Sleep

The evening is a time to prioritize grounding and inviting our focus and energy inward. It can feel hard to transition from a busy and stimulating day into the evening hours. This energy is often carried with us into the nighttime, affecting our sleep and ability to relax and restore. The yin energy of the evening invites us to spend time in quiet, connecting with ourselves and releasing and grounding the energy and mental noise we have accumulated throughout the day.

Quality sleep plays an important role in physical and mental health. Chronic sleep insufficiency increases risk factors for nearly every major disease. Yet, according to the Centers for Disease Control nearly one-third of Americans are habitually sleep-deprived. Prioritizing sufficient, quality rest may be the single biggest step that you can take to stave off disease and promote wellbeing.

A good night's sleep can make all of the difference in our emotional well-being, energy, and how we show up for the day. Unfortunately, it can feel difficult for many of us to turn off the mind's chatter and release the stress of our days enough to get a good night of rest.

Transitioning from our busy days into the evening can feel challenging for many. Even though the day is finished, the chatter of the mind and stress we carry often continues. This can make it hard to relax and especially hard to fall asleep. It is essential that we take measures to intentionally wind down the day and prepare the body for rest.

There are three major hormonal shifts in the life of a menstruating and life-producing individual: puberty, childbirth, and menopause. While the two former events receive a plethora of societal attention, menopause tends to be proportionally minimized. Individuals coming to the end of monthly cycles are frequently left to navigate their last major physical transformation using the physical, psychological, and spiritual tools from past decades. However, through updated practices and perspectives the hormonal fluctuations of menopause can become a source of thriving.

Unseen by you, thousands of processes take place in your body every minute, and all are timed and balanced by biological clocks. Medicine is far from knowing how these biorhythms stay perfectly in sync, but it is known for certain that the master biorhythm is sleep. Missing even one night’s good sleep affects hormonal balance, digestion, stress response, and mood.

Welcome autumn when school begins, the number of evening hours increase, and vata dosha characterizes the new season. September marks the perfect time to reinstate routine into our lives, as we walk in autumn air that cools our cheeks. For some, the idea of routine might sound restrictive. In reality, routines help balance vata dosha, leading to a sense of being grounded, nourished, and supported. Cherishing the differences of each season and altering our self-care routines accordingly paves the way for smooth and joyful transitions allowing us to appreciate all that nature offers.

“Rest if you must. But don’t you quit.” – Edgar A. Guest

Every month, Dr. Suhas will answer questions from our followers about men’s health and wellness. If you have general questions for him, please send us an email to askdrsuhas@chopra.com, and your question may be the one he answers next month.