This Email Might Put You To Sleep

Published: Thu, 05/26/22


If you've ever taken any of our Ayurveda teacher trainings, you most likely have heard us talk about the importance of 4 Doctors.  These 4 Doctors are not medical doctors.  They are however equally crucial. 

These 4 Doctors live within each and every one of us.  They are the 4 aspects of our daily life that we have full control over, in terms of our health and well-being. 

One of these 4 Doctors, is Doctor Quiet.  Yes, contrary to what we may choose to believe, we have full control over our quiet time.  Whether that quiet time be in terms of taking a few minutes break from everything, a mid-day nap, or a good night sleep (or a good day sleep if you're working third shift) it is all up to us.  We are the ones who have to make it happen.

Last week, Tim and I discussed the impact that taking a few minutes break from everything has on your mental health and how to do that. 

Today, we wish to work on putting you to sleep, if we haven't already.  :-)

Why does good sleep matter?

According to Ayurveda, our body's housekeeping takes place while we sleep.  That's the time when both our Pitta bioenergy and our Vata bioenergy get rid of their waste products. 

What this means in English, is that both our digestive system (Pitta bioenergy) and our nervous system (Vata bioenergy) are hard at work cleaning all sorts of stuff while we sleep.

When we don't sleep long enough, or when we don't sleep good enough, we do not give them a chance to do their work.  Think about it.... Wouldn't it completely suck if you had to clean your place with all sorts of visitors running around?  It's common sense, right? 

So when our digestive system and our nervous system cannot do their job cleaning up all the waste products, they give all that debris (aka toxins of all sorts) free pass to roam around in your body.  In other words, all hell is breaking lose inside your body without you knowing.  Now, imagine that happening day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, de....   Okay okay Vie, please stop, we got it!!!

The result is always the same:  Inflammation, as in chronic inflammation.  What differs is the manifestation, as in where the inflammation shows up in your physiology.  It could be as simple as unexplained weight gain, joint aches and pains, brain fog, or menstrual cycle abnormality in women.  Or as complex as autoimmune disease, depression, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's.

The moral of the story

Good sleep (in terms of both length and quality) is highly underrated. 

How do you know if you are getting enough good sleep?  According to Tim: The solution

Ayurveda says that no matter which way you choose to do it, it is best to nourish your Kapha bioenergy before bed-time.  In English, this would mean to do whatever it takes to truly relax yourself physically, emotionally and mentally, before bed-time.  Some people choose nourishing their Kapha through a warm cup of full fat milk, others through rye whiskey (nightcap) and a plate of meats and cheeses.  To each their own.  :-)

If however, you do not want to use food, or you have not found anything that works, modern science recommends an old Ayurvedic technique that always works, as long as it is practiced properly.

The modern scientific name of the technique is Progressive Relaxation Response.  This is what in our yoga classes we refer to, as "the best part of the class, where you get to absorb all the amazing benefits of your practice, the tense and release and final relaxation, savasana".

Disclaimer:  Please, do not confuse this with the savasana that is being taught in most yoga classes today.  Real savasana does not involve listening to the teacher preach about the meaning of life or what you should let go of; Real savasana does not involve you getting smelly stuff put on your forehead, or having your feet rubbed and your shoulders massaged while in a yoga class. 

In fact, we believe so much in the importance of real savasana that we wrote a book on it.  Yes, you can find it on Amazon, in both paperback format and electronic format, Yoga & Progressive Relaxation Response | Before Transcendence, Savasana & Beyond

In less than an hour of your time, this book will teach you a 10-min technique that should help you relax enough to get the most nourishing sleep of your life!

Until next time...   Remember that "diets don't work" and you will "never get a monkey to use dental floss!"
Na’maste Kala! (Which in Greek means, may we all be well!)

-Tim and Vie | Ayurveda Outlaws