REST AND SLEEP -
ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTH
by Lawrence Wilson, MD
© January 2012, The Center for Development
Millions of people throughout the world do not get enough
rest and sleep. In fact, they
falsely believe that rest and sleep are a waste of time and energy. This is the opposite of the truth and
may be the most ignored cause of disease next to bad nutrition.
This
article discusses the great need for sleep, the many benefits of sleep, the
harm that occurs when one does not get enough rest and sleep, and finally how
to sleep better. Let us examine
why each person today needs much more rest and sleep than in past generations.
WHY GET MORE SLEEP?
Most
People Are Exhausted.
Fatigue is epidemic.
Studies by American, British and Australian Traffic Safety Agencies
report that 20%-30% of traffic fatalities involve a fatigued driver. If you need coffee, soda pop,
chocolate, anger, worry or other stimulants to get going in the morning or keep
going, you are not getting enough sleep.
Prolonged
fatigue contributes to nutritional imbalances that may not be so easily undone
by just sleeping. However, rest
and sleep are still important steps as part of a total program including
nutritional balancing and sauna therapy to recover from chronic fatigue
syndrome and many other conditions with fatigue as one of the symptoms.
All Healing Requires Extra Sleep. During the day, one primarily uses the sympathetic nervous system,
associated with spending energy and tearing down the body. This is balanced by the parasympathetic
system, associated with rest, nurturing and regeneration of body tissues. This is equally important and takes
place when one is resting. One may
call it maintenance or repair time.
If
you skimp on regenerative activity by not sleeping enough, physical and mental
performance suffers, as well as one's work and relationships. Illness develops because there is not
enough time to repair damaged tissues in the body. If you have a chronic illness, you definitely need extra
rest and sleep.
Cleansing
and Rebuilding the Body Require Energy. Elimination of toxins, an issue for everyone, occurs
primarily at night while the body rests.
The removal process requires energy and one's energy is finite. If you use most or all of your energy
running around all day, you will not detoxify well.
Most
Emotional Processing Occurs During Sleep. Often, during the day, thought processes are not completed
due to interruptions or other distractions. The mind completes these processes during sleep. You may notice that problems that
seemed difficult are solvable or even solved after a good night's rest. This can be due to increased energy,
but is also due to actual problem-solving that goes on during sleep.
In
fact, many types of emotional development and processing of oneÕs past take
place during the sleep state in many people. Thus, not giving yourself enough Ôdown timeÕ is harming
yourself in an emotional way as well as a physical one.
Spiritual development and sleep.
Resting is not just about physical and emotional processing. An area that is not often discussed is
spiritual development. By this I
mean a specific progression of development of the subtle human bodies, such as
the etheric body or etheric
double, as it is sometimes called.
It is called this because it is shaped somewhat
like the human body, but a little larger so it looks like a double body to
someone who has the ability to see it in the human aura or energy field. It is also called the etheric double because, when developed fully, it is large
and consists of two human bodies, one right side up and the other upside down.
This type of development is of the greatest
import today to assure a long, healthy physical life and for the development of
wisdom and knowledge as well. It
is spoken of in some Oriental texts, but not mentioned much in most Western
spiritual books that often focus more on religious aspects rather than
energetic aspects of what may be called development of the higher human
faculties.
This particular development
requires a tremendous amount of extra rest and sleep. I
cannot overstate this fact. This
is the reason that many so-called Òspiritually orientedÓ types of people need
extra rest all the time. This is
also the reason that many teenagers, especially women, need a lot of rest. They are developing their etheric bodies, although I know this sounds esoteric, and
the rest is part of the process.
They often need a nap during the day plus 10 hours or more of sleep, at
times. At other times, they may
not need quite this much, and it can vary during the process.
I encourage all readers to pay attention to this
need, not to just try to avoid it with stimulants such as caffeine and sugar,
and to find jobs and activities in which they can take time in the afternoon,
perhaps, to lay down and rest, even if it is just for 15 minutes or so. State laws in America require a
15-minute break in the morning and again in the afternoon. Although this is hardly enough time, it
is a start and anyone in any job should, if possible, take advantage of this
rule.
In short, there is no substitute for sleep. Also, sleep is anything but a
waste of time. It is an essential
part of each personÕs daily life that can also be a rich time of not only
rejuvenation, but of insights and other healing processes.
THE ASTRAL BODY, SPIRIT GUIDANCE AND THE NEED FOR
SLEEP
During periods of deep physical rest or sleep,
the astral body usually separates from the physical body. This is also an essential process if
one is to progress spiritually. It
is a complex phenomenon that is beyond the scope of this article. It is mentioned in more depth in
another article entitled The Human Aura.
Also
during the sleep state, everyone works with guides, angels or whatever you
prefer to call them, on healing and learning. While this can occur at any time, it is easiest during the
sleep state because waking consciousness often gets in the way of the healing
work that needs to take place.
Most people are far more receptive to this help while in the resting
state. Only deep meditation, which
is also most restful, compares to sleep in this regard.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DREAMING
Dreaming is another very important activity that
only occurs during the sleep state.
Dreaming is not a solitary phenomenon, meaning that it can have many
different meanings. Even higher
animals such as cats and dogs engage in dreaming.
Dreams can represent processing of oneÕs past or
even just daily events. In most
people, dreams are often also processing other phenomena such as information
from television shows and radio programs that the mind needs to mull over, as
it were, and make more sense of.
Dreams can also foretell the future, to a degree, as many people know. Dreams can also have to do with people
and events far away, as many people also know.
Even unpleasant dreams, nightmares, premonitions
and other phenomena may be important, at times, and should not be stopped by
not resting or with the use of drugs.
Of course, some dreams are due to just overeating or some other physical
health condition. However,
dreaming is a fascinating subject that could fill an entire article of this
size.
If one does not sleep enough, or does not sleep
well for some reason, the dreaming process is interrupted or prevented, and
this always impacts oneÕs health and oneÕs spiritual and mental
development. It is another reason
why adequate rest and sleep are so critical for everyone, particularly the
young, who are often the ones who do not Òhave the time;Ó or are Òtoo busyÓ to
stop and rest often.
WHY SOME PEOPLE CAN GET ALONG ON LITTLE SLEEP
AND REST
You may envy those who seem to have lots of
energy, yet get by on little sleep.
Let go of this envy. Those
individuals are either:
á
Burning themselves out.
Many of them don't know it, or they know it and don't care, or they care
but do not know what to do about it.
á
Using stimulants.
Their energy is false. One
of these days it will catch up with them and they will become ill. Stimulants are not just items such as
sugar, caffeine or amphetamines.
They include factors such
as too much worry, fears, anger and other emotional factors that definitely
stimulate the body.
á
Victims of illness. Many who do not sleep much
are either very toxic with copper and other metals, or have various other
physical imbalances such as biounavailable or
deficient levels of calcium that prevent them from resting adequately. They have gotten used to this, and can
function quite well. However, it
is not normal and it is certainly not healthful in the least. They are not really rested when they
wake up in the morning. In fact,
they are just driven, often by toxins in the body or other imbalances.
á
They are energy vampires. This is unfortunately common as well. Many people consciously or
unconsciously have learned to steal energy from others by upsetting them in
some way. They may talk too
loudly, act intimidating or confusing, or they use some other method to draw
energy fro other to themselves.
Some
energy vampires recognize the trait, even if they donÕt know what to do about
it. Many others do not even
realize what they are doing.
Unfortunately, for example, many parents do this to their children,
stealing the innocence of the child.
This is sadly a reason why many young people unconsciously want to have
a child or several children.
If
you are feel exhausted around someone, it is important to protect yourself by
removing yourself or reducing interaction with such people. Having your energy drained leads to serious illnesses like
cancer. This is a challenge for
many people. For more about energy
vampirism, read Energy Vampirism.
WHEN AND HOW MUCH TO SLEEP
Here
are guidelines for the best sleeping experience. The hours before midnight are far more valuable for rejuvenation than
those after midnight. Some
say they are two or three times more useful for healing the body and mind. The hours after midnight are less
conducive because the energy of the earth has shifted and the new day is
starting. This brings a crescendo
of solar energy that can tend to cause lighter sleep in many people.
When
To Go To Sleep. Thus,
going to bed early is the first rule of ideal sleep. I recommend going to bed between eight and nine PM every night.
While this may seem early, it is the way
primitive mankind slept before there was electricity, and it is one of the
reasons that primitive peoples often enjoyed and continue to enjoy superb
health. It is also the reason
these people are more intuitive and aware, as adequate rest and sleep are
essential for these subtle mental faculties.
How
Long To Sleep. If one goes
to bed early, less sleep time is required. Eight or nine hours
of actual sleep is usually enough.
However:
1. Many people have a
Ôsleep deficitÕ. That is, they will require much more rest at first, often
for several years or more, when they begin to renew their bodies using
nutritional balancing, meditation, saunas and other methods recommended at this
website. Thus, many people,
especially those who are ill, may require 12 hours daily for two or three
years. Most of that can come from
resting at night, while napping is also excellent to make up for a sleep
deficit.
2. This means 8 to 9 hours
of actual sleep, not lying in bed falling asleep or lounging in the morning as
you wake up. In order to obtain a full 8 or 9 hours of sleep, most people
need to set aside another half hour to an hour in bed for this reason.
