Sleep is induced when a person’s mind and senses get exhausted due to work and are further unable to continue coordination with their subjects. Proper sleeping time is indicated in Ayurvedic texts which imparts health, nutrition, strength, vigor, proper functioning of senses and maintenance of life. Sleeping during daytime (divaswapna) has various indications and contraindications as listed below-
Indications
- Person who have become weak due to indulgence in singing, studies, alcoholic drinks, sexual acts, bio-purification therapies, carrying heavy loads and walking long distances
- Patients of indigestion, phthisis, wasting, thirst, diarrhoea, colic, asthma and hiccough
- Old people, children and females, emaciated, fallen from height, injured, insane, exhausted due to riding vehicles or night awakening, anger, grief or fear stricken and persons accustomed to day sleep
- Only in summer season
Contraindications
- All seasons except summer
- Person who are obese, consuming unctuous diet daily and having kapha prakriti
- Suffering from diseases due to vitiated kapha like goiter, obesity, urticaria, Agnimandya(diminution of digestive power) etc. and person suffering from dushivisha (less potent toxins in dormant state which aggravate in favorable conditions)
Therefore, sleeping at proper time is essential for maintenance of health and life.
Dr. Deepa Sharma
(sha.dpa@gmail.com)