• Doshas Sleep
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HOW TO GET BETTER SLEEP, ACCORDING TO AYURVEDIC DOSHA

You’re probably aware that we go through different sleep cycles and phases each night – each of which vary in how much rest and rejuvenation they afford your brain and body. Sleep problems are on the rise, with insomnia and the inability to fall asleep at night being the most common. As a result, valuable night time rest in which deep sleep is attained – and cannot simply be made up for with short power naps – is drastically shortened. In an earlier article on universally beneficial Ayurvedic sleep tips, we discussed key rituals and habits that can help you get better sleep routine.

However, Ayurveda recognizes that not everyone is sleepless for the same reasons. Hence, we are here to help you identify how to fall asleep easily according to your dominant dosha type. Doshas are energies that circulate in the body and constitute your unique physical and mental make up.

To better understand your dosha beforehand, we recommend starting with our dosha quiz.

1

VATA

People who are predominantly vata typically suffer from irregular, light sleep. Because vata minds are highly active, they find it difficult to detach themselves from thinking about events during the day. They often wake up during the night and find it difficult to fall back asleep.

People with vata dosha types are better supported with more sleep than less. The key to falling asleep is to reduce tension and release problems. To do this, try practicing the alternate breathing technique to help quiet the mind. For detailed instructions, please refer to our post on how to meditate, according to your dosha. Alternatively, try a foot massage. Rub some cold pressed sesame oil on the soles of your feet before going to bed. Remember to wear socks to prevent staining your sheets! If you prefer something with a milder fragrance, try one of our wellness oils! They all contain natural essential oils for a luxurious aromatherapy experience. Lastly, try drinking some chamomile tea about half an hour before bed. Chamomile is commonly regarded as a mild tranquilizer, so it should help induce sleep. We also love chamomile essential oil as a natural sleep time aid and to get rid of sleep disturbance.

2

PITTA

Pitta types generally don’t have difficulty falling asleep, but face difficulties going back to sleep when awakened at night due to a running mind. In fact, due to their highly productive nature it is common for them to forgo sleep when they are occupied with a project or work.

One of the steps to address the sleep issues of pittas is to eliminate the habit of work, or reading anything too mentally engaging, before bedtime. Although some may find it beneficial to unwind with a good book, if the material is too thought-provoking for pittas, it is likely to get their intellectual juices going, making it harder for them to fall asleep. Pittas are instead guided towards reading something of a spiritual nature, or journaling, leading up to bedtime. Besides that, try drinking a glass of warm milk with nutmeg before bed. This acts as a natural sleep aid because milk aids in the release of serotonin and melatonin which help the body adjust to night time and induce serenity. The added flavor of nutmeg helps you end your day on a sweet note and get better sleep.

3

KAPHA

People who have kapha doshas rarely have trouble falling asleep. In fact, they sleep very well and are not easily awakened. However, despite more than sufficient amounts of rest, they usually rise feeling sluggish and tired.

This may come as a surprise, but kaphas actually require less sleep than vatas and pittas! In fact, excessive sleep can cause sluggishness and lack of energy in kaphas. Instead of sleeping in, kaphas should practice the habit of getting up at the same time everyday. It is best to wake up by 6am because the kapha element is elevated from 6-10am, making it harder to get up. Rising before the sun may seem like a tough feat, but it doesn’t have to be. Start adjusting your bedtime so that you can wake up at a consistent time! It will be best to hop into bed by 10pm because the kapha is elevated from 6-10pm, enabling you to harness that slow and heavy energy to slip into a peaceful slumber. Kaphas should ideally fall asleep by 11pm to ensure they’re able to wake on the earlier side. Alongside sleeping habits, also try to incorporate exercise into your everyday routine. It will help you lighten up and feel much better throughout the day.

• Sleep Yoga for Mental Health
• Posted By

AYURVEDIC REMEDIES FOR BETTER SLEEP

Sleep is as essential to optimal health as nutrition and exercise. Getting adequate, quality, and consistent shut-eye is crucial for supporting brain function, maintaining a healthy immune system, stress management and perpetuating physical and emotional wellbeing. A good night’s sleep improves our mood and encourages a sharper mental focus and alertness. And it has an incredible impact on how we look and feel.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that the average adult should sleep between seven and nine hours a night (the magic number varies person to person). Generally, anything more or less has been linked to increased blood pressure, inflammation, risk of heart disease and stroke, weight gain, and cognitive impairment. It’s important to note that quality shut-eye—restorative sleep that is unfragmented throughout the night—is as essential as the quantity.

