Better Sleep
Friends,
According to Ayurveda, sleep is one of the pillars of good health.
Nothing makes me happier than when I look out my window and see one of my horses lying down in the paddock, sleeping.
Horses are prey animals and need to be able to run at any sign of danger. For this reason, they are able to sleep standing up, and will doze a lot in this manner. However, in order to get REM sleep, which they need, they have to lie down.
Equines live in herds and thus, take turns laying down, while the others stand watch. If a horse is alone, he never gets that chance for deep rest. Moreover, if a horse feels stressed in their environment, they also won't lay down for it makes them too vulnerable.
How do you sleep?
Do you get enough? Do you wake easily and often? Can you fall back to sleep, if you do wake up?
Deep sleep is the most restorative and rejuvenating stage of sleep, and usually happens in the earlier phase of the night. You can help increase your deep sleep by minimizing screentime in the evening and not eating at least 3 hours before bed.
REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is essential for re-energizing your mind and body and is associated with dreaming, memory consolidation and creativity. This is the sleep that horses get when they lie down.
Regulated by circadian rhythms, it occurs during the latter half of the night.
If you suffer from insomnia where you wake around 3am, this is the precious sleep you may be missing.
Like those horses that don't have the protection of the herd, you may also not be sleeping well because there is a deep rooted feeling of being unsafe. Your nervous system has adapted to staying vigilant and won't let you completely turn off and let go. Like the horse that has to sleep standing up, ready to flee at any moment, in case of danger.
Ask yourself, when did the issue begin? Often, one can trace sleep issues back to an illness, a surgery, a traumatic event or time of big transition in their lives.
You can retrain your nervous system back to when you were sleeping well. With Ayurvedic tools and wisdom, vata dosha, which when imbalanced is a main cause of insomnia, can be soothed and calmed and brought back to balance.
Sleep is crucial for the well-being of the body-mind.
Sleep is a pillar of good health.
Two opportunities to practice with me this December, both in person at Kripalu and virtually on Better Yoga.
Both designed to help you get the good quality rest and restoration you so deserve.
Sweet Dreams,
Kari