Sleep, Nidra, as it is known in Ayurveda, is essential to good health - it affects our moods, emotions, energy levels, hormones and organ restoration. Healthy sleep will restore and rejuvenate you physically, mentally, and emotionally. It increases your memory power, fertility and immunity. The tradition of Ayurveda has many herbal remedies and lifestyle and diet changes that are designed to help you sleep deeper and longer. With our modern lifestyles, it's likely that at some point in our lives we’ve suffered the consequences of not getting enough sleep or not enough high-quality sleep. Mental fog, physical grogginess, emaciation or unhealthy weight gain, depending on the individual. Staying up too late, past 10:30pm, can create indigestion, chronic fatigue, anxiety and depression.
Along with diet and lifestyle changes and herbal support, creating a peaceful environment in your bedroom will promote consistently deep sleep. It may not seem like it affects your sleep much, but the way your bedroom is set up, from electronics to the color of your walls, has a significant impact on your ability to rest. Here are 3 ways to transform your bedroom into a shrine to good sleep!
Paint the Walls of Your Bedroom
The walls of your sleeping space, and really all the rooms in your house where you want to rest, should be a neutral, calming color. Light blues and yellows, lavender and beige are all good examples. Loud colors like dark yellow, bright green, red and orange stimulate Pitta Dosha. Pitta Dosha works when we need to be ambitious and goal-oriented at work or school, but relaxing in your bedroom is not the ideal place to be concentrating on difficult projects that require strategizing and ambition. Your bedroom will be a shrine to your sleep when it becomes an oasis for you, a completely relaxing space where you can get away from the world at the end of your day. Cooling colors, likes ones often seen in spas, will help you to feel tranquil and sleep better. Earthy colors like soft gray and beige have a relaxing effect on the nervous system as well.
Unplug & Unwind
Sleep is a time of digestion. During our 6–8 hours of rest we are ideally getting each nice, we are metabolizing the millions of bits of information, stimulation and experiences we consumed that day through all of our senses. Watching television, working on the computer, and playing games on the phone disturbs our sleep patterns. The high frequency (HV) blue light that comes from phones, computers and iPads actually distorts the pineal gland, which disrupts our circadian rhythms, and ultimately, our sleep. The distortion of our circadian rhythm doesn't allow for the proper secretion of melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for inducing sleep.
Use the Power of Smell
An essential oil diffuser is a worthy purchase, especially if you are dealing with insomnia or just having difficulty falling asleep. Eucalyptus and lemongrass are especially effective for inducing deep sleep and are quite relaxing. Staying as calm as possible throughout the day (and consequently keeping Vata Dosha balanced) is key for a good night's sleep, so the first hour after waking up should contain meditation, possibly some Yoga or light exercise, soft instrumental music, and spraying your face gently with rosewater. Keep a bottle of it right next to your bedside and a few minutes after you wake up, spray your face and neck. Rose is a calming scent, while the combination of water and rose is refreshing.
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Disclaimer
The purpose of this article is to provide information about Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have serious acute or chronic health problems, please consult a trained health professional or physician. If you are seeking the health advice of a certified Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor, please call us at (800) 215 – 9934 or email us. We will provide you with the contact information of our affiliated Ayurvedic professionals. Check with your physician before taking herbs or using essential oils when pregnant or nursing.