Ayurveda for Sleep

Good quality sleep is extremely important for health and wellbeing. When we sleep, it gives the mind and body the opportunity to heal and restore itself. Without adequate and good quality sleep, our immune system suffers and we are more prone to catch bugs.

Also constantly feeling tired can make us grouch and bad tempered affecting our relationships and our work.

What causes Insomnia?

In Ayurveda, insomnia can be caused by either excess Vata or excess Pitta.

Vata excess can be identified by thoughts continually going through the mind and difficulty switching off. This may happen when you initially go to bed or can happen in the middle of the night if you wake up for some reason.

Insomnia that is caused by Pitta excess can be identified as feeling hot, making it difficult to fall asleep or causing you to wake up during the night.

Improve your sleep

Depending on the cause, there are different approaches to rectifying the issue. However, one simple change that can potentially help both causes is to avoid looking at screens for at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Leaving phones outside the bedroom can help to take away temptation. If you like reading before going to sleep, then read a book, rather than a kindle.

It is not just sleeping enough that is important but also when we sleep. Setting a routine to encourage a good sleeping pattern is important for getting good quality rest.

If you struggle to sleep at night, then having a nap during the day can be tempting but sleeping during the day should be avoided with the exception of young children, the elderly, when in the last trimester of pregnancy or if you are suffering from a short-term illness. Daytime sleeping at any other time can cause further imbalances as well as make it difficult to get into a good sleep pattern at night.

If you suffer from insomnia or still feel tired when you wake up despite sleeping you could benefit from a consultation to go through diet and lifestyle habits and see what little changes could help you have a good night’s sleep and feel more rested.