In the fast paced modern living, we tend to ignore our health that worsens with increasing anxiety and inadequate sleep, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj Ji

Recently, a newspaper clipping grabbed many eyeballs when an elderly woman started the ‘Sleep Service Centre’ for those who were not able to get peaceful sleep. Through the initiative, the woman would talk to the person and sing a lullaby to him/her to make them fall sleep like a mother makes her child sleep. Result? The client comes out rejuvenated in just half an hour of sleep session. Isn’t it surprising and even saddening that now we need a sleep therapist to make us sleep naturally and peacefully? What kind of a society are we living in? If animals and birds can sleep well, why can’t humans?

Sleep is the best form of relaxation and is close to meditation. Those who sleep well will always do well. If we get sound sleep during the night, we get up fresh, feeling more active and energetic. However, in today’s world getting a sound sleep has become a rare phenomenon. It’s because today millions of people suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, etc. In fact, the count of those who get a broken, fitful sleep would be surplus. Sadly, many of these individuals resort to sleeping pills and drugs which ultimately worsens the proble.

Recent extensive medical surveys reveal that nearly 75 per cent of Americans were found with some kind of symptoms of sleep disorder and they needed tranquilisers for a few nights per week. Sleep disorders mostly result from anxiety and mental depression. This raises the question: ‘Where are we heading?’ The biggest causes of sleeplessness is bad mental health. We must understand that to not be able to have a sound sleep is not only in itself an unhealthy condition but it also causes or aggravates many other diseases.

For instance, sleep disturbance is one of the factors that leads to coronary heart diseases. However, most of us would subconsciously agree that tranquilisers are not the solution. The medical profession also now recognises that these tranquilisers, on which people highly depend, have various side-effects. These drugs represent a purely symptomatic approach, ignoring the underlying problems which actually cause these conditions. A British medical journal had recently published a report about experiments that have shown that sympathy can work well in cases of sleep disorders. It further said that in one trial, the doctors, instead of giving tranquilisers, spent some time with the patients and talked to them in an open space. They just had a brief chat with them, sympathising with them, and also gave them a few words of advice, explaining them why they had those conditions. There was no attempt at psychotherapy, but simply an attempt at being sympathetic. The results of these informal chats were astounding and the assessment showed that, with this replacement of allopathy by sympathy, depression in those patients dropped from a level of 80 per cent to 40 per cent and the additional benefits were that the patients suffered no side-effects. It indicated that mental depression, anxiety, etc., are mainly due to certain lifestyles, behavioural patterns and personality traits. It was also felt that the pattern of behaviour, designated as type ‘A’ which is characterised by competitiveness, impatience, etc., predisposes a person to coronary diseases and hypertension. As a result, the doctors all over the world are now increasingly advising such patients to practise meditation and to have proper diet pattern. It’s a medically-proven fact that ill mental health adversely affects one’s eating habits, which in turn, drastically influences our sleep and overall health.

A high intake of tea, coffee and colas also contributes to an inability to sleep. Under such a medical condition, proper meditation technique can be of great help if practiced regularly. In the hustle bustle of living a modern life, we tend to forget that it is the quality of life which matters the most and not the quantity. Hence, if we jeopardise our sleep for silly reasons, and knowingly undermine our health. It’s better to be wise for our own health benefits and make a habit to meditate everyday before going to bed to disengage the mind from unnecessary thoughts and have a sound and peaceful sleep.

Writer: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji

Courtesy: The Pioneer

In the fast paced modern living, we tend to ignore our health that worsens with increasing anxiety and inadequate sleep, says Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj Ji

Recently, a newspaper clipping grabbed many eyeballs when an elderly woman started the ‘Sleep Service Centre’ for those who were not able to get peaceful sleep. Through the initiative, the woman would talk to the person and sing a lullaby to him/her to make them fall sleep like a mother makes her child sleep. Result? The client comes out rejuvenated in just half an hour of sleep session. Isn’t it surprising and even saddening that now we need a sleep therapist to make us sleep naturally and peacefully? What kind of a society are we living in? If animals and birds can sleep well, why can’t humans?

Sleep is the best form of relaxation and is close to meditation. Those who sleep well will always do well. If we get sound sleep during the night, we get up fresh, feeling more active and energetic. However, in today’s world getting a sound sleep has become a rare phenomenon. It’s because today millions of people suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, etc. In fact, the count of those who get a broken, fitful sleep would be surplus. Sadly, many of these individuals resort to sleeping pills and drugs which ultimately worsens the proble.

Recent extensive medical surveys reveal that nearly 75 per cent of Americans were found with some kind of symptoms of sleep disorder and they needed tranquilisers for a few nights per week. Sleep disorders mostly result from anxiety and mental depression. This raises the question: ‘Where are we heading?’ The biggest causes of sleeplessness is bad mental health. We must understand that to not be able to have a sound sleep is not only in itself an unhealthy condition but it also causes or aggravates many other diseases.

For instance, sleep disturbance is one of the factors that leads to coronary heart diseases. However, most of us would subconsciously agree that tranquilisers are not the solution. The medical profession also now recognises that these tranquilisers, on which people highly depend, have various side-effects. These drugs represent a purely symptomatic approach, ignoring the underlying problems which actually cause these conditions. A British medical journal had recently published a report about experiments that have shown that sympathy can work well in cases of sleep disorders. It further said that in one trial, the doctors, instead of giving tranquilisers, spent some time with the patients and talked to them in an open space. They just had a brief chat with them, sympathising with them, and also gave them a few words of advice, explaining them why they had those conditions. There was no attempt at psychotherapy, but simply an attempt at being sympathetic. The results of these informal chats were astounding and the assessment showed that, with this replacement of allopathy by sympathy, depression in those patients dropped from a level of 80 per cent to 40 per cent and the additional benefits were that the patients suffered no side-effects. It indicated that mental depression, anxiety, etc., are mainly due to certain lifestyles, behavioural patterns and personality traits. It was also felt that the pattern of behaviour, designated as type ‘A’ which is characterised by competitiveness, impatience, etc., predisposes a person to coronary diseases and hypertension. As a result, the doctors all over the world are now increasingly advising such patients to practise meditation and to have proper diet pattern. It’s a medically-proven fact that ill mental health adversely affects one’s eating habits, which in turn, drastically influences our sleep and overall health.

A high intake of tea, coffee and colas also contributes to an inability to sleep. Under such a medical condition, proper meditation technique can be of great help if practiced regularly. In the hustle bustle of living a modern life, we tend to forget that it is the quality of life which matters the most and not the quantity. Hence, if we jeopardise our sleep for silly reasons, and knowingly undermine our health. It’s better to be wise for our own health benefits and make a habit to meditate everyday before going to bed to disengage the mind from unnecessary thoughts and have a sound and peaceful sleep.

Writer: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji

Courtesy: The Pioneer