Sleep is the best form of relaxation, close to meditation, that’s why those who sleep well always keep fit and feel well. It’s a fact that if we sleep well at night we feel fresh, more active and more energetic when we get up. However, in today’s world getting sound sleep has become rare, because today millions of people suffer from disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy etc.
Sadly, many of these individuals resort to sleeping pills and drugs to sleep well. This is because we do not consider these as serious issues. Sleep disorders interfere with our body’s ability to recoup the energy needed for the next day. We usually make a huge mistake about sleep by viewing it merely as a time of inactivity for the body. Whereas in reality, during the hours of sleep, when we appear to be mostly passive, something within us is intensely active, recharging the body cells for the next day. One must not forget that when we are active throughout the day, we burn out energy; when we are seemingly inactive during nighttime, we are regenerating it.
Sleep is considered to be the greatest remedy to overcome tiredness. It is necessary for the body. It can be put off but cannot be avoided. Healthful soothing slumber reactivates the muscles, nerves and brain cells is one of nature’s greatest rejuvenators, therefore it is essential to life as air, water and food.
During sleep, the body is busy repairing tissues, healing, restocking organs and cells with fuel, and replacing old cells with new ones. These occur at a much higher rate while we are asleep.
Medical science has acknowledged several causes that lead to sleep disorders. The biggest hindrance of all that contributes to sleeplessness is bad mental health. Our habits of negative thinking and unrighteous actions during the day cause sleep disturbances during the night. Repeated suppression of the voice of one’s conscience impairs mental health which results in negative personality traits and insomnia. It’s a proven fact that mental ill-health adversely affect our eating habits, which in turn, influence our health. For instance, drinking several cups of tea, coffee and colas lead to an inability to sleep. Under such a medical condition, proper meditation techniques can be of great help if practised regularly.
There have been a lot of deliberations & debates. Well! doctors say that under the best of conditions fresh air, water, food, physical work or exercise and positive influences, one would stay asleep as long as one’s system needs them to; then they will wake up automatically. Some people like the “Yogi’s” who are always under the stage of meditation, feel fine with even four-five hours or even less, whereas others might need more. Also our age, general physical health, work routine, environment and habitat play key roles.
Remember !! our consciousness will automatically return when the purpose is fulfilled. Hence there is no such thing as oversleeping. However, for some reason or the other, our sleep does get sacrificed in pursuing other pleasures of life. The adage- “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” seems to fall on deaf ears in our times. But in this whole hustle and bustle, we tend to forget that it is the quality of life that matters the most & not the quantity. Hence make a habit to meditate daily before going to bed to disengage the mind from thoughts to give it sleep-inducing relaxation.
