Need better sleep? An Ayurvedic practitioner reveals her 10-second secret for a calm mind and peaceful night. #AyurvedaSleep #SleepHack #Wellness
Explanation in video
Hey everyone, John here! We all know that feeling, right? Tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, wishing for sleep to just… happen! It’s super frustrating, and not getting enough good Zzz’s can make everything feel tougher. Well, today we’re going to dive into some wonderful advice from an expert that might just help us all drift off a bit more peacefully. And guess what? It includes a super quick trick that literally takes about 10 seconds!
Meet Our Sleep Guru: Shivani Gupta
Our guide for better sleep today is Shivani Gupta. She’s not just anyone giving tips; Shivani holds a Ph.D. and is an Ayurvedic practitioner. This means she’s deeply knowledgeable about ancient practices that can help our modern, busy lives.
Lila: “John, that sounds impressive! But… what exactly is an ‘Ayurvedic practitioner’? And what is Ayurveda?”
John: “Great questions, Lila! Think of Ayurveda (pronounced Eye-yer-VEY-duh) as a really, really old system of holistic health that started in India thousands of years ago. The word ‘Ayurveda’ actually means ‘the science of life’ or ‘knowledge of life.’ It’s not just about treating sickness; it’s a whole philosophy about how to live in balance with nature and yourself – covering diet, lifestyle, daily routines, and even things like yoga and meditation, all to help you stay healthy and feel your best. It’s like an ancient user manual for your body and mind! So, an Ayurvedic practitioner, like Shivani, is someone trained in this ancient wisdom and helps people apply its principles.”
Why a “Wind-Down Routine” is a Game Changer
Shivani really highlights something many of us forget in our rush-rush lives: the importance of a good ‘wind-down routine.’ Imagine you’re driving a super-fast sports car. You can’t just slam on the brakes at 100 miles per hour and expect a smooth stop, right? You need to slow down gradually. Our brains and bodies are pretty similar. After a packed day filled with work, errands, and all sorts of stimuli, we can’t expect to just flick a switch and instantly be asleep. We need a little ritual, a sequence of calming actions, to signal to our body and mind, ‘Okay, team, it’s time to power down and prepare for rest.'”
This routine helps transition us from the “go-go-go” of the day to the “slow-slow-slow” needed for quality sleep.
Shivani’s Evening Ritual for Sweet Dreams
So, what does an expert like Shivani do to prepare for a night of restful sleep? Her evening ritual is thoughtfully designed and typically kicks off after dinner.
Step 1: Early Dinner, Happy Tummy
Shivani aims to have her dinner around 6:00 or 6:30 p.m. And here’s a key part: she generally doesn’t eat anything after that. Why? This gives her body ample time to digest the food well before she heads to bed. Eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime can mean your digestive system is still hard at work when it should be resting, which can interfere with sleep.
Step 2: Hydrate Wisely
Instead of late-night snacks, Shivani focuses on hydration. But she’s particular about how she hydrates. She opts for warm water or a soothing herbal tea. Think of it like a gentle, warm hug for your insides, helping to calm and prepare your system for rest, rather than shocking it with something ice-cold.
Step 3: The All-Important Digital Detox
This is a biggie for most of us in the modern world! Shivani makes it a point to put away all screens – that means phones, tablets, computers, and even the TV – at least an hour or two before she plans to sleep. The blue light emitted from these devices can trick our brains into thinking it’s still daytime, suppressing the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone) and making it harder to fall asleep.
Step 4: Soak Away the Day’s Stress
A warm shower or a relaxing bath is next on her agenda. The warmth of the water isn’t just pleasant; it can be incredibly soothing for tired muscles and a busy mind. It helps to release physical tension and can also trigger a slight drop in body temperature afterwards, which is conducive to sleep.
Step 5: Journaling for a Clearer Mind
Before the final step in her sleep prep, Shivani takes a few quiet moments to journal. This doesn’t mean writing a lengthy essay! It can be as simple as:
- Jotting down a few things she’s grateful for from the day.
- Writing down any lingering thoughts, worries, or to-do items for tomorrow.
This practice is like emptying your mental backpack. It helps get those swirling thoughts out of your head and onto paper, so they’re not keeping you company when you’re trying to sleep.
The 10-Second Ayurveda Hack: Oiling Your Ears!
And now, for the moment you’ve been waiting for – the super quick, 10-second Ayurveda hack that Shivani swears by! After all her other wind-down steps, just before getting into bed, she performs a simple Ayurvedic practice called Karna Purana. Essentially, this means oiling the ears.
Lila: “Whoa, hold on John! ‘Karna Purana’? That sounds very specific. Can you break that down for us beginners?”
