Zen and Sleeping

Have you ever thought about how much more you could get done in your day to day living if you didn’t have to sleep?

Realistically, if you didn’t sleep, more than likely you would not be able to accomplish much as your body and brain would be fatigued and the quality of the things that you did would suffer, plus no matter how hard you try you would not be able to stay awake forever.

You spend approximately one third of your life sleeping, and since you have to sleep to recharge your batteries so to speak, it is in your best interest to improve the quality of your sleep as much as possible.

 I think that everyone at some point in their life has problems getting good quality sleep for a variety of reasons, and if you are aware of and understand these problems and know what to do about them, you will be able to improve the quality of your sleep and that is very Zen.

Significant research and studies have been done regarding sleep and some of the basic discoveries found that, when it comes to sleeping, quality is better than quantity.

A person can sleep for ten to twelve hours and still not feel completed rested, while others feel completely rejuvenated after four to six hours.

Another important factor in addition to the quality of sleep is the regularity of your sleeping habits. Some doctors, scientists, and researchers believe that getting less than six hours of sleep will seriously impact your health.

The reasoning is that your body replenishes some chemicals while sleeping and if you are not getting enough quality sleep it may affect the development of these chemicals and hormones resulting in physiological and psychological problems.

Good quality sleeping habits will enhance the production of certain proteins that helps your brain regenerate neurons. The more neurons produced, the more capable your brain is when it comes to learning and understanding information.

There are five stages of sleep, the first four stages are classified as non-rapid eye movement sleep or it’s sometime called slow wave sleep. The fifth stage is called REM or rapid eye movement sleep.

Even though you may dream in any stage of sleep, your most vivid dreams happen during stage five, and generally these are the ones you will remember the most. Each sleep cycle last approximately ninety minutes.

It seems that everyone now and again may experience insomnia or a short period of sleeplessness or a reduced quality of sleep. However insomnia can be mild and lasting for just a few days, or it can be extreme lasting for several months or longer.

If you or someone you know is experiencing insomnia and you really don’t want to take sleep drugs, look into a Yoga program designed for sleep problems.

 It is a great way to help you focus and be at ease. Yoga stretching and techniques can teach you to meditate and visualize away the things that may be bothering you and preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep.

It also reduces stress and hormones that cause stress. Get physical by doing something active that you enjoy. This type of activity will raise your adrenaline and increase your body’s temperature, however, don’t do this right before sack time because your body will be too stimulated to fall asleep. Exercise in the afternoon or evening five to six hours before retiring for the night.

Experts say not to eat a lot or heavy foods before going to sleep. Reason has it that your stomach may feel bloated and may be difficult for you to sleep. Personally I have found that it is difficult to fall asleep on an empty stomach.

The trick is to eat something light to stop the stomach growling and eat foods high in tryptophan and foods that are protein rich like turkey, chicken, nuts, dates, potatoes, or tuna. Tryptophan is a chemical that tells your brain to release serotonin which makes you relax and feel sleepy.

Sleep apnea is another problem that can lead to not getting the quality of sleep you need.  It is more than just snoring. While snoring is described as a sleep disorder, it is not as significant as sleep apnea because the upper airway is not completely restricted. Actually snoring is quite natural and affects most people.

Normal breathing during sleeping happens when air passes from the nose and throat and into the lungs quietly without obstruction. The airway can be blocked in the nose, or the base of the tongue can restrict breathing, and it is also possible that the soft tissue in the upper palate can vibrate as air passes through creating noise by breathing.

A side note, if you have a spouse or significant other he or she may not be getting the quality of sleep they need either because of your noisy sleep habits.

Sleep apnea is result of restricted air flow causing you to actually stop breathing for a few seconds and then followed by a big deep snort allowing you to start breathing again. This can happen frequently while sleeping. In an extreme case breathing can be stopped for a minute or more.

There are three types of sleep apnea and the most common is termed obstructive. In the most common type the soft tissue at the back of the throat blocks the airway while sleeping.

Central sleep apnea is the second type and happens when the brain shuts down and it can’t send signals to the body to inhale and exhale.

Mixed sleep apnea is the third type and is a combination of the first two. The brain will disturb sleep just long enough to continue breathing. However this affects the person from a physiological standpoint because the quality of sleep is poor.

If left untreated sleep apnea can result in high blood pressure, memory problems, heart disease, impotency, and headaches. If you suffer from sleep apnea it would be a good idea to consult with your doctor or sleep expert to see what you can do to alleviate this condition.

Your body has a normal and natural rhythm known in scientific circles as the circadian rhythm. Your body’s circadian rhythm is controlled or regulated by your brain.

This brain matter called suprachiasmatic nucleus releases nerve cells and controls the rhythm and influences certain conditions in the body such as temperature, hormones, and blood pressure.

For example cortisol is a hormone that affects bodily functions like metabolism. Cortisol levels are highest in the morning and as you go through your day this hormone production steadily declines. If your sleeping habits change so will the production levels of cortisol in your body.

Melatonin is another chemical that is released when your body realizes that it is time to rest. When the amount of light is reduced towards the end of the day, this is when your brain signals your body to release melatonin and that causes sleepiness.

If you know your body’s circadian rhythm you can better effectively plan your daily activities.

As you get older, cell damage occurs in the part of the brain that controls your circadian rhythm, and as a result, your waking and sleeping patterns also changes.

I am sure you have noticed that people older than you rise earlier and then usually end up taking naps throughout the day. This brings up another reason why exercise is so important, even more so as we age.

If you engage in physical activity on a regular basis your body temperature will remain higher and you will have more energy. On the other hand, if you are inactive and lead a sedentary lifestyle, your body temperature will be lower, you will feel drowsy or sleepy most of the time, and consequently sleep or nap more often. So find something physical that you like to do and do it regularly, plus there is a whole host of other benefits to maintaining an active lifestyle.

A therapy I find most intriguing when it comes to sleep disorders is called light therapy. Light therapy is used to effectively regulate the levels of melatonin in the body. You may or may not be aware of this but did you know that the use of incandescent light bulbs can disturb your sleep cycle?

If you are continuously exposed to incandescent light you may feel that your day light time is longer than it should be. Fluorescent lighting is not much better and can actually deprive your body of the natural sunlight it needs.

I know what you are going to say, sunlight is bad for you, but that is just really a half truth. Extended periods of exposure to sunlight is most definitely not good for you or your skin. However an hour of sunlight a day is needed to keep your body healthy and provide it with vitamin D.

Thanks to the technology we have today you can have a lot more control over the light in your life and I mean that quite literally. There are lighting products that provide the same effect and benefit that natural sun light gives you. One that I find interesting is called full spectrum lighting.

From my spiritual view, I just need to allow my body to do its job. My Zen philosophy is, when I am not well I feel pain and discomfort. When I am well I do not feel pain and discomfort. I go to sleep when I am tired and I wake up when I have had enough.