Eating after sunset could be a reason you wake up tired

Most of you would know that sunlight is vital for the production of vitamin D in our body, and a lack of which can lead to myriad health issues. But did you know that, in Ayurveda the Sun is connected to our digestive fire or Agni. Infact it is the sunlight that actually gets the digestion moving. But most of us are accustomed to eating after sunset which can slowly affect our health.

Our Agni grows with the rise of sun and slows down the same way. It is for this reason, Ayurveda recommends eating meals during daylight when our Agni is strong and to avoid/ or take lighter meals after the sun sets. We should eat our biggest meal at mid-day, when the sun is hottest and our digestive fire strongest. Even animals and birds follow this principle and they stop eating and prepare to sleep after dark.

Relationship between Sun and our digestive fire

What Ayurveda has been telling us since ages the medical research has now proved. There is a direct correlation between sunlight and the digestive fire in our body. When the sunlight reaches the optic nerve, electrical impulses are transmitted activating several processes in our body including digestion. These impulses send signals to the body to produce certain juices and enzymes that are essential for digestion. There is little stimulation of the optic nerve after sun sets down. And our digestive organs too go in the sleep mode.

Eat light after dark

The urbanization has made us to stay up late nights and to eat food at odd hours. When we sleep with our tummies full, the body gets busy trying to digest the food whilst as per laws of nature it should be resting, detoxing and repairing the body. In the absence of natural sunlight, our Agni is low and digestion weak and body ends up consuming all the more energy. As a result, we wake up feeling dull and sluggish. This is a big reason behind bad health for a lot of people.

So, when you eat during daylight hours, whatever your diet you will be able to sleep better, have improved digestion and improved overall health. It might seem a little difficult initially but once your biological clock adjusts you will get more in tune with nature.