Sleep is essential  to recharge mind and body , functioning at best and protecting individuals well-being.  Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep to properly function next day. Children and teens need even more to be active and fresh next day.

Sleep deprivation means not getting enough sleep or you are not getting good quality sleep. Over a period of time with not getting enough sleep, it might cause disruptive symptoms that can interfere with persons normal routine activities as it cause negative impact on persons energy and mood. It can also affect persons heart, immunity , brain health, ability to handle stress and leads to serious long-term health issues like hypertension, stroke, anxiety, heart disease and depression.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ?

Normal cause

• Alcohol abuse
• Excessive use of caffeine
• High stress levels
• Bad sleep-related habits
• New or unfamiliar place to sleep

Medical conditions causing sleep deprivation :

• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Restless leg syndrome
• Insomnia
• Degenerative brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease
• Shirt-term illness like cold and flu

Mental health concerns causing sleep deprivations :

• Panic disorders
• Mania
• Bipolar disorders
• Anxiety

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION ?

Common symptoms are :

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Trouble in focusing, thinking and remembering
• Daytime sleepiness
• Slow reaction time
• Irritability

Severe symptoms includes :

• Hand tremors
• Micro-sleep
• Impaired judgment
• Uncontrollable eye movements
• Impulsive behavior
• Trouble in speaking clear
• Tactile and visual hallucinations

STAGES OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION:

• Stage 1 : The individual goes at least 24 hours without sleep. Symptoms are similar to being under influence of alcohol and it is not safe to drive
• Stage 2 : Symptoms intensify and person begin to experience micro-sleeps and have trouble focusing or thinking.
• Stage 3: Symptoms start to get severe and individual may struggles to communicate with others.
• Stage 4: Extreme levels of symptoms. Individual starts to experience Hallucinations in this stage.

SELF-CARE TO MANAGE SLEEP DEPRIVATION

• Develop a relaxing bedtime routine by developing habits like reading, meditation or warm bath before sleep.
• Limit the time spend around bright light or using electronic devices like phone, Computer etc.
• Regular physical activities to improve quality of sleep.
• Avoid alcohol intake or eating meal to close to bedtime.
• Stick to consistent schedule like going to bed and waking up at same time every day.

AYURVEDIC APPROACH :

In ayurveda Nidra (sleep) is considered as one of the three most important pillars for healthy body and mind. Sleep deprivation can be correlated with Nidranasha in ayurveda . Consumption of unwholesome food, fear, excessive fasting, excessive excercise etc sevan of these nidan leads to the aggravation of vata dosha in the body. Aggravate vata cause vitiation of kapha and pitta dosha in body which leads to the disturbance of sleep pattern in person.

PANCHKARMA PROCEDURES                              

• Abhyanga : Full body massage with medicated oils can helps to remove tensions, relax mind and body promoting sound sleep.
• Pichu : Ayurvedic treatment where medicated oil mixed with herbal powder and applied to center part of head. It helpful to reduce stress, tension, mental conditions and insomnia.
• Pada-Abhyanga : Foot massage with oil promotes blood circulation in body and mind thus helps to relieve stress and promote quality sleep.
• Shirodhara : Stream of warm medicated oil poured slowly onto centre of forehead followed by gentle scalp massage helps to reduce depression, fatigue, anxiety thus inducing quality sleep.

HERBS FOR NIDRANASHA:

• Ashwagandha
• Tagara
• Sarpagandha
• Brahmi
• Jatamansi
• Shatavari

CHANDIGARH AYURVEDIC CENTER MEDICATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF SLEEP DEPRIVTION

1. Calm Sleep tablet

CAC calm sleep tablet is an amazing combination of natural herbs like bhang, Brahmi, Tagar, jatamansi. It helps to relieve stressful conditions. They help to pacify the nervous system and also helps to calm minds and make your body relax and light.

Recommended Dosage:Take 1 tablet twice daily with normal water.

2. Brain relaxant churn

It is a herbal and purely Ayurvedic  formulation. It is 100% natural and pure. It is prepared from herbs that show calming effect on brain and gives you relaxation. It contains various herbs like Amla, Sonth, Pippali, Marich, Haldi, Bala, Suddha Gandhak, Lauh bhasma etc. that are Stress buster and provide you relief from anxiety. Herbs present in CAC Brain relaxant churna shows antioxidant, Neuroprotective, carminative and anti inflammatory properties.

Recommended Dosage:Take 1tsp twice a day with normal water.

