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Transforming the Character of Sleep · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Giving the body the rest and recuperative time it needs, the
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  spiritual aspirant still has to deal with the effects of what is
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  normally a descent into a more temassic state that can have its
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  impacts on the waking consciousness.
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  If we wake up tired, groggy or cloudy, we have not only not
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  fully recharged the body, but we have put a drag on our waking
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  consciousness. How many people need to resort
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  to coffee or tea first thing in the morning so that the caffeine
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  helps to offset the dullness or grogginess?
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  How many people report strange and disorienting dreams that may
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  incorporate various reactions such as fear, desire, sexual
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  pressure, or other elements that represent the otherwise
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  suppressed energies of the lower vital nature?
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  These things can be modified and uplifted.
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  It is a well known phenomenon that an individual can go to
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  sleep with something unresolved on his mind and then wake up
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  with the solution he was seeking.
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  This shows that the consciousness is at work
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  subliminally during sleep and that it can provide positive,
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  not just negative, experiences and results.
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  We know that oftentimes spiritual aspirants report
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  uplifting dreams and experiences in sleep.
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  Sometimes they are visited by a spiritual teacher who imparts
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  various teachings during sleep. Other times they have the
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  experience of flying up into some heavenly realm where they
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  learn about and see things normally restricted from their
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  waking minds. Sometimes they find themselves
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  in a location that has a special healing and uplifting atmosphere
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  during sleep. These experiences provide the
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  encouragement that sleep can undergo changes that can aid the
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  sadhna rather than obstruct or hinder it in some way.
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  The question then comes down to methodology.
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  There are many known methods for improving the quality of sleep.
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  First, the waking mind must be set at rest and not be
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  intoxicated or otherwise impaired.
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  Second, electronic devices that disrupt the normal brain wave
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  patterns should be turned off for some time before bed.
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  Third, taking time for meditation or prayer or a
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  feeling of consecration can set the mood for a peaceful and
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  restful sleep. 4th focusing in aspiration and an affirmation
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  for the sleep to be uplifting or safe in the company of revered
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  teachers in an atmosphere of well-being will help to move the
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  subconscious parts to the desired energetic place. 5th The
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  individual should avoid vitally disruptive atmospheres before
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  sleep, such as night clubs or loud vital venues which leave
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  the nerves frayed and on edge and don't allow the being to
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  relax properly. 6th A calming ritual before bed can help the
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  individual to shed any residual energies of the waking
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  consciousness so that he can move peacefully into the sleep
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  state. 7th Reading some inspirational literature can aid
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  the individual in focusing the mind and quieting it at the same
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  time. 8th Practices such as yoga nidra have been found helpful in
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  systematically relaxing all the muscles of the body and quieting
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  the mind. 9th Not eating too late or too heavy foods or foods
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  that tend to inflamed or dull the system, particularly without
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  sufficient time to digest the food fully prior to bedtime.
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  There are of course many methods and many known practices, and
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  these are simply some illustrations to aid in the
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  process, not at all intended to be fully definitive.
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  Each individual can find out for himself what works best to
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  achieve the desired result, Sriorovindo writes.
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  Quote Sleep cannot be replaced, but it can be changed, for you
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  can become conscious in sleep. If you are thus conscious, then
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  the night can be utilized for a higher working provided the body
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  gets its due rest. For the object of sleep is the
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  body's rest and the renewal of the vital physical force.
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  It is a mistake to deny to the body food and sleep, as some
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  from an ascetic idea or impulse want to do.
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  That only wears out the physical support, and although either the
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  yogic or the vital energy can long keep at work and over
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  strained or declining physical system, a time comes when this
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  drawing is no longer so easy nor perhaps possible.
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  The body should be given what it needs for its own efficient
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  working, moderate but sufficient food, without greed or desire,
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  sufficient sleep but not of the heavy temasek kind.
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  This should be the rule. End Quote reference Srioro
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  Bindo. Basis of yoga.
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  Chapter 5. Physical consciousness,
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  subconscious sleep and dream illness.
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  Pages 101 to 102.