Sleep is a behavioural state that is an inseparable part of every individual’s life. We spend about one third of our lives asleep. Sound and sufficient sleep awakens us fresh and fine the next morning and takes care to keep us active both mentally and physically throughout the day. Sleep is essential for healthy living.
Sleep isn’t exactly a time when your body and brain shut off. While you rest your brain stays busy overseeing and erasing all the unwanted impressions, keeping in memory only the information that is important and required further. It also cures problems like headache caused due to excess work pressure or stress. When the body is tired sleep helps to reinvigorate it. The mind experiences mental peace while the body feels relaxed and revitalized. On the other hand, insufficient and disturbed sleep leads to various psychological and physical problems.
Sleep is in fact a magic cure. When some people miss sleep in order to keep up with their 24/7 schedule, they pay the price in terms of inability to learn, ill health and bad quality of life. They do not realize the effect of such strain in the early stages. As food works for the body so does sleep works for good health and regenerated mind. If one falls asleep as soon as he/she lies on the bed it means he/she has had insufficient sleep the previous night and it is also an alarm for the future. Some of the symptoms of sleep disorders or insufficient sleep or excessive exertion are:
1. Feeling of tiredness with headache
When a person does not get sufficient sleep he experiences headache even after resting for the whole night. One does not experience inner peace after moving out of bed as the mind doesn’t feel relaxed.
2. Dozing off any time
Such people utilize even the short intervals or breaks during work for taking short naps. Many a times they are in semi-sleep mode even while at work.
3. Memory loss or weak memory
Insufficient sleep is one of the reasons for memory loss. If one often forgets things like why he is away from home, his work or his needs it means he hasn’t had sufficient sleep. Sound sleep reorganizes the things going on in the mind priority- wise and helps in developing strong memory.
4. Lack of concentration
Insufficient sleep or less hours of rest leads to lack of concentration. One isn’t able to focus on things or people. It means insufficient sleep/sleep disorder has begun showing its impact on the mind and body.
5. Increasing tendency to pick up fights/arguments
The mind is puzzled due to insufficient sleep and as a result it is not in a balanced state to understand, analyze or solve simple day to day problems, leading to unwanted debates and quarrels over useless issues that can be easily solved or even overlooked.
6. Inactiveness
Insufficient sleep results in inactiveness. One is unable to fulfil tasks at normal pace like others.
7. Lethargy
Lethargy is the stage when one works unwillingly. The body and mind cannot synchronize with each other. Drowsiness is reflected in speech and action. Yawning is also a visible sign of sleeplessness.
8. Lack of self-expression
A person who doesn’t get sufficient sleep finds it difficult to speak fluently. Lack of clarity in thought is also visible. Poor self- expression at times puts one in trouble.
9. Inability to identify places
Such people can’t identify places due to weak memory resulting from insufficient sleep. They often forget roads, zebra crossings, turns etc.
10. Forgetting things
Forgetting one’s own belongings here and there often is also a symptom of insufficient sleep.
Sleep disturbance is also caused by stress. Working for long hours and age related ailments are factors that can interfere with an individual’s ability to get sufficient sleep. There are ways to mitigate their effects and get the sound sleep you need.
Sufficient sleep doesn’t mean sleeping for long hours. It is the deep sleep or sound sleep that counts. Normally eight hours of sleep is sufficient. Children take sound sleep and thus are full of energy when they wake up.
Yoganidra or Shawasan is a solution to this severe problem. The whole body relaxes, revitalizes and becomes charged with energy. It can be learnt with the help of a yoga instructor and then put into practice. By doing so, one can experience deep sleep in a short span of time and wake afresh. In today’s lifestyle full of rush, push, hectic schedules, such practices are very beneficial.
Akhand Jyoti Magazine 2021 Jan-Feb