3. Mann Mitra tablet

It is herbal and purely Ayurvedic medicine. It is used in Ayurvedic treatment for psychiatric conditions and help to balance all the three doshas of body i.e vata, pitta, kapha. CAC Mann Mitra tablet improves intelligence and speech problems. It is helpful for making the nervous system strong and nerves as well. It contains various herbs like Bala, Vacha, Shankhpushpi, Nagkeshar etc that help you fight insomnia, anxiety, and stress. It works as a antioxidant, anti depressant, immuno booster, anti epileptic and as neuro protective drug. The main ingredients are Ashwagandha, Vacha, Jeevak, Bala, Swaran bhasma. It shows effective results in Insomnia, Sleep disturbances, Anxiety, Stress booster, Immuno modulator, Schizophrenia and Panic attack.

Recommended Dosage:Take 1 tablet twice daily with normal water.

4. Brodley Syrup

Brodley syrup is considered as 100% natural, pure, organic and has no coloring, artificial flavors, and preservatives. It is an excellent source for inducing sleep in a natural way. The syrup contains herbs like – Yashti madhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Dhania (Coriandrum sativum), Saunf (Foeniculum vulgare), etc. It is rich in anti-oxidants and good for the functioning of your brain and improves the nerve functioning.

Recommended Dosage:Take 2 teaspoonfuls twice a day with normal water.

5. Tagaradi churna

Tagaradi churna is herbal and purely ayurvedic formulation. It is one of the most important herb in Ayurveda for Sleeping disorders. It is also used as general tonicand Sedative, Hypnotic,Carminative and Hypotensive. It help to correct doshas involved in sleep disturbance and maintain their balance. It contains herbs like Tagar, Shankhpushpi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha and Jyotishmati which help calm your mind and gives you a sound sleep. CAC Tagaradi churna has anti oxidant, anti inflammatory, sedative, anti depression properties.

Recommended Dosage:1 teaspoon twice a day.

Short-term insomnia or insomnia problem is experienced by every person at some Sproblems sleeping, apart from this, the patient remains asleep till the normal time of waking.

Although how much a person should sleep, it depends on the different needs of every human being. But most adults are advised to sleep for at least 7 hours a night. If your sleeping patterns are affecting your quality of life, it is possible that home remedies can help you.

1. Mindfulness Meditation

For Insomnia, the Mindfulness Meditation consists of sitting quietly and breathing at a slow and steady pace. Your attention will be focused on the rising and falling breaths, body, thoughts, feelings and sensations.

Mindfulness meditation has many healthy benefits that help in getting good sleep when you adopt a healthy lifestyle. This meditation also provides benefits such as decreased stress, increased concentration and increased immunity.

A study conducted in 2011 found that meditation improves insomnia and sleeping patterns. The participants in this study did meditation once a week and several times a day. Later they practiced it at their home for a few months.

You can do meditation any way you want. If you do not have much time, you can make a goal of doing just 15 minutes of meditation in the morning or evening. Join a meditation group and meditate with them once a week, so that you will be able to motivate yourself.

Meditation is safe, but its practice often awakens powerful emotions and sorrows buried in the corners of the mind. If you feel any kind of discomfort, stop the meditation for a few days.

2. Mantra Repetition

Repeating a mantra or positive sentence repeatedly can help to calm and concentrate the mind. Mantras create a feeling of peace in your mind and take away the complexities of the mind from you.

According to the research conducted in the year 2015, the problem of insomnia can be reduced by chanting mantras. A homeless woman involved in research chanted a mantra peacefully throughout the day and even before sleeping. Apart from this, others involved in research also practiced mantra chanting for a week. Within a week, his insomnia levels have declined.

You can choose mantras of Sanskrit, English or any other language. You can also choose a mantra for yourself online. You can choose any mantra that you find comfortable and peaceful.

But the chosen mantra should be easy, present tense and positive. By chanting the mantra, you will be able to focus on the repetition of sound continuously, it will really help you to get good sleep.

Whether you chant the mantra mentally or keep your focus on the words by speaking loudly. Whenever your mind starts wandering, slowly bring it back to the mantra. You can also play music while chanting mantras. You can recite mantras as many times as you want throughout the day. You can also use different mantras for chanting in the day and night.

3. Yoga

Yoga helps to relieve stress, increase body performance and mental focus.

Choose a style that focuses more on moving meditation or breath. Slow and controlled movement will make you feel more comfortable and foxed. Yin and restorative yoga are the best options.

Try to do a long session of yoga once a week. While practicing yoga for at least 20 minutes daily. Practicing yoga before bed can also help you a lot.

If a posture is not right for you, do not force it at all. You may get hurt by forcefully doing a posture. It is also very important to feel good with body and mind while doing yoga. However, this experience may be different for each person.

You can read this article to know about Yogasanas for Insomnia.

4. Exercise

Exercise improves overall body health. It keeps your mood fine, gives more energy, helps in weight loss, and also promotes good sleep.

