Sleeping Soundly
By Noah Volz In keeping up the body, sleep is regarded to produce as much happiness as food. Happiness and misery, growth and wasting, strength and weakness, virility and sterility, knowledge and ignorance, life and death all depend upon sleep. When indulged judiciously, sleep, endues the body with happiness and longevity, just as infallible intelligence is brought unto the Yogi by Sadhana (spirtitual practice).-Charaka When we look at the daily activities that promote balance, Ayurveda identifies three pillars that must be well maintained in order to stay healthy. These are sleep, diet, and creativity. If we are sleeping well, eating constitutionally appropriate foods, and doing activities that give our life meaning than our physical, mental, and emotional well-being can be at its best. When is the last time your coworker or loved one reported having trouble sleeping? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that:
Sleep is the key to good health and health maintenance. Without adequate sleep many other problems can start to occur. Determining the cause of sleep disorders and removing them will bring the body and mind back into balance. Some common causes of sleep disorders are: 1. Irregular routine 2. Mental / emotional stress 3. Medications 4. Pain 5. Poor digestion 6. Anxiety 7. Depression (4) There are over 70 types of sleep Disorders. The two major types of Insomnia are: 1. Difficulty falling asleep (DFA) and anxiety. 2. Early morning awakening (EMA). (5) Both of these can be transient, short term, or chronic in duration. Common causes of insomnia include but are not limited to stress, anxiety, depression, medications, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, chronic pain, changes in schedule, poor sleep hygiene, eating late, changes in activity, changes in health, or increased use of medication. 5 Ayurveda simplifies all these causes and looks at imbalances within the three constitutional principles: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. For more information on these principles visit Banyan Botanicals. The common causes listed above increase biological and physiological factors that are associated with the Dosha’s of Vata and Pitta. We are all unique individuals for there is not a one size fits all prescriptions for everyone, but the following information may be useful for anyone who is having trouble sleeping. Stages of Sleep During sleep, we usually pass through five phases of sleep: stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. These stages progress in a cycle from stage 1 to REM sleep, then the cycle starts over again with stage 1. We spend almost 50 percent of our total sleep time in stage 2 sleep, about 20 percent in REM sleep, and the remaining 30 percent in the other stages.
Western Treatment Western Medicine uses sleeping pills or antidepressants to treat sleep disorders such as Insomnia. Some common medications are:
Natural sleep aids
Nutritional supplements
Ayurvedic view of insomnia In the Ayurvedic view during sleep we contact the underlying field of energy and intelligence and allow our bodies and minds to find resonance with this infinite field so that when we awake we have a more firm connection with our life’s path. Ayurveda views restful sleep as important as diet and an essential pillar of good health. No imbalance in Ayurveda is purely one Dosha’s as many of the signs and symptoms can be related to multiple doshas. In general difficulty sleeping is associated with Vata or Pitta and sleeping too much are associated with Kapha. Lifestyle, Yoga, and Meditation routines can be implemented by all constitutional types to help establish healthy sleep patterns. Meditation Meditation is the most effective way to help with sleep disturbances. Getting competent instruction in a mantra based meditation can be really helpful
Yoga Practicing yoga is very therapeutic for sleep. One of the most calming and soothing postures or asanas for the entire nervous system is Savasana or Corpse Pose. This is similar to relaxation therapy. This pose gives total relaxation to the body reducing physical, mental and emotional stress and strain and fatigue of all kinds. Follow these simple steps for Savasana and practice before bedtime:
Lifestyle Many of us feel like we are on the go all day long. Every action of the body and mind uses energy. One of the keys to relaxation is to reduce the number of stimuli to which we are subjected. Find some down time during each day to relax. Even just ten minutes a day can make the body and mind's transition to sleep easier when it's time for bed.
Diet
Aromatherapy
Difficulty Falling Asleep Successful Ayurvedic healing always begins with removal of the cause. Though there are sometimes physiological and external factors that inhibit sound sleep, most causes of insomnia are psychological and come from a depletion of Ojas. Ojas is the physical substance in the body that allows you to connect with your purpose in life which will restore psychological balance. Ojas is depleted by Vata’s light and mobile qualities. This can make it difficult for the mind to rest and cause difficulty falling asleep. Establishing a bedtime routine will help to calm the mind before bed. Bedtime Routine: 1. Start 1/2 hour before bedtime and do warm oil massage with Vata Massage oil. 2. Take a warm bath or shower after applying the oil. 3. Take 3/4 cup warm milk with 4 tablets of Stress Ease formula to bring about restful sleep 4. Listen to relaxing music. 5. Use appropriate aromatherapy oils to elicit sleep. 6. Go to bed before 10PM 7. Use the bedroom for sleep and sex only (no computers, no reading, etc.). 8. No computers or television or staring into bright lights after 9 PM. 9. Decrease intensity of the day. Early Morning Awakening EMA is most often associated with the mental pressure that disturbs sleep and forces awakening with a characteristic of being very clear and very wide awake as if ready to start one's day. This will occur in the Vata time of night between 2-4 AM because the intensity and activity of Pitta is able to move through the lightness of Vata and wake up the mind and body. Establishing a bedtime routine that will bring down the activity of Pitta will help the mind stay calm throughout the night. Bedtime Routine: 1. Start 1/2 hour before bedtime and do warm oil massage with Pitta Massage oil or Brahmi oil. 2. Take warm bath or shower after applying the oil. This may wake up the body more if Pitta is really high. If that is the case then only rub the oil on the head and scalp and leave it on overnight protecting the bed from oil. 3. Take 3/4 cup warm milk with 4 tablets of Tranquil Mind formula to bring about restful sleep 4. Listen to relaxing music. 5. Use appropriate aromatherapy oils to elicit sleep. 6. Go to bed before 10PM 7. Use the bedroom for sleep and sex only (no computers, no reading, etc.). 8. No computers or television or staring into bright lights after 9 PM. 9. Decrease intensity of the day. Each one of these individual factors is given priority based on the sleep patterns that the client presents with to bring about optimal results. If you are experiencing sleep disturbances also consider a Shirodhara treatment to reduce mental fatigue and relax the body and mind. Receiving 3-5 Shirodhara treatments early in the morning for 2-3 weeks will reduce mental/emotional stress, improve the body’s response to pain, and lead to deeper more restful sleep.
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This website is based on the opinions of Noah Volz and/or Rhythm of Healing, unless otherwise noted. The information is presented for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or prescribe, nor to prevent, treat, mitigate or cure such conditions.
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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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