Recently a newspaper clip attracted everyone’s attention where an elderly woman started ‘Sleep Service Center’ for those who were not able to get a peaceful sleep. The woman would just talk with the person and sing a lullaby to him/her and make them sleep like a mother makes her child sleep. The result? The client comes out refreshed and rejuvenated in just half an hour of the sleep session. Isn’t it surprising that we need a sleep therapist to make us sleep naturally?
What kind of a society are we living in? If animals and birds can sleep well; why cannot humans enjoy this natural gift of a care-free sleep? Sleep is the best form of relaxation, close to meditation, that’s why those who sleep well always keep well and feel well. It’s a fact that if we get sound sleep during the night, we get up fresh being more active and feeling more energetic.
However, in today’s world getting a sound sleep has become a rare occasion, because today millions of people suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy addition, the number of those who get a very broken, fitful sleep would be many times more. Sadly, many of these individuals resort to sleeping pills and drugs which ultimately make the problem worse.
Results of recent extensive medical surveys reveal that nearly 75% of Americans experience some kind of sleep disorder symptoms at least a few nights per week for which they take tranquilisers. Knowing that tranquilisers are usually prescribed for insomnia and such other disorders as are due to anxiety and mental depression etc; one would say: ‘Where are we heading?’ Medical science has acknowledged several causes that lead to sleep disorders.
The biggest hindrance of all that contributes to sleeplessness is bad mental health. We must understand that not to be able to have restful sleep is not only in itself an unhealthy condition but it also causes or aggravates many other diseases. For example, it is now recognised that sleep disturbance is one of the factors that lead to coronary heart diseases. But most of us would agree sub-consciously that tranquilisers are not the answer to the question of sleep-disturbance… (to be cont...)
(The writer is a spiritual educator and popular columnist for publications across India, Nepal and UK. You can write to him at nikunjji@gmail.com)
