Sleep science in Ayurveda
Sleep science in Ayurveda
- Should sleep
really be so important for staying healthy?
- What changes
take place in the body when a person sleeps?
- If there is too
much or too little sleep, do some of its bad effects appear on the body?
What causes sleep? What exactly changes in
his body during sleep? Before we get into that, let's look at the definition of
sleep as per modern medicine.
‘Sleep1 is a naturally occurring
state of mind and body characterized by altered consciousness relatively
inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity, inhibition of nearly all
voluntary muscles during REM sleep, and reduced interactions with surroundings.’
Didn't you fall asleep after reading such a big and complicated definition?
Understanding
the definition of sleep above can be complicated most of the time. Although
the definition of sleep in modern medical science is perfect, it is difficult
for the general public to understand. But look at the skillfully described
description contained in only 2 lines of Charakacharya,
- Charakasamhit Sutrasthan Chapter 21 / Verse 35
When
the mind gets tired and the body gets tired too due to hard work all day long,
then the five sense organs stop receiving their senses, in such condition
person gets sleep. You have to admit that Charakacharya described sleep
in the 2nd century BC [more than 2000 years before, OMG…!] in a very
effective and simple way.
Sleep
is good for the body if it is in the right amount, but if it is too much, it
can increase the kapha-meda in the body, causing laziness and obesity.
On the other hand, if the amount of sleep is less than the required amount, then there will be leanness & weakening of the body, improper growth, impotence. The description of the adverse effects of this sleep on the body is very much in line with the observations of modern medicine.
Lack
of sleep2 leads to the starting of many diseases like hypertension,
heart disease, etc., increases irritability, mental loss, cognitive
impairments, reduces the immune system, sexual ability and hence growth
suppression and many symptoms like headache, malaise, mania, and even psychosis
are seen.
Advantages and
disadvantages of sleep-
Whether you are obese or lean depends on the
amount of food you eat, as well as the amount of sleep you get. Both proper
diet and sleep are essential for maintaining good health.
- Charakasamhit Sutrasthan Chapter 21 /
Verse 51
Overall,
a person with insufficient sleep has to deal with many physical and mental
ailments. On the other hand, getting proper sleep has many benefits for the
body. The same thing Acharya Charak has described it in two lines of the
same verse.
- Charakasamhit Sutrasthan Chapter 21 /
Verses 36-38
With
proper sleep, a person attains health, happiness, good bodybuilding and
strength, good masculinity, proper knowledge and longevity. However, if you do
not get proper sleep, you will suffer from various disorders, such as
depression, anxiety, lethargy, weakness, loss of appetite, ignorance, and
various ailments.
All
in all, with the help of various research processes, various investigations,
equipment, many difficult, incomprehensible sleep related questions have been
posed by Charakacharya in a poetic, skillful, specific point-oriented
manner, this is what makes Ayurveda OMG AMAZING AYURVEDA ...!
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Info About Author
Dr. Ninad Nayan Sadvilkar
[Strong supporter, believer, motivator, teacher & practitioner of Ayurveda]
Assistant professor, MES Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Lote, Tal.-Khed, Dist.- Ratnagiri, Maharashtra &
Owner, Aarogyavardhan Ayurved & panchakarma Treatment Centre, Shop number-1, Sagar plaza, Chiplun
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