Nidra as Bhūtadhātrī: An Integrative Analytical Study of Ayurvedic, Yogic, and Neuroscientific Perspectives
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Nidra (sleep) is described in Ayurveda as one of the Trayopastambha (three pillars of life), alongside Ahara (diet) and Brahmacharya (regulated conduct) [1]. It is revered as Bhūtadhātrī (the sustainer of beings), essential for nourishment, strength, immunity, mental clarity, fertility, and longevity [2]. Classical texts emphasize that disturbances in Nidra lead to disease, premature aging, cognitive impairment, infertility, and even early death [3]. While modern science views sleep as a neurophysiological process vital for homeostasis, Ayurveda and Yoga provide a more holistic explanation, correlating Nidra with sensory withdrawal (pratyāhāra) and balance of Prāṇavāyu.
Aim: This study aims to critically analyze the concept of Nidra in Ayurveda, its yogic correlates, and neuroscientific explanations, to develop an integrative framework of understanding.
Methodology: A conceptual and analytical study was undertaken through textual review of Caraka Saṃhitā, Suśruta Saṃhitā, and Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya regarding Nidra. Yogic literature, including Patañjali Yoga Sūtra, was reviewed for correlations with pratyāhāra and prāṇāyāma. Contemporary literature on sleep physiology and neuroscience was analyzed to identify parallels with Ayurvedic and Yogic descriptions.
Results: Ayurveda describes Nidra as arising when the fatigued mind and senses withdraw from their objects [4]. Its benefits, types, causes of derangement, and regulation of day and night sleep are elaborated in classical texts [5]. Yoga conceptualizes Nidra as involuntary pratyāhāra, while practices like prāṇāyāma consciously facilitate this process. Neuroscience validates these mechanisms through studies on sensory gating, cortical deactivation, and vagal tone modulation.
Conclusion:
Nidra is not merely passive rest but an active restorative process, sustaining both body and mind. Bridging Ayurveda, Yoga, and neuroscience offers a holistic framework for understanding sleep and provides therapeutic insights for insomnia and lifestyle disorders.
Keywords: Nidra, Ayurveda, Pratyāhāra, Prāṇavāyu, Prāṇāyāma, Sleep Neuroscience
Downloads
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the International Journal of Ayurveda360 a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and reproduce the work in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The CC BY 4.0 license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, as long as appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and source.
How to Cite
References
1. Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya, Sūtrasthāna, Annaraksha Adhyāya, 7/52. Available from: https://vedotpatti.in/samhita/Vag/ehrudayam/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
2. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/58. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
3. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/36. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
4. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/35. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
5. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/58. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
6. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/44. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
7. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/55-57. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
8. Yoga International. Yoga Sūtra 1/10: Translation and Commentary [Internet]. Available from: https://yogainternational.com/article/view/yoga-sutra-1-10-translation-and-commentary
9. Aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya, Sūtrasthāna, Doshadivijnaneeya Adhyāya, 11/6. Available from: https://vedotpatti.in/samhita/Vag/ehrudayam/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
10. Jerath, R., Beveridge, C., & Barnes, V. A. (2019). Self-Regulation of Breathing as an Adjunctive Treatment of Insomnia. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 780. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00780
11. Brinkman JE, Reddy V, Sharma S. Physiology of Sleep. 2023 Apr 3. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 29494118. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29494118/
12. Desai, D., Momin, A., Hirpara, P., Jha, H., Thaker, R., & Patel, J. (2024). Exploring the Role of Circadian Rhythms in Sleep and Recovery: A Review Article. Cureus, 16(6), e61568. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61568
13. Carakasamhita, Sutrasthana, Astauninditeeyadhyaya, 21/44-49. Available from: http://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/ecaraka/ (Accessed on 15/06/2025)
14. McKibben E. (2025). Mind-Stuff and Withdrawal of the Senses: Toward an Interpretation of Pratyahara in Contemporary Postural Yoga. Health (London, England : 1997), 29(1), 83–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634593231222450
15. Brinkman JE, Reddy V, Sharma S. Physiology of Sleep. 2023 Apr 3. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 29494118. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29494118/
16. Rogers EM, Banks NF, Jenkins NDM. The effects of sleep disruption on metabolism, hunger, and satiety, and the influence of psychosocial stress and exercise: a narrative review. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2024;e3667. https://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.3667
17. Kalmbach, D. A., Anderson, J. R., & Drake, C. L. (2018). The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders. Journal of sleep research, 27(6), e12710. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12710
18. Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Spence, D. W., Srivastava, N., Kanchibhotla, D., Kumar, K., Sharma, G. S., Gupta, R., & Batmanabane, G. (2022). The Origin and Clinical Relevance of Yoga Nidra. Sleep and vigilance, 6(1), 61–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41782-022-00202-7