Why do we sleep? Who knows? Who cares?

Why do we sleep? Nobody knows!
There are many theories, ideas, traditions and explanations.
Medicine and Science describe the function of sleep, but not the reason why we sleep, as having to do with resting the body and muscles that we used through out the day. Or there are theories about memory consolidation, addressing psychological issues, establishing hormone balance. However, a simple, unique explanation or reason for sleep is not given.
Western Religions speak of the soul leaving the body, talking with Angels-Spirits-God, preparing for death, resurrection, or the afterlife. These explanations are very biased towards (usually exclusive) teachings, dogma, or doctrines derived from their Avatars, prophets, and messengers.
Eastern traditions discuss sleep as a "form of nourishment" for the body, or a "superaware" state, or another state of consciousness or preparation for death.
New Agers usually deal with the meanings of dreams and journeys to other realms.
Some say the reason for sleep is to satisfy sleepiness, that is, we sleep because we are sleepy?!
Still, a concise explanation eludes us.


The only animals that have trouble with sleep are those that are specifically bred for researching sleep disorders. Even snoring is rare in the animal kingdom, indeed, only one primate species and one type of bulldog snore! Animals do not seem to have problems sleeping, or at least they do not complain! Otherwise by now, at least in the USA, there were would an animal sleep clinic on every corner!
However, the majority of people who get insufficient sleep, either poor quality, poor quantity, or both, have a host of other complaints. These include fatigue, tiredness, achyness, cranky, irritable, moody, sad, depressed, anxious, forgetful, concentration problems, lack of enjoyment, impatience, intolerance, more physical illnesses, anger, and limited gratitude.
Experientially, one might say, that it appears that sleep helps regulate these physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual problems.OR, is it the other way around??!
Is it possible that having problems with the mind, body and spirit, or having these out of balance, causