Sleep Disorders and the Rhythm of Life
Not being able to fall asleep when you need to can be a frustrating experience. This is a spiralling problem as the more you become frustrated, the more you may become anxious, therefore your condition will be even more detrimental to falling asleep. There are many reasons for this. The human body is the most complex system we know of in the physical universe. As Eastern philosophies meet Western science, we can begin to understand the problems we are encountering and begin to heal them holistically. To fully understand the body we need to look at the three aspects of the body: the physical body, the energy body and the spiritual body, or consciousness. These three bodies are connected and are all important to well being and being able to sleep properly. The Chinese realised the importance of the energy body when they discovered the meridian lines across the body and the Indians realised this with the Chakra system.
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The Circadian rhythm – The rhythm of life
Circadian rhythms are our natural rhythms which are physical, mental and behavioral. These rhythms follow a 24-hour cycle, approximately, responding to light and darkness in the environment. Research now shows that virtually all living organisms go through these cycles. The study of these rhythms is known as chronobiology.
In humans, science now recognises these natural oscillations take place every day. Research also shows that the main regulator of these rhythms is the hypothalamus; or, to be more precise, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is inside the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a small area at the base of the brain between the thalamus and the pituitary gland. This is responsible for connecting our nervous system to our endocrine system, which IN TURN is connected to our chakra system. So the circadian rhythm, or the rhythm of life, has been given to us to help live a healthy life. Unfortunately modern life does lead us away from these natural rhythms and we are seeing the consequences of this in the health implosion we are experiencing across Western society today. Here is a link for further information on the circadian rhythm.
https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/pages/factsheet_circadianrhythms.aspx
The Modern Society
Many people today are waking up and seeing that the way we are living on this planet is literally upside down. Because of the way we live our lives today, our brains are actually becoming slower. We used to be in harmony with the rhythm of the planet. Not that I am against technology at all, as I believe technology could take all of us out of servitude to money in this amazing time to be alive, but we have not learnt to live consciously with the new inventions that are coming thick and fast.
Also, inventions are being suppressed that could have a very positive affect on all of our lives. Just a small amount of research will make you aware of this. So we need to understand the complex nature of a human being and use technology to enhance our lives, not destroy us. Our circadian rhythm is actually quite fragile and can be knocked out of kilter quite easily. I will talk about the diseases that can occur later when this happens. We have also lost that quiet dozing state of sleep, which is a form of meditation where you are almost in two different worlds. Some say this is our bridge to consciousness. This state of sleep is becoming virtually non-existent in modern times and is the best condition to experience lucid dreaming and out-of-body experiences. These are two very important experiences to understand the nature of our reality. Modern society is slowly moving us away from the nature of our reality, and, in my opinion, leading us down a very dark hole if we let it carry on the way it is going. Our biological clock has been shifted and we need to understand this to get this natural rhythm back.
The Torture of Insomnia
Most of us have experienced at some time in our lives not being able to fall asleep. When you understand that the most common forms of torture around the world is sleep deprivation, then sleep must be considered very important as part of our daily routine or ritual. Literally, sleep deprivation can drive you insane. Sleep deprivation pulls you into the fight-or-flight state of the nervous system, which is much the same AS symptoms of stress. So let us have a look at the effects of short-term or long-term sleep deprivation.
Short-Term Sleep Deprivation
Short-term sleep deprivation causes release of stress hormones. This can also elevate LDL cholesterol, elevates blood sugar and reduces blood supply to the gut, which is the major part of your immune system.
Long-Term Sleep Deprivation
Long-term sleep deprivation is debilitating both physically and mentally, weakens the immune system and you will be susceptible to higher disease rates.
Sleep deprivation can have adverse effects leading to Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Gastrointestinal tract disorders, Kidney disease and behavioural problems in children. Inadequate sleep can also affect hormone levels.
