Deep Sleep: Your immunity tonic

Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. A proverb we have heard for ages.

Although we easily decipher the proverb, in the work-from-home scenario, no one has been following a healthy lifestyle pattern or this proverb in any way! Right! Yeah, I hit the bull’s eye there, did I not?

Due to work pressure, health and sleep have been sidelined due to binge-watching and increased screen time, emotions have been sidelined due to a decline in human interactions. In short, we all have become mechanical robots who just know when to log in and when to log out of our mean machines, the rest is all about just going with the flow. Sadly its true. The onus may be placed easily on the pandemic situation but the brunt of it has to be borne by many.

We have been hearing a word quite often these days since covid 19 has attacked the whole world – IMMUNITY. All the ladies of the house are busy preparing kadhas, oldies are busy following Whatsapp and Google gyaan instructions to stay healthy and business minds are busy creating wealth through immunity boosters. Although many do not know what immunity is all about, they still manage to give tons of gyaan on the subject without batting an eyelid.

In this whole hype, we have forgotten the most important and essential thing for a healthy immune system, a fit body and a balanced mind… peaceful sleep. Yes, my dear readers, sleep is the key to a healthy body.

Sleep is a multi-tasker too like the steadfast homemakers. From maintaining our cognitive skills to memories, from emotional regulation to balancing physical health, Mr. Sleep plays its role in everything. Sleep is essential for survival in these tough times. Sleep deprivation has been a major cause of a high rise in blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and hormonal changes. Our mental health has suffered the most which I think we all are aware of. Undisturbed peaceful sleep is as much in demand and a necessity as the oximeters or sanitisers we need. From kids to oldies high rise in anxiety, suicidal thoughts and mood disorders have popped in the surveys.

Credit for all the above-mentioned diseases goes to changes in lifestyle patterns and variations in sleep cycles. Peaceful sleep is a necessity and a must for the body to function well. The armoured guard bays off diseases and combats them wisely effectively and economically. After all, it costs nothing to sleep.

Sleep has two cycles dominantly:

1. Non-rapid eye movement phase which includes light sleep and happens at the beginning of sleep mostly. During the deep stages of NREM sleep, the body repairs and regrows tissues builds bone and muscle and strengthens the immune system.
2. Rapid eye movement phase which includes deep sleep and happens at the end of sleep. REM is important because it stimulates the areas of the brain that help with learning and is associated with memory retention and focus.

Major sleep disorders which have gone at their peak recently are Insomnia – which increases sleepiness and fatigue in an individual. Obstructive sleep apnea – when the body stops breathing during sleep. Restless leg syndrome – an imbalance in dopamine and changes in iron level leads to a change in sleep pattern.

Shift work disorder due to changes in working timings leads to either excessive sleep or insomnia with drowsiness the whole day. Narcolepsy is sleepiness the whole day – one can sleep anytime anywhere and also end up with hallucinations and loss of muscle tone.

After imparting all this information I would like to share a few simple tips so that you can fight back against sleep variations and get back Hypnos into your life.

1. How many of you grab a cup of caffeine as soon as you wake up? I think we all do. Do you know why we acquire this urge to have this hot cuppa in our hands? This post-sleep grogginess is due to a compound present in our brain – Adenosine. By drinking high levels of caffeine our body builds excess adenosine which in reaction disrupts our sleep cycle. Avoid Caffeine as that’s a strong contender for the sleeping race. Chose Chamomile tea, passionflower tea, Jasmine tea and oolong tea which comprises compound apigenin helping us to induce sleep.
2. A handful of Almonds and pistachio to be included to boost melatonin – a sleep stimulant. Enjoy a handful and you can catch some zzzzzzz happy moments
3. Season of Berries and cherries is there so enjoy it without guilt. It has tryptophan to increase and promote good sleep.
4. Dinner should happen three hrs before sleep so that our digestive system and heart rate stays under control.
5. Sunlight is the best tonic to get a good night sleep .30 minutes of sunlight needs to be taken every day or include vitamin D supplements to substitute it.
6. Exercise – movement is the key so do take out 45 minutes every day from your routine to boost dopamine and induce sleep.
7. Power Nap of 30 minutes during the daytime increase our brain alertness and relaxes our body.
8. Relax in a bedroom environment with no gadgets around, dim lights and delta wave frequency music can induce sleep in a few minutes.
9. Mindfulness meditation, Mantra chanting, positive affirmations to yourself are ways with which we can control our chaotic minds and stay calm.
10. Massage your feet with ghee or sesame oil as it relaxes your body and mind completely.

Lastly, I would like to conclude a good laugh and deep sleep are the two best medicines for any disease. Amalgamate some happy moments with some restful and peaceful ones and BINGO! You are on the way to a rejuvenated holistically enriched body mind and soul.