3. For best health, do not make
exceptions to this rule for holidays, weekend parties or anything else.
If one must party late at night, then at least sleep in the next day,
although going to bed early each night is a key to having excellent energy.
Children and Teens. Children and especially adolescents
need 11 hours or more of rest, though a little of that could be rest time in
bed but not strictly all sleep.
Again, there should be no exceptions for sleepovers, camping trips, late
movies or other distractions. I
realize this is difficult, so do your best as a parent to guide children with
this. If a child is up late one
night, be sure he or she can sleep in and that the next night the child goes to
bed very early.
College-Age Students. College students are often the most
sleep-deprived, due to many activities, parties, outings, late classes or other
distractions at this age. Young
people also have more natural or hormonal activity in most instances, so they
Òget away with itÓ, as they say.
This is a lie. They just
develop problems and illnesses as a result.
Sleeping Positions. The best position for sleeping is on your back
without a pillow. If you prefer a
pillow, it should be soft enough so that your spine remains fairly
straight. Also, the pillow should
not cut off your air supply in any way.
Also, the pillow case needs to be cleaned often,
as otherwise you will be breathing lots of dust, bacteria from your scalp and
other debris all night.
If possible, sleep with your legs and arms
straight and slightly out to the sides.
This prevents you from crossing your own energy field with your arms or
legs.
Head toward the pole.
Another suggestion, if possible, is that if you live in the northern
hemisphere, sleep with your head to the north, more or less, and legs facing to
the south or west if possible. If
you live in the southern hemisphere, it is reversed with your head facing
south. If you live very near the
equator, this is less important.
This has to do with very subtle energies that some people can feel. There is a flow of magnetic energy from
the poles to the equator of the earth.
When you align with it, it helps release negative energies that everyone
picks up during the day from other people, from computers, televisions and
other stray electromagnetic fields.
It does even more than this, however.
Mattresses. Avoid sleeping on very soft mattresses that
distort your posture. Air beds are
about the best. They include the
Sleep Number bed or a less costly competitor, the ComfortAire
mattress. Memory foam mattresses
are good, too, if the smell is not too bad. Other mattresses may be fine if they are in good shape and
not too soft or too hard. I do not
recommend water beds, although some people like them. I don't think it is ideal to be sleeping on water.
Watch
out for toxic mattresses like Tempur-pedic and the
copies. These can outgas for
months. They bother some people
much more than others.
Sheets. Silk or plain cotton sheets may be a little
better than synthetic sheets. Use
a Dacron pillow if you are allergic to feathers and foam rubber. Keep pillows clean, as they can
accumulate dust mites, germs and more.
Place in the washing machine or replace when dirty.
POOR EXCUSES FOR NOT SLEEPING
I
hear many excuses why more sleep is impossible. Here are some common ones:
1) I don't have time. If this is really the case, then it is
time to restructure your life.
Schedule naps, nap with your children after lunch or even after all
meals, get help so that you are freed up, take on fewer projects or otherwise
restructure.
It
may mean you become a more relaxed
person and your house is not as clean. Perhaps you will not bake as many cakes or volunteer at
church. This needs to be
acceptable and understood by family members.
In
our Western culture, to simply put your feet up or lie down and rest in the
afternoon is difficult for many people.
This is particularly true
if you identify yourself with what you do,
instead of with whom you are. Resting more, you may feel guilty, lazy
or unproductive. In fact,
whom you are is much more important than what you do.
Although
perhaps it is not obvious, you affect others much more by whom you are than by
what you do. For example, if you
work for peace but are full of anxiety and tension inside, you will radiate the
vibration of stress and anxiety, the opposite of peace. If you are good to others, but not good
to yourself by resting enough, you radiate the non-respectful vibration,
although this can be very subtle.
In fact, many people remain busy and active
because they are afraid or uncomfortable resting and relaxing. One may busy oneself with the problems
of others, because in a resting state, one is faced with oneÕs own life, and
oneÕs own concerns. A key to
learning to rest more is to be at peace and fully accepting and loving of yourself. Otherwise, resting more may bring up
vague feelings of anxiety or even panicky feelings.
In order to slow down, know that these feelings
may come up and do not let them get in the way of your rest periods. Also, let go of any guilt or feelings
of laziness associated with resting and live within your sleep limits.
2) Sleep is a waste of time. I hope I have explained why this is not
so. Plenty of sleep is an absolute
necessity.
3) I could sleep for days and sleeping more
doesn't make me feel better, so why bother. Most likely your body chemistry is out of balance . Correction might be simple, but usually
requires a nutritional balancing program.
