5 Holistic Approaches to Achieving Quality Sleep

By Madison Lee
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Did you know that 1 in 3 adults don’t get a sufficient amount of sleep each night? Not getting enough sleep not only makes you more fatigued and decreases your cognitive ability but is also linked to serious health concerns such as obesity, heart disease, and depression. Sleepy drivers result in over 100,000 car crashes that result in injury or fatality every year and sleep deprivation costs the US $411 billion annually! However, this growing problem is hardly surprising in a modern world filled with hyperarousing lights and electronics where it can seem near impossible to achieve the proper relaxed mindset needed to achieve quality sleep. This is where holistic measures such as understanding your sleep type, practicing pranayama, yoga, mindful nutrition, and exercise can go a long way in improving your sleep quality. Here are 5 holistic strategies to help you improve both your sleep quality and quantity:

1. Understanding Your Sleep Type:

Understanding your sleep type is very helpful in building effective sleep hygiene. According to Ayurveda, the 3 energies, or doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, need to be balanced to achieve quality sleep (read about Ayurveda & its benefits here). Identifying which dosha is imbalanced can help you determine your sleep type and discover conducive sleep tips.

Vata Individuals:

If you are an individual with Vata predominance, you probably have more sleep issues than the average person due to your delicate sleep pattern. You may find yourself struggling to have consistently good sleep due to symptoms of insomnia or you might find yourself frequently waking up during the night because of the natural dryness of your body. Vatas may also benefit from eating warm, cooked foods while keeping away from spicy, cold, and dry foods. For Vatas, it is especially important to maintain a healthy nervous system as they tend to have fluctuating sleep patterns. You can rejuvenate your nervous system by keeping a steady sleeping schedule, eating seasonally especially in the winter, and using grounding herbs such as ashwagandha and turmeric to achieve the tranquility needed for restful sleep. Always remember to check with your health care provider and pharmacist prior to starting any new lifestyle changes or supplements due to drug-supplement interactions and your own medical history to rule out any contraindications.

Pitta Individuals:

Pitta individuals tend to have a strong sleep pattern which may cause them to overheat, be irritable, or be more susceptible to insomnia. To reduce the overheating that’s likely causing you to have trouble falling asleep, try keeping a low room temperature (studies say 66-68 degrees) especially when sleeping and eat cooling foods such as cucumbers, melons, and mint to bring down your body heat. Cooling herbs such as brahmi, coriander, and fennel can also help reduce heat and help you relax for bed. When pertaining to food, Pittas should try to consume sweet, bitter, cold foods while avoiding hot, spicy, oily foods. Pittas should also remember to eat seasonally especially during the summer as they are more likely to acquire too much Pitta during this season worsening their symptoms.  Always remember to check with your health care provider and pharmacist prior to starting any new lifestyle changes or supplements due to drug-supplement interactions and your own medical history to rule out any contraindications.

Kapha Individuals:

Kaphas have a sluggish sleep pattern which can lead to weight gain, slow digestion, and fatigue. They may also find themselves oversleeping due to the frequent dampness in their body. Due to these problems, Kaphas may benefit from taking warm, invigorating herbs such as ashwagandha, ginger, and cumin that help activate their metabolism. Foods high in fiber such as fruits and vegetables are also shown to help with the digestive problems that Kaphas may obtain. Additionally, Kaphas should eat seasonally particularly in the spring when they are at high risk to gain excess Kapha which can bring about more sleep and overall health issues. Just like everyone else, it is also important for Kapha individuals to keep a consistent sleep schedule and relax before bed for better sleep. Always remember to check with your health care provider and pharmacist prior to starting any new lifestyle changes or supplements due to drug-supplement interactions and your own medical history to rule out any contraindications.

2. Pranayama:

Pranayama is an Ayurvedic breathing technique that can help you achieve the relaxation needed for sleep. By bringing attention to your breathing, it helps develop mindfulness leading to less stress and frustration. It also helps you fall asleep by lowering your anxiety levels and may support healthy blood pressure. This is especially true of the Bhramari (bee breath), Nadi Shodhana (alternate nose breathing), and Sama Vritti (box breathing) practices as they put an emphasis on slow, deep breathing which is scientifically proven to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and promote melatonin production. These slow, deep breathing exercises increase vagal tone, reduce the effects of the sympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and increasing calm, especially after an overstimulating day.

It’s important to keep in mind that although Pranayama can be helpful, if done in excess, it may cause more problems than it solves. Especially when first starting, try Pranayama once or, if manageable, twice a day, only doing about 5 minutes per session. During each session, you should try to be mindful of your condition, stopping if dizzy or lightheaded. There are also precautions and contraindications to pranayama for people with certain medical issues or on certain medications, so consult your integrative medicine physician for guidance.   Remember, it’s perfectly okay to take breaks at first; with regular Pranayama practice, your stamina and lung capacity will steadily grow, and your stress will eventually decrease and sleep will improve.

