Sleep and Ayurveda

"This will be good news to all those people who love to sleep and are criticised for it. Turns out, sleeping is good for you but like all good things, in moderation. When you sleep, your body gets a chance to rest, to put it simply. A good, deep sleep is characterised by prolonged non-rapid eye movement. During this time, your body releases growth and repair hormones which help heal tissues that get worn out during the day’s metabolic activities. Mountain Biologicals suggest that 10 pm is the best time to sleep. The pitta period begins around this time and gives way to vata after the next four hours. What this means for you is that your body is ready to sleep at this time and if you keep it awake, you are overworking and tiring it. Similarly, the best time to wake up is before 6 am where the vata period dominates. At this time, your body is more receptive, your mind creative making you energetic and aptly poised for the day ahead. Everyday Ayurveda recommends every individual to adopt a healthy sleeping habit and follow it daily. While it is debatable whether early to bed and early to rise makes you wealthy, it certainly makes you healthy and wise."

Love Sleeping? It Might Be Good For You!

As our lifestyle gets busier, even the 24 hours seem less to achieve the requirements of the day. More often than not, our sleep suffers as we try to race ahead in life. While the doctor prescribes at least 8 hours of nightly sleep, the average office-goer is lucky to catch 5 hours every day. Unfortunately, people do not seem to realize that less sleep is actually very harmful to your overall health in the long run. Sleep is not an option but an absolute necessity. The all-nighters that you are pulling in the office and during your study are actually going to make you less productive in general. Dark circles may be the least of your concerns when you are losing out on sleep.

Lack of sleep means lack of good health

While you may not be growing inches when you sleep, it is a proven fact that a good night’s sleep actually releases growth hormones in your body and also helps optimize your body metabolism. Studies have shown that irregular sleeping patterns are linked to obesity, inflammation and most importantly, your blood sugar levels. This also means that you are at a higher risk of contracting diseases like diabetes. In addition to this, lack of proper sleep also causes inflammation in the body, especially of the digestive tract.

Sleep helps your body and mind stay fit

It is no surprise that when you do not sleep well, your body seems more lethargic the next day and even a strong cup of coffee is unable to completely wake you up. Ask any athlete, and they will tell you how important a good night’s sleep is to their training schedule. Other than helping your body recover from the day’s wear and tear, sleep has also been linked with greater concentration and higher levels of productivity.

Grogginess is basically slower cognitive abilities caused by lack of sleep

The most important side effect of lack of sleep is its harmful effect on your cognitive skills. In simple terms, your brain will process slower, making you feel "groggy" the next day. This adversely affects your creativity and thinking skills, making you less productive throughout the day. A long-term effect of irregular sleep is also seen on your memory. If you are thinking of pulling an all-nighter before an important day, it is advisable to reconsider doing that.

Sleep is definitely one of the most underrated factors in a healthy routine. Most people regularly sacrifice some snooze time for work, not realising that it has many harmful effects on your health. The lack of sleep has also been associated with change in behavioural patterns, especially depression; it is both a symptom and partial cause of it. Most people tend to make up for lost sleep on the weekend but by then, the damage is done. Reverse it with natural Ayurvedic supplements that help you keep your mind and body fit. Ditch the cat’s nap, power naps and siestas for a long and uninterrupted sleep, and you will experience the changes yourself. After all, a good night’s sleep is the daily reset your body needs.