In a study conducted in the year 2015, exercise has proved to benefit insomnia patients. The people involved in this study did at least 150 minutes of exercise a week for 6 months.

During this period, researchers found that the problem of insomnia declined among those involved in research. Along with this, there was a decrease in his depression and anxiety problem.

To get these benefits, you have to do moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes a day. In exercise, you can also do some strength training or difficult aerobic exercise.

You can choose the time and day according to your convenience. This will surely have a positive effect on your sleep and overall body health. But make the decision to exercise only in view of the condition and capacity of your body. In case of a medical condition, you must consult a doctor before doing this.

5. Massage

Massage not only improved the sleep quality of the patients but also eased day’s sleep. It also reduces the feeling of pain, anxiety and depression.

If professional massage is not available, then you can also massage yourself. Apart from this, you can also get a massage from your partner or friend. When the mind wanders, you can focus on the feelings and sensations that occur during the massage. You can also search online for tips and techniques related to massage.

Although it is absolutely safe to massage, but in case of any special medical condition, you should consult a doctor before massaging. If your skin is sensitive to any cream or oil, do a patch test before use.

Milk will bring sleep

If you are not able to sleep properly, you can drink a glass of warm milk mixed with one fourth nutmeg powder. Milk contains the protein trifetophone, which causes sleep in the body. With this, you can also drink asparagus by adding milk.

Healthy dietary intake

If you are having trouble sleeping or not sleeping properly during work from home, do not consume too much spicy or heavy food at home. These types of food are not easily digested, which causes the sleeping system to deteriorate. If you want to get a good sleep, you should always eat light food before sleeping.

If you are getting more tired from work during work from home, you can consume apple cider vinegar, as it contains amino acids that provide relief in fatigue. Apart from this, you can also take honey, which helps in getting sleep and gives relief to the body.  

Lavender

Lavender was used by traditional doctors to treat insomnia, but studies in clinical research in recent years have also believed that lavender is very beneficial for the treatment of sleep disorder. Also according to the conclusion made by the Associated Sleep Society, lavender oil can be an effective means of relieving insomnia, especially in women and young people.

Consuming milk and honey is a very old way of avoiding insomnia. Milk and honey regulates the secretion of insulin, so that the right amount of tryptophen is secreted into the brain. Tryptophane is converted to serotonin and sirtonin, melatonin, relaxes the brain, thus relieving insomnia.

Brahmi is commonly used for brains. It is not only a nutritious tonic for the brain, but it also gives peace to the brain. When a person is suffering from insomnia due to fatigue due to continuous mental work, one gets the amazing effect of Brahmi. Jatamansi is the Ram Baan medicine for diseases of brain and pulse, it works slowly but effectively. In the case of insomnia, taking one teaspoon of powdered root powder with fresh water one hour before bedtime is beneficial.

Shankhpushpi is a very effective medicine in herbs and especially for the brain and nerves. Its flowers are conch shaped, hence it is called Shankhpushpi. Shankhpushpi is considered as a powerful brain tonic, natural memory stimulant, and a good stress reliever. In case of insomnia, taking powder of its leaves mixed with cumin and milk is beneficial.

Ashwagandha

The root, leaves and stem of Ashwagandha are all very healthy. It is also a good aerosolize. Being a good antidote, it also relieves fatigue and relieves tiredness resulting in good sleep. In case of insomnia, take Sarpagandha, Ashwagandha and hemp in equal quantity. Make a powder by grinding it. Taking 3-5 grams of this powder with water at bedtime helps in getting good sleep.

Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, lignin, vitamin B, selenium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, etc. Flaxseed is considered to be a foodgood food, because flaxseed makes the mind happy, so it is also said to be beneficial for insomnia. Grinding flaxseed and castor oil in a plate of cashew paste and applying it on the eyes removes the problem of insomnia.

Fennel contains elements like calcium, sodium, iron, potassium, which keep the body healthy. Fennel is very beneficial for those who have insomnia. Boil 10 grams of fennel in half a liter of water if you are not sleepy and feeling lethargic all the time. When the water remains half, drinking a little salt and drinking it in the morning and evening, the problem is overcome.

Tulsi is a plant which is full of many wonderful medicinal properties. Tulsi is also very beneficial in insomnia. If you are unable to sleep, eat five leaves of basil and spread it around the pillow at night while sleeping, due to its aroma.

Ajwain contains health, beauty, fragrance and energy. Along with increasing the taste of the dish, it helps in curing many stomach related diseases like air disorders, worms, indigestion, constipation etc. Apart from this, it is also used to overcome the problem of insomnia. In the absence of sleep, the problem is overcome by taking half a spoon of parsley in the morning and evening.