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Entice the dewy-feathered sleep
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Sleeplessness is a common complaint. But don't lose your sleep over it. Try out these tips for a real, sound sleep.
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REMEMBER THE time when you got up in the morning fresh, alive and eager to meet the new day. All you recall is popping into bed the previous night. But you do not remember a single moment of the last eight hours when you were lost in sweet oblivion. How wonderful it felt. But are our sleep patterns similar now? Do we experience such blissful sleep nowadays?
Sleeplessness is a common complaint today. A vast majority lament they never get the required sleep. A good rest is of utmost importance to the body, mind and soul. For, the body like a field gives a good crop only when rested. But the daily pressures of modern life have invaded our subconscious robbing us of sweet slumber. For, many wake up tired, groggy eyed and dread to meet the day with all its pressures and strains.
However, experts caution us on worrying over sleeplessness. For many of us lose sleep over not sleeping. Some people, who claim to suffer from insomnia, it has been observed, actually lose only half an hour of sleep. If you find yourself unable to sleep when the world is snoring, relax, for there are millions like you who at the same moment are tossing and turning in their beds. During such moments loosen up and instead appreciate the sheer luxury of having to do nothing. Feel the silence of the night. Treat it as an indulgence and digest the fact that you may not be getting sleep, but you are getting valuable rest. There is little to be gained in struggling over sleeplessness. Accept it gracefully and you will be surprised how soon you relax, before our eyelids feel heavy. It is said the moments of the day when you are most creative are those moments before you drift off to sleep. So relish every second. Who knows what new ideas may pop? Sometimes an answer or solution to a nagging problem may also crop up.
A sound sleep can be abetted in many ways. Grandma's remedy of having a glass of milk at bedtime has stood the test of time. It is Nature's tranquilliser. For calcium and amino acid, both found in milk, help the body to relax. But have your coffee and to a lesser extent tea at least four to five hours before you hit the sack as caffeine, which remains in your system for six to twelve hours, is designed to stimulate. Avoid alcohol altogether. Though liquor may make you drowsy, you will have a restless and fidgety night and wake up excitable the next morning.
Meditation is a wonderful technique to relax. But hold on, for you will discover that meditating just before bedtime makes your mind aroused and fresh to make you sleep at once. So meditate either in the mornings or late evenings, for a sound sleep at night. A warm bedtime bath on the other hand, with some relaxants like lavender drops will soothe you to sleep. So soak yourself luxuriantly and rinse your body, mind and soul.
Most of us carry our worries to bedtime and find it hard to sleep. The moment you close your eyes all problems charge at you menacingly. Relax and accept the fact that problems are part of life. Or pretend it is Sunday tomorrow. Most people sleep soundly on Saturday nights as there is no work tomorrow, and the joy of the weekend dominates the mind.
Physical comfort is of utmost importance. Ensure that your mattress is firm and does not cause your anatomy any discomfort. When you buy a mattress never compromise on its comfort or cost. Invest in it for you spend one third of your life on it. Secure a snug and cosy pillow too, that supports your head and neck. For sometimes it may be just that little flaw in your pillow, which robs your precious forty winks.
No matter what time you go to bed rise at 6. 30 a.m. or at a scheduled time everyday. The more habituated you become in getting up at a fixed time the easier it becomes to sleep at your scheduled bedtime. Poor sleepers are usually not early risers. Rising early not just refreshes you with the beauty and glow of sunrise but invites sleep at night.
As we grow older our sleep patterns too change. Like children we may nap more during the day and less at night. But this is no cause for alarm. It is a natural cycle. Accept things gracefully. And finally sometimes, no matter what, sleep is never meant to happen. During such occasions, dream, for it is said when we cease to dream we cease to live.
So tonight drop into your bed lightly. Close your eyes and be at peace with the world. And, yes, sweet dreams.
HEMJIT BHARATHAN
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