Sleep, the wondrous state of being that encompasses a significant portion of our lives, holds immense power over our well-being. Ayurveda has stated sleep as one of the most important pillars of health associated with happiness and good health.
Sleep is an important biological process and requirement for the body just like food, water, and air.
During sleep, our body recovers from the wear and tear which occurs during the day. Not just this, there are many more advantages to having a good night’s sleep. During sleep, our body enters an anabolic state (the anabolic state is the constructive mechanism of our body) that restores the body’s critical functions like immunity.
Along with the nervous system, the skeletal system, and the muscular system also recover when you sleep. Therefore, sleeping is necessary for survival. We also feel more alert, restful, calm, and happy after sound sleep.
In a world that never seems to rest, it's ironic that so many struggle to sleep peacefully. In fact, a staggering number of individuals battle sleeplessness night after night, yearning for a restful sleep. If you find yourself among those who lay awake at night, fear not!
In this blog, we will address the widespread issue of insomnia, exploring the reasons why so many people struggle to sleep and providing a range of effective remedies to help you reclaim your nights of tranquil rest.
The Ayurvedic scholar Charaka explains when the mind and the soul become exhausted or inactive, the sensory and motor organs become inactive too. This leads an individual to a state of sleep.
Importance of sleep: Ayurvedic view
On the other hand, lack of proper sleep might lead to several health issues. Some lifestyle concers like madhumeha (diabetes mellitus), sthoulya (obesity) etc., can occur due to improper sleep.2
Sleep plays a critical role in brain function, systemic physiology, in maintaining metabolism, regulation of appetite and the functioning of the immune, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems.3
Normal healthy sleep is characterized by various factors that include sufficient duration, good quality, appropriate timing and regularity, and the absence of sleep disturbances and disorders.3
While sleeping, your alertness and consciousness are altered, and the muscular and sensory activity reduces drastically. There is also a modest decrease in the body’s metabolism during sleep.
While we don’t usually respond to our surrounding environment while sleeping, the state of sleep is very different from being totally unconscious (like when under anesthesia or in a coma).
Sleep deprivation disrupts the normal motor and cognitive functions of the body.4
Our body’s natural circadian rhythm or biological clock plays an important role in regulating sleep.
Sleeping at night makes for the balance of the body constituents, and helps with attentiveness, good vision, good complexion, and good digestive power. Infact, Ayurveda suggests that those who indulge in proper sleep at the proper time will not suffer from any type of disease5; their mind will stay calm & cool, and their body will be good-looking!
From the above explanation we can infer that it is not normal to feel sleepy when the body is supposed to be awake. Such problems with sleep can be attributed to poor lifestyle habits or certain underlying medical conditions.
Ayurveda claims violating your sleep schedule and indulging in day time sleep would lead you to an array of health issues such as jaundices, frequent headaches, constant feeling of heaviness of body, malaise, loss of digestive power, nausea, rhinitis, urticaria, drowsiness, coughing, or diseases of the throat, impairment of the memory and intelligence, obstruction of the circulating channels of the body, fever, and a persistent weakness of sensory and motor organs of the body.3
Such issues may also indicate the presence of disorders like insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and others.
The hormone melatonin is responsible for maintaining and regulating normal sleep patterns. This hormone is released by the pineal gland. Interestingly, melatonin is also known as the 'hormone of darkness'.
Problems in sleep patterns may lead to the development of other issues like lack of concentration, difficulty in learning, memory lapses, fatigue, lethargy, and unstable emotional and mental states.
In general, aging is the only factor that can lead to a change in sleep patterns if there are no other underlying health conditions.
The ideal duration of sleep varies according to age and also from one person to another. However, in adults, approximately eight hours of sound sleep at night is deemed necessary.
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In Ayurveda too, sleep is given great importance. Nidra (sleep) is considered one of the three upastambha (three pillars or triad of life) in Ayurveda.
The context related to sleep has been explained very deeply in the classical Ayurvedic text Charak Samhita.
Let’s see what happens when you don’t sleep properly.
Vata prakriti: Sleep experienced is light, irregular, and short with a minimum duration of 6-7 hours. However, a Vata individual would benefit more from rest. There might be symptoms of teeth grinding, sleepwalking, and sleep talking during sleep. Their dreams may be related to the air such as dreams of flying or falling. They usually are light sleepers. Once woken up, it’s hard for them to go back to sleep.
Pitta prakriti: These individuals tend to experience a sound sleep throughout but can easily be woken up with even the lightest sound. Their dreams are often wild and vivid. Pitta dominant individuals often need 7-8 hours of sleep to feel refreshed.
Kapha prakriti: Kapha individuals tend to have a deep and sound sleep. Infact, a sleep so deep and heavy that they cannot be easily woken up by slight sounds or disturbance. Sometimes, they might even tend to oversleep. Their usual requirement for sleep is generally between 8-9 hours.
People who sleep at odd times in the day (due to various habits or poor lifestyles) may suffer from a host of health problems.
Headache, heaviness in the body, body aches, loss of digestive strength, heaviness in the cardiothoracic region, edema, lack of interest in food, rhinitis, nausea, and hemicrania can be some of the problems that one may suffer from because of daytime sleeping.
It can also cause hives, pustules, bodily eruptions, itching, drowsiness, cough, throat infections, memory impairment, fever, weakness of sensory and motor organs, and obstructions in the body’s minute channels (srotas).
For the above-mentioned circumstances, daytime sleep nourishes the body’s tissues, supports strength, and maintains longevity.
Please consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before following the types of sleep and guidelines for better sleep as mentioned in this article.
READ MORE: Sleep Your Way To Good Health: An Ayurvedic Perspective | Can You Sleep Your Way To A Healthier Body And Youthful Skin?
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DR PATTAN JAFFAR ALI KHAN
July 22, 2020
Very informative article, indeed!