After being medically cleared and finding a Pranayama technique that works for you, try to further tailor your Pranayama sessions by discovering what breathing ratio of inhalations, exhalations, and holds works for you.  It is helpful to learn some of these more powerful “kumbakha” (hold) techniques from a professional.

3. Yoga:

Yoga is another holistic approach to tackling your sleep problems. According to a national survey conducted by the NCHS, 55% of people who practice yoga regularly reported having experienced improvements in their sleep after starting yoga.

High-Activity Yoga:

If you’re looking for a practice that not only reduces stress and helps sleep, but is also a good source of exercise and energy, you should try high-activity “flow” yoga. Try vinyasa or ashtanga a couple hours before bed to not only see improvements in your sleep onset latency but also an increase in melatonin production. Just keep in mind that extreme exercise or even moderate exercise 1-2 hours before bed can actually make it harder for you to fall asleep, so try to schedule your yoga sessions earlier in the day so that your body can relax before bedtime.

Low-Activity Yoga:

For a more calm yoga experience that settles down your nervous system and promotes relaxation, try Hatha yoga, Yoga Nidra or some relaxing, grounding yoga poses before bedtime. These yoga practices help reduce your sympathetic nervous system’s activity leading to deeper sleep. It may also be beneficial to pair your yoga routine with pranayama breathing techniques such as Ujjayi Pranayama for a more efficient session.

No matter what type of yoga you choose to incorporate into your daily life, it is important to note that consistent application is so much more beneficial than one off sessions. Try to slowly integrate yoga into your everyday routine for clear improvements in your sleep quality.

4. Nutrition:

Having a nutritious food plan is a big part of maintaining a healthy sleep architecture. The key part of having a nutritional diet that supports quality sleep is balancing your nutrients. These can include carbs, protein, fat, and fiber. Research suggests that diets too low or too high in certain nutrients have a bidirectional correlation to poor sleep. For example, diets low in protein have a correlation to poor sleep quality while diets high in protein and low in carbs correlate with increased sleep onset latency.

Certain foods and diets can also affect your sleep quality and duration. For instance, there is some research that suggests that the Mediterranean Diet is linked to a longer sleep duration and a decrease in insomnia symptoms, especially in women. This is probably due to the increased amount of melatonin, serotonin, and vitamin D that the Mediterranean Diet encourages through fatty fish, fruits, and olive oil as the main fat source as well as the moderation of dairy products and avoidance of processed foods and red meat. Additionally, foods containing tryptophan (amino acid that helps produce melatonin) and melatonin such as tart cherry juice, pistachios, and certain fruits such as pineapples, bananas, and oranges can be helpful for improving sleep quality. Yogurt can also help as the high calcium content can help you fall asleep faster and provide better sleep. And, believe it or not, eating 2 kiwis an hour before you go to sleep can improve sleep duration, quality, and efficiency, as well as athletic recovery, due to kiwi being power-packed with serotonin, melatonin, antioxidants, folate, and the enzyme actinidin, which can help with the digestion of protein and help the body process other foods it consumes.

Just as there are certain foods that can help your sleep, there are also foods or eating habits that may hurt your sleep. For one thing, you should avoid eating late at night especially with foods that are high in fat or carbs as it may lead to obesity as well as an increase in sleep onset latency and worse sleep. Additionally, drinking caffeinated drinks 4-6 hours before bed can disrupt your circadian rhythm leading to increases in sleep problems. More importantly, try to stay away from alcohol as it leads to a shortening of sleep duration and quality.

In general, try to balance your core nutrients while incorporating more fruit and vegetables into your diet while avoiding substances like caffeine and alcohol.

5. Exercise:

Consistent, physical exercise is scientifically proven to improve your sleep quality but also decrease sleep onset latency, and help insomnia. 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise can lead to not only deeper sleep but can also help stabilize your mood and decompress your mind, getting you in the right mindset for sleep. However, you should be wary of doing vigorous exercise especially near bedtime as that could hurt your sleep more than it benefits it.  Remember to start off slowly, slowly building up your stamina and strength as you incorporate exercise into your daily life. Most importantly, it is also important to exercise a couple hours before bed as exercise releases endorphins (chemicals that keep you awake) and raises your body temperature which signals to your body to stay awake leading to difficulties in falling asleep.When it comes to exercise, choose an activity you enjoy and aim to do it regularly making sure it’s scheduled early enough in the day to avoid interfering with sleep.

Here’s a chart that illustrates the most effective time of the day to do certain exercises:

In summary, achieving quality sleep goes beyond simply aiming for eight hours in bed. Trying holistic strategies like identifying your sleep type, incorporating pranayama and yoga, maintaining balanced nutrition, and exercising regularly might just be what you need to maximize your sleep quality and quantity as these practices both address the needs of your mind and body encouraging relaxation, reducing stress, and supporting long-term health. Next time you find yourself struggling to sleep, try one of these low risk, low cost, and effective practices to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Contact us to make an appointment with The Functional Ayurveda MD™ to discuss evidence based sleep strategies customized just for you!