I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling the energy of the eclipse coming on December 4th. This energy can feel disturbing, ungrounding, and ultimately can feel like Vata dosha is being aggravated.
It’s also the end of the year, with the holidays upon us, family gatherings, obligations, and a to do list a mile long.
All of this ‘thinking’ can fire up Pitta dosha, while at the same time Vata dosha fuels the fire with it’s ‘wind’, so when you lie down at night your mind is racing, maybe even your heart….there’s so much to do, so little time, and then there’s the virus. No wonder you’re not getting any sleep.
If I don’t follow a disciplined sleep ritual before bed, I experience the same.
So here’s what I suggest from an Ayurvedic perspective, I even have some herbal recommendations for you (but first check in with your Ayurvedic Practitioner).
- Create a nice sleep routine by going to bed by 10:00pm, after 10pm Pitta dosha kicks in and you’ll feel like you got your second wind, when in reality you are stealing from the next day’s energy reserve, eventually, you’ll deplete your Ojas – immune system & vitality (juiciness). This also means having an early, lighter dinner. The heavier, and later you eat, the harder time you will have falling asleep (eat dinner by 6:30pm).
- Start getting ready for sleep at least an hour or two before you actually go to bed. This could involve giving yourself a nice warm abhyanga oil massage and following up with a hot shower (you can purchase some beautiful body oils from my website); or it could mean a nice warm bath, or reading poetry with a warm cup of herbal tea, for example.
- Remove electronics from the bedroom, this cuts back on EMF which can ultimately disrupt your sleep. In fact, I recommend a company that offers EMF protection products. The company is called Safe Space, and I am not affiliated in any way with this company, I just love their products.
- Listen to Yoga Nidra, meditation, or music designed for better sleep. I love the Insight Timer app because it has so many options, and I wear my VitaPlex Pendant from Safe Space to protect me from negative radiation.
- And finally, I love these Ayurvedic formulas and herbs for better sleep: Ashwagandha, Shankapushpi, Passionflower, Chamomile, Vacha, Jatamansi, Brahmi, Gotu Kola, just to name a few. My ultimate power house herbal formula (requires an Ayurvedic consultation for this herb) is called Manasamitra, it’s probably one of the most powerful herbal formulas for reducing Pitta/Vata racing mind, allowing for better rest and sleep.
Ayurveda offers so much for better sleep, what I listed above is just a taste of the many options available.
One thing to keep in mind, how you spend your day will ultimately determine your sleep, this is why Ayurveda teaches us how to eat for our body/mind constitution and how to create daily rhythms and routines from the moment we wake up. Living in rhythm with nature not only improves our sleep cycle, but makes up happier, calmer, and healthier humans.
If you would like more information on how Ayurveda can you achieve better health mentally and physically, just reach out. I am now accepting new clients for 2022.
Wishing you and your loved ones a beautiful, healthy, peaceful, and abundant holiday season.
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