SLEEP WELL !

Who don't like sleep ? Nobody ! But, majority of people care little to this important daily ritual.

What is sleep ? It is defined as a natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially shut off.

Though scientists have done considerable research on sleep disorders and sleep states in mammals including humans, there seems to be no clear-cut answer why 'sleep' is essential and continuous research is still going on.

Sleep is a natural restful state of body and mind. If you do your day's work to your best of ability, the psychological factors contribute to get a good sleep. In fact, your sleep cycles are in symphony with Nature's cycles.

According to Ayurveda good sleep is called Sukh Nidra. I see majority of people including myself don't take an afternoon nap due to which we look tired and facial gestures clearly reflect this. You must take at least 10 - 15 minutes cat nap in the afternoon to rejuvenate your body and mind. This nap is so essential for people who are in the mind-intensive works like scientists, journalists, writers, chauffeurs etc. That's why the internet giant Google has kept nap pods for its employees.

You can't lead your normal routine if you are sleep deprived. If you want to be healthy all through your life, you should not neglect sleep. Doctors advise us to retire to sleep at the same time in the night daily thereby body adjusts to the biological rhythms.

In fact, your quality of thought severely hampers if you don't sleep enough. An adult (18 plus) requires to sleep at least 7.5 to 9 hours. Health experts say that a healthy man with good sleeping habits need not require 'alarm' to wake up in the morning. Once, he completes his sleep, he automatically rises up effortlessly.

The hormone that is responsible for your sleep is melatonin. Each of your sleep cycle is a combination of both Non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and REM stages that lasts about 90 minutes. Hence when you sleep, keep your sleep time in multiples of 90 minutes. Suppose, if you sleep at 10 pm, you must wake up at 5.30 am invariably, because the 5th cycle of 90 minutes elapses at 5.30 am and sleeping beyond that time, you can't wake before 7 am.

When you understand the mechanics of sleep that dictates your body rhythms, physical and mental vitality blooms your life !