Is Sleeping During The Day Good Or Bad According To Ayurveda?
shaheen naserHealth & Wellness Writer Experience: 3 yearsShaheen holds a postgraduate degree in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from Bharathiar University. She is a Geneticist with proficiency in Biotechnology, Immunology, Medical Genetics, Biochemistr... more
There are a lot of people who just cannot do without an afternoon siesta, and eventually, it becomes a habit for them.
But have you ever wondered why you feel so sleepy during the afternoon? Is it because of lack of sleep during the night that you wish to complete your sleep by taking a nap during daytime? Is it good for your health? A few people say that sleeping during daytime is good for the human body, while others say it’s not.
Ayurveda has answers to all these questions along with the benefits and side effects of taking a nap during the day.
Our body cycles through three doshas every day in four-hour increments – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each time period is dominated by the respective dosha, and tuning our body with the natural rhythms helps us experience ease and harmony in our lives.
Kapha dosha, which dominates between 6 to 10 am, is all about the body, where you’re supposed to be active. Performing exercises is beneficial. If you sleep during this time of the day, you’ll feel lazy, and your internal organs won’t function as optimally and smoothly as they should. As per Ayurveda, lunch is the most important meal of the day. Thus, having a light breakfast is recommended so that you won’t feel sleepy.
Pitta dominates during 10 am to 2 pm. Pitta refers to the transformative fire that allows the digestion of food. This is why it is always said that you must prefer your biggest meal during lunchtime. During this time, your body is able to transform the food you eat into energy and fuel that is helpful during the rest of the time. Since the body’s energy is more focused towards digesting the food, there is less energy for physical activities.
Vata dominates the next time period i.e. from 2 pm till 6 pm. This time is the best for mental and creative activities as your brain functions very effectively. But along with this, you may also feel sleepy during this time. It’s always preferable to do those things at this time that makes you feel relaxed and happy such as having a cup of hot tea. And the cycle of dosha goes on like this.
As per Ayurveda, it is not advisable to sleep during daytime as it may cause an imbalance between the kapha and pitta doshas. This imbalance can have adverse effects on the functioning of the body. However, Ayurveda also states that people who are healthy and strong can take naps during daytime, but only during summer. The reason behind this is the nights are shorter during summer, and there are chances that body might get overdrained due to hot weather.
Ayurveda also specifies who can sleep in the afternoon and who must not sleep during daytime. Mentioned below are the group of individuals who can sleep during daytime:
- Students – Might get tired of studying continuously. Taking a nap in between can help boost their brain.
- Elderly people – To give rest to their bodies and minds.
- People who suffer from indigestion problems due to vata imbalance.
- Singers – Taking a nap in between can help balance the vata dosha.
- Short-tempered people – Sleeping can calm their minds.
- People who have undergone any surgery in the past – Sleeping can help fasten the process of curing.
- People such as laborers who do hard and heavy work – Sleeping can help them relax for some time.
- People who wish to gain weight or are malnutritioned.
- People with grief – Sleeping can help them forget their pain for a while.
- People with a hangover.
People who should avoid sleeping during daytime are as follows:
- People who are suffering from obesity
- People who are working out for weight loss
- Diabetic patients
- People who eat oily food a lot
There is a reason why these people are asked to avoid sleep during daytime. Sleeping during daytime can lead to several problems. Some of them are as follows:
- Fever
- Aggravation of cold
- Obesity
- Disease related to throat
- Increases in the sensation of nausea and vomiting
- Lack of good memory and intelligence
- Diseases related to skin
- Swelling
- Weak immunity system
- Weak sense organs
The Conclusion
While Ayurveda recommends sleeping during daytime, each person should take some time to contemplate and understand whether sleeping can be beneficial for them or if taking midday naps can lead to aggravation of problems. It is always better to keep problems at bay, especially if you know what can harm your body, and how you can prevent it.
Hope you find this article helpful. Share your views in the comments box below.