Ninety percent of city dwellers
have exhausted adrenal glands and often sluggish thyroid glands, which
makes one very tired. The answer
is not to just take hormones or sleeping pills, but to begin correcting body
chemistry. However, not sleeping
will only make the problem worse.
If a sleeping pill is needed for a while, it is okay.
4) I'll miss my favorite television
programs, movies, parties, etc.
It is possible to leave parties earlier, schedule parties and movies
earlier and record late television programs.
5) I can't go to sleep earlier. If I do, I'll be up at 3 AM. This is a common excuse. The section below regarding sleep
difficulties may be helpful. Many
people are stimulated by toxic substances in the body that prevent them from
relaxing thoroughly. Blood sugar
imbalances may also prevent one from sleeping through the night, for example.
6) I have loads of energy. Occasionally, this is the case. A few people are healthy enough to get
along on less sleep. Most often,
however, one is out of touch, stimulated by toxic metals in the body or using
stimulants that irritate the nervous system. It only appears one has loads of energy. If this is the case, you will
eventually become exhausted.
You might as well slow down now, before complete burnout occurs.
7) I just love staying up. Many people are night owls. They enjoy the peaceful feeling at
night when activities slow down.
It is a pleasure for many sensitive souls. Sometimes creative work is easier to do at night.
However,
depriving yourself of sleep is not the answer. You may need to live in a quieter environment so you can
experience peace during the day. Otherwise, arrange your schedule so
that if you stay up, you can sleep in the morning or nap so you get enough
sleep. Ideally, go to bed very
early and get up early when the world is still peaceful and quiet to experience
the peace you need.
FOUR STAGES OR ASPECTS OF SLEEPING
Sleeping
actually involves at least four aspects of human physiology. These are:
1. Rest.
The body simply rests. This
is extremely important for a number of hours each day. Otherwise, the body literally can wear
out sooner. Rest is the time the
body begins to regenerate itself.
2. Muscle relaxation.
Although this is similar to rest, it is listed separately because it is
somewhat different. The muscles
require a special type of rest that is somewhat unique. Just putting your feet up on the couch
or in bed is excellent to relax most of the musculature of the body, another
necessary aspect of rest and sleep.
3. Dreaming and rebuilding
the body. This aspect of rest requires that the conscious mind be put
aside for a time. Also, the best
time for this process is the hours before midnight. The other processes are not time-dependent. The reasons appear to be complex, but
the deep rebuilding of the body seems to occur the most in the hours before
midnight to 1 AM. This is why
going to bed as early as is conveniently possible, and no later than 9 or 9:30
PM is excellent. It is also why if
you travel, stay on the local time zone with your sleeping habits. Do not stay up until midnight just
because you are accustomed to a different time zone, even for a few days.
4. Processing and learning.
This is divided into many aspects that are more esoteric. Most people travel out of the physical
body in what is called the finer body.
They literally learn study, teach, heal, assist others and may have
other experiences during the sleep state.
HANDLING SLEEP DIFFICULTIES
Sleep
problems can be related to diet, lifestyle, the sleeping environment,
biochemical imbalances, ones temperament and other factors. Here are suggestions for improving your
sleep.
1) Reduce your salt intake, if you are eating a
lot of salt. Salt, even good quality sea salt such as
Himalayan salt or Celtic salt, can be very stimulating. This is why many people love chips,
dips and a lot of junk foods such as French fries, pickles, relish, ketchup and
more.
2) Eat dinner early.
Eating late may leave undigested food in the stomach that interferes
with sleep, especially if the food quantity is excessive or you have gas or
other symptoms of indigestion.
3) Before bed, try to dissipate harmful or stray
electromagnetic energies that we all pick up during the day.
Possible ways to do this include:
á
Take a quick shower just
before bedtime. Do not take a bath
every night, as many people do.
This can cause you to absorb too many toxins in the bath water, and it
is quite yin, as well, in Chinese medical terminology. A quick shower is best for this
purpose.
á
Get in a near infrared
sauna for 10-15 minutes. Other
saunas are not as good, but might work, too.
á
Go out in the sun for several
minutes after using the computer or television. Do this also if you feel uncomfortable after being with a
person whom you know is ill or has a ÔdifficultÕ personality. D) shine a red
infrared lamp close to your head area for no more than 10 minutes before
bed.
4) Avoid sweets, juices or chocolate, especially
at night. Sugar upsets body chemistry and may cause one to toss and
turn or to get up hungry in the middle of the night.
5) Avoid stimulants, particularly in the
evening. Stimulants just whip your body. They always result in more tiredness eventually. These include coffee, tea, caffeinated
soft drinks, chocolate and sugar in any form. More subtle stimulants include anger, hatred, resentment,
worry and fearfulness. Remember
this next time you listen to the news or watch a violent movie.
