Is sleep a waste of time or a crucial function for our body, mind and soul?
Updated: Nov 29, 2022
Nowadays it is almost impossible to get enough sleep as life is moving at a million miles per hour. Work makes us feel like we don’t have time to slow down, sleep or even take a breath to decompress. We are currently living in a culture where constant productivity is applauded and encouraged, and rest is seen as wasteful. In the past, people had to live with a natural sleep pattern, which was dictated by their biological clock. But modern life is increasingly incompatible with sleeping well. We view sleep as an adversary that prevents us from productivity.
In this article, Super Bio Boost is discussing how important sleep should be to us? Is sleep one of your top priorities? How does it affect your body, mind and soul? What does traditional medicine suggest?
Let’s start by defining sleep first. Sleep is an essential part of our daily routine, and it is a state where we are not conscious and the body rests and heals itself. Our sleep patterns are influenced by many factors, including our age, mental health, physical activity, diet and even the time zone.
Traditional medicine suggests that we have to work and rest every day and the best way to rest is to sleep. Sleeping allows our mind to calm, our body to be relaxed and our breath and heartbeat to be well-balanced, in order to eliminate fatigue, renew strength and build up the energy that we need for the next day.
However, the way we live now doesn’t allow us to not only get enough sleep, but also to not get enough quality sleep. Most of us don’t sleep properly as we are exposed to artificial lights and screens and we have lost healthy sleep habits. As a result, we are suffering more and more from sleep disorders, which are common among people who work long hours, shift-based jobs or those who travel frequently across time zones. Some of these disorders include insomnia or restless leg syndrome.
It is very concerning that many of us are not sleeping well and don’t take sleep seriously with the highest priority. A lack of sleep can lead to poor health, weight gain and depression. Several studies have shown that sleep deprivation is linked to many diseases such as obesity or diabetes.
Before we talk about the best ways of helping you get a good sleep, let’s talk about the main factors that affect our sleep:
Duration of sleep: Different body types will need different sleep duration depending on their age, gender, weight, height. Sleep duration depends on the individual need but should not be excessive.
The sleeping environment: this should be quiet, dark and ventilated.
Healthy sleeping habits: Avoid being anxious and angry before going to bed. Talk less, don’t fill your stomach and don’t be hungry.
Sleeping postures: Lying on the side, mostly on the right side as it allows the muscles and bones of the whole body to relax and the vice versa and hollow organs to remain in a natural position, and is thus favourable for relieving fatigue and keeping the airway and blood vessels clear.
Diet: A good diet is important to sleep well. The food that we eat can affect our sleep. The following are some of the food that can help you sleep well:
Salmon: It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help regulate our sleep cycle and improve sleep quality.
Cucumber: It contains magnesium that helps our body relax and get better sleep.
Yogurt: It contains probiotics which help to reduce stress and anxiety levels, as well as improve digestion and immunity. Why not boost your diet by adding our versatile Hoffi Powder into your yogurt or sprinkle it on your cucumber salad or on your Salmon dish?
Now that you know the main factors that affect our sleep, this will help you get good quality sleep and be even more productive at work. Sleep is crucial to our body and health, and it is crucial for our immune system and mind. Sleep is also essential for the balance of our body and mind.
Traditional and indigenous medicine use sleep as health preserving, and it believes that sleep is a time during which the body repairs itself. One of the good things about traditional medicine is that it has a holistic understanding of how the human being functions, so it views sleep as a time when the human being's physical, emotional and mental aspects are restored in order to maintain balance within one's self.
In conclusion, sleep is crucial to our body and health. Without sleep, we can't function properly. It's not just about feeling tired or having a lack of energy. Lack of sleep has a negative impact on our immune system, mood and mind. Just as traditional medicine suggests, we should use sleep as health preserving. It helps the wellbeing of the body, soul and mind.