Tending to Sleep

How are you sleeping lately? It's been a challenge for many people I know - the changes in the landscape and all the loss in the Southeast mountains, the coming election, the wars in the Middle East, climate change, loss of loved ones... there is a lot to keep us up at night.

Yet, sleep is when our bodies, minds, and spirits heal. It is vital to our ability to function with skill throughout our days.

We underestimate how powerful it is to rest deeply and regularly. We know from Ayurveda that the Autumn season is the season of "powering down." We need more rest as the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, sleep is required to nourish our vitality through the winter and seed our dreams into reality.

 Unfortunately in our unbalanced culture, we end up pushing to accomplish more each day and then forcing ourselves to “power down” when we actually haven’t given our bodies and minds the adequate support to cultivate nourishing sleep. This wind-down time and space is also known as "sleep hygiene."

Sleep is underrated as a key component for health with famous phrases like, “I will sleep when I am dead.” or “Who said nights were for sleep?” being popular in our cultural norms.

Not surprisingly, over 30% of Americans have insomnia and the United States is the lead consumer of sleep aids in the world. These statistics are very telling!

There is no good reason for so many of us to struggle with this simple and natural biological need. We simply need to learn how to create great sleep habits within the rhythms of our lives and our daily choices. Ayurveda's ancient wisdom provides all the knowledge we need to put into practice in our modern lives.

If you are struggling with sleep, that is simply your body communicating that there are imbalances in your life that need your attention. Masking those imbalances with drugs doesn’t benefit you at all in the long term, as drug induced sleep is very different from actual biological sleep. Our nervous systems need tending, our senses need soothing, and extending compassion and kindness toward ourselves and each other at this time is vital.

Perhaps we would do well to take this Irish Proverb to heart:

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.”

Sleep is not negotiable if you want to stay healthy (and it will also help you maintain a sense of humor). The whole world looks different to well-rested eyes.

Ayurvedic wisdom allows you to repair your relationship with sleep and build habits to support restful and nourishing sleep, naturally. In the Vitality Circle, my year-long program for women seeking natural approaches for health issues, you will have the support you need to make meaningful and long-lasting changes that will benefit every part of your life.

The doors are open for this year-long evolutionary program, but only until October 31.

Due to the personal attention given in this program, space is limited. Reply to this email if you would like to claim one of the last remaining spots in the Vitality Circle. One partial scholarship spot is also available.

Together, we can tend to our own wellbeing and then the world's. Thank you for being here and taking good care of yourself right now. Sweet dreams!