Monday, 18 June 2012

Insomnia – Ayurvedic treatment

According to ayurveda, the amount of sleep you need depends on your mind-body constitution or body type. People with Kapha constitution need the most sleep - about eight or nine hours in order to feel rested. Pittas are next, with a need of seven to eight hours. Vatas can manage with six to seven hours of sleep.
Your requirements of sleep also depends on what stage of life are you in. Babies can sleep as much as 15 or 16 hours out of every 24. Children frequently sleep 10 hours or more. At the other extreme, elderly people rarely enjoy a sound, unbroken sleep of more than four or five hours.
According to Ayurveda, there are two main causes for insomnia: Unbalanced Vata and the interruption in the routine of an individual. The signs of aggravated Vata include restlessness, anxiety and worry. Mental stress, increased body activity, fasting, staying up late all can create disturbance in the normal body system and thus bringing a total imbalance in Vata.
Other causes of insomnia
•    Anxiety
•    Depression
•    A general feeling of ennui and boredom
•    Frequent ingestion of stimulants, particularly illegal drugs and prescription medicines
•    Eating heavy food before bed
Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies for Insomnia
There would seem to be quite a contradiction with the herbs required to treat insomnia. Because ironically though the idea is to “cool-off” the afflicted doshas, you do so by using hot spices!! This is because the heat generated warms the internal system back into a state where it can begin the process of cooling off!!
1)    The most effective herb for this remedy is calamus root. It is to be taken in powder form added to warm water or milk three times a day.
2)    Use sesame oil, brahmi oil, jasmine oil, cow's ghee or jatamatnsi oil, and massage gently for a few minutes on the scalp and the soles of the feet before going to bed.
3)    Depending on an individual's body type, different kinds of oil are used at varying temperatures to relax the nervous system. These include Coconut oil (pitta type, used at room temperature), Sesame oil (vata type, applied warm), and Mustard oil (kapha type, applied warm).
4)    A cup of chamomile tea at bedtime is truly beneficial for inducing sleep.
5)    Early to bed and early to rise is what ayurveda believes in. One should sleep at around 10 pm and should try and get up by 4 am.
6)    Meditation and yoga is another factor that can help cure the disease. These will help us to stay calm and away from anxiety and depression which are the major causes of insomnia.


 Stress Ayurvedic Medicine    Himalaya Mentat Tablet

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