3 Ayurvedic remedies for a better nights sleep

Nothing beats waking up in the morning feeling rested and alive.

While we all know that good sleep is vital for total wellbeing, for some of us, getting enough regular rest is a nightly challenge.

Thankfully, there are many natural ways to mend broken sleep cycles.

Here are 3 Ayurvedic remedies for a better night's sleep :

1. Drink Tulsi Tea

Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil, is one of the most sacred plants in India and considered “Queen of the herbs.” Long hailed for her restorative and spiritual effects on the body, Tulsi has been used for thousands of years to support a healthy response to stress, aid in restoring natural sleep rhythms and calm an overactive mind.

Try a cup of warm Tulsi Tea before bedtime to experience deeper sleep without feeling foggy in the morning. For maximum benefit use 2-3 tea bags per cup of tea you prepare.

2. Give yourself a warm oil foot massage

A traditional Ayurvedic treatment for insomnia, giving yourself a warm oil foot massage before bed is said to draw excess energy in the body down from the head and into the feet. It not only helps to relax the body, but also aids in quieting a chatty mind - which is often the most common reason for restlessness. 

Many Eastern healing modalities recognize reflex points along the soles, ankles and upper part of the feet that correspond to the organs and glands, including the brain, heart, lungs, and intestines. An evening foot massage is believed to trigger these points and inspire deep relaxation from the inside out.

How to do it:

Warm up sesame, coconut or olive by putting it in a glass jar and placing it in a bowl of boiled water for a few moments. To begin, sit upright with your foot in your lap. Using both of your thumbs, side-by-side, press in to the large plantar pad below your big toe. Using small circular motions begin working your thumbs down the sole of your foot towards your heel, working the oil around the ankle. Then begin working your way back up making sure to massage each toe, in between the toes and the top of the foot. Massage each foot for 3 minutes or more.

3. Try Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is a powerful meditation technique and one of the most blissful sleep practices to develop and maintain.

Unlike other traditional meditation styles, Yoga Nidra is done lying down. The technique is designed to draw you into the deepest possible state of relaxation while still maintaining full consciousness. While the yoga nidra practice itself is not meant to put you to sleep, the after effects leave you feeling like a slab of butter on hotcakes - invited to melt into the deepest kind of slumber.