A good night’s sleep is what you need the most. Any health professional should be able to tell you how important sleep is for the well-being of any individual. Children and the elderly tend to sleep more, but the average adult needs about 8 hours of sleep a night. According to your body’s constitution, you may need either more or less sleep.  For example, those who are predominantly Kapha tend to sleep more than those who are Vata and Pitta.

Most career professionals and students do not get enough sleep. Sleep, as we all know gives us the rest we need to go about the activities of the day. The main text of Ayurveda, Charak Samhita, states, “Proper sleep brings about happiness and longevity.” When you get a goodnight’s sleep, you feel happier and fresher throughout the day.

 According to Ayurveda, there is one particular dosha that is predominant during certain time periods of the day. Vata time period is from 2 am to 6 am and 2 pm to 6 pm. Pitta is most dominant from 10 am to 2 pm and 10 pm to 2 am. Kapha is strongest from 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm. These dosha periods of the day play a key role in sleep. Ayurveda recommends going to sleep before 10 pm. The reason for this is that it is best to go to bed during Kapha time. Kapha time in the evening is the time of day where your body begins to slow down. Around 8 or 9 pm is also when you begin to feel sleepy. Ideally, this should be the low point of your day. When you go to bed before 10, then you bring the Kapha influence with you and are likely to fall asleep much more easily. It is between 10 and 2 at night in which your body does the most repair work of the day. Between 10 and 2 is when Pitta works to eliminate any toxins and ama (undigested food) from the day. Even modern medicine agrees that sleep between 10 and 2 is the most important sleep of the night because many hormones, such as the human growth hormone, are released which ensure a balanced functioning of the physiology. The eyes are organs of Pitta and sight involves fire or light. Therefore, if you are awake after 10 pm, then Pitta becomes more active to keep you awake rather than to clean the channels of circulation and remove any ama that has been accumulated. Ayurveda also recommends waking up before 6 am, so that you awake under the influence of Vata, which is lightness and movement. If you awake under Vata, then you will bring those qualities with you throughout the day. Those who awake under the influence of Kapha tend to feel more heavy and lazy throughout the day. Sleep is most important to maintain good health. Ayurveda supports the old saying, “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”