The Kashyap Sanhita, a renowned and ancient treatise on Ayurveda, describes the signs of good health as follows – lightness in the body, enthusiasm to work, the ability to sleep soundly and wake up fresh in the morning, a focused mind and senses that have their best functional capacities.
Tiredness is exactly the opposite.
It is natural to experience some amount of tiredness at the end of a day full of work. However, if one feels tired all the time, or feels tired without having done much work, it is a concern and definitely should not be ignored.
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE TIRED
When you say you are tired, it is necessary to understand the meaning for this generally used term, in your specific context.
An elderly person can feel tired more easily as their physical energy is obviously lower than a young person. But tiredness is also frequently felt by those who have no dynamism left in their lives, or have lost interest in life. Those who don’t enjoy their work or who are unwilling to work can also begin to feel tired very easily and offer it as an excuse to avoid further work.
Tiredness can be related to deficiencies of vitamins, iron, calcium or loss of protein and these cases need the appropriate nutritional attention and support. According to Ayurveda, tiredness occurs as a result of imbalanced Vata dosha and insufficient nutrition at physical as well as other subtler levels.
Proper nutrition is one that supports all the seven levels of tissue (dhatus), which in turn will keep the energy levels high. Rasa dhatu (principle of liquidity) will nourish the entire body. Rakta dhatu (blood) will carry Praan (life force) to each and every cell in the body. Mansa dhatu (muscles) is used in almost all the body activities and Shukra dhatu (vital fluids) will provide nourishment to all the vital organs in the body. Therefore, if one is tired, these four tissue levels need attention so that your Praan can increase.
The Shrimad Bhagawad Geeta says ‘annaad bhavanti bhootaani’, which means beings are made via food, or, we are what we eat! The first and most important factor to raise energy levels is to eat a nourishing and balanced diet. Plan your diet according to your body type – whether vata, pitta or kapha dominance.
FOOD FOR ENERGY
As noted above, the food you eat should have the capacity to nourish all the tissue levels (dhatus) in the body. For example, good quality A2 milk, homemade butter and homemade ghee are considered a must if you want to increase your energy levels. Milk has the capacity to nourish all the seven dhatus, balance Vata dosha and help the body retain energy for a longer time. Homemade butter is especially good for muscles and the vital fluids. Homemade ghee lubricates the entire body and helps the body remain young. Sugar is important too and ‘sweet’ (madhur rasa) is the king of all tastes. The best and easiest source is stone sugar, made from sugar cane. Using 2-3 tsp in the day is really good for the nerves and the brain.
Panchamrut, literally means, the five-nectar recipe. This elixir consists of 1 tsp ghee, 1 tsp curd, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp honey and 5-6 tsp milk (mixed together in that order). It is best taken every morning before breakfast (on an empty stomach). It is a super tonic for the body and keeps you energetic throughout the day.
TONICS – RASAYANA
Ayurveda has developed the unique concept of tonics so that we may be able to live and work at maximum capacity, and keep our organs and tissues healthy throughout life. The most popular amongst these is Chyavanprash – the Ayurvedic super tonic made with amla (Indian gooseberry) as a base, along with many other herbs. The most important among other tonics are Dhatri Rasayan, San Rose and Atmaprash. Tonics help at both mental and physical levels.
SELF CARE TECHNIQUES
People who feel tired often say that they are exhausted by their normal schedules and so they can’t even think of exercising. This is a fallacy. In fact, regular exercise increases your energy levels and gets you charged up and ready for the day! It keeps the body flexible, the muscles toned, leading to a good physique too, and helps brain functions remain optimal. Exercise is vital for bone and joint strength too.
It is essential to include some Yoga and Pranayam in your routine for breathing discipline and hormonal balance. It attracts more praan (life energy). Santulan Kriya Yoga, designed by Shreeguru Dr. Balaji Tambe is the easiest possible form of Yoga.
In today’s age, especially for many people in stressful jobs, mental exhaustion may be a bigger concern than physical tiredness. Healing music and chanting Aum are a boon to help break through the vicious cycle of stress and exhaustion. Listening to healing music everyday helps relaxation of the nerves and brain, and prevents any pile up of stress. We regularly receive many testimonials confirming the benefits of listening to our healing music albums like Spirit of Harmony or Yoga Nidra.
REJUVENATE AT HOME
After the age of 35-40 years, it would be recommended to do a complete detox with Santulan Panchakarma. However, there are some easy home remedies too. The most effective is Abhyanga oil application. Applying Abhyanga oil on the whole body takes just five minutes. Before sleeping would be a good time, although it can be done at any time of the day. It keeps tiredness away, helps maintain youth, strengthens the bones, tones the muscles and keeps skin smooth and glowing.
DON’T IGNORE TIREDNESS
We often ignore signs like tiredness and depend on the body’s ability to bounce back in any situation. Feeling tired every day or frequently is certainly not normal. An energetic body also supports mental energy and together this will lead to a positive cycle in your daily life. Be aware of tiredness creeping up. With the small efforts outlined above you can deal with it easily and remain at the peak of your capacities at all times!