Sleep Solutions
This article was authored by Vaidya Manohar Palakuthi, the in-residence Vaidya at The Raj Maharishi Ayurveda Spa, in Fairfield, Iowa.
The ancient text of Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita, states:
"When the mind withdraws from its activities, then the individual sleeps. Proper sleep causes happiness, nourishment, strength, potency, knowledge and life. Improper sleep brings misery, emaciation, weakness, sterility, ignorance, and death."
Maharishi Ayurveda distinguishes 3 types of sleep problems and immediate steps to bring relief.
Sleep problem 1
Difficulty falling asleep; your mind cannot shut down. You think over the day's activities, generating worry and anxiety. This problem is associated with a Vata imbalance.
Recommendations
- Go to bed by 10pm
get up by
6 am regularly.
- No mental work in the
evening.
- Have a
warm unctuous vata-pacifying meal.
- Have a
warm
bath after a warm oil massage with Vata
oil.
No action
movies in the evening.
- Take the herbal
preparation Blissful
Sleep with a cup of Slumber
Time tea.
Sleep problem 2
You get to sleep but wake continually during the night, particularly between 2 AM and 4 AM. There can be fear, anger, and other emotions. Or, you may wake feeling full of energy and unable to even stay in bed. This problem is mainly associated with Pitta.
Recommendations
- Eat a Pitta
pacifying
meal in the evening, have good quantity and good
quality of food.
- Take a Deep
Rest herbal
preparation
with 1 cup of warm milk with Rose
Petal Jam before bed.
- Massage head and feet with
coconut oil. No action, violent movies or
computer games in the evening.
Sleep problem 3
You sleep for
8 hours
or more
but don't
feel refreshed on waking and find it
difficult to get out
of bed until late. Often, in the morning it's
difficult to
arise. This is mainly a Kapha imbalance.
Recommendations
- Get up before 6 am and do some vigorous
exercise.
- Avoid heavy meals at night.
- Eat
lighter, favor nourishing soups.
- Sip Kapha
tea or Be Trim
tea during
the day.
- Avoid being a couch potato, and
enjoy good
activity during the day.
This article was provided by Dr Manohar, the resident "Vaidya" for The Raj , in the world famous Ayurvedic spa Fairfield, Iowa. A Vaidya is a highly trained, Ayurvedic expert, trained in all aspects of this system of natural health care.
For more information: www.theraj.com.
1-800-248-9050 ext. 445
