4 Ayurvedic Strategies To Help You SleepBetter

BY ANANTA RIPA AJMERA

FEBRUARY 13, 2015 5:28 AM EST

It's easy to think nothing of missing a little sleep here or there, especially to accomplish

more work. I used to believe this, and stayed up many a late night to try to take advantage

of the quietness that nighttime provides.

The reality of losing sleep, however, is quite grim <http://www.mindbodygreen.com

/0-13486/this-is-what-happens-when-you-dont-get-enough-sleep-infographic.html> .

Whereas proper sleep gives you the ability to receive knowledge, the ancient Ayurveda texts

teach us that lack of proper sleep not only puts us in poor mental states, but also

deteriorates our memory, and hampers our focus, creativity and decision-making abilities.

In this sense, regular lack of sleep easily gives rise to ignorance, in terms of both thoughts

and behavior.

Modern health experts agree. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) even conducted a

study <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1739867/> that found that poor

sleep at night can impair our behavior just as much as being legally drunk does.

As a lifelong student, and now teacher and practitioner of Ayurveda, I am most passionate

about promoting the sub-science of Ayurveda called Svasthavritta, which includes many

all-natural, dietary and lifestyle-based solutions to a variety of health challenges, including

insomnia.

As someone who used to suffer from chronic insomnia, these four all-natural Ayurvedic

insomnia solutions have all worked wonders for me, and I'm delighted to share them with

you.

1. Sleep by 10pm and arise by 6am.

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"Early to bed, early to rise" is not only a popular colloquial expression; it's also one of

Ayurveda's most important insomnia solutions. By going to sleep no later than 10:00 pm

each evening, and arising no later than 6am, you benefit from the time frame it's easiest to

fall and remain asleep. You also live in greater overall harmony with the natural cycles of

day and night.

The atmosphere during the time period between 8:30 am and 10:00 pm is dominant in a

quality known in Ayurveda psychology as tamas, which is essentially inertia or dullness.

Tamas is a very helpful quality for making it easier to sleep. During the daytime, starting at

6:00 am, the atmosphere is charged with the quality of rajas, which is connected with activity

and movement.

I now find that waking up early (between 4:00 am and 6:00 am) gives me even more and

higher-quality quiet time than I used to experience by staying awake late at night. Waking up

early also helps you sleep more easily at night.

2. Turn off your T.V. and laptop after 8:00 pm.

Your mind and psyche is constantly bombarded with inputs from a variety of media sources

throughout the day. By turning off the television and computer screens at night, you can do

our sleep a big favor by allowing yourself to stay away from mental distractions and start to

prepare for the upcoming act of sleep.

3. Create a bedtime ritual.

Speaking of preparing for sleep at night, Harvard Business Review recently published an

article <https://hbr.org/2014/11/how-to-spend-the-last-10-minutes-of-your-day> about

the importance of having a meaningful practice to help wind down your day. The science of

Ayurveda has recommended this for thousands of years, via its various dinacharya (daily

routine) practices.

According to Ayurveda's dinacharya protocol, you should spend the hours of 6:00 pm and

10:00 pm in the company of the people, pets, books and activities that give you a sense of

peace, calmness and grounding. Just before bedtime, it's also recommended to adopt a

practice that inspires you, such as reading an uplifting book, writing in your journal, going

for an evening walk, listening to soothing music, or practicing meditation.

4. Oil your feet, the top of your head, and the back of your ears.

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Another wonderful health ritual Ayurveda recommends for sound, quality sleep is the

practice of oiling the soles of your feet, the top of your head, and the back of your ears with

warm sesame oil. Doing so not only promotes healthy sleep; it also helps counteract the

aging process and combats stress.

Following Ayurveda's insomnia solutions has greatly transformed the quality of sleep I

experience. Try these timeless solution, and you, too, can also start to sleep deeply, thanks

to Ayurveda.

Photo Credit: Stocksy <http://www.stocksy.com>

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