Sleeping And You:

The Awakening

Sleeping seems to be a waste of time - and so others have thought. There seems to be not much activity going on & one who is asleep is not productive - and to think there are lots of things that can be done still if awake.

Depending on how you look at it, sleeping may perhaps be considered to be wasteful activity when you are asleep - yet at the other side of it - it can in fact make you productive in your waking hours each day.

Studies have shown the positive effects of getting a good night's sleep. The quality of your day depends a whole lot on how well you slept at night. If you lacked sleep, you cannot expect to be in optimum performance. Your body is not well-rested to take on vigorously the challenges the new day brings. You can get by though, but with not much effectiveness on the efforts you gave.

And though sleeping, as have been mentioned, may be considered a wasteful activity - but if you get to know what goes on when you sleep, you may start to perceive it in another way.

The Science of Sleeping - What Happens During Sleep

The human body is wonderful creation of nature. It can grow, heal and recover by itself. And it can do most of these during restful sleep. The body's cells work best when you are asleep. Many activities inside your body are happening without you knowing it. And to consider sleeping then to be a waste, may need to be reconsidered.

Going into details, sleeping involves two categories - non-REM and REM sleep. Directly after sleeping, you go into the 4 stages of non-REM sleep. After which you will experience Rapid Eye Movement (REM) period. It will be a recurring cycle of 90 to 100 minutes.

It is in non-REM periods that are considered to be restful sleeps. In the deep stages of this period the body is restoring itself - doing repairs, building bones, growing muscles & making the immune system strong.

REM periods however are times when we experience dreams - and on such times, our mind acts as if we are awake. REM is so called because of the movement of our eyeballs in different directions. It is in this time that our breathing rate & heart rate increases. As one gets older, the percentage of REM sleep declines.

The Benefits of Sleeping

1. Wake Up Completely Refreshed

After a good night's sleep, you will feel you have lots of energy to work on the things that need your attention. Feeling refreshed and re-energized will do you well as you move on your day. You will find it easier to finish tasks at shorter amounts of time, as compared to days when you weren't able to rest well.

2. Display Composure Amidst Negative Things

You will not be irritable in your dealings with other people, and you will not easily get annoyed if things don't go on as planned. You will be calm and collected to proceed with your day - and not allow minor things to ruin it.

3. Be Happier

You will feel good about yourself and this positive feeling radiates to others and to the things that you do. The special people in your lives will admire your attitude towards things, and they will be drawn to you - appreciating your optimistic disposition in life.

4. Be Sharp At Work

Being well-rested will heighten your attention to details and to the important information at hand. You will be able to process the relevant & critical information well, making you effective in your decision making at work. This will be crucial for work related matters that need your quick and good judgment. And to be able to handle stuffs at work with ease and efficiency, then sleep well - not at work, but at home.

5. Be Driven.

Having taken a quality sleep the night before, you will feel that extra energy at your disposal. Whether it be for sports or for work - whatever goals you may have - with the extra energy you have, you will have the fuel you need to drive you towards your target.

6. Be Focused.

Let's face it - without adequate sleep, there is no way you can concentrate well on the tasks assigned to you. You may be able to get things done, but the likelihood of errors is high. Without your capacity to focus, you are likely to make mistakes.

7. Resistant to Burnout

Being able to rest allows your body to relax and unwind. In sleep, your body stabilizes to normal levels, taking your body and mind out of the danger zone of burnout. If your body will be in constant stress, like all things, it will soon break. Thus the importance of sleep - giving you that all important rest - so that your body can be repaired and reconditioned for more action the next day.

8. Be Healthier.

As the body is in a state of relaxation during sleep, its natural healing processes start to occur. The immune system will grow stronger, helping you combat diseases. With a good rest, you will less likely become sick. And if you do get sick, you will easily recover if you continue to get yourself a better sleep during nighttimes.

9. Look Your Best

It will show if you have rested well the night before. You will be more radiant after a good night's sleep and you will definitely look better. As the body is able to effectively benefit from the repair processes during sleep, the day awaits for a handsome or beautiful you.

10. Feel Beautiful Inside.

During one's sleep, the body will also be on a cleansing mode. Toxins and wastes are taken cared of so that the body will be able to eliminate them from its system. And as cellular growth and repairs of damaged cells are happening during sleep, your body will rise in the morning revived & healed. Surely, with sleep, you don't just look your best outside - you'll be made beautiful in your inside as well.

What Is Lost, With Lost Sleep

1. Memory

If you lack sleep, you will go on with your day with less capacity to make use of your memory. You will be unable to effectively store things in your memory, and whatever you thought you had memorized will easily be forgotten in no time.

2. Meaningful Relationships

Without a good night's sleep, you will not have the right condition and the mood to spend quality time with your loved-ones. You may be there in front of them, but being able to communicate and listen well - will be most likely impossible with you being irritable and dazed.

3. Self-esteem

One must be in his right state of mind to be able to value and think appropriately of himself. Losing some sleep will take you away from your normal thinking patterns, and this will be opportunities for your self doubts to resurface. Not having enough sleep, you will be unable to combat these negative thoughts efficiently.

4. Emotional Balance

Those who frequently have lost sleep will find themselves to be emotionally unstable. They are most likely to have mood swings and will easily get affected with things they feel are going against them. Without a good sleep for some time will worsen emotional issues, and may bring out past hurts and experiences. Emotional balance can be achieved with a body & mind that has been rested - only then will it be capable to think & act in the appropriate way.

5. Quality of Life

Almost every aspect of your life, if not all, is affected by a lack of sleep. One should learn to value a good night's rest, and understand that the proper functioning of our bodies and minds are dependent upon the quality of sleep.

Without sleep, expect the body and mind to deteriorate in function and ability. Sleep, which gives time for the body to rest, will allow for recuperation, healing and rejuvenation. Surely, a brand new day awaits for the reenergized person in you - and you can them make efforts to improve the quality of your life.

Sleep - Your Edge

Having had a good night's sleep will be your edge over all others who lacked the quality sleep you experienced. With all the benefits and positive effects of sleep, you can easily outperform and outthink the others. You can strategize well and compete as needed. And being in the right mood and state of being, you can focus well on your objectives - and not lose sight of your target. With your new found self-worth, you are on your way towards fulfilling your goals - and helping others along the way to achieve theirs.

Sleeping And You - The Real Score

In your quest towards quality sleep at nighttime, there is one rule often missed out by many - that is to have a clear conscience.

Sounds simple. Yet will you swear that you have not erred or wronged anyone in anyway lately?

The key to a good night's sleep is being at peace with the things you have done. And you can only do so, if you acted with honesty & integrity in your daily dealings with your fellowmen. If not, you will surely be bothered at night - if not for the guilt but for the greed to want & take more; either way, you will not have the full pleasure of a blessed and heavenly sleep - you do not deserve it anyway.

Another thing to consider is your pride. With all the negative things that pride goes with, you will surely be left awake at night. All the unsettled differences with certain individuals and all the ruined relationships of previously special people in your lives - will not allow you to sleep without disturbing your conscience.

Worry will remain to haunt you if you don't change your ways. If you keep on allowing pride, hatred, jealousy, lust and greed to rule your life - attaining peace of mind may become an impossible dream. One should learn to align himself with what is right and what is just - and only then will you have the peace of mind you have long aspired for.

With a clear conscience, you will leave no room for worries, doubts, fears and negative feelings to fill your mind. With this, your days will be bright and your nights calm & quiet. Your mind will then be clear of noisy thoughts, your hearts will be liberated from negative emotions - and your sleep will be free from distractions.

And most of all, with prayers to complete the whole approach - you are guaranteed of one perfect and divine sleep - it will definitely feel like heaven when you wake up.