The Ideal Ayurvedic Evening Routine for Better Sleep
The Ideal Ayurvedic Evening Routine for Better Sleep
Sleep is an essential part of life. It is part of our rest and repair cycle; activity and rest are the nature of life. Some of us have to try to get more of it, while some of us can’t get enough of it. Some of us have a very healthy relationship with sleep, whereas others have to work a little harder. Either way, a good night’s sleep can make or break your day and has a significant impact on your overall quality of life.
Your ability (or inability) to get restful sleep at night is one of the most important contributing factors to your overall health and wellness, according to Ayurveda. With good sleep, you’ll feel prepared to take on the day and all that life may throw at you. Without it, you may feel a little challenged and compromised.
But here’s the good news: by following a simple Ayurvedic routine in the evening, you can help your mind and body wind down for a much more sound sleep—and a better tomorrow!
FINDING SLEEP IN THE CHAOS OF DAY-TO-DAY LIFE
For many of us, it can be difficult to unwind at night—especially after a long day of answering emails, attending meetings, taking phone calls, taking care of kids or pets, and battling traffic on the way to and from our jobs. Finding the “off” switch once you enter your personal sanctuary—home, at the end of the day—can be challenging.
The advent of technology and electronics that multitask our schedules is great in one way: they provide some efficiency and ease in checking off those ever-increasing priorities from our to-do lists. However, they can also spur a disconnect between mind/body/spirit, and potentially aggravate Vata and Pitta dosha—turning us into scattered, unfocused versions of ourselves (especially in the all-but-inevitable event that something digitally malfunctions!).
To counteract this chaos, the Ayurvedic Evening Routine is an invaluable practice after a busy day. New routines can be challenging to integrate and maintain, so try not to get overwhelmed—that would defeat the purpose. Just stay flexible and take it easy, integrating each practice step by step until you’ve developed a balance that feels right. The goal is to relax and recharge.
All right, let’s get down to business!
THE IDEAL AYURVEDIC EVENING ROUTINE
Rejuvenate with Asana and Meditation
After work, school, once home—start by silencing, or turning off, all electronic gadgets. Settle down, and consider doing a round of yoga asanas. They are the ideal form of mind and emotion-calming exercise for all body types and ages. Asanas balance all three doshas, tone the muscles, and rejuvenate our bodies. After asanas, it’s great to practice pranayama (an Ayurvedic breathing technique) and meditation. Pranayama and meditation balance all the doshas, especially Vata.Nourish Your Body
The most important lesson my teacher Divya Alter bestowed upon me is preparing and eating a light, easy-to-digest dinner at least three-to-four (3-4hrs) hours before bedtime. is crucial for sound sleep! Your sleep can be disturbed by your body digesting a meal that you eat too late, or too much of, in the evening. The result is that your sleep is not as restful and you do not efficiently digest your meal — leading to possible long-term imbalance. Favoring a light dinner — such as steamed vegetables and dhal, or soup — is ideal. If possible, avoid heavy meats, aged cheeses, and fried foods. Here is a great Vata Season Diet Guide, and here are some great Vata Pacifying Quick Meals to try all curated by Divya Alter.Lastly, sipping on hot water or Organic Calming Vata Tea throughout the day and with meals can go a long way!
Enjoy Leisure Activity
After dinner, favor low-key and relaxing activities: take a leisurely walk, read a book, listen to relaxing music, draw or color, watch a light-hearted movie, etc. Computers/electronics, social media, or watching the nightly news can stimulate your mind and actually cause stress. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is antagonistic to melatonin, the relaxation hormone, and also the hormone associated with sleep. So, when cortisol goes up, melatonin goes down, and that can be a problem, because you may not be able to stay asleep at night. Dim the lights, mimicking Nature as much as possible. Too much artificial light in the evening can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm and affect the production of melatonin. Melatonin plays a crucial role in our body by triggering sleepiness and keeping blood sugar and blood pressure levels healthy.Wind Down with a Warm Drink
Before bed, try a boiled cup of milk made with a touch of ginger and honey/agave or any other natural sweetener, or this Vata Pacifying Sleep Tonic. (If using honey, add it after the milk has cooled to a warm — not hot — temperature to maintain its beneficial qualities. Any heated or cooked honey, according to Ayurveda, is considered to be very hard to digest.)Prepare for Sleep
Rubbing sesame oil, any other warming carrier oil, or Banyan Botanicals Sleep Easy Oil on your feet, ears, and even head at bedtime can go a long way towards physically relaxing your body. It may sound strange, but give it a try! It has an amazing, calming effect that Ayurveda recommends for improved sleep.
Consider diffusing doTERRA’s Grade A therapeutic essential oils such as Lavender, Rose, Chamomile, Frankincense, Copaiba and/or Sandalwood within others as these will further soothe, relax, and assist in falling asleep. Shop here!Sleep Herbals
Taking Banyan Botanicals I Sleep Soundly herbal supplement a few hours before bed is a great choice to promotes sound and restful sleep by supporting the release of tension on a muscular level first, then on a nervous system level.Get to Bed Early
When possible, go to sleep before 10:00 p.m. Going to bed prior to 10:00 p.m. allows your body to settle while still in the evening cycle of Kapha — 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. (Kapha time is from 6:00-10:00, both a.m. and p.m.; Pitta time is 10:00-2:00, both a.m. and p.m.; and Vata time is 2:00-6:00, both a.m. and p.m.)
LASTLY…
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