Natures Elements/Ayurveda/Sleep
This article is to reflect the importance to create a remedy & lifestyle individualised for different types of people. We all are different in a beautiful unique way and nature has remedies for all of us if we listen. I will give an example for remedies for sleeps and why certain remedy work for some and not for others. Throughout our lives, we go through seasons of crisis and victory, of progress and failure, and of happiness and heartache. We also mark the passage of time by the changes we see in the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter.
The ancient seers asserted that only substance or matter can produce an effect. If you can experience something, then this experience occurs because you have come in contact with substance or matter. These seers conceived of substance or matter as having five forms. Today we say these are the continuum between energy and mass. Ultimately everything is a form of energy; conversely, all states of mass have some form of energy. Nothing ever is the same and therefore also in Alternative medicine, there is no remedy for one.
The seers felt that there are five states they called Space or Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. These represent the five possible states of matter. We understand them as unique by the way we experience them; we use the terms "attribute" or "quality" to describe these states of matter. We know that fire is hot, and that water and earth are cold. These attributes--hot, cold, etc.--describe the way we experience each of the pure types of elements. There is a set of attributes for each element. (3)
According to Ayurveda (a form of alternative medicine that originated in India), things are composed of five basic elements: space/ether, fire, water, air, and earth. These elements combine to form three metabolic types, which are also called doshas: Kapha, Vata and Pitta (2)
The seers also declared that certain combinations of elements have unique physiological properties and functions in nature. Substances that are predominantly composed of Ether and Air have very dynamic properties and effects. These have come to be called "vata substances." Some substances perform digesting, metabolizing, and transforming functions and are called "pitta substances." Similarly, kapha substances are composed of water and earth elements that have the functions to support, lubricate, secrete, etc. Knowing what elements, a substance is made of is important to understanding the kinds of effects it produces. These effects are sometimes described in terms of the attributes. Thus, the elements and their attributes can help you to understand why a certain effect is produced. You can use this same logic to counteract an effect with substances or activities that contain its opposite attributes, bringing balance and health. Using the elements and their attributes in this way, we have clearer understanding of the realm of cause and effect, anatomy and physiology, structure and function. (3)
The dominant dosha is the reason why, for example, one person may not be able to tolerate humidity or oily foods while another person may have no reaction to them. And this applies to sleeping too. Some people get affected by stress more than others and get more sleep disturbances then others. You can find about doshas and sleep as described bellow.
Getting a good sleep is one of the most powerful ways to promote our health and wellbeing, therefore creating that ‘sleep hygiene/routine’ is the first step towards enjoying a night of restful sleep. But if you can’t find your dosha or are still bit concerned, book yourself with Ayurvedic practitioner and look for apps which may help you.
For example: Pukka - a company offering organic herbal teas helps you find out if you are having a good night’s sleep by taking the sleep dosha quiz - https://www.pukkaherbs.com/au/en/sleep-quiz.html. Knowing your sleep dosha result, you can complement your nighttime routine by listening to a curated Spotify ‘Sleep’ playlist by Pukka and enjoying one of their Nighttime teas balanced following Ayurveda principles. (1)
Sleep & Doshas
Vata
You tend to sleep lightly and are easily disturbed in the night. You often wake several times and may have
problems getting back to sleep. The key advice for you is to be comfortable going to sleep when you feel tired,
instead of forcing yourself to stay up later.
- Make sure you get outside and take some exercise each day, a brisk walk each day would be ideal.
- Prioritise rest and relaxation in the evening. Relax before bed away from the stimulation of gadgets
and bright lights. Reading, gentle stretches, listening to music with your favourite soothing herbal tea
or taking a bath in the evening can all help you unwind.
- Avoiding caffeine from midday can be helpful. So, replace coffee with herbal tea blends containing licorice, fennel, cardamom or tulsi to allow the mind to stay calm.
- If you tend to lie in bed thinking about everything you must do tomorrow, set aside time before
bedtime to make plans for the next day.
- If you do wake up in the night and really can’t get back to sleep, try getting up and reading for a while
or having a cup of relaxing tea. The key thing is to try to not be worrying about the health impacts of lack
of sleep or how you will function in the morning as this can make things worse.
- A short nap before 3pm can be helpful to make up for lost sleep, however naps later than this can
make it difficult to fall asleep at night.
- Try and maintain a regular sleep and wake pattern every day.
OR
Pitta
It seems you are likely to have what is known as an ‘owl’ chronotypes and enjoy staying up late, often past
midnight. The key advice for you is to make sure you’re not overstimulated in the evening so you can get to
bed by 11pm.
- Get outside first thing in the morning as this will help set your internal body clock and make it easier for you to unwind in the evening and get to bed by 10pm. This is because light entering the eyes is the most important factor controlling the sleep hormone, melatonin.
- Exercising for around 30 minutes in the day is also helpful but try not to exercise after 6pm as this can be quite stimulating.
- Limit coffee and alcohol, favouring teas with chamomile, rose, mint and licorice to cool and soothe.
Avoiding caffeine from midday can be helpful, favouring soothing herbal teas in the afternoon and evening which will support you gently unwinding.
- Try to minimise your exposure to artificial blue light from screens and phones from the early evening-
as these disrupt your internal body clock and will make it much harder for you to switch off.
- Use your bedroom only for sleep and to make love (and not as an office).
- Enjoy a warm herbal tea or hot, milky drink before bed to help you unwind and get into a good bedtime habit.
- Keep your bedroom cool with plenty of ventilation as you can get hot and bothered at night- around
16-18°C (60-65°F) is ideal.
OR
Kapha
You tend to love your sleep and get enough but you may also be at risk from getting too much sleep, leaving you feeling a bit unmotivated the next morning.
- Try to avoid having lie-ins, even at the weekend, and get up by 7am, to support your circadian body
clock and get your system going for the day.
- Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day to feel awake and mentally alert
- Having an afternoon nap will confuse your biological clock and reduce your chances of sleeping at night.
- Even though you generally sleep well, be aware that too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns. Avoid heavy, sweet foods such as wheat, cheese and yoghurt, especially in the evening, favouring a bowl of soup instead at least three hours prior to bedtime
- Drink invigorating teas during the day, such as those with ginger, clove, pepper, turmeric or cinnamon to stimulate and revitalise
Night Time teas blends as seen in Pukka company (1) marries medicinal grade herbs blended with Ayurvedic principles, making these teas the perfect bedtime companion to support a good night’s sleep.
A tea to help soothe you into a place of restful sleep and bring you back fresh for the world. Combining a sleepy crush of oat flower, soothing lavender, and silky-sweet limeflower together with the magic of valerian. The perfect cup before bedtime for those who want a break from being a night owl.
Another nice blend which may help you to Drift off into a peaceful rest. Soothe your senses and let go of the day thus far. A restorative blend of organic berries, calming chamomile, valerian and echinacea for seasonal wellness and immune support.
And a sample to Awaken the senses with the uplifting fragrance of lemon. An energising blend of lemongrass, whole lemon, lemon balm, tulsi, sweet fennel and coriander. The perfect complement to an early morning sunrise, our fresh start tea can bring light to your dawn and vitality to your mornings.
Reference:
1) Website: www.pukkaherbs.com, Instagram @pukkaherbsaustralia
2) Patwardhan B. Bridging Ayurveda with evidence-based scientific approaches in medicine. EPMA J. 2014;5(1):19. doi:10.1186/1878-5085-5-19
3) Vasat Lad, B.M.A.&S., M.A.Sc.www.ayurveda.com,DOSHAS: THEIR ELEMENTS AND ATTRIBUTES