Given the growing body of research on the essentialism of good sleep, it’s still puzzling. Sleep plagues so many of us—so much so that the CDC says about a third of Americans aren’t getting the sleep they need. Considering that, as well as the incessant stress and static of daily life, it’s no wonder that so many of us are functioning at tired, sub-optimal levels. Ayurvedic texts say that insomnia can be caused by increased vatta or pitta. (The Doshas—vata, elements of space and air, pitta, the elements of fire and water, and kapha, the qualities of earth and water—are the primal energies found throughout the human body. An imbalance of doshas affects our health and wellness, including sleep, according to Ayurvedic medicine.) Sleep or any imbalance is a call to realign balance in the body. And even as elusive as it can be, there are simple remedies to help get the body back in balance.

1

FOLLOW A RITUAL

How we spend our days can impact how we sleep. The same goes for how we transition into bedtime. It’s pretty intuitive: If we’re running at full speed all day consumed by technology and adrenaline this frenetic energy can stay with us after we tuck in. Research shows that following a relaxing nighttime routine can reduce sleep problems. It doesn’t have to be super prescriptive; try what works for you. The key is marking the transition from day to night so your body and mind knows it’s time to wind down.

These are some natural remedies for insomnia;

2

EAT MINDFULLY

Keep dinner on the light side. Try  to avoid a lot of protein-heavy foods a night, as these can charge your digestive system to work hard and interrupt restful sleep. (Ayurvedic wisdom recommends eating your heaviest meal in the middle of the day.) If you’re craving a bedtime snack consider these foods (in small portions) that contain amino acids and vitamins known to help to promote quality sleep.

• Tryptophan is an amino acid known to cause the body to produce more serontonin, the chemical in the body needed to make melatonin, the hormone that induces sleepiness. Tryptophan-rich foods include certain dairy products,  like Greek yogurt, and walnuts, bananas, salmon, and eggs.

• Carbohydrate-rich foods with high glycemic indexes can trigger greater amounts of insulin allowing more tryptophan to reach the brain. Consider a small bowl of organic jasmine rice.
• Vitamin B6-rich foods, such as salmon, halibut and tuna, are essential for making melatonin. You can also try eating potassium-rich bananas or making a green salad with chickpeas. Kale and collard greens are filled with calcium, which can help the brain use tryptophan to manufacture the melatonin. Try a bowl of fresh cherries for a melatonin boost.
• Magnesium and potassium rich foods can also help replenish electrolytes lost during the day to promote sleep. Have a small handful of organic almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds, or a banana. High quality dark chocolate is also rich in magnesium, just be mindful of the caffeine levels.
• Herbal tea, particularly chamomile, can relax your muscles and can act as a mild sedative. Mix in a spoonful of honey to raise insulin and allow tryptophan to work more effectively.
• Though it may help you fall asleep faster, alcohol can induce less restful sleep, night sweats, and headaches. If you are drinking alcohol in the evenings, balance each drink with a glass of water to dilute its effects.

3

SET THE (SLEEP) SCENE

Think of it as the if you build it, you will sleep, mentality. Set up your bedroom space so it honors intimacy and sleep. This will, in turn, honor your health. Follow these tips:

• Make the bedroom dark for sleeping hours.
• Avoid television, phones, and other sources of blue light.
• Reduce clutter and lean into a clean, calming palette (think soothing blues, whites, and grays)
• Dress your bed in breathable sheets made of natural and organic materials.
• Clean your bedding weekly. This will help reduce dust mites and other allergens that can interfere with quality sleep.

• Rethink your mattress. Many conventional brands make mattresses with toxic flame retardants, antimicrobial additives, and polyurethane. Consider one that is made with natural latex and organic wool and cotton.
• Embrace essential oils. Massage 4-5 drops of Pure Rest Wellness Oil between your toes, onto the bottom of your feet, pulse points, temples, behind the ears, or all four for the ultimate experience. Take a deep inhale from your hands to enjoy the aromatic experience.

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• Ayurveda Mental Health Sleep
• Posted By

AYURVEDA: THE KEY TO BETTER SLEEP

In Ayurveda, each dosha is characterized by different sleep tendencies; disturbances in our sleep are also attributed to our dosha, and there also exist dosha-specific methods for treating these disturbances. Understanding sleep through your dosha can thus empower you to both identify the source of your sleep imbalances and to implement effective solutions for boosting the quality of your sleep. (If you’re not sure what your dominant dosha is, you can take our dosha quiz here.)

DOSHA-SPECIFIC SLEEP IMBALANCES AND REMEDIES

FOR KAPHA

Kaphas tend to be heavy sleepers, and they don’t tend to wake easily. In fact, Kaphas, when imbalanced, may struggle with oversleeping, which causes them to wake up feeling sluggish and groggy. Perhaps unintuitively, despite their tendencies, Kaphas actually need less sleep than Vatas and Pittas.