6) Reduce mental activity in the evening. If
you have trouble sleeping, it is wise to forgo intense intellectual effort at
night. Relax, do light reading or
other activities that do not overstimulate the mind.
For
example, you may need to turn off the computer at 6 PM and will only read or
watch programs that are relaxing or engage in social activities after 6 or 7
PM. Also, decide you will not
initiate or take phone calls after perhaps 8 or 8:30 PM, since this can easily
stimulate a person and keep one awake.
7) Avoid vigorous exercise in the evening.
Better to exercise in the morning or during the day. In the evening , limit exercise to
perhaps a gentle walk, an excellent way to end the day.
8) Do some spiritual reading before bed each
night, rather than watch the nightly news or a movie. This can make quite a
difference for some people. It is
relaxing, uplifting, and can help one to have a sense of peace and tranquility.
9) Be sure you are warm enough, but not hot.
This includes your feet.
Wear socks if needed, or heat your feet with a heater. A warm bath or sauna before bed can also
be excellent.
10) Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet.
Install black velour fabric behind curtains or use other methods so your
sleeping area is very dark, and preferably very quiet as well.
11) Some ventilation and movement of air is
often helpful for sleeping. This might mean running a ceiling fan or just
cracking a window open a small amount if it is cold outside, for example.
12) Let go of physical tension in the body.
Methods that can be used include ten minutes of slow, deep breathing,
gentle stretching or yoga in the evening
13) Foot reflexology is superb to relax before
bed. This is excellent to calm the nerves and help restore the
natural energy flow in the acupuncture meridians of the body.
Rub both entire feet, for at least five to ten
minutes each. Be sure to include
rubbing all the toes, the top of the foot, the heel and a little ways up the
legs. Pay more attention to any
area that is tender or painful.
Twisting the toes gently is also very good.
A reflexology sleep
point. A reflex point on the soft area about the middle
of the bottom of the large toe, slightly nearer the inside of the toe next to
the second toe, appears to be specific for assisting sleep and rest.
14) A chi machine can be fabulous just before
bed. This is a box that sits on the floor and you place your
ankles in cradles on top of the box.
When activated, the machine gently moves your legs back and forth,
relaxing the spine and the entire body.
These are not too expensive, as a simple one usually works just fine and
cost about $120.00 new.
15) Do your best to let go of fears and worry at
bedtime. This may be why spiritual reading is so helpful for some
people. A simple affirmation might
even be enough, particularly if repeated for a while so it becomes part of your
lifestyle. It could be something
like "This day is complete. I
now release all worries and concerns to the holy spirit or the higher self and
I rest peacefully. I release this
day."
16) A cool sleeping environment is often better
than a hot, stuffy room. If possible, have your sleeping area
cooler than room temperature.
17) When traveling, many people sleep better by bringing their own
pillow and even their own sheets or sleep pack if you are not sure how clean
the sheets will be. Also bring
earplugs, which are great all the time if you need them, and an eye covering
device to make sure the room is dark enough.
18) Ear plugs. These are often helpful, especially in
noisy environments, when traveling, or when sleeping with a partner. The foam rubber type are fine, but not
nearly as good as the silicone type.
They cost more, but block much more sounds.
Eye
covering should not be
needed if the room is very dark.
If this is not possible, such as when traveling or if a streetlight is
nearby, perhaps, then eye covering can be excellent.
19) Separate beds for partners can be a helpful idea, though it
sounds horribly unromantic to some.
It is better energetically for many people. It also helps assure that a partnerÕs visits to the
bathroom, or just random tossing and turning will not wake you up.
20) Avoid most magnetic mattress pads. Use care with these products. Most help for a while.
However, discontinue their use after a few months to a year. Prolonged use usually is not helpful
and may be harmful. A lot of
'magnetic deficiency syndrome' is caused by iron and other ferrous metal toxicity
in the body.
21) The size and shape of pillows can make a
difference. A pillow should not cause undue strain on the
neck. Cervical pillows and other
types are worth experimenting with.
22) Avoid becoming overtired.
When one is overtired, the adrenal glands are overstimulated. One may need to unwind before going to
bed in this case. This is one of
the most important reasons to go to bed early. If one stays up for some reason, the sympathetic nervous
system and the adrenal glands will help keep you up by secreting some adrenal
and thyroid hormones. This is
fine, except that when you wish to go to bed, you cannot sleep well as you are overstimulated.
23) If possible, sleep in, in the morning.
This may sound unusual.
