It has always been thought that sleep is a random process and we all want that the moment we lie down in bed, we doze off.
But, is it really possible in this world? where we are constantly moving? and where we have an active brain in while we are sleeping?
Well, this brings us to following questions
1. Is sleep and active process or a passive process?
Ans. Sleep is an active process and requires your involvement and attention like any other activity. The quality of sleep is maintained only by maintaining the quality of your life each day. Thus, during the day short periods of relaxation is needed so that at the end of the day you can get a good night sleep.
2. Do we really need to get our bodies and minds exhausted to sleep?
Ans. No, this a wrong belief that we have learned in this age of technology, yes if you want a conscious good quality sleep, then you can get it, just by relaxing your mind. This can come up if you get involved in meditation and life equally. That does not mean to meditate daily for an hour or more but just sitting quietly for 15 minutes 2-3 times during the day, you can get your mind relaxed and give it positive affirmations that "I allow myself to sleep".
3. Can I check my emails, phones, pagers etc before I go to bed?
Ans. No, it is not acceptable to the brain cells. It has been found out that the blue rays that emerge from these digital gadgets, can actually capture the attention of your brain and signal it, that it is still the time to work. So, the body has 5 stages of sleep, where it gets relaxed but the first 30 minutes are almost awake as it is a natural process for the body to feel relaxed and then go to sleep.
So, this brings us to the next phase of understanding our sleep cycle:
Our sleep quality is divided into two phases (both the phases are important for the healthy restorative process of our body)
1. REM (Rapid Eye Moment) sleep cycle
2. NREM sleep (Non-Rapid Eye Moment) sleep cycle
Rapid Eye Moment- It includes the first 4 stages out of the 5 stages defined by researchers.
NREM (Non- Rapid Eye Moment)- It is the last phase of the sleep cycle, where we get dreams and deep relaxation if no dreams. often, you can observe it in someone who is in deep sleep, if the eyeballs are moving under the eyelid. This is stage 5.
How can you improve the sleep quality?
1. Relax your mind: This involves you to read and listen to good stuff. Like listening to a piece of good relaxation music, Tibetan bowl music, forest sounds, light relaxation music or affirmations by Louis L.Hay or Joseph Stephenson.
2. Looking at beautiful scenery or simply a visualization of a beautiful place you visited.
3. Going for a morning walk or jog or doing yoga in nature: This will tell your brain to become active and start the process of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), thus your brain and body will become active again. So the body will train itself for the next activity. Once, the day is about to end the SCN will signal the body to close or shut down the process so your body will start its preparation to sleep.
4. Place red lights in your room, turn them on before you sleep: The red light will help in the production of melatonin so that you are able to sleep and the mind knows that it is the time to relax.
5. Doing Nadi shodan Pranayam: This pranayama has been the most effective pranayama to give a feeling of relaxation to the body and mind. Thus, if you have been feeling insomniac for a past couple of days, then you can relax by simply practicing this pranayama.
Thus, after knowing that sleeping is an active restorative process, I hope all of you would take care of your sleep cycle like you take care of your business.
Thanks for Reading!!
sources:
https://byrslf.co/how-to-put-your-mind-to-sleep-79f3495c80b7
And my personal experience
Well, this brings us to following questions
1. Is sleep and active process or a passive process?
Ans. Sleep is an active process and requires your involvement and attention like any other activity. The quality of sleep is maintained only by maintaining the quality of your life each day. Thus, during the day short periods of relaxation is needed so that at the end of the day you can get a good night sleep.
2. Do we really need to get our bodies and minds exhausted to sleep?
Ans. No, this a wrong belief that we have learned in this age of technology, yes if you want a conscious good quality sleep, then you can get it, just by relaxing your mind. This can come up if you get involved in meditation and life equally. That does not mean to meditate daily for an hour or more but just sitting quietly for 15 minutes 2-3 times during the day, you can get your mind relaxed and give it positive affirmations that "I allow myself to sleep".
3. Can I check my emails, phones, pagers etc before I go to bed?
Ans. No, it is not acceptable to the brain cells. It has been found out that the blue rays that emerge from these digital gadgets, can actually capture the attention of your brain and signal it, that it is still the time to work. So, the body has 5 stages of sleep, where it gets relaxed but the first 30 minutes are almost awake as it is a natural process for the body to feel relaxed and then go to sleep.
So, this brings us to the next phase of understanding our sleep cycle:
Our sleep quality is divided into two phases (both the phases are important for the healthy restorative process of our body)
1. REM (Rapid Eye Moment) sleep cycle
2. NREM sleep (Non-Rapid Eye Moment) sleep cycle
Rapid Eye Moment- It includes the first 4 stages out of the 5 stages defined by researchers.
How can you improve the sleep quality?
1. Relax your mind: This involves you to read and listen to good stuff. Like listening to a piece of good relaxation music, Tibetan bowl music, forest sounds, light relaxation music or affirmations by Louis L.Hay or Joseph Stephenson.
2. Looking at beautiful scenery or simply a visualization of a beautiful place you visited.
3. Going for a morning walk or jog or doing yoga in nature: This will tell your brain to become active and start the process of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), thus your brain and body will become active again. So the body will train itself for the next activity. Once, the day is about to end the SCN will signal the body to close or shut down the process so your body will start its preparation to sleep.
4. Place red lights in your room, turn them on before you sleep: The red light will help in the production of melatonin so that you are able to sleep and the mind knows that it is the time to relax.
5. Doing Nadi shodan Pranayam: This pranayama has been the most effective pranayama to give a feeling of relaxation to the body and mind. Thus, if you have been feeling insomniac for a past couple of days, then you can relax by simply practicing this pranayama.
Thus, after knowing that sleeping is an active restorative process, I hope all of you would take care of your sleep cycle like you take care of your business.
Thanks for Reading!!
sources:
https://byrslf.co/how-to-put-your-mind-to-sleep-79f3495c80b7
And my personal experience
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