Last night I had a book signing at the Sharonville Public Library.  It was a nice group of interested people.  Most had heard about Ayurveda, meditation, and of course Yoga.  I gave them an introduction to Ayurveda.  We talked about its origins, the lifestyle, eating, sleeping, and eliminating (pooping).  When I teach or speak, I usually read the room’s energy  and that allows me to take the class where it needs to go.

Last night was interesting.  They wanted the information.  They desired something and it took me a while to get it.  What they wanted was a quick fix.  And what they really really wanted was a quick fix with little effort.  Ayurveda is not that.

That having been said, there are “quick fixes” within Ayurveda.  These still require planning and a little effort, however.  They may still require you to rework your life.  The effort is small, but the payout is really pretty big.  Here is my #1 quick fix:

GO TO BED

Between the hours of 10 pm and 2 am, your body goes into a hypermetabolic state where all your energy is used to heal and digest.  Food is digested.  Viruses are fought.  Bacteria is stabilized.  The stress of the day is released in the mind as you rest.  When you stay up past 10 pm, you take away the time that your body needs to do these functions.  Imagine staying up until midnight each night.  You lose 2 hours/night for 365 days and that equals 730 hours/year of “spa” time for the body.  Do that for 10 years!  Simply going to bed at 10 pm will facilitate proper digestions, boost immunity, increase metabolism, stabilize weight, and minimize the aging process.

When I say go to bed at 10 pm I do not mean that you have to be asleep.  Just get in bed.  Read a beautiful book.  Let your body rest.  Lights out at 11 pm.  No TV. Discussions with your partner about work, the to do list, or anything controversial are not allowed.

The resistance I heard last night was that people were busy.  They had a lot to get done. They needed the extra time to do their stuff and unwind.  I also heard that everyone was pretty much sleeping in beyond the hour of 6 am.

  • If you are Vata dosha, you need about 7 hours of sleep each night.  That means you are getting up at 5 am and not later than 7 am if bedtime is 10 pm.
  • Pitta dosha needs about 6 hours of sleep each night.  That means you are getting up at 4 am and no later than 6 am if bedtime is 10 pm.
  • Kapha dosha needs about 5 – 6 hours of sleep each night.  That means getting up probably around 4 am and no later than 6 am without exception for this dosha if bedtime is 10 pm. (Kapha actually does best with an 11 pm bedtime…they need much less sleep than the other doshas…of course they LOVE to sleep and sleeping less seems hard to them).

So you can see if you simply go to bed early, take advantage of this time to heal, and get up earlier (and take advantage of a little peace and quiet in the morning…..)you will still have MORE time to do all the things you need to do.

I am an avid 10 pmer.  I go to bed and study and read every night.  I’m usually asleep by 10:30.  Last night I decided I would stay up late to see what I was missing.  I ended up channel surfing.  A little Big Bang Theory, a little Criminal Minds, and then finally a little Conan.  Let me assure you…nothing good happens after 10 pm.  I turned my lights off at 12:03 am.  Today I slept until after 7 am and could have slept more.  I feel a little dense.  I feel tired.  I’m having a shot of coffee and if other humans were around me, I think I would be called “irritable.”  Grumpily yours, Pamela

*The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of ayurveda, yoga, and meditation. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. Check with your doctor before taking herbs or using essential oils when pregnant or nursing.