Here is the explanation. The adrenal glands become active about 5 AM. Many people awaken at this time and
want to get going. However, this
prevents the adrenals from resting more.
It is best to go back to sleep, if possible, or just lie awake and
meditate, for example, and get up after 7 AM, when the adrenals are less
active. One may feel more tired at
first, but it will help rest the adrenals.
24) Turn off electronic appliances, or at least sleep 8-10 feet away from
wifi, cell phones, TV sets, computers and all other
sources of EMF (electromagnetic fields). If
at all possible, turn these devices off and do not keep alarm clocks right next
to your head. Battery powered
devices are not nearly as much of a problem, however, if you need an alarm
clock.
If you are very sensitive to electronic
emissions, know that even turning off some electrical equipment is not always
enough. Listen carefully as many
radios, boom boxes, tape decks and more have transformers that stay on even if
the device is off. These will
disturb sensitive individuals and are not healthful for anyone during sleep.
Wifi should not be near your bed. Move the router, modem and other
components to other parts of the house or apartment.
House wiring. In some cases, sleep will improve radically if you make sure
the electric power is off in your bedroom. This is because even the wiring in the wall gives off
powerful EMF and RF
frequencies. This is more work to
install a special switch or circuit breaker, but I know people for whom it has
made a lot of difference in their rest.
25) Drink more earlier in the day.
Drink water in the morning and not after 6 PM so you are not having to
get up many times to urinate at night.
This is quite disturbing to your sleep in some cases, especially if you
do not fall asleep easily.
26) Natural remedies. Use calcium and magnesium during the
day to assist sleep. I always recommend extra calcium and
magnesium for everyone, even if sleep is not a problem. However, several clients have reported
that taking more calcium and magnesium during the day as well, and
not just before bed, helps them sleep better. Most likely, the reason is it keeps the nervous system
calmer all day and avoids one becoming as overtired or overstimulated. The amount to take is usually about 500
mg of calcium and about 300 mg of magnesium three times a day with meals. Even more is fine, if needed.
During the night, you can take more calcium and
magnesium. Chewing your supplement
or taking a liquid calcium/magnesium supplement may be absorbed faster than
simply swallowing a tablet to help one go back to sleep. Beware that excessive magnesium is
laxative for some people. Also,
too much calcium and magnesium is not helpful for long-term use unless you are
guided by a professional.
Other natural sleep remedies. Use the remedies discussed below on an as needed basis. One can become dependent on them, which
is not optimal. Sleep remedies are
most often excellent while on trips or in situations when you are under stress
that interferes with your rest and sleep.
They should not be needed as your body heals on a nutritional balancing
program.
Note
that the best time to take sleep remedies is while you are quiet and preparing
for bed at an early hour. They may
be less helpful when one is anxious and tense, or at a late hour when the
sympathetic nervous system has kicked in to give you extra energy because you
did not rest when you should have.
Remedies
are just that. They are not a
substitute for correcting situations that interfere with your healthful early-to-bed,
daily sleeping habits.
Natural Sleep Remedies That
I Most Recommend. These include a cup of strong, freshly brewed chamomile
tea, valerian root, herbal combinations, Sleepytime
teas and homeopathic remedies that are available at health food stores.
These are excellent because they do not
interfere with body chemistry to any significant degree. For this reason, they can be used at
any time and for longer periods of time. herbal formulas
Other nutrients.
Other sedative products include choline, inositol, threonine, and sedative
herbs such as hops, passionflower and others. See below under less recommended remedies for a number of
others, many of which are related to copper toxicity.
Milk near bedtime. An
old sleep remedy is a small cup of warm milk. Milk is high in tryptophan, calcium and has some
magnesium. This works well for
many people and does not harm the body, as can the sleep-inducing drugs. L-tryptophan or its precursor, 5-htp
may also be used by themselves.
These are also very safe and helpful for many people.
Somewhat Less Recommended
Sleep Remedies. Copper toxicity is a very common cause for sleep
difficulties. Symptoms also
include headaches, acne, rashes, premenstrual tension in young women and
emotional ups and downs.
If you suspect copper toxicity, which is
discussed in another article, you may try a symptomatic approach, taking up to
30 mg of zinc, up to 200 mg of vitamin B6 with the evening meal or possibly
before bed, and more in the middle of the night if needed.
Note
that to get rid of copper toxicity also requires a complete nutrition program
to strengthen the adrenal glands and address other possible causes of copper
toxicity.
Avoid
Chinese patent herbal remedies such as An Shui Wan
and Worry Free, Sleep Easy (Shui de An). Chinese herbs can contain toxic metals,
even the best brands, in my experience.
I recommend melatonin only for a short period of
time, as it is a hormone that may have other unpredictable effects.
