What is Sleep in Ayurveda?
Nidra, or sleep is one of the factors responsible for sustaining living body. It has been explained as one among the trayopasthambas (three pillars) in Ayurveda. As pillars support the house Ahara (food), Nidra (sleep) and Bramacharya (curtailing sexual activities) support the living body. The state of mental and physical relaxation, either superficially or deeply with closed eyes is known as sleep. The depth of the sleep is not constant throughout the sleeping period. It varies in different stages of sleep. According to Acharya Susruta, there are three types of sleep are observed. They are Tamasi, Swabhaviki and Vaikariki. When sleep is such where nothing is perceived, like the one in coma it is called tamasi and this occurs when the patient faces serious problem. When sleep is natural it is called swabhaviki. It is again of three types; tamobhuyishta, rajobhuyishta and sattvabhuyishta. When a person sleeps day and night, it is called tamobhuyishta. When a person sleeps anytime, sometimes in a day sometime in night, without any regulation it is called rajobhuyishta and if a person sleeps only because his sattva is on little lower side due to continuous usage; sleeps at midnight it is called sattvabhuyishta. Vaikariki sleep is one in which a person who is sick, due to fight with diseases and becomes weak of being on a diet , the kapha is on the lower side whereas vata is vitiated. In such a situation, mind is extremely tired and weak to pick up signals of sensations from the sense organs hence it retires and sleep is induced.
Do we sleep enough?
Sleep requirement is not constant. However the average sleep requirement per day for different age groups is
- New born infants : 18 to 20 hours
- Growing children : 12 to 14 hours
- Adults : 7 to 9 hours
- Old persons : 5 to 7 hours
Why is proper sleep very important?
A good night’s sleep is imperative for rejuvenating our body after an exhausting day. It refreshes and replenishes our body and mind to perform and function better. According to Acharya Charaka, sleep participates in happiness, misery, nourishment, emaciation, strength, weakness, sexual urges, impotency, learning and illiteracy, life and death. Sleep fetches content durability to human body. It makes human capable to acquire extra ordinary knowledge of spiritual power (siddhi) who then is called a “yogin”.
- Timely sleep offers appropriate weight gain, better complexion, desire to work, fresh and alert status of sensory organs. It is also responsible for balanced state of body entities.
- Good sleep improves concentration and productivity
- Good sleep improves immune function
Mechanism of Sleep
When mind gets tired, when sense organs and motor organs get exhausted they no more can perceive their objects and there remains nothing to feed the mind for the sake conveying to soul, in this status, already tired mind does not perceive anything and state of sleep occurs. When kapha dosha, encircles srotas, when sense organs are overworked and perform their duty of perception no more, sleep is induced in human body. Heart is the main source of chetana or activity. When tama becomes prevalent sleep is induced. Tama is always the chief inductive factor for sleep. With sattva, one keeps well informed about the external and internal environment of living body. Hence sleep is induced whenever tama is on higher side due to any reason. Sleep is one of the qualities of tamas which is manifested at night as it is more prevalent during this time. The mind and emotions become balanced through the sleep. Sleep is the time when your body can repair and heal itself. It is as important as diet in balance and maintaining the body health
According to modern science, sleep occurs due to the activity of some sleep inducing center in brain. Stimulation of these centers induces sleep. Complex pathways between the reticular formation of brainstem, diencephalons and cerebral cortex are involved in the onset and maintenance of sleep. However, two centers are located in brainstem, which induce sleep. Recently many more areas which induce sleep are identified in the brain of animals. Inhibition of ascending reticular activating system also results in sleep.
What happens when we do not get enough sleep?
Any alterations in the quantity, quality as well as the patterns of the sleep, contributes to various disorders of sleep. Poor sleep is strongly linked to weight gain. Sleep deprived individuals have a strong tendency to indulge in calories as they have a bigger appetite and thus putting themselves at a higher risk of obesity. Sleep deprivation disrupts the normal functioning of the appetite hormones ghrelin and leptin, thus leading to poor appetite regulation. This causes higher ghrelin levels which stimulate appetite and low leptin levels which suppress appetite. Moreover poor sleepers have a greater risk of heart diseases and stroke. Sleep also affects the blood sugar and reduces insulin sensitivity. Most of the mental health issues like depression, anxiety are linked to poor quality of sleep.
What is Nidranasha or Insomnia?
