Sleep and Health: Medical practitioners now of the same opinion as spiritualists who believe that illnesses can be cured not by using drugs but by motivating the mind of the patient. So, curing illnesses is in your hands. Everything comes from the mind. external treatment is not the solution. Dr AU who practices Falun Dafa, 'A set five Chinese exercises and meditation which open up the body's energy channels,' said the patient needed to tell that he himself was the solution to his problems. Falun Dafa, which uses the palm to introduce energy around the body, can transform it into high energy center with the help of various stretching and releasing exercise. This can help bring about several positive changes in the body.
Certain Points: to be noted about sleeplessness. Sleeplessness makes you hungry, leads to weight gain. New research from Sweden shows that sleeplessness makes you eat more by affecting the brain's perception of food. A specific brain region that triggers the desire to eat more activated in response to food images after one night of sleep loss than after a night of normal sleep, showed magnetic imaging (MRI) of the brain. This makes insomniacs gain weight over time, report researchers in 'The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Thus one needs 7-8 hours of sleep every night to have a stable healthy body weight. Sleep is most important for maintaining a calm mind. For good health 8-9 hours of sleep is recommended specially, for the seniors and to cure headaches, migraines and depression. Also follow the following; 1. Maintain a regular sleep circle by going to bed and waking in time. 2. Dim the lights an hour or so before bed, to signal your brain to relax. 3. Use heavy shades to darken the room and this encourage sleep promoting brain chemicals. 4. Take a brisk morning walk to be active the rest of the day. 5. Sleeping correctly solves a number of health problems. You feel relax and refreshed after a good sleep. Points for correct sleeping: 1. Correct bed and correct posture for sleep is also essential for good health. 2. Lay your bed on the correct side of the earth. Similar electrical poles of your body and the earth should be in the same direction, or the opposite poles will repel each other, which will affect your brain and ultimately your blood pressure. 3. Your bed should not be very soft nor too hard unless advised by a doctor, for those who have back aches. 4. Sleep with your face uncovered, so you can inhale pure air. 5. Do not sleep on your stomach, as this will affect you digestive system and in the long run your heart. 6. The pillow should be medium soft. 7. Sleep straight on your back for some time then change to right or left side. Do not bent your legs to your stomach sleeping though they can be bend a little, while sleeping on your side. 8. Sleep on your left side after dinner, this improves your digestion. Bend your legs a little keep your left arm over the legs and the right near your face. Milk & Honey is a remedy for sleeplessness. 1. Take a glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey to calm the soul and induce sleep. Or add 1-2tsp honey to a cup of tea and sip. Honey contains minerals used in very small amounts, ideally drizzled on top of hot food or mixed with lemon as a dressing. Caution: Do not cook honey or use while baking as it becomes toxic Nutrition for a good night's sleep: It is believed that those who sleep more gain weight, and those who want to shed pounds sleep less. It is also seen that people who lose weight rapidly often experience sleeplessness. However, the most common cause of insomnia is mental tension, over excitement, resentment, overeating at night, excessive intake of food such as starchy food, tea and coffee. worrying about falling sleep can also cause one to stay awake. If you are not sleeping well, you need to watch your diet. If you have been on a low calorie diet then it is possible that you are deficient in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. the sleep mechanism is, therefore, unable to function efficiently in the absence of these nutrition. Include more of whole grains cereals and nuts in your diet. White flour lacks in vitamin B and hence should be avoided. To regain the lost vitamins to normalize your sleep pattern eat at least six to eight fruits, two cups of curd and 50 gm of dry fruits for about three to four days. You can have meal that comprises salads and other protein-rich food such as wholewheat bread or two chapattis. A cup of hot milk at night also helps induce sleep as it contains tryptophan (an amino acid), which helps in increasing the serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is known to be a calming factor. The stimulating effect of caffeine are felt more on an empty stomach. Therefore those who aren't able to sleep should not drink coffee for about four hours before sleep. Exercising is better for sleep. It should be done in the morning or late afternoon. If one exercises after dinner then it might keep you awake at night, as it pumps in enough adrenaline to keep you active and awake. Dinner should be eaten two hours before going to bed. Taking a warm water bathbefore going to bed relaxes the nerves and helps induce sleep. Beat Sleep Disorder with Yoga: Chances are that you could be suffering from insomnia or other sleep related disorders, which can be caused by stress, bad sleeping postures or even unhealthy eating pattern. Three Yoga asanas to help you fall asleep. 1. Shavasana: Lie on your back on a flat surface and. The head and spine position the hands at a distance of 12.15 cm away from the body with your palm facing upwards. The head and spine should be aligned. Don't stiffen the body, fingers or toes. Merely stop all movements and relax. Make sure you don't breathe heavily and don't hold your breath either. Maintain the position for about 20 minutes. Ensure you roll over to the side before getting up. Benefits: Induces deeper sleep. 2. Matsya Kridasana: Lie on the stomach. Keep the fingers of both hands entwined below the head. Bend your left leg and bring at closer to the cheat. Keep the right leg straight. The bent left knee and left elbow should be close to each other. Rest your head on your right arm that is folded comfortably below your head. Relax in this position for anywhere between 2 to 10 minutes. Change legs and repeat about 5 times each side. Benefits: Helps clear the gastro-intestinal track. Pregnant women should avoid doing the Matsya Kridasana, especially towards the later months. Advasana: This is the opposite of Shavasana. Lie on your stomach and place both hands stretch above the head with the palms facing down. The forehead should touch the floor. Relax your body. Hold the position for 10-20 minutes. Benefits:- 1. Good for those who have spine or spine related disorders such as slipped disc etc. 2. Induces sleep. Want to lose weight have enough sleep. Finding it tough to drop those extra Kilos? You might be eating right, exercising a lot, avoiding carbs - but there may be one thing you're not doing right - Sleeping well. Sleep for at least 7 hours. A study found that not sleeping 7 hours was linked to a high consumption of sugary drinks and foods, and obesity. There's no shame in going to bed at 10.30 p.m., suggest experts, otherwise you risk losing out on 1.5 hours of sleep before the next cycle. Use natural Day Light: Spending days in low-lit rooms and working under artificial light dips into the body's reserves of melatonin, a hormone that allows the onset of sleep. Preventing this increases melatonin in the evening which can flavor refreshing, quality sleep. Switch lie-ins for naps: Setting up at midday on Saturday & Sunday sets our food intake off balance. It's better to take 20 minutes naps during the day to avoid breaking the weekday routine entirely. This also makes the Monday morning alarm a lot less painful. *No caffeine before bed. Avoid coffee, tea, soda and chocolates. *Don't mix sugar and fat. Some of the exercises for fitness are: 1. Better Bottoms: This simple “squat” works buttock and thigh muscles very quickly. The tighter you contract your rear, the better the results. Start by standing tall with feet hip-distance apart and parallel to each other. Raise arms for balance as you bend knees and slowly lower body toward floor. Return to starting point and repeat. Concentrate on keeping your spine straight and your knees over toes, with weight pressed into heels. Do 2 sets of 12 for the first six weeks. Work up to 3 sets of 12 and then try for 3 sets of 16. 2.Make – A – Waist: Lie with left foot flat on floor, right knee bend to 90* angle, with left hand behind head and right hand gently holding back of thigh. 1. Lift chest and twist towards right thigh. 2. Lift higher, using right arm to pull body closer to right leg. 3. Release right hand from thigh so that only abdominal muscles hold you up. 4. Lower chest to floor and release contraction. Do 2 sets of 12 to 14 on each side for first 6 weeks, then gradually increase reps until you can do 3 sets of 15 on each side. 3. Trim – A – Top: Push- ups are the best overall exercises for upper body and arms. Place hands close together to work the center of your chest, move them apart to outer chest, shoulders and upper arms. Start by resting weight on hands and knees with ankles crossed. Bring chest to floor and then slowly straighten arms, keeping head, neck and torso in a straight line and abdomen contracted. Do one set of 10 every- day. After six weeks, do 2 sets of 10; increase to 3 sets of 15 after three months. Make The Most Of Exercise: Regular exercise is a must. It turns your body into a calorie – burning furnace and helps you lose weight. It makes you feel good about life. It sharpens your mind, cuts cholesterol and blood sugar. But too much and too little can harm you. You don’t have to go to extremes toget the benefits. Slowing down when your body desires. Try variations andchanges in intensity workout. Do cycling, walking, focus on holistic fitness so include yoga, meditation, Pilates and tai-chi, eat healthy food, take careof injuries to avoid permanent damage, and finally please understand thatit is okay to take a break at times. To practice relaxing deep breathing: *Sit with your back straight, lie on your back or stand. Keep your tongue touching the roof of your mouth and hold it there for the entire exercise. Exhale through your mouth, then close your lips and (i) Inhale quietly through your nose to a count of 4. (ii) Stop and hold your breath for a count of 8. (iii) Exhale audibly through your mouth to a count of 7 Repeat steps ( i) through (iii) four times., then breathe normally. Keep in mind that while speed is important in stimulating breathing, in relaxing breathing, the timing ratio of inhaling to exhaling is more important than speed.