27) Hydrotherapy. An
older method I have used is to stand in the back of a shower and allow cold
water to run just on the legs and feet.
The water must be quite cold.
Take a warm shower first to warm up, if needed, or wear a night shirt to
keep warm. This procedure draws
the blood down from the head to the feet very effectively.
To make it even more powerful, do not dry your
legs. Get into bed with them wet,
as it will keep working once you are in bed.
28) Empty the bladder and bowels.
This may be obvious, but having a full bladder or being constipated will
also interfere with sleep.
29) Listen to a boring lecture or other boring
CD or tape. This can be surprisingly good, and much better than
listening to music or watching a movie, at times.
30) A nutritional balancing program
will often identify many other hidden causes for sleep difficulties such as
copper toxicity, mercury and other metal toxicity, calcium and magnesium
imbalances, and so on.
31) Drug therapy for sleep is not usually needed if
all the above is used. Only
consider it if you are doing all the above suggestions to no avail. Sleep is so important that in such a
case, a sleeping pill can be helpful until your body chemistry is corrected so
your body will relax enough to rest.
For
babies and children, Benedryl is cheap and available
without a prescription and not a bad drug remedy. Us only when needed, however, and only as much as
needed. Another OTC drug that may
be better is Excedrin PM. Remember
to take calcium and magnesium first, however, as much as you need. Beware that many brands of calcium and
magnesium are not effective for some reason. I am not sure why this is so, but have observed it many
times. So one may need to try several
products in enough quantity to see which works.
ÒJUNK SLEEPÓ THREATENING
TEENAGERÕS HEALTH
Electronic
gadgets have overtaken many teenagersÕ bedrooms, damaging their health due to
lack of sleep, according to a British survey.
The
Sleep Council warns that Òjunk sleepÓ could rival the unhealthy junk food craze
as a major lifestyle issue for parents of teenage children.
Their
poll of 1,000 teenagers between the ages of 12 to 16 revealed that 30 percent
got only four to seven hours of sleep. And almost 25 percent said
they fell asleep while watching TV, listening to music, or using some other
electronic gadget.
About
40 percent said they felt tired each day, and some 20 percent of the boys
admitted their quality of sleep was affected by leaving their TV or computer
on. However, only 11 percent said they were bothered by the lack of quantity,
or quality, of sleep.
Dr.
Chris Idzikowski with the Edinburgh Sleep Centre
stated, ÒWhat we are seeing is the emergence of Junk Sleep – that is
sleep that is of neither the length nor quality that it should be in order to
feed the brain with the rest it needs to perform properly at school.Ó
The Sleep Council Press
Release
The Sleep Council Teenage
Sleep: Facts, Figures & Tips
Scientific American August 28,
2007
OTHER SLEEP ISSUES
If afternoon naps interfere
with nighttime sleeping. This happens, at times. It is due to low vitality in some
cases. The person is somewhat
delicate and the nap upsets the normal rhythm. Often, as health improves, this problem disappears by
itself.
In some cases, a person may, by taking an
afternoon nap, upset their body chemical patterns enough to begin eliminating a
stored stimulant such as caffeine, cadmium from cigarette or marijuana smoke or
something else. Releasing this
chemical into the blood could also interfere with sleep later in the evening.
Random sleep habits.
Some people do remarkably well with a random sleep schedule. It is often necessary in occupations
such as a commercial airline pilot.
However, as a general rule, the more similar the sleep schedule each
day, the better.
Night work shifts.
This is often difficult on many people. If one is not feeling well on this schedule, do whatever you
can to change it to a regular day shift, even a late shift.
Sleep
loss during nutritional balancing programs, and what to do if you cannot sleep
well for one or even several nights. This
happens infrequently on a nutritional balancing program due to the release of a
toxic metal or perhaps a toxic chemical such as a stimulant drug or even stored
caffeine. Here are simple measures
to take:
1. Do not panic.
Nap the next day if at all possible.
2. During the night, do your best to rest at night lying
down. If sleep is impossible,
listen to quiet music, an instructional CD, the radio or other quiet activity.
3. You may do a coffee enema at night, even in the
middle of the night if you have a headache or other toxic symptoms. I have often been able to fall back
asleep afterwards. Perhaps use a
little less coffee at night.
4. You may also use a sauna in the middle of the night,
and it may help move a toxic reaction along faster or stop pain so you can
sleep.
Apartments and Condominiums. Dwellings such as apartments and
condominiums are hard to insulate as well as houses, though it can be done. If you live in one, try to be sure you
are not sleeping against a wall that has a large TV set or even a computer on
the other side. This applies to a
regular home as well.
