According to Ayurveda, sleep is a basic instinct of life and is necessary for all living things. It is necessary for our physical, mental, and spiritual renewal and resurgence.
One of the three foundations of good health in Ayurveda, or nidra, is sleep. Food (ahara) and sexual energy regulation follow (brahmacharya).
Our sleep patterns can be highly disheartening, even crippling, and getting back on track might seem like an impossible feat. However, finding and regaining equilibrium is feasible with the correct set of tools. Ayurveda, being the age-old science of living that it is, provides a wonderfully straightforward and useful method for regulating sleep cycles. (Also read: 6 eating rules as per Ayurveda )
In an interview with HT lifestyle, Dr Vaishali, MD Ayurveda and founder of Vedamrit, suggested 6 sleep rules to follow as per Ayurveda to maintain a healthy sleep routine.
Rule 1
Priorities sleep like you prioritise brushing your teeth in the morning. It is important to go to bed between 10:00- 11:00 pm for your body to function in a healthy way.
Rule 2
Never hold the urge to sleep as it can cause gut imbalance, lethargy or even headaches.
Rule 3
Massage feet with warm or room temperature sesame oil to sleep better at night. This is called “Padabhyangam”. It helps in connecting our body with the earth.
Rule 4
Always wear loose and comfortable clothes while going to sleep, this helps you to fall asleep faster and better. Always sleep in a clean and comfortable environment, better to sleep in complete darkness for your circadian rhythm to function well.
Rule 5
A good night’s sleep is a source of happiness and better strength. If you sleep well daily, you are less prone to be irritable, worried and anxious. But, this must be practised daily and consistently.
Rule 6
There is no such thing as compensating for weekday sleep deprivation with weekend sleep. This practice hampers your biological clock and can lead to poor digestion, energy and hormone imbalances.