It can’t be denied: Sleep is necessary for our survival. We can go for more than three weeks without food, up to four days without water, but not sleep. The most extended number of days without sleep was made by Guiness’s first record holder Randy Gardner in the 1960s. He stayed awake for 11 days and 25 mins.
The National Sleep Foundation says we need at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep for the body to repair and restore itself. Sleepless nights prevent the body from repairing muscles, memory consolidation, and releasing hormones to regulate growth and appetite. When we don’t get enough sleep, it takes a toll on our energy, mood, and ability to function the next day. We get tired, become irritable and short-tempered, and get triggered easily. The record holder contracted speech and memory problems, moodiness and started to hallucinate.
Check your habits if you find it difficult to sleep. Your diet may cause heartburn and indigestion which may disrupt your sleep. And if you check your phone or computer before going to bed, the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the screens of your electronic devices emit a blue light that mimics daylight.
Here are some tips that you can consider to ensure a quick, deep, and rejuvenating sleep:
1. Try not to have big meals, spicy or acidic foods. It will be easier on the liver and digestion if you do not eat a heavy meal for at least two hours before bedtime. Remember the saying, “Eat like a King in the morning, a Prince at noon, and a Pauper at night.” If you eat this way, your body will be able to slow down at night, and instead of digesting food, focus on repairing your body. You can also take Lettuce soup, a ‘natural opium’ or nutmeg.
2. Turn off all electronic screens at least an hour before bed. Instead of watching TV or spending time on your phone or computer, choose a relaxing activity such as reading a book, listening to soft music, or playing mantras.
3. Comb your hair downwards from your nape to the top of your head with a wooden comb to calm and soothe you. Note that using plastic will create static electricity in the hair while the wood will neutralize this static.
4. Do some yoga poses like rock pose and shoulder stand. To do a rock pose, sit on your heels with your hands on your lap for 3 to 5 minutes. This posture will stimulate and massage your digestive system. And if you are not in your moon cycle or pregnant, do a shoulder stand for 3 to 5 minutes. The inverted posture will cool your body down, calm your nervous system, and helps to oxygenate the lungs. The neck lock and inverted position will also bring blood to the thyroid and parathyroid, allowing them to secrete hormones.
5. Try a left nostril breathing pranayama. Close your right nostril with your right thumb and slowly inhale and exhale through your left nostril. The breathwork will activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which will help you calm down.
6. Sleep on your right side so you can breathe through your left nostril, which brings a calming and cooling effect on the body and brain. It also relaxes the heart and lets the stomach and small intestine drain as you sleep.
Gaiaroma’s Sweet Dreams blend
7. Use Gaiaroma‘s Sweet Dreams blend to enhance and improve sleep. Put 2 -4 drops of the blend onto one palm and rub it in a circle three times with the opposite palm. Cup palms over your nose, close your eyes and begin to inhale the scent slowly. Then rub the blend on the bottom of your feet before bed. Place a drop behind your ears. Take a good deep breath through your nose to soothe the nerve endings. And recite these affirmations: “I release the heaviness of today and the weight on my shoulders. I let go of negative thoughts and keep the happy ones. In my sleep, I find the freedom to know joy and peace again. My body is relaxed and ready for sleep.”
Another one for the heart
A workshop on the Circulatory System
You may not feel it the way you feel the stretch – but regular yoga practice helps prevent various circulatory illnesses. So on Tuesday, I’ll be conducting a workshop to help with that. You’ll get to know the components of the circulatory system and some breathwork, yoga exercises, meditation practices, lifestyle, and diet to prevent heart disease and support heart health. I hope you can join us.
Wishing you good rest and good energy.
In loving service,
Rosan