Apartment
type dwellings also have more electronic fields due to more people in
them. The best is often an end
unit on either the first or the highest floors. Get to know your neighbors and ask them to turn off the TV
and computers and other electronic gadgets early if possible in the evening so
you can go to bed early in a peaceful electronic environment. Houses are preferable to apartments and
condos, in part for this reason.
Snoring.
This can and does interfere with oneÕs sleep, not just your partnerÕs
sleep. Snoring occurs usually when
the tongue blocks the airway a little.
Many methods can help overcome snoring. Nasal strips often work well by opening
up the nostrils a bit. Plastic
strips are also sold that go inside the nose and may be more comfortable.
Special physical exercises are also available
that may help snoring. These are available through the intenet. It is worth taking care of snoring in
some bad cases, as it can lead to or indicate sleep apnea. Losing weight helps some people stop
snoring.
Hot flashes that keep one
awake. Some women at or near the menopause experience
hot flashes at night that keep them awake. For safe, simple ways to deal with this problem that often
work well, without the need for drugs or natural hormones, read the article
entitled Menopause.
Sleeping with an ozonator/ionizer air purifier. This is recommended highly. It adds a little oxygen to the air,
which everyone needs today. The
machines are offered by Better Living or Eco-Quest, and perhaps by other
manufacturers. All are acceptable,
as far as I know as long as they have an ozonator and
an ionizer in them. For more on
how to acquire one of these machines inexpensively, click here.
Place the machine in the bedroom, preferably
high off the floor on a book shelf.
Set the ozone production to about half way. Full power is too much and will irritate the lungs. Close the bedroom door most of the way,
ideally, to keep the ozone in the room.
Do not be afraid of ozone – it is not
harmful when used correctly.
Adding a little more even in a polluted city with a higher natural ozone
level should be okay for most people, especially if one eats well and drinks
some carrot juice that is high in vitamins C and E, the antioxidants.
SLEEP APNEA
Some
people do not rest well, though they may sleep. One cause is sleep apnea. With this condition, one stops breathing periodically during
sleep. The usual cause is the
tongue slips back into the throat, blocking the air flow.
Detection of sleep apnea. Sometimes a partner will just notice
that you stop breathing at times.
However, the other way the problem is identified is to go to a sleep
clinic. These are available in
many locations. One goes to sleep
at the clinic and cameras observe oneÕs breathing and movement during the
night.
Correction.
The common medical treatment is to wear a face mask connected to a
machine that pumps air into the mouth and nose. It is called a continuous positive air pressure machine or CPAP machine.
Some doctors just use is a splint in the mouth
that keeps the tongue positioned correctly. Also, nutritional balancing or even just losing weight may
correct the entire condition.
HAIR MINERAL PATTERNS OF INSOMNIA
Hair analysis often tells us who has insomnia or
a tendency for it. Here are the
patterns most associated with insomnia:
Copper Imbalance.
Copper causes the mind to race and enhances emotions, both of which
interfere with sleep. The hair
copper level is often normal or even low.
Many people, however, have what is called hidden copper imbalance. Assuming the hair test is performed
correctly, which means the hair is not washed at the lab, indictors for copper
imbalance include:
á
Copper greater than about 2
mg% or less than 0.9 mg%.
á
Zinc less than about 14 mg%
á
Calcium greater than about
70 mg%
á
Potassium less than about 4
mg%r
á
Mercury greater than about
0.03 mg%
á
Na/K ratio less than about
2 or greater than 10
A fast oxidation rate.
This is often associated with low calcium and magnesium, another common
hair analysis pattern associated with insomnia.
Four low electrolytes
pattern. This is often associated with anxiety, irritability and
impaired sleep.
Calcium and/or magnesium
deficiencies. A hair calcium level below
about 35 mg% or a hair magnesium less than about 4 mg% may indicate
deficiencies that often interfere with rest and sleep.
Calcium and magnesium are needed to relax the
muscles and the nervous system.
Biounavailable calcium
and/or magnesium. A hair calcium level
greater than 175 mg%, or perhaps even less, often indicates some degree of biounavailable calcium and perhaps magnesium. This is highly associated with insomnia
in many instances because it is functionally the same as a deficiency.
Many other hair analysis imbalances may
contribute to insomnia. These
include mercury toxicity, other high levels of toxic metals, and an imbalanced
sodium/potassium ratio – either too high or too low.
REST AND SLEEP CRITICAL FOR DEVELOPMENT
This
is a specialized topic. It is discussed
in another article on this website, entitled Sleep
And Development.
References
1. Dement, W.C. and Vaughan, C., The Promise of Sleep, Dell Publishing,
NY, 1999.
2. Wiley, T.S., Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival. 2001.
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