structure and stability are a critical component of keeping this energy in alignment.
- Late night living: It just stands to reason that excessive (physical and mental) activity at night is not conducive to falling asleep. After being revved-up by things like rigorous exercise, watching T.V. or intensive work, the body and mind need hours to settle.
- Disregarding your digestion: Spicy diets, late dinners and midnight snacks have a way of disrupting digestive processes. It is nearly impossible to fall asleep with acid flare-ups, gas pains or nausea in the mix.
- Consuming stimulants: On the whole, we are constantly consuming stimulants, which have a pronounced impact on the nervous system. It’s not just that after dinner cup of coffee—it’s the stimulants you ingest throughout the day (soda, tea, chocolate, etc.), too. Bottom line: They set you up for sleep disruptions.
- Napping: Rumored to be a “quick fix,” the power nap disrupts your natural rhythms and hinders your ability to get healthy sleep at night. We explain this in greater detail on our website in “How Things Work: Sleep.”
The root cause of an imbalance is not always obvious, and it is rarely just one thing. When your nervous system is aggravated, it is generally due to a series of life choices that has gotten you there over time. If the cause is not obvious, spend a few days examining your diet and lifestyle. Tools like the Ayureka Sleep Diary can aid your exploration.
The good news is that Ayurveda offers wonderful suggestions for helping you get to sleep.
Here are a few suggestions:
Mask your senses.
It can be challenging to fall asleep when you senses are not able to turn off. Help them out by masking them from the world around. (And check out our informative post on this topic!) Calming your senses goes long way toward enabling you to get to (and to stay) asleep.
Make your bedroom a device-free zone.
In Ayurveda, only two things should take place in the bedroom and they both start with the letter “s.” (Hint: Neither one involves your smartphone.) Leave your devices (smartphone, tablets, TV, etc.) in another room. The more your body becomes accustomed to this device-free zone, the easier it will be to fall asleep. Simply entering the room will begin to trigger the unwinding process.
Adhere to a set bedtime, and make it before 10 p.m.
According to Ayurveda, Pitta time starts around 10 p.m. If you are not asleep before Pitta time, you might catch your second wind. If this happens, you can forget about falling into a quick slumber.
If you have an erratic schedule, or your current bedtime is significantly later, this might seem next to impossible. Take a few baby steps. This is the best way to crate sustainable change. Start by focusing on consistency. Go to bed at the same time every night (including weekends and holidays). Once you’ve formed the habit, move your bedtime up in 15 minute increments until you are in bed by 10 p.m.
Follow common sense practices.
- Lay off stimulants (coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, chocolate, etc.), especially later in the day. You would be surprised how even one cup of coffee can impact your system—even long after the caffeine is out of your body.
- Eat a light, early dinner (before 7 p.m.) and try not to snack after dinner.
- Cut off all electronic devices (TV, stereo, tablet, smartphones, etc.) by 8 p.m. They really have a huge impact on your wellbeing.
A self-oil massage is a vital part of any Ayurvedic Daily Routine. It is part of the morning ritual, but can be occasionally used at night. Extra nighttime lubrication is very helpful to release nervous system stress.
Work a daily oil message into your routine.
At about 9:30 p.m., stop all activity and indulge in a self-oil massage. Give extra attention to massaging your feet and then soak in a warm bath or take a warm shower.
Sip a cup of warmed milk (whole and organic).
Heating milk is said to release an enzyme called tryptophan, which breaks through your brain barrier and induces sleep. It is still being debated if this is why milk enables sleep, but drinking warm milk will help to make you drowsy. Think about making your sipping time a calming experience. Play relaxing music in the background. Nature sounds, such as a gentle rain, help to soothe frazzled nerves.
Alternate nostril breathing.
Once you get into bed, do 5 to 10 minutes of alternate nostril breathing. This is an easy and gentle breathing exercise, which involves inhaling and exhaling through one nostril at a time.
Here are a few easy-to-follow instructions: Sit comfortably in your bed. Use your surrounding pillows as back support. Close your right nostril with the thumb and inhale through your left nostril. Rest comfortably, holding the inhaled breath for a second or two. Release the right nostril and close the left nostril by pressing a finger against it. Gently exhale through the right nostril. Next, keeping your finger on your left nostril, inhale through the right nostril. Again, hold the breath for a comfortable period. Release the finger from the left nostril, close the right with the thumb and exhale through the left nostril. Repeat the whole left-to-right inhale/exhale process. This practice helps to balance your nervous system and enables relaxation.
Herbal mixtures.
In Ayurveda, herbal combinations are sometimes used to aid sleep. The strategy for these herbs is different than the one behind modern sleep aids. In Ayurveda, the idea is always to get your body to do the work. In the case of sleep, the herbs nourish the body and balance your biological energies to help your nervous system to get back on track. Ayurvedic herbal combinations take time to work because safe changes come about gradually in your body. Experiencing a shift may take a week or so.
Herbal options might include I Sleep Soundly or Tranquil Mind (by Banyan Botanicals) or Blissful Sleep (MAPI). As always, when using herbs, it is advised to work with a certified Ayurvedic practitioner and never mix them with other medicines without consulting your physician.
When battling sleep challenges, making a few simple lifestyle adjustments can work wonders. Given the critical importance of sleep to your health and wellbeing, it’s worth the exploration and sacrifice.
