PHOTOGRAPH: TRINETTE REED/STOCKSY
Sleep has transformative power, as we withdraw into more subtle layers of consciousness and are gently renewed. Sleep, or nidra, is a pillar of Ayurvedic healing but there is no catch-all route to sweet dreams, and we’re best guided by individual equilibrium.
Disturbed, anxious slumber is common for people with vata imbalance, who tend to sleep the least but benefit from it the most. When pitta is inflamed, sleep is hot and quick, and only moderate sleep is needed but we may feel depleted faster. With kapha imbalance, we are compelled towards too much sleep and feel heavy – snooze-button territory! Think of winter mornings when the season’s humour is predominantly kapha. This weight also swells around the full moon and is best remedied by less sleep.