37. Nidra — Sleep

Ayurveda names sleep one of the three pillars of life alongside food and regulated living. Good sleep nourishes the tissues, steadies the mind and supports ojas; poor sleep aggravates Vata and dulls agni. Many older adults sleep more lightly and wake more often; that is common, but adults over 65 still benefit from about 7–8 hours of sleep a night [4].

Figure. An Ayurvedic night — sleeping with the doshas

Practice	Ayurvedic reason	How
Sleep by 10 pm	Before the Pitta hours of night; deeper sleep in Kapha time	Lights dim from 9 pm
Light, early dinner	Heavy late meals disturb sleep and cause ama	Dinner by 7:30 pm
Golden milk	Milk, nutmeg and ghee calm Vata	150 ml at 9:30 pm
Foot massage	Grounds Vata; traditionally for sleep and eyes	Warm sesame oil or ghee, 3 min each foot
Screens off an hour before bed	Rajasic stimulation; light delays sleep	Read, pray, chant instead
Same time every day	Routine steadies Vata	Including weekends
Day sleep sparingly	Charaka allows it in summer, and for the elderly and weak	20–30 min after lunch, not late afternoon
Comfortable room	Calm, dark, ventilated	Light quilt in winter; cotton in summer
Night-time safety	Elders get up at night	Night-light in bathroom path; bed at knee height; grab bars

When to see a doctor about sleep Loud snoring with pauses in breathing, or gasping at night. Regularly sleeping less than 6 or more than 9 hours, or feeling unrefreshed with daytime sleepiness. Restless legs, frequent night urination, pain that wakes you, or low mood.