- Dr. Patty Hlava
Tips For Better Sleep
How to work with the rhythms of nature.

WHAT HELPS:
Start the day with water
Include movement/exercise during the day (morning is optimal!)
Enjoy 5 or more minutes of meditation somewhere in your day
Make lunch your biggest and most satisfying meal of the day
Enjoy a short walk after lunch
Enjoy an earlier, lighter dinner
Close your kitchen after dinner
Fill your evening with activities that are physical and connecting (aligning with kapha energy)
Feel your fatigue - Let it really sink in and cue you for deep rest
Reflect: journal for 10 minutes or sit in silence
Start dimming lights and sounds 1-2 hours before bed
Enjoy a yin or restorative practice--or a single pose
Practice foot massage before bed
Enjoy a golden milk or herbal tea before sleep if needed
Diffuse essential oils (lavender, cedar wood, vetiver)
Yoga nidra
Aim to be in bed and asleep before 10:00pm
WHAT TO MINIMIZE and/or AVOID:
Snacking throughout the day
Caffeine intake after late morning/mid-day
Continuous screen-focus throughout the day
Heavy meals at night (meats, dairy, breads, sugary foods)
Engaging in work or excessive mental activity in the evening (this is stimulating, and borrows energy from the next day)
Sleeping in late
The Rhythms of Nature follow the Dosha Clock:
USING THE DIGESTIVE FIRE TO SUPPORT SLEEP
Between the hours of 10:00 and 2:00, our digestion is at its peak. Mid-day, this digestive fire is primed for breaking down food and transforming it into energy. When we eat our biggest meal here, we are giving ourselves the energy we need to get through the remainder of the day with clear thinking and steady energy. The evening hours of 10:00pm - 2:00am are the time when our body and digestive fire is primed for detoxification and rejuvenation. When we miss this window, or use this fire to digest food, we are impairing the quality of our sleep and borrowing energy from the next day. Over time, this leads to a breakdown in our immune system.
The Daily Rhythms
The primal energies and the times of day

Kapha: A grounding, downward moving energy. What we do during this
time, sticks. Digestion is weakest at this time. Morning is great for
exercise, task lists, & productivity. Evening is great for nurturing
relationships and intentional relaxation.
Vata: A variable and creative energy--a time of the mind. What we do
during this time expands. Morning is great for meditation, afternoon is
great for study & creative projects.
Pitta: An active and upward moving energy. Concentration & digestion
are strongest here. What we do here transforms. Daytime is optimal for
eating your largest meal and intellectual work. Evening is for detoxification
& emotional integration during sleep.
To optimize your sleep, optimize your daily rhythm.