Fatigue is epidemic. Take a look at grocery store shelves that are stocked with Red Bull, Five hour energy drinks, and No -Doz Pills. These are just a few of the many products on the market to keep us pumped up and wired. It makes me wonder, have we all forgotten how to rest and sleep? What about honoring our bodies? Why not sleep when we are tired and rest when our bodies tell us we need to slow down. Have we all lost our siesta sense?
We all know we need lots of sleep, yet we fight it with stimulants. Often we are so charged up, that we toss and turn night after night. During the day we think how much we love our beds, eat sugary donuts and wash it down with caffeinated beverages. Anything to keep going.
Where does this leave all of us? Sick and tired. And as I am sure you can tell, from looking around at your friends and family members, that most us are not getting enough of rest. Sleep, an essential component of good health has largely been ignored. There is no substitute for sleep, and many feel it is a waste of time. But, please remember that it is an essential part of your daily life. It is a a time for rejuvenation, insights and other healing processes.
So, if you woke up this morning, less than well rested, you are not alone. It has been estimated that between 10 and 34 percent of Americans suffer from insomnia. Ok, brace yourself for this one. Pharmaceutical companies spent more than $329 million dollars in 2005 promoting sleep aids. Americans spend $2 billion dollars a year on sleeping drugs and $20 billion dollars on other sleep related products.
Everyone needs sleep. In fact,many Americans falsely believe that rest and sleep are a waste of time and energy. This is the opposite of the truth and may be the most ignored cause of disease next to bad nutrition. Sleep is an integral part of excellent health. For example, during sleep the brain and body undergo a number of restorative processes such as retaining memories and learning skills. Nerve cells connect by sending signals and are strengthened by sleep. Lack of sleep has also been a factor in the rising obesity epidemic in this country.
SLEEP MATTERS
As a general rule, most of us are using up our energy and our bodies faster than we can rebuild. This reverses at night, when our bodies are able to rebuild during rest and sleep. If we do not allow enough time to rest and sleep, the rebuilding process is impaired until it will eventually cause premature aging, disease and early death.
THE BEST TIMES TO SLEEP
Here are guidelines for the best sleeping experience. It has been shown that the hours before midnight are far more valuable for rejuvenation than those after midnight. Some say they are two or three times more useful for healing the body and mind. The hours after midnight are less conducive because the energy of the earth has shifted and the new day is starting. This brings a crescendo of solar energy that can tend to cause lighter sleep in many people.
When To Go To Sleep. Thus, going to bed early is the first rule of ideal sleep. Try to get into bed between eight and nine PM every night. According to Dr. Wilson, while this may seem early, it is the way primitive mankind slept before there was electricity, and it is one of the reasons that primitive peoples often enjoyed and continue to enjoy superb health. It is also the reason these people are more intuitive and aware, as adequate rest and sleep are essential for these subtle mental faculties.
How Long To Sleep. If you go to bed early, less sleep time is required. Eight or more hours of actual sleep is usually enough. However, today many people have a ‘sleep deficit’. The longer you go without sleep, the greater the debt, and the only way to pay off the loan is to sleep for longer periods of time. It can take several sleep periods over days or even weeks to catch up on a significant sleep deficit. Therefore, you might require much more rest at first, often for several years until you renew your body by using nutrition, meditation, saunas and other healing modality.
For those people who are ill, you may require 12 hours daily for two or three years. Most of that can come from resting at night, while napping is also excellent to make up for a sleep deficit.
WHY GET MORE SLEEP?
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