Our sleep affects our health and our general mood throughout the day.  If you’re tossing and turning, are restless, snore, or feel sleepy during the day, then you may be having problems getting the deep sleep you need.  There are basically three different kinds of sleep disorders, one for each dosha.  When you have trouble falling asleep, that is typically because of too much Vata.  If you fall asleep, and then wake up in the middle of then night and can’t get back to sleep, that is indicative of a Pitta imbalance.  When you can’t seem to get enough sleep, you have trouble waking up in the morning, then that shows an overabundance of Kapha.  There are lots of reasons why we may have trouble sleeping, and no matter what they are, Ayurveda has solutions to help us get that good night’s rest.
-Avoid caffeine, especially after noon.
-Eat a light meal between 5 and 7 pm.  This will give you time to digest before you go to sleep, so that you body can rest more soundly.
-An hour before bed, relax.  Avoid stimulating activities such as working on the computer, or watching the nightly news.  Take a nice bath, or listen to music.  Use this time to wind down.  Take slow, deep breaths.
-Get to bed by 10 pm.  This is still Kapha time, when our body naturally wants to rest.
-Wear comfortable clothing to bed, breathable fabrics like cotton.
-Keep the room dark or dimly lit.