Ayurvedic tips for a deeper, more restful night’s sleep

One of the most common themes that come up in my ayurvedic consultations and workshops is sleep imbalance: insomnia, trouble falling asleep, trouble waking at a certain time each night, disturbing dreams, waking with a feeling of grogginess or brain fog. According to ayurveda, each of the three doshas is associated with a time of day. 6:00 - 10:00 in the morning and evening is associated with Kapha, elements of earth and water. 10:00 - 2:00 in the morning and at night is associated with Pitta, elements of fire and water. 2:00 - 6:00 in the morning and evening is associated with Vata, elements of air and space.

One of the most beneficial things we can do as humanly creatures is to sleep and wake according to the rhythm of the elements. Although some cringe to hear this, waking with the sun, before 6:00 a.m., is one of the best ways to beat brain fog and wake feeling refreshed and ready for the day. If we wake after 6:00 a.m., this puts us in the realm of Kapha. Qualities of Kapha include heavy, cold, wet, dull, slow, and sticky. Sounds a bit like the qualities of brain fog, right? Qualities associated with Vata, 2:00 - 6:00 a.m., include light, mobile, subtle, and clear. Sound a bit more like how you want to start the day?

The key to waking before 6:00 a.m. is to adjust your bedtime to give yourself adequate time for rest and deep sleep. Most people need between seven and eight hours of sleep a night, and those with Vata dominance or imbalance may need as many as nine. Once you figure out your bedtime—the time you intend to fall asleep—you're ready to work on your bedtime routine. This is one of the most important things you can do to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake feeling rested and refreshed.

Here are a few helpful tips for creating a comfy, cozy, sustainable bedtime routine:

Shut down all screens at least an hour before bed. This means phones, TV's, computers, and tablets. Take a moment to hold your phone screen in front of your hand. Notice all of the light? Now consider what that might do to your eyes when you hold your device in front of your face to scroll social media or check that one last email. Instead, consider picking up a book, spending quality time with a loved one or pet, or doing a cozy restorative yoga or relaxation practice.

Try to get all your eating for the day done by 7:00 p.m. and shift your largest meal to midday. Digestion takes energy, and a heavy meal can take at least three hours to digest. We want that digestion process to be complete by the time we settle down for sleep so our body can focus its energy on rest and rejuvenation.

Wind down with a nourishing brew, such as chamomile tea or warm milk with a pinch of cardamom, nutmeg, and a little honey. Warm milk, for Vata and Pitta types in particular, is especially calming and grounding and, when taken with a little nutmeg, helps to induce that sleepy feeling needed for a good night's rest. Kapha’s can substitute almond or oat milk.

Reduce or eliminate caffeine. I know, this is a tough sell. But for Vata’s and Pitta’s especially, caffeine is highly stimulating and addictive and can disrupt sleep patterns, even when taken before 10:00 a.m. Consider switching to a caffeine-free coffee alternative, like dandelion root or chicory tea. There are wonderful coffee alternatives out there that you can dress up like a cup of coffee, with milk or cream and sweetener of your choice. I love this apoptogenic coffee alternative by Rasa. You can also check out my previous blog post for my well-loved and time-tested spiced dandelion chai tea recipe.

Practice sandbag breathing or systematic relaxation before bed. These practices help to calm the mind and nervous system and encourage a calm, inward state of awareness. The more we can let go of the pulls of the external world before bed and connect to that place of peace and stillness within, the easier it will be to fall and stay asleep. Here is a link to a sandbag breathing practice I recorded for the Himalayan Institute's online library.

For a more in-depth look at how your particular diet, lifestyle, and routine can be adapted to promote a deeper, more restful night’s sleep, you can always book a consultation with me. For a deeper dive into stress management, relaxation, or meditation practices, an hour-long private yoga session might be a great first step. For more information, feel free to reach out to me on my contact page or book a thirty-minute chat by clicking the “Book Now” button above.