Damage of the sleep centers results in sleeplessness or persistent wakefulness called insomnia. Insomnia is the commonest clinical presentation which is 40% more common in women than in men. Severe insomnia is sleeping less than 3.5 hours in females and 4.5 hours in males, may lead to a reduced life span. It occurs due to systemic illness or mental conditions such as psychiatric problems, alcohol addiction and drug addiction. Ayurveda defines this state of lack of sleep in the classics in the terminology “Nidranasa.” This occurs due to the aggravation of vata and pitta dosha with the depletion of kapha dosha.
Symptoms of insomnia
- Sleeplessness in every 3-4 days a week, awakening at 2 am
- Difficulty falling asleep at night
- Feeling tired after a night’s sleep
- Irritability, depression and anxiety
- Poor concentration and focus
- Tension headaches
- Worrying about sleeping
- Difficulty socializing
- Gastrointestinal problem
- Body pain and depression.
How can Ayurveda cure Nidranasha?
Management of nidranasha is to increase the kapha dosha and decrease the vitiated vata dosha. The idea is similar to the concept of sleep hygiene. It promotes practices and habits helpful in having a good night time sleep and full daytime alertness.
- Abhyanga (body massage) is considered as the effective treatment for nidranasha.
- Shirodhara is a rejuvenating therapy in Ayurveda which help to eliminate the mental exhaustion and body toxins. It brings relief to most of the associated factors of insomnia such as stress, anxiety and relaxes the nervous system. In this therapy oil is poured on a person’s forehead from a specific distance and at least for 30-45 minutes. Milk is also used for shirodhara.
- Takradhara: sudation therapy using medicated buttermilk to help the brain and mind relax, and reduce stress. In Takradhara, the medicated buttermilk, similar to Sirodhara, will be poured continuously onto the forehead or over the entire body. It relieves insomnia, help the brain and mind to ease and relax.
- Shirobasti: pooling of herbal oils and or medicated liquids on the head especially herbal oils and or ghee in a chamber or compartment constructed over the head. This treatment is highly beneficial in pacifying the aggravated vata dosha and thus controls nidranasha.
- Utsadana : rubbing
- Snana : bath
- Shirolepa : head massage
- Kayalepa : body rub and paste
- Samvahana : kneading massage
- Chakshu tarpana : covering the eyes
- Milk is a rich source of Tryptophan, an essential amino acid. Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin which in turn converts to melatonin. Serotonin and Melatonin both are known to enhance sleep and to relax the brain. Milk is also a direct source of Melatonin. It is a sleep inducer. Milk produced in night time when this is dark is exceptionally rich in melatonin, the sleep inducer hormone. Buffalo milk is specially recommended to be taken at bedtime before sleep.
Medicines
Brahmi vati : 1 tablet twice daily
Pippalimoola churna : 1 to 2 grams with jaggery
Pippalimula kashaya : 25 ml twice daily before food
Brahmirasayana : 5 grams twice daily
Brahmighrita : 25 ml twice daily
Saraswatharishta : 25 ml twice daily
Parasikayavani asava : 25 ml twice daily
Ayurvedic Herbs for Insomnia
- Aniseed
- Rauwolfia serpentina
- Celery
- Ashwagandha
- Brahmi
- Jatamansi
- Lemon balm
- Passion flower
- Chamomile
Daily Habits to Overcome Insomnia
Ayurveda recommends the maintenance of a healthy and stress-free lifestyle as the best solution to cure nidranasha
- Try to Sleep Early: Try to get into bed around 10 PM. Sleeping 10 PM to 5 AM is the time period in which our brain stabilizes the organs, energizing the nerves and cells of the body. Staying awake at this time disrupts body metabolism and affects the sleep
- Eat a decent meal before bed: Try to consume less before getting off to bed. The more your brain would focus on supplying energy to other organs. Add soups or salads in your dining plate. A light meal deflates the digestive process and eases the digestive organs.
- Refrain from engaging in electronic devices like mobile phone, laptop and television at the time of sleep.
- Massage Treatment: Putting oil on scalp may induce sleep. Herbs and essential oils are used for massage. These herbs help to lighten up the brain, causing relaxation to the body – both internally and externally.
- Comfortable bedding and linen
- Good aroma, light music in the bed room
- Engaging in yoga, meditation on a regular basis
- Regular physical activity and exercise
- Diet indications: more sweets and less amla (sour) foods
- Contraindications: keeping awake at night, thinking, grief and vata dosha aggravating foods
“Sleep is like the golden chain that binds our health and body together”
Editor: Dr. Anu PK
Email: editor@ayurvedam4you.webc.in
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