John: “Absolutely, Lila! ‘Karna Purana’ (you can say it like KAR-nah POO-ra-nah) is a traditional practice from Ayurveda. ‘Karna’ means ‘ears’ and ‘Purana’ means ‘to fill’ or ‘to put in.’ So, it literally translates to the practice of putting oil into the ears. It might sound a bit unusual to us, but it’s a well-regarded technique in Ayurveda, believed to have many benefits for calming the mind and the nervous system – which is exactly what you want before sleep!”
Here’s how Shivani does this simple, yet powerful, 10-second ritual:
- Choose your oil: She uses warm (important: comfortably warm, not hot!) sesame oil. Sometimes, specialized Ayurvedic ear oils are also used. A little goes a long way.
- Application: She puts just a couple of drops of the warm oil into each ear.
- Gentle Massage: She then gently massages the area around her ears – the tragus (that little flap at the front), behind the ear, and the earlobe.
And that’s pretty much it! A few seconds per ear, and you’re done. It’s a quick, simple act of self-care.
But Why Does Oiling Your Ears Work?
You might be scratching your head, wondering, “Okay, but how on earth can putting a bit of oil in my ears help me sleep better?” It’s a fair question! From the Ayurvedic perspective, it’s all about balancing certain energies in the body.
Ayurveda talks about three fundamental energies, or ‘doshas,’ that govern our physical and mental processes. One of these is called Vata dosha.
Lila: “John, you’re introducing some fascinating concepts! ‘Vata dosha’… what’s that all about? It sounds a bit like a character from a fantasy story!”
John: “Haha, it does have a bit of a mystical ring to it, Lila! But it’s quite practical. Vata dosha (pronounced VAH-tah DOH-shah) is primarily associated with the elements of air and space. Think of Vata as the energy of movement in your body and mind. It governs things like breathing, blood circulation, the movement of thoughts, nerve impulses, and elimination. When Vata is in balance, you feel energetic, creative, enthusiastic, and clear-headed. However, because it’s linked to air and space, it’s also very light, dry, and mobile, meaning it can easily go out of balance.”
“When Vata dosha gets too high or becomes aggravated – often due to stress, irregular routines, too much travel, or even dry, windy weather – it’s like your internal ‘wind’ is blowing too hard. You might feel anxious, your thoughts might race, you could feel restless, scattered, have dry skin, and, crucially for our topic, find it really hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. It’s like trying to find peace in a windstorm! Your mind just won’t settle.”
So, according to Ayurvedic wisdom, the practice of Karna Purana (oiling the ears) is particularly good for calming and pacifying this excess Vata dosha. The ears are considered a primary site where Vata can accumulate. Applying warm oil is seen as a grounding, nourishing, and stabilizing practice. It’s like gently closing the windows to quiet that internal wind, soothing your nervous system, and helping to quiet a racing mind. Shivani mentions that this practice can help to ‘pull out toxins’ – which, in this context, can be understood as easing out the day’s stress, mental clutter, and that ‘windy’ Vata energy – leaving you feeling more grounded and peaceful, ready for sleep.”
More Than Just Sleep: The Added Bonuses
While achieving better sleep is a fantastic benefit, Shivani points out that this simple ear-oiling practice offers more. It’s a moment of intentional self-care, a gentle act of kindness towards yourself. That gentle massage combined with the sensation of warm oil can be incredibly comforting and nurturing. It’s a small ritual that tells your body and mind that it’s safe to relax, let go of the day, and prepare for rejuvenation.
John’s Thoughts
You know, what really strikes me about this advice, especially the Karna Purana, is its beautiful simplicity. We often chase complex solutions for our problems, but sometimes these time-tested, ancient practices offer profound benefits with very little fuss. The whole idea of a dedicated wind-down routine just makes so much sense – we can’t expect our minds and bodies to go from 100 mph to a dead stop in an instant. This ear oiling trick sounds like such a lovely, gentle, and quick way to signal ‘quiet time’ to our entire system. It’s definitely something I’m curious to try!
Lila’s Perspective
As someone who’s new to a lot of these ideas, I find the concept of a wind-down routine really appealing. The digital detox and journaling parts especially resonate with me because my phone is practically glued to my hand! The ear oiling part… I’ll admit, it sounds a little unusual at first, but hearing John explain the ‘Vata dosha’ as an internal ‘wind’ that needs calming actually makes a lot of sense for those nights when my thoughts are racing. If it’s as quick and calming as Shivani says, it’s definitely worth considering. It’s amazing how these ancient practices connect so directly to how we feel today!
This article is based on the following original source, summarized from the author’s perspective:
The Ultimate Ayurveda Hack For Better Sleep (That Takes 10
Seconds)