I was feeling helpless with fatigue: how Ayurvedic detox therapy panchakarma helped a yoga tea

“I was simply tired and really wanted to be able to sleep … I was feeling helpless with discomfort and fatigue.”

Sharon went to Ananda in the Himalayas, a renowned wellness resort in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, desperate for a cure. She saw Chandan Malatkar Chandramohan, a specialist in Ayurvedic panchakarma and mental health, who takes a special interest in sleep disorders. He said the case was unusual. (Ayurveda is traditional Indian medicine.)

“She was a disciplined individual who was just unable to get herself to sleep,” he says.

Panchakarma is a specialised Ayurvedic detox therapy that involves purifying the body in five ways; vamana (therapeutic emesis, or vomiting), virechana (purgation therapy, inducing bowel movements by herbal combinations), vasti (therapeutic enema), nasya (errhine therapy, applying medicated oil or powders through the nostrils) and raktamokshana (blood-letting).

According to Ayurvedic texts, Sharon’s many complaints could stem from problems with all three of her doshas – the body’s circulatory forces made of elemental constituents – vata (air and space), pitta (fire and water) and kapha (earth and water).

“The guest’s primary concern was tiredness, poor lung capacity and breathlessness, and she constantly felt drained and fatigued, accompanied by uneasy headaches in the centre of the head,” he said.

To address the insomnia, Chandan prescribed nasal drops with medicinal herbs and oils, and basti – medicated enemas to address the aggravated vata.

Chandan cautions against using modern medicines such as sedatives to treat insomnia, as they can create dependency and have wide-ranging side effects.

“Panchakarma is an extremely effective way to deal with sleep disorders, starting with cleansing of the gross channels [including the digestive tract] which will improve the mental patterns, too.”

After 10 days at Ananda, Sharon was enjoying seven hours of uninterrupted sleep a night. She has since returned for another week, this time with no agenda other than to relax.

“She is thrilled at this dramatic life-changing journey,” Chandan says.

9 go-to Ayurvedic strategies for better sleep

1. Herbal help

Drink a calming herbal tea before bed. Ingredients such as licorice, camomile, cardamom, and hibiscus-based teas are calming agents that help you get into a healthy sleep routine.

An ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) supplement can be used at bedtime to improve sleep quality.

2. Sleep hygiene

Avoid stimulating drinks like coffee and caffeinated tea from 2pm, and avoid television and mobile phone usage an hour before bedtime. Falling asleep in front of the TV is neither restful nor restorative.

Sleeping and waking up late does not have the ideal resting effect on our body because of hormonal functions that follow the sun’s rhythm.

3. Create a sleep ritual

A simple sleep ritual includes activities, food and/or herbs that will lead to a well-deserved, deep and restorative night’s sleep.

Eat neither too little nor too much for dinner. Hunger may disturb sleep, while overeating may affect sleep quality, leaving you feeling tired in the morning.

Drink most of the liquid you need before 6pm. Don’t try to compensate for low water intake just before bed, as this will interrupt sleep.

Eat dinner in a peaceful environment, being mindful of what you are eating. Avoid watching TV or your smartphone while eating.

Consume calming and digestive herbal teas after dinner.

Light walking, yoga or reading can be done after dinner, but avoid strenuous activities like high-intensity workouts or cardio exercises.

Spend some time observing your breathing and appreciating the day just before bedtime. This can transform into a meditative experience or prayer, which helps to let go of negative feelings and emotions.

4. Connect to your inner self

We spend most of our days tuning out our feelings. We act in accordance with what others think, feel or expect from us. Create dedicated space in your day to do things you love to do for yourself.

Connect to how you feel about all that happened in the day. Make your inner child feel happy and heard every day.

5. Transfer the mental clutter onto paper

Before sleeping, write down all that is going on in your mind. Try not to edit or make sense of what you write. Simply transfer the jumble of thoughts or feelings onto paper. Once it is all on paper, destroy the paper.

The mind reads it as release and completion. Practised over a period of time, this exercise brings many insights from the subconscious to conscious awareness.

6. Try not to try too hard

Create one simple night ritual for yourself and stick to it. It takes time for the mind to get used to a ritual and create an association of ritual with sleep. Keep it simple.

7. Fix the basics

Avoid pushing your body into a stress cycle. Wake up as close to sunrise as possible, exercise, eat healthily, eat your meals at roughly the same time each day. Try not to eat the last meal of the day too close to the time you go to sleep.

Let your body know you are nourishing it with love. A fixed routine helps ground the mind.

8. Detox the physical body

A physical system loaded with the extra work of repairing your insides will find it harder to rest. Try a holistic detox or a panchakarma, especially with the change of each season.

A lighter, free-flowing circulation makes it easier for the mental self to feel light.

9. Seek help – from your subconscious mind

If sleeplessness persists, consider working with a professional to understand the deep-seated cause of your sleep disorder.

A hypnotherapist helps you connect to your own subconscious mind to understand the underlying issue and alter its perception by reconditioning negative behaviour patterns.

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