The Value of Sleep

One third of our life is spent in sleep. Many people try to limit their sleep. Many people use sleep aids to try to help them sleep and lots and lots of people are chronically tired.

Chinese Medicine is very much associated with the cycles of nature. The cycle of the seasons, the moon, and the hours in a day are all significant and contribute to how a person feels as well as their status of health. Because of the longer nights and shorter days during the winter season, there is an awareness of the energy changing not only around a person, but also the energy changes within a person. The Yang energy is lessening right now, and the Yin energy increases. In fact, the peak of Yin energy is at the Winter Solstice.

One of the affects on these changing seasons and change of our internal energy is how it affects our sleep. During this period of time of winter, when the days are shorter and the nights are longer, Chinese Medicine recommends we embrace rest and sleep. In fact, the recommendation would be to go to bed earlier, even as early as 8:00 or 9:00 PM. Why? Because if you allow yourself to give into the natural pull of rest and sleep, you will use that additional time to better regenerate yourself and prepare for what is coming down the road; Spring.

What is regeneration? It is the process of building Qi (or Chi) energy. It is the process of healing. It is the process that allows preparation for what can happen next.

There are 3 cycles of sleep

• 1st Cycle - the time when you leave and purge the day’s activities or plans for tomorrow
• 2nd Cycle - the actual sleep where regeneration occurs
• 3rd Cycle - the time to try and reconnect and wake up

Usually sleep between 1:00 AM – 3:00 AM is the time of actual and deep sleep. Deep sleep is when regeneration happens. You can’t come out of the 2nd cycle of sleep feeling refreshed ; you need to continue on to the 3rd cycle to obtain that feeling of refreshment.

At 3:00 AM, the Yang energy comes back and this is when the shift happens from the 2nd cycle of deep sleep and moves to the 3rd cycle. The 3rd cycle is the time when our cognitive starts to come back.

Many people who have trouble sleeping often rely on sleep aids. According to Chinese Medicine Practitioners, sleep aids (sleeping pills) keep a person in the first cycle of sleep and actually prevent a person from moving through to the 2nd cycle. Because of this, the process of regeneration can not and will not occur. The person taking the sleeping aids will continue to feel unrefreshed, continue to be tired, and may even develop chronic illnesses.

What is the recommendation if you are having trouble sleeping? What should you do?

One recommendation is to take time to focus just on sleep. That means, take some time off work and stay home. Be ready to go to sleep when ever you get tired. What this means is that when you feel tired during the day, you go and take a nap. You do this again and again. You do this for several days until you get refreshed.

What this process does is help you get to the point where you can finally get through to the 2nd and 3rd cycle in the sleep cycle process. By getting to these cycles, you can become refreshed. You finally have gone through the regeneration cycle where your needed energy gets rebuilt.

Why is this necessary? Because it takes energy to be even get to sleep. If you are lacking in that regenerative energy, you don't have energy to help you even transition to sleep. This type of process allows you to build up your energy so you can begin to start going to bed and sleeping normally.

Eventually over time (days or weeks) your body will adjust and your sleep rhythm should adjust to a more natural sleep cycle.

There is a reason why one third of your life is spent in sleep. To be honest, it is probably one of the most valuable parts of your day. Sleep is the time you process and purge your thoughts, which can be seen as a way of cleaning and clearing out the day. It is also the time you regenerate needed energy. It is this needed energy that gives you the power you will need to get through the following day.

This regenerated energy is vital to not only keep you healthy, but also to help you heal. You need this energy to keep you running. If you don't get regenerated, you won't be able to function, or at least not function for very long. Also, if you don't get regenerated, symptoms of chronic illness in other areas of your health will start to emerge.

Sleep is important. It is a natural part of our life. Sleep should not be cut short or discounted because you see it is as unproductive. It is probably one of the most valuable tools you have within you and can help you be in harmony and maintain balance in your life. Sleep helps keep you at your peak.

Sleep is a valuable marker of your overall health and is one of the key indicators in Chinese Medicine to evaluate and assess a persons overall health status.

The Value of Sleep