Tips for Sound Sleep
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As Shakespeare says: “Sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast.”
A good night’s sleep is one of the prerequisites of a happy and healthy life, yet it evades many of us.
To get a good night’s sleep, you need to plan your evening with sleep in mind. First of all, set a bedtime. Of course, early is ideal. As the proverb goes, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” If you’re staying up after midnight, your whole diurnal rhythm will be thrown off. My Nanny used to say, “You’re turning night into day.”
But while a 9:30 bedtime is wonderful, the most important thing is to make a regular bedtime, between 9pm and 11:30pm. And if it’s on the late side, gradually work to make it earlier.
Now you have a bedtime, orient your evening around the main event, sleep. One thing I’ve learned as I’ve grown older is not to work after work. Gone are the days when I would be preparing tomorrow’s class until midnight. Once my workday is over, it’s time for leisure, watering the garden, exercise, meditation, and supper. Have your main meal in the middle of the day and a lighter meal like soup or kichari in the evening. Enjoy your evening, allowing things to wind down gradually.
As a pitta, I find that it’s absolutely essential to have a quiet hour before bed. I try to have the kitchen all wrapped up by an hour before bedtime. Then that final hour is devoted to winding down. I might have a stroll or write in my journal or read. The last thing we do before lights out is to sit together and read a spiritual book aloud. It’s a grownup version of the bedtime stories I enjoyed as a child. During my quiet hour, I also sip a soothing tea. Chamomile is a tradition in my family, and we like to carry on that tradition. If you have a problem with having to get up in the night to urinate, just have a half cup of tea.
Since I’m lucky enough to have a bedroom that is not multi-purpose, I keep all work-related items out of the bedroom. It’s a place I go for dressing, relaxing, reading, hanging out with my beloved or my cat and most of all, for sleeping. But if your space is more restricted, try to keep a corner of your room that is dedicated to sleep.
Get off the phone by 9:30 pm—earlier if 9:30 is actually bedtime. Get off all screens too, by at least an hour before bed. Take the TV out of the bedroom. Keep all screens and devices out of the bedroom. If your phone is your alarm, get a normal alarm clock instead.
Set up your bedroom to support sound sleep. The head of your bed should point South, for deeper sleep or East for spiritual dreams. It’s important that the head of your bed does not point North.
Last thing before going to sleep, oil the soles of your feet. This calms your vata and grounds your energy, helping you to fall asleep easily. You can put on bed socks or wipe off any excess oil with a tissue, so your sheets don’t get oily.
Repeat some mantras or prayers quietly to yourself as you drift off into a deep and contemplative sleep. The Healing Mantra is a great one to fall asleep with. Send love and healing to all beings and allow yourself to surrender your worries and concerns and rest in the arms of the Divine.
Sleep well, dear friends, and wake refreshed!
Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.
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