“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” — Irish Proverb.

निद्रायत्तं सुखं दःखं पु ु ष्टिः कार्श्यं बलाबलम् वृषता क्लीबता ज्ञानमज्ञानं जीवितं न च३६ अकालेऽतिप्रसङ्गाच्च न च निद्रा निषेविता सुखायुषी पराकुर्यात् कालरात्रिरिवापरा३७ सैव युक्ता पुनर्युङ्क्ते निद्रा देहं सुखायुषा पुरुषं योगिनं सिद्ध्या सत्या बुद्धिरिवागता३८

In human beings, happiness and misery, nourishment and emaciation, strength and weakness, fertility and infertility, knowledge and ignorance, and longevity and death depend upon proper (and improper sleep). Untimely, excessive sleep and sleep deprivation take away both happiness and longevity from a person. Similarly, proper sleep brings about happiness and longevity in human beings just as real knowledge brings about spiritual power in yogis. - Charak Samhita

I believe that deep, restful sleep is the first step to attaining optimal well-being. In India, sleep is also referred to as “Nidrā Devī” where “Devi” means “Goddess” and “Nidrā” means “Sleep.” Research says that adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep at night, and sleep is a highly essential part of our daily routine. But the quality of sleep is equally important. Getting the right amount of sleep at the right time is as essential as food and water. Your productivity during the day and the quality of your day will depend on how well you slept the previous night. Maintaining proper sleep hygiene is important for optimal brain functions, as it improves our brain’s ability to learn new things, concentrate, and respond. Over and above that, sleep supports communication between our nerve cells and between the cells of different parts of our bodies. Even when we are sleeping, our brain and body stay active to remove toxins, restore, repair, and rejuvenate. Hence, we all need adequate sleep, as it impacts the health of every tissue and cell in our bodies, from the brain, heart, immune function, and lungs. It also impacts our metabolism, and several studies have shown that lack of sleep, or poor-quality sleep, is a major cause of obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, depression, increased stress, inflammation, and diabetes. During deep sleep, your body releases accumulated stress and physical toxins, balances hormones, strengthens the immune system, and repairs and regenerates cells and tissues

if you are feeling drowsy during the day, or if you are waking up feeling tired, your sleep pattern is probably to blame. If you have chronic inflammation, lifestylerelated illnesses, stress, anxiety, depression, slow metabolism, or difficulty losing weight even with eating the proper diet and exercising, you need to improve your sleep hygiene.

Here are a few tips to improve the quality of sleep:

• Drink warm milk, soothing herbal tea, or a turmeric latte before bedtime.

• Try using natural, non-habit-forming sleep aids, like chamomile, lavender, etc.

• Take a warm bubble bath before bedtime.

• Say no to technology one to two hours before bed. If you are mentally stimulated, it will be difficult to fall asleep. • Say no to caffeine after 6 p.m.

• Try self-massage with warm, soothing oils.

• Experiment with aromatherapy. Scents like lavender, chamomile, ylang-ylang oil, valerian oil, jasmine oil may improve the quality of your sleep.

• Relax with music or sounds of nature.

• Eat a light dinner at least two to three hours before bedtime because undigested food in the gut will prevent you from falling asleep or staying asleep.

• Go for a gentle walk for 15 to 20 minutes 30 minutes after meals to aid with digestion.

• Read a self-help book or personal development book before bedtime.

• Meditation helps to calm you down and enhances the quality of sleep.

• Remain physically active throughout the day so that your body is tired at night, but try to exercise before early evening because exercise will energize you. If you exercise right before bedtime, you will have difficulty falling asleep.

This article is an excerpt from my book “Twelve steps to optimal well-being”. Hungry for more? click here to purchase my book. Don’t forget to SIGN UP for future newsletter and stay connected. Get free access to members only recipe section.