Monday, June 09, 2008

Who Needs Sleep? 

We all need to sleep. So why are we a nation of people who are sleep deprived?
We are discovering that lack of adequate sleep is causing physical and emotional problems.
We are discovering the lack of adequate sleep is effecting learning, memory and moods.
We are discovering that lace of sufficient rest may be causing violence and crime.

So why not correct this issue now?
Egos crave doing what they have been denied.
So when staying up late is forbidden for years, then as adults we desire staying up late.
When it is used as a privilege to stay up for proms, parties and special events, we want to treat ourselves.

Yet, regularity in sleep schedule is crucial to our physiology.
Just as regularity in eating and elimination is essential to total health, so sleep is to emotional health.
To be regular, we must put patterns into our schedule which allow for our optimum amount of daily sleep.
To help the body adjust to regularity, we must set time to bed and time to arise and practice daily.

Once the physiology gets used to the new healthy schedule, sleeping will be a conditioned response.

What keeps us from sleeping well?
Inner noise and outer noise.
Full moon and extra energy or agitation.
Trying to sleep in a room full of mess or stuff that is upsetting.
Medications, hormones or the energies of the person sleeping with you.
Dreams or nightmares.
Our inner Spirit calling for attention.
Pain or physical disturbance.
Eating too late and having the digestive tract be working when we are trying to rest.
Foods that are disturbing to the system.

Some suggestions: (You may have others that work for you!)
Regular hours for sleep.
Always sleep in the same bed and find the best position in which to fall asleep.
Have at least 30 minutes of quiet time before going to bed. (Music, light novel, poetry, meditation.)
No alcohol or food within 2-3 hrs of bed time. Light tea or maybe a piece of fruit if hungry.
No mess in your room, no workout equipment, no TV or computer, no electrical energy in or near bed.
Make the space feel beautiful, relaxing and attractive –an oasis for rest and relaxation.
No fighting or heavy conversation before bedtime.
Find pillows and positions that bring your pain relief.
Focus on breathing.
Use Melatonin (sublingual) if you need help natural sleep aid at health food store.
Have a pad of paper near bed to write down ideas or dreams, so your mind doesn’t try to remember them.
Use a sound machine with waterfall or rain or ocean waves to push away outer noise.
When you cannot sleep, simply get up to change the mental channel by reading or write down you ideas.
Some people are receiving spiritual messages in the middle of the night and need to write them down.
This is a beginning.

Sleep well.
Betty Lue