The terminology used for sleep in Ayurveda is NIDRA.

In this fast era and busy scheduled life all we become tired at end of the day and go to bed and like Boom… waking up with freshness and energetic!…. How???   because of GOOD SLEEP.

All we know about sleep is the resting phase of our body. Any living being without proper sleep can’t function properly.

Improper sleep and less sleep lead to many diseases, and also more sleep itself a disease.

In Ayurveda NIDRA is included under TRISTAMBH (TRI – three, STAMBH – Piller) –THREE PILLARS for living a healthy life. our healthy life needs 33.33% food,33.33% sleep, and 33.33% sexual life.

Sleep is a reversible state marked by a loss of consciousness to our surroundings and our brains have evolved to respond to danger by increasing vigilance and attention.

Definition of sleep:

यदा तु मनसि क्लान्ते कर्मात्मान: क्लमान्विता: |

विषयेभ्यो निवर्तन्ते तदा स्वपिति मानव : ||

While performing all the activities, the mind gets tiredness and all indriya(sensory orgens) also feel same, they are detached from their respective subjects and person fall in asleep.

Types of NIDRA:

  • According to Acgarya Charak:
  • Tamobhava
  • Shleshmasamudbhava
  • Manahsharir sambhava
  • Aagantuki
  • Vyadhyanuvartini
  • Ratruswabhavprabhava
  • According to Acharya Sushruta:
  • Vaishnavi
  • Vaikariki
  • Tamashika

According to Acharya Vagbhatta:

Types describe by Acharya Charak + Papatmika

Does day sleep  beneficial or not?

Ayurveda separately listed human beings who allowed for day sleep:

  • Children
  • Retired persons
  • Pregnant ladies
  • Person indulges in excessive singing, reading
  • Who used to more consumption of alcohol, intercourse
  • Labour worker
  • Excessive walking
  • Emaciated person
  • Thirsty
  • Patient of indigestion
  • Patient of bronchitis
  • Patient of diarrhea and pain
  • Who awake at night
  • Shok
  • Krodh
  • Bhaya

In grishma kala (summer season) all healthy and diseased persons are allowed to sleep.

Benefits of sleep:

It gives good health, proper and good nourishment to the body, increases body strength, shukravardhak

Increase activities of sensory organs and gives a better life span.

Side effects of improper sleep:

It causes many diseases, emaciation, loss of strength, loss of sexual function, loss of all sensory organs and their subjects, impotency and also leads to death.

Reasons for NIDRANASHA:

  • Vayu (Dosha)
  • Pitta (Dosha)
  • Manah santap (stress,tension)
  • Kshaya (decay of body)
  • Abhighata (injury)
  • Treatment:
  • Abhyanag (massage)
  • Head massage with murdhn tail
  • Udvartan (powder massage)
  • Samvahana

….but but do you have NIDRA??? There is something have similarities with NIDRA but not a NIDRA, IT called TANDRA.

What is TANDRA?

Tandra is having symptoms like excessive sleepiness, in cogitation of sensory organs, heaviness in the body, yawing, and laziness.

Difference between NIDRA and TANDRA:

NIDRA:

  • It takes in appropriate time
  • Person awakes by efforts
  • After waking up, person get their object via sensory organs
  • It decrease tiredness
  • It has Tama guna and Kapha dosha
  • Tandra:
  • It last for inappropriate time
  • Person doesn’t awakes by efforts
  • After waking up, person doesn’t get their objects via sensory organs
  • It increases tiredness

It has Pitta dosha, Kapha dosha and Tama guna