Vata balancing can help anyone sleep better.
The sympathetic nervous system accelerates our metabolism, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system slows it down. We must stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system before bed to allow our bodies to relax and digest after a full day of flight-or-fight, frenetic action.
High arousal before bedtime is usually Vata imbalance, therefore we want to ground ourselves.
Making time for grounding rituals can assist the mind, body, and spirit get ready for a good night's sleep.
1) Eat Light at Night
When our body is focused on digestion then our body will not be able to focus on restoration and rest.
When calories are ingested late at night, outside of a healthy sleep/wake cycle, the body is more prone to store them as fat and gain weight rather than burn them as energy. This indicates that when and what we consume have an impact on our biological rhythms.
-> A high-sugar, low-fiber diet causes more nighttime awakenings.
REM sleep is suppressed by a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
-> Going to bed too full — or even too hungry — can disrupt your sleep.
If you're hungry right before bedtime, go for a grounding snack like fruit with nut butter or warm milk (or milk alternative). Caffeine and alcohol should be avoided before night because they both hinder the body's capacity to sleep.
2) Walk to sleep
Take a thoughtful stroll.
Put on your sneakers and take a brief walk outside before slipping on your slippers.
The senses are soothed by being in nature. It makes it possible for you to be fully present in your body. Take in the sights and noises around you while you walk: crickets chirping, owls hooting, and distant traffic.
3) Restorative yoga
As part of your bedtime ritual, create a tranquil environment and select a few poses:
4) Warm your body.
Have you ever noticed how warm rooms make you feel a bit drousy? Use that to your advantage. Taking a warm bath or shower will really help soothe that Vata energy at night and calm the mind.
5) Practice pranayama: Alternate Nostril Breathing
These breathing techniques will help you relax while also turning off your body's stress response. After losing the 2016 US presidential election, Hilary Clinton said in her book "What Happened" that she employed alternate nostril breathing to alleviate stress and anxiety.
To practise alternating nostril breathing, do the following:
-Sit with your legs crossed in a comfortable position.
-Make a fist with your left hand and place it on your left knee.
-Raise your right hand to the level of your nose.
-Exhale completely, then close your right nostril with your right thumb.
-Inhale deeply from your left nostril, then close it with your fingers.
-Exhale through the right nostril after opening it.
-Inhale deeply via your right nostril, then close it.
-Exhale through the left nostril after opening it.
-This is the end of one cycle.
-Repeat for a total of 5 minutes.
-Always finish with a left-side exhale to complete the practise.
6) Get some herbzzz (sorry I couldn't help it)
Melatonin is a natural substance that helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycle and other biological rhythms, while it is not a herbal treatment. It is effective for jet lag, shift work disorder, and the elderly.
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