Ayurveda gives us clear guidelines for how best to structure our days, including our eating, sleeping and waking hours. 

This is because Ayurveda understands that we are not islands! We are influenced by the rhythms of the cosmos – the changing seasons, times of day and night, phases of the sun and moon. 

In Ayurveda, there is the understanding that not only our bodies and our psyches, but also these changing phases of the sun and moon, are all influenced by the doshas (humours) of Ayurveda. 

And as we are impacted by what is happening in the natural world around us, as a dosha (humour) peaks during any season or time of day or night, it is likely to peak in us. 

This brings with it a blend of positive and adverse effects upon us. 

We are therefore guided by Ayurveda to draw on the positives for our health and well-being, and for support in all our endeavours: and to antidote the negative influences, by carefully selecting the activities we engage in at any time of day or night. 

The invitation is to choose activities that will be supported by the particular dominant dosha (humour) and do the opposite of, or at least less of the activity that might aggravate a particular dosha. 

It is therefore best to rise with the sun, as light begins to flood our environment, to eat our main meal when the sun, and so the fire element, is highest in the sky thereby supporting our digestive fire. 

It is also recommended to go to sleep in the evening around 10pm, which is a Pitta time of day suggesting that fire-dominant dosha (humour) is likely to rise again and perhaps propel us into a second gear of wakefulness. 

Have you ever noticed it? You can be sleepy around 9-10pm, but if you stay awake beyond these hours that sleepiness fades. What can happen if we ride this second wave late into the evening, is that might we wake feeling depleted even after a good night’s sleep. 

And so, the general guidlines could be to wake with the sun, eat your main meal when the sun is highest in the sky, and go to bed not too long after sunset. 

Sleeping during the day is therefore unsurprisingly not recommended in Ayurveda. It is going against the natural rhythms of the day, from the perspective described above. 

Daytime sleeping is said to disturb our circadian rhythms, and to aggravate the doshas (humours). 

When I was in an Ayurveda hospital in India last year, I arrived jetlagged, the heat was intense and the humidity high. That was quite an adjustment after the early British Spring weather. And so during relaxing treatments with warm, herbalised oils, sleep came easily. The Ayurveda therapists working with me kept telling me “Don’t sleep, don’t sleep!” Ha ha….itt was so difficult not to sleep. Sleep was creeping over me in these circumstances. However, they were very clear that during and between treatments, daytime sleeping was not going to help the treatment I was receiving. 

There are however, as usual with Ayurveda, exceptions to the rule. 

For small children, daytime sleeping in the afternoon is said to be beneficial. It is also beneficial for the underweight or emaciated, those who are exhausted and depleted, who have done hard physical work, or who have not slept all night for some reason. 

The afternoon is a Vata time of day and a short nap in the afternoon can be advisable in certain circumstances where Vata dosha is likely to be aggravated:

Singers

Students who are using their brain all day for study.  

The elderly.

Those in rehab after an operation.

After long haul travel

During times of grief to ease the pain of loss and depression. 

During times of illness such as diarhhoea, colic pain, dyspnoea, thirst, muscle wasting, insanity. 

Sleep helps to cool a hot head where there is anger. 

After panchakarma, the body can initially feel depleted and fatigued in which case an afternoon nap is good. 

In these cases, sleep can reduce Vata dosha and nurture Kapha dosha to give strength back to the body. 

In the Summer, a short afternoon nap can be good due to the late light nights and early light of the mornings which can shorten sleep. 

For most of us, however, most of the time, it is advisable to avoid napping during the day. 

If fatigue comes and you need to recharge the batteries, try a little afternoon Yoga nidra, or practice a short meditation. A gentle walk in nature can also help to replenish our energy reserves. 

This can support a better sleep when the time comes in the evening, which will allow for rising close to sunrise in the morning, both of which are going to help to support balance in the doshas and so in body and mind. 

Look out for a guided afternoon tea break meditation coming soon to our YouTube channel.