R.E.M and the use of Medications
R.E.M. which is rapid eye movement sleep time, also known as slow-wave sleep, is very important for a healthy and beneficial night’s sleep. Medical research now shows that people who work nights, known as the graveyard shift, are more susceptible to chronic illness. It is important to understand that sleep medication will not get you R.E.M. sleep. The best time for you to be asleep is between 11 pm and 1 am. This is when the gallbladder secretes, and when you start to absorb healthy fats. This is also when the kidneys and the kidney meridian lines are most active to purify the body. So the actions of your physical and energetic body ARE linked to your circadian rhythm. R.E.M. sleep stimulates the brain regions for learning. This may be the reason that children experience far more R.E.M. sleep than adults. Dreams almost always occur in R.E.M. sleep, and are now being recognised as an important part of our human experience. Medications for sleep are to be avoided as these are detrimental to a good night’s sleep and to the body’s well being in general. In fact, many sleep medications suppress R.E.M. sleep. Again, the way we live is pulling us away from our natural way of living. In fact, some sleeping pills destroy your brain and your immune system and also disrupts your circadian rhythm. Research has shown that you get a 35 % increase in cancer RISK if you use sleeping pills. They also cause memory loss and stop the body from healing properly. For more information on sleeping pills, please visit the link below.
http://www.darksideofsleepingpills.com/
Sleep and the Chakra System
The Chakra system is linked to the endocrine system. Your root chakra is linked to your adrenal glands, which work hand in hand with your hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Therefore your Chakra system is also affected by insomnia. You will feel exhausted with insomnia, and it is an ever-decreasing circle. I have found that Qi Gong really does give you a great night’s sleep. The practice is excellent for stimulating the energy body, which is your chakra system, your meridian lines and your acupressure points, and helps to detoxify the body in the most natural way. This practice also quietens the mind and clears the head. When practised daily for a long period of time, you will become stronger and more connected to your body. You will be able to sense your energy body also. So, sleep is just as important for your energy body as well as your physical body. To be connected to yourself, your natural rhythm and your sense of connection to everything is all boosted by Qi Gong. We all have a natural rhythm and it is important to find this for yourself.
Solutions and Recommendations
So we all need to understand our natural rhythm, our natural body clock. Television, or any screen for that matter, gives off a 65-cycle-per-second pulse which puts you into a hypnotic state and speeds the body clock up, so should be avoided before bedtime. You also shouldn’t eat before going to bed, because this disrupts the detoxification process your liver is performing at night. Alcohol is also a toxin and should be avoided. Reading is very good about fifteen minutes before you go to sleep to put your rain into a more relaxed state. Make sure you are reading from a book and not a screen though. There are many things you can do and Dr Bergman covers much of what I am saying here in his presentation below. I have been working with Bright Beings and Dr Tomasz Kopec on an insomnia cure exercise with music that is very effective. I created the music and would like to share this with you. When I came to mixing the music, I had the playback coming through my monitor system in my home studio, where the binaural beat was really affecting me. When it came to listening back to whole track, I literally had to mute the binaural beat as it was sending me into a daydream state each time I listened through. It has a Theta binaural beat to encourage the brain to go into the Theta frequency. This frequency is a state of deep relaxation, meditation and mental imagery. I understand now why this was having such an effect on me when working with this beat. You can experience this yourself from the link below.
http://www.openfocusattentiontraining.com/product/insomnia-cure-with-music/
We are the only species on the planet who sleeps one time per day. Is this natural or has this been forced upon us? Some people believe we are supposed to be winding down as the sun sets and start to wake up as the sun comes up. Others believe we should be sleeping twice a day, like the Spanish have their siestas. We do have a lull in our wakefulness naturally around 2 pm in the afternoon. This is always the hardest time to speak on a day’s seminar just after lunch. People are generally more sleepy at this time of day. I believe we should be aware of our own personal body clock and work to what makes us feel optimum. Like everything that is connected to health, we should be aware of what our body needs. We need to fall into our own rhythm of life and understand what is best for us.
I personally know how hard it can be to get to sleep. Emotions, thoughts and feelings can all keep us awake. Dr. Tomasz Kopec’s Open Focus exercise will help you naturally dissolve these happenings, helping you to find that perfect night’s sleep. I hope insomnia becomes a distant memory as we strive to understand who and what we are doing on this planet, and how we can all live a happy, healthy and peaceful life.
Also Read: 2 Tricks to Get to Sleep in Under One Minute
Dr John Bergman’s presentation on sleep
