Heal Sleep Disorders with Sunlight
Adults, the elderly, children and babies, all of them suffer from a sleep disorder at one point or the other in their lives. Unable to fall sleep, waking up too many times during the night, unable to sleep again after waking up, unable to wake up in the morning and taking the help of sleeping pills to fall sleep are all major sleep disorders. If not checked and treated on time, they can have a drastic impact on the human body and its functioning.
How Much Sleep Do We Require in a 24-Hour Clock?
New born Babies – 18 to 20 hours a day
Children – 10 to 14 hours a day
Adults – 7 to 8 hours a day
Elderly – 10 to 12 hours a day
Now what happens when you don’t get sufficient sleep? You will be surprised to know how sleep deprivation can affect the body and impact the brain. Take a look.
- Sleep plays a key role in proper brain functioning. Thinking, memorizing, learning and cognitive development are all dependent on sleep. No rest, no brain!
- Depression, stress, heart diseases, nervous breakdown, migraines, diabetes and obesity are directly linked to lack of sleep.
- Sleep deprivation is the sole reason behind forgetfulness and severe dementia. Forgetting people, their names, things, your phone number, address and other simple stuff is possible with a sleep disorder.
Aren’t these scary? In reality, less sleep means risking your life. Identifying a sleep disorder and treating it on time is of utmost importance. Instead of taking sleeping pills or other medication to induce and make sleep consistent, trust the sun God to heal your problems.
Our forefathers and their families, who had no clocks to indicate day and night, used to solely depend on sunlight for time. Sunrise means all should be up, go ahead with daily chores, work all day and eat. Sunset means sleep time. It is as perfect as this. And nobody ever knew what sleepiness or sleep disorders meant. Surya namaskaras were practised every day religiously and they spent a solid one hour in the early morning sunlight. Newborn babies too are allowed to spend time under the early morning light before they are given a bath. If we dig deeper, there’s a scientific reason behind this.
Sunlight has the immense power to control our circadian rhythm or also known as the body clock. The brain regulates sleep and wakeful times and depending upon the physical work we do in a day, it puts us to sleep. But when you spend time under early morning sunlight, the retina sends light waves into the brain via the optic nerve. These waves are received by the hypothalamus of the brain which in turn adjusts the body accordingly. Being alert during the day and falling asleep on time and staying asleep all through the night are synced by the body. When you practice spending time in the sunlight, you will automatically grow out of sleep disorders and maintain a healthy sleeping schedule.
Stick to a routine every day. Wake up by 6am when the sunrays are very light. Read a newspaper, have some coffee, take a stroll or sit in your balcony. Let the sunshine wash your face. It will definitely have a positive impact on you. All through the day you will not only stay alert but will also utilise your brain properly. Take 10minute naps but do not sleep for longer durations during the day. After you come back from work, take a bath and sleep early by 9pm. Ensure the atmosphere is cool and pleasant for you to fall asleep. Read a book to induce sleep but do not play with electronic gadgets that have a reverse effect on your eyes. Set the alarm for 6am the next day again to spend time under the refreshing sunlight.
You will slowly fall into a cycle and within no time all your sleep worries will be gone. Chuck away your sleeping pills and pay attention to your body. Happy sleeping!
