HEALTH LIFESTYLES
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SLEEP: In Sync With Nature
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SLEEPSleeping In Sync With Nature |
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During the day we use the sympathetic nervous system, which is associated with expending energy and tearing down the body. This is counter-balanced by the parasympathetic system, which is associated with rest, nurturing and regeneration of body tissues. This is our maintenance & repair time. If you short change your regenerative activity by not sleeping naturally, your physical powers have no foundation to stand on. Illness can develop because there is not enough time to repair damaged tissues in the body.
"Night persons" have felt that "charge of energy" in the post midnight hours, being more creative and productive during the pre-dawn hours than in the annoyingly bland daylight routine. The problem with this is: that midnight "charge" is the result of your burning off the hormones that the adreal glands are working hard to replenish during this vital period of restoration. (More information on adreanals.)
While on the subject of the adrenals: the adrenal glands become active about 5 AM, causing an urge to wake up & get going. However, this prevents the adrenals from resting more. It's best to go back to sleep and get up after 7 AM, when the adrenals are less active. One may feel more tired at first, but it completes the restoration process of the adrenals.
Nature has set the tempo for our activities. It is only since the "electric age" that man has gotten accustomed to creating his own daylight, basically giving the finger to the healthy clues that nature has given us to harmonize our physical health with the flow of life.
"Too much is going on before midnight for me to just quit & go to sleep." The culture we've come to know has evolved under the artificial conditions of the electric age. We, in turn, have to give the finger to the unhealthy, FAKE lifestyle we've been brainwashed into adopting. We have to begin respecting our physical well-being enough to orient our internal clocks to the cycles of the sun instead of to the life-draining stresses of man's artificial world.
Elimination of all types of toxins requires energy. If you use all of your energy running around all day, you will not detoxify nearly as well.
1) I don't have time.
If this is really the case, then it is time to restructure your life. Schedule naps, get help so that you have more free time and take on fewer projects. This will result in you becoming a more relaxed person.
2) Sleep is a waste of time.
Nature says different. Your feelings can blind you to the needs of your body. 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. 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, but to begin correcting body chemistry. However, not sleeping will only make the problem worse. Get at least 8-10 hours of sleep.
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. 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.
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. 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.
The "Photoperiodic" Effect - Full darkness at night increases melatonin production & other hormones - http://photoperiodeffect.com/
Light, Darkness & a Collagen Disorder
Amazon: "Lights Out" Book
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