In Ramayan, when Shri Ram was exiled to the forest for 14 years, he was accompanied by his wife. goddess Sita and his brother, Laxman. During their stay in the forest, Laxman was completely devoted to Shri Ram and Sita. So much so, that during the first night in the forest, Laxman prayed to Goddess of sleep, Nidra, to leave him alone for 14 years, so that he could guard his brother and sister-in-law, day and night. Impressed by his devotion, the goddress agreed, but she told him, as per the law of the nature, someone has to bear the burden of sleep on his behalf. So, his wife, Urmila slept for fourteen years, night and day, while her husband stayed awake in the service of Shri Ram and Sita. As a result,during the war, Laxman was able defeat Ravan's son Meghnaath, as he had a boon, that only the one who has conquered sleep, will be able to defeat him.
But unlike Laxman, we do not have the boon of anidra !
When the mind and the body get fatigued, state of dullness arrives. Due to this, the sense organs stop functioning for the time being,
hence mind ceases to operate and an individual's interaction with the surrounding comes to a halt. This sleep is known as nidra or "sushupti" in Ayurveda. Sound sleep is one of the pillars of good health according to Ayurveda. It is also the most overlooked one.
The ancient Indians knew the importance of sleep for our system and have been telling us - " Early to bed and early to rise ". But this advice is mostly ignored, because in this day and age, we have every temptation to stay up late and little motivation to get up early.
Sleep is a way to nourish our bodies, minds and spirits. It is an essential component of good health and peace of mind. This quiet state gives us a chance to renew, refresh and restore ourselves. Getting sound sleep each night imparts physical and mental balance to prepare for the next day. In Patanjali yogasutra the physiology and importance of nidra was described as : A state of deliberate absence of thought waves or knowledge. Dreamless sleep is an inert state of consciousness in which the sense of existence is not felt. In sleep, the senses of perception rest in the mind, the mind in the consciousness and the consciousness in the being in deep sleep. The senses of perception cease of function because their supreme, the mind is at rest. This is Abhava, a state of void or a feeling of emptiness.Lord Krishna has explained the importance of proper sleep for adhyana yogi in Bhagavatgeeta. He also mentions to Arjun that the excessive sleep or awaking is not good.
Though most of us are aware of the health conditions that can arise due to insufficient sleep, here is a re-look at them :
Obesity :
Insufficient sleep has been linked to a high probability for weight gain.Several studies have linked insufficient sleep and weight gain. For example, studies have shown that people who habitually sleep less than six hours per night are much more likely to have a higher than average body mass index (BMI) and that people who sleep eight hours have the lowest BMI. Sleep is now being seen as a potential risk factor for obesity along with the two most commonly identified risk factors: lack of exercise and overeating.
Diabetes :
Researchers have found that insufficient sleep may lead to type 2 diabetes by influencing the way the body processes glucose, the high-energy carbohydrate that cells use for fuel. One short-term sleep restriction study found that a group of healthy subjects who had their sleep cut back from 8 to 4 hours per night processed glucose more slowly than they did when they were permitted to sleep 12 hours. Numerous epidemiological studies also have revealed that adults who usually slept less than five hours per night have a greatly increased risk of having or developing diabetes.
Heart Disease and Hypertension :
Even minor periods of inadequate sleep can cause an elevation in blood pressure. Studies have found that a single night of inadequate sleep in people who have existing hypertension can cause elevated blood pressure throughout the following day. This effect may begin to explain the correlation between poor sleep and cardiovascular disease and stroke. For example, one study found that sleeping too little (less than six hours) or too much (more than nine hours) increased the risk of coronary heart disease in women.
Mood Disorders / Depression :
Given that a single sleepless night can cause people to be irritable and moody the following day, it is conceivable that chronic insufficient sleep may lead to long-term mood disorders. Chronic sleep issues have been correlated with depression, anxiety, and mental distress. In one study, subjects who slept four and a half
hours per night reported feeling more stressed, sad, angry, and mentally exhausted. In another study, subjects who slept four hours per night showed declining levels of optimism and sociability as a function of days of inadequate sleep. All of these self-reported symptoms improved dramatically when subjects returned to a normal sleep schedule.
Immune Function :
It is natural for people to go to bed when they are sick. Substances produced by the immune system to help fight infection also cause fatigue. One theory proposes that the immune system evolved "sleepiness inducing factors" because inactivity and sleep provided an advantage: those who slept more when faced with an infection were better able to fight that infection than those who slept less. In fact, research in animals suggests that those animals who obtain more deep sleep following experimental challenge by microbial infection have a better chance of survival.
There are many other diseases that are caused due to improper/insufficient sleep. The list is too long for this post.
This new year, lets resolve to nourish our mind, body and soul, with the adequate amount of rest it needs.
Om shanti, shanti, shanti.
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