Sleep and 10 Solutions for Help
From an energy science perspective nutrition, rest, and exercise are the foundational pillars to a healthy life In chronic disease all pilllars get typically involved to produce disease progression But rest can be an energy drain to the mindbody and since healing is already an energy drain there is a significant stress on the physiology that requires remedy
Proper Rest
The pineal gland located in the third ventricle is a significant endocrine gland involved in the daily rest cycle and secretes two important neurotransmitters, serotonin and melatonin The former is the energetic equivalent of groundedness and the latter is intimately involved in the diurnal variations of daylight and nighttime, signaling our mindbody when it is ready for rest
As usual in the energy science the amount of rest varies according to the constitutional energy makeup Vata due to its delicacy requires the most rest, typically 7-8h per night and Kapha requires the least, 5-6h and Pitta somewhere in between Most of us have 2 dominant patterns so PV would be around 6-7h and PK 6h But commonly Kapha loves to sleep in and so even though Kapha "desires" more rest, in fact Kapha needs to "move it" and take advantage of its good stamina and endurance
When there are health challenges we can see that there are more energetic demands on the mindbody so that naps are naturally an acceptable way to "catch up" So keeping the same rest schedule at night with PV in bed by no later than 103o and PK 1130 are reasonable guidelines Appropriate rising times no later than 7 for PV and 6 for PK are reasonable But if fatigue sets in during the afternoon a nap could be valuable
We are a culture guided by the alarm clock but the energy science of Ayurveda would suggest that such a tool is Vata provoking and physiologically disruptive So if we set a good sleeping schedule there becomes less of a need to use an alarm because the mindbody gets set into a rhythm of rest, allowing the mindbody to go "au naturale"
Sleep disruption comes in all forms of shapes and sizes Some have trouble getting to sleep, other wake up during Vata time(2-6a) and can't get back to sleep, and others wake up to urinate several times a night due to many different causes
Dreams of falling, being attacked, being pushed, or of always doing something in the dream as well as being frozen with fright, seeing the death of a loved one, or being locked up or flying are Vata dreams Certain animals such as snakes, camels, and flying birds are related to Vata Dreams about the autumn season are about vata In vata dreams, the person is trying to fulfill a desire These dreams are about a person falling or being attacked In some cases, Kapha or Pitta may attack Vata
Helpful Solutions for Rest
There are tools that can help with setting the tone for getting into a "normal rest cycle Of course this is not an all inclusive list but some of these have stood the test of time Using one or a combination of these solutions may be helpful
Having a set time for bed every night is a good lifestyle habit to cultivate The mindbody is subject to habit which sets the tone for rest
The bedroom should be just that....a place for the bed and for rest Some turn their bedroom into a media suite or library and this creates confusion
Cherry juice is a source of melatonin and seratonin as mentioned above are important in rest Amazingly cherry juice is a rich natural source of both and using glass of warm cherry juice with perhaps cinnamon before 30min before bed would be helpful for rest
Warm milk with ground almonds(without skins) and pinch of cardamom and pinch of nutmeg Nutmeg is a culinary sleep aid and can be quite effective
Chamomile tea has been a longstanding herbal remedy for inducing rest, relaxation, and sleep
Cup tomato juice with 2t sugar and 2 pinches nutmeg
Herbal therapies such as tagar can be helpful in inducing sleep
Bhringaraj oil to feet and head after a warm tub bath for relaxation can also help for sleep inducement
Practicing So Hum mantra meditation can be a way to soothe the Vata aggravated mindbody and put it in relaxation mode It's a way of counting sheep but much more peaceful
The addition of a pharmacological such as Ambien or other sleep aids can be used as prescription and supported by the above