For Kaphas, it’s important to set a regular sleep schedule and to wake up at the same time each morning to prevent against oversleeping. The Kapha element is elevated from 6am-10am, which makes it more difficult to get out of bed, so it’s actually best for Kaphas to wake up by 6am. In addition, Kaphas should try to incorporate exercise into their daily routine to feel lighter and more rejuvenated throughout the day. (For more information on how to exercise for your dosha, check out our blog post here.) 

For those who are interested in other Ayurvedic wellness products for inducing sleep, our Pure Rest Wellness Incense and Pure Rest Wellness Oil are formulated with soothing Ayurvedic ingredients like vetiver, calamus and ashwagandha to promote deep, restful sleep and tranquility.

UMA PURE REST WELLNESS INCENSE $16

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UMA PURE REST WELLNESS OIL $85

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• Mental Health Sleep UMA Products
• Posted By

UNWIND AND RELAX: 7 INNOVATIVE USES FOR UMA’s PURE CALM

The advent of planes, trains, and automobiles came with a diverse and exciting new world – and the modern stressors to accompany it. Our Pure Calm Wellness Oil offers holistic wellness solutions by utilizing the distillation of powerfully soothing botanicals and ancient Ayurvedic wisdom. It also carries distant memories of an era when life moved at a slower, more tranquil, pace. Pure Calm has been one of our best selling Wellness Oils and is a crowd favorite at the UMA Offices, so we wanted to share with you our top 7 ways to use UMA’s Pure Calm! From easing the stress of traveling to combating public speaking jitters, Pure Calm offers a refreshing and much-needed solution to the diverse needs of our modern lives.

1

Foam Rolling for Better Sleep

Lauren Roxburgh incorporates Ayurvedic wellness principles in her step-by-step video on Goop’s sleep sequence that truly is the secret to a good night’s rest. This sleep sequence combined with UMA’s Pure Calm is the perfect duo to calm your nerves and get yourself ready for an evening of ultimate rest. She ends her practice by performing a wellness ritual on herself followed by her daily meditation and gratitude practices to ground herself. Click here to watch the full video.

UMA PURE CALM WELLNESS OIL UMA $85/$76.50 WITH SUBSCRIPTION

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2

Before Your Big (Zoom) Meeting

It is quite standard to feel like you have a case of the nerves before a big meeting, job interview or any such milestone in your academic or professional career. Pure Calm, with its calming aromatherapy properties, is your best friend in these of situations, it alleviates feelings of stress by promoting tranquility from within and gives you the sense of calm you need to reboot your confidence levels.

3

Easing Social Anxiety 

There are several herbal remedies for anxiety which can be very helpful for individuals who suffer from social anxiety during everyday interactions.  Especially situations where you have to meet your significant other’s family members for the first time or spend the day with your in-laws. Even being in a room full of your colleagues in a social setting can be very nerve racking, and for times like these – UMA’s Pure Calm will be your trusted ally! Our travel size can fit seamlessly in your pocket or your elegant clutch – whatever the occasion. What’s a better accessory than overcoming your social anxiety?

4

Gifting 

We all have that one friend who is an expert at gifts – with UMA’s Pure Calm, YOU can be that friend. Great for your favorite girl friend who struggles with anxiety or has something stressful going on in her life, or the perfect present for your niece in college who has a big test coming up that she is stressing over. Everyone loves a present that helps them stay calm and stress free.

5

As a Diffuser

Diffusers are a great addition to most spaces and can be incorporated as self-care practices – whether it’s an office, bedroom, meditation space – they even look great by your bath tub. Diffusers help experience your essential oils through your olfactory system, and enhance the relaxation experience.

Diffusers can be a useful tool for those practicing mental relaxation techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or mindfulness, as they can create a soothing environment to aid in the relaxation process.
Add Pure Calm to your diffuser for these incredible benefits:
– Alleviates tension
– Promotes muscle relaxation and reduces feelings of stress
– Helps combat daily stressors to assist in mental unwinding

Bonus Points: It comes in a beautiful bottle and smells divine.

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6

As a Perfume

One of our favorite parts about the Pure Calm is its divine scent. For days when you feel like skipping your perfume, our Pure Calm is a great replacement. The great thing about using essential oils as a perfume is that they tend to last longer and they seep into your skin a lot better and quicker than most perfumes do.

7

While Traveling

Aerophobia, and travel phobia in general, is a real thing – especially right now. Especially if you frequent India from Los Angeles like our team does, it can result in 21+ hours of anxiety and pure discomfort. Pure Calm Wellness Oil is the perfect combination of Chamomile, Vetiver and Lavender essential oil that enhances feelings of relaxation and calm making those long travels a lot more bearable. A great practice is to perform our wellness ritual prior to takeoff to alleviate any anxious feelings. P.S., Vogue loves this ritual!

Click here to shop our Pure Calm and check out our range of other wellness oils.