According to the Vedanta school of philosophy, a human being conscious experiences three levels daily. First is what we know as our awake state. We do all our work, study, travel, exercise, read, etc. in this waking state. The next stage is when we hit the bed and we see a world of imagination or mirror images of our waking state, known as the dream state. The dreams are as real as our reality during waking state. We realize that the particular scene that we saw was a dream only once we wake up. Else it as real to us as our reality with open eyes. The third state is that of deep sleep. In this state, we have no experience of the real or imaginary world. It is a state of total silence and blankness. In this article, you will get to know everything about your sleep.
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Know your sleep
Generally, 6-7 hours of sleep is considered healthy for normal people with no serious illness. But actually to define how much time of sleep is fit for a person is not possible. It has been noticed while some people feel energized after a few hours of sleep while others tend to sleep and snore through long hours and still feel uneasy after waking up. An infant usually sleeps for 16-20 hours a day as it is important for its life force to work silently to build muscles, organs, bones, and joints of the body. Old people, patients, and pregnant women need more sleep than other people. Women should sleep longer than men and especially expecting women.
Know your sleep according to sleep scientists and experts:
- Infant 1 week to 6 week- 22 hours
- 1 year to 2 year- 18 hours
- 2 year to 3 year- 15-17hours
- 3year to 4 year- 14 to 16 hours
- 4year to 6 year- 13 to 15 hours
- 6 years to 9 years-10 to 12 hours
- 9 years to 13 years- 9 to 10 hours
- 13 year to 15 years- 8-10 hours
- 15 year and above age- 7 to 8 hours
The sleeping place or bed should be a well ventilated and clean space. If it is a room, it should get ample sunlight and natural air. The room should not be congested with furniture or other items.
Know the Right Direction to Sleep
According to markandey smriti – an ancient treatise, sleeping with head towards the east is best for health. Sleep with your head south and legs towards the north are most harmful. In this direction, the body alignment with the polarity of the earth is totally against. Sleeping with your head towards the west is unnecessarily inviting mental trials and tribulations.
Do’s and Dont’s
In order to cure insomnia, you should know your sleep and the facts related to your sleep. Soft beds and mattresses should be avoided at all costs. Especially for children and kids whose body is still in the development phase. Muscles and bones need to be strong and flexible. The chest needed to expand well and the backbone needs to have ample strength. Hard beds of wood are better suited to keep the vertebral column straight. This allows all the organs of the abdomen and chest cavity to work effortlessly.
Nature lovers and scientists are of the same opinion. They believe that sleep on the leveled ground is best as a touch of direct earth is. This not only nutritional to body energy but also possesses healing power too. If it is tough to sleep on the ground, then use a cot or mat made of natural fibers/cotton sheets. A blanket should be used during winters. The sand and the grassy ground are also relaxing. One should never sleep on a wet ground. It is futile to use a pillow when sleeping on the ground. An elevated ground part and hands should be used to lift the head up instead.
Right Time for Sleep
Nature orders us to wake by sunrise and sleep by sunset. However, practically sleeping by 9 at night and waking up at 4 is advised to be most beneficial. It is not bad during summer to sleep in the afternoon but long siesta in the afternoon causes digestive disorders. It is good that you get in deep sleep mode before 12 at midnight. This is because bad dreams and crazy imagination becomes active past midnight. Early to bed early to rise- as per Ayurveda it helps in a long life, perfect eyesight, and heightened intelligence and adds to the beauty as well.
Sarvyoga Takeaway
It is highly advised for people with insomnia, high blood pressure, and diabetes to take regular sessions of YOG NIDRA or lucid dreaming under expert supervision. This practice helps a great deal with related mental issues like stress and anxiety as well.