Abstract

TOPIC – NIDRA IN AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE

Dr. Sakshi Sharma*, Dr. Guru Prasad Sharma, Dr. Ankita Thakur, Dr. Rajesh Manglesh and Prof. Dalip Sharma

ABSTRACT

Humans spend almost a third of their lifetime sleeping. Good sleep is essential and advantageous to the quality of life. A number of vital physiological changes occur during sleep and help people stay healthy and function at their best. Ayurveda regards nidra (sleep) as one of the most essential factors responsible for a healthy and fulfilling life. It is one of the Trayopastambhas (three great subsidiary pillars) on which a person's health is firmly balanced. Sound sleep at night is a natural and nourishing phenomenon, so it is also called Bhutadhatri (nourishes all living beings). Quality sleep is an indicator of good health as it is stress-relieving and normalizes bodily tissues. Adequate hours of sleeping is required for all the levels of wellbeing such as mental, physical and emotional levels. In Ayurvedic literature, sleep is one of the four basic, natural instincts, and is considered as the pioneer for health; the remaining three being the desire to eat, drink and have sexual contact. In almost all Samhitas, there is detail description of Dinacharya, Ratricharya, Ritucharya, Ahara Vidhi, Adharaniya and Dharaniya vega, Sadvritta etc. is given which are very helpful to an individual for healthy life and prevention of diseases. Nidra is part of lifestyle and may cause many diseases if it is not ideal, so why ancient seers have well elaborated this topic in their literature.

Keywords: Nidra, Health, Lifestyle, Ayurveda.