World sleep day 2023 is a time to reflect on your own sleep habits and hygiene. Are you getting enough? Do you feel relaxed and restored when you wake up? Most of us aim for the recommended 6-8 hours but still feel groggy and fatigued in the morning. After a long day at work or looking after children, when you're feeling tired it can be hard to make conscious and productive choices that will have a positive impact on feeling refreshed and renewed.
The evening leading up to bedtime is just as important to help you prepare for the next day. World sleep day is an opportunity to consistently adopt Ayurvedic evening rituals. This will help to bring your mind, body and spirit peace and allow you to feel balanced with more energy as well as better sleep.
Ayurvedic Sleep Rituals
Sleep rituals prepare you and your body for better sleep and will lead to deeper sleep, setting the foundation for a new day. It is all about finding the perfect Ayurvedic sleep rituals for you and being consistent every night before bed to help create a gentle trigger for your mind and body to settle into a deep and harmonious sleep. While the elements of your nightly ritual will vary you can choose the right rituals to align with your dosha and specific bedtime needs.
These Ayurvedic rituals for the evening will promote better sleep and relaxation:
1. Avoid Caffeine After 4pm
Caffeine is the enemy of sleep, try to limit your caffeine throughout the day and have your last cup no later than 4 pm. This is because caffeine can stay in the body for up to 6 hours. Instead, you can enjoy herbal teas like chamomile or hot water with lemon.
2. Eat Light And Early
To avoid a heavy stomach, we recommend that you enjoy a light meal at an earlier hour to help aid your digestion and to make sure it is calm before going to sleep.
3. After You Eat, Get Outside
Make an evening stroll a part of your evening routine. Get outside and have some fresh air after dinner. This aids in better digestion and helps to keep your body active and healthy.
4. Limit Screen Time
Put your phone down and turn the tv off at least one hour before your bedtime. This helps to decrease the effects of blue light that emits from screens and is known to disrupt your sleep as well as stimulate your mind.
5. Spend Some Time Massaging Your Feet Before You Go To Sleep
Your feet have many marma points which can help to relax your body and release tension. Massage your feet with a luxury body oil to focus on your marma points.
6. Practice Yoga Poses That Are Known To Aid In Better Sleep
Yoga is a gentle way to relieve tension and move the body into a state of relaxation. Poses like child's pose, spinal twist pose or corpse pose are great to help you unwind and make your body ready for sleep.
7. Make Your Bed A Sanctuary With Calming Energy
Where you sleep has such importance over the outcome of your sleep. An ayurvedic pillow mist has a soothing effect to help your mind and body relax.
Try using our Sleep Dharma Pillow Mist to create the ultimate nighttime environment. It contains soothing botanicals of bergamot, chamomile, lavender, vetiver, geranium, clary sage and marjoram; that help to create a sense of stillness and aid in relaxation so you can have a restful and deep sleep.
8. Switch Off As Early As Possible And Get In Bed
If your dosha is a Kapha then an early bedtime will benefit your well-being and sleep. A Kaphas energy is slow and heavy and they are known for being early sleepers, so should aim to be asleep between 6 pm-10 pm to get a deep and restorative night's sleep.