KEY POINTS

  • The busy lifestyle of people today has created a new global problem - sleep deprivation
  • Many try to combat this through exercise and a good diet, but not many succeed
  • There is one way to help patients with sleep deprivation, and it's through the Ayurvedic means

Sleep is an important component when it comes to your well-being and health. Though you may consume a healthy diet and exercise a lot, if you don’t accompany it with sufficient sleep, your health may suffer.

The problem with this, however, is your hectic schedule, particularly after a festive season, may prevent you from getting enough sleep. In some instances, it may knock your wake-sleep cycle to the point that you become out of sync.

When this happens, getting up to prepare for work may start to feel tougher. You may even see your alarm clock as your morning enemy. To compound the problem, the stress of going back to work may send you into anxiety-riddled insomnia.

Sleep Deprivation Has Become A Global Problem

Today, sleep deprivation is being considered as a global epidemic. Studies have established its relationship with a long list of health problems, which include depression, anxiety, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart attack.

fighting insomnia the ayurvedic way
fighting insomnia the ayurvedic way Claudio-Scott - Pixabay

Lack of sleep, in the short term, causes you to develop memory problems and send you into a low mood. You could also become very irritable. In the long term, sleep deprivation has been linked with an increase in the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and becoming obese. Since sleep is very important in achieving good health and well-being, it is important to find ways on how to improve the wake-sleep cycle.

Ayurveda To The Rescue

One effective approach to overcoming these problems is through the ancient method of Ayurveda. Under this method, sleep disorders are referred to as Alpa Nidra, and insomnia is called Anidra. Tarpak Kapha, on the other hand, is a sub-dosha of Kapha or water. It provides nourishment to your brain cells and promotes a good night’s rest.

According to Ayurveda way, an imbalance of dosha causes the brain cells to become undernourished. This, in turn, causes insomnia. To help fight this, it is recommended to consume carbohydrate and fat-rich foods before eight in the nighttime. You should also enjoy a mug of fat-rich milk with nutmeg before going to bed.

Foods that are rich in calcium, tryptophan, melatonin, carbohydrates, vitamin B6, and calcium can help you get quality sleep. Examples of these foods are bananas, yogurt, pasta, tomatoes, milk, cheese, tomatoes, and carries.

Prana Vata, meanwhile, is a sub-dosha of Vata or air. It is linked to anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions like depression. It causes the nervous system to become sensitive. A sensitive nervous system paired with an intensified Prana Vata, can lead to insomnia.

To help ease your anxious feelings, it is recommended you wash your legs with warm water and massage your feet with butter. You can also create a butter and milk paste to be applied over the crown of your head and feet. Doing so can relax tension in our body and, at the same time, massage the organs related to your pressure points.

Finally, you need to normalize Sadhak Pitta, which is a sub-dosha of Pitta or fire and is situated in your heart. Sadhak Pitta controls your desires, emotions, spirituality, and decisiveness. A Sadhak Pitta imbalance can make you feel more pressure, which then leads to overworking and causes you to lose sleep.

To minimize this, you may want to drink ash gourd or juice made from sugar cane after dinner. You can also consume five soaked almonds or drink around 100 ml of lukewarm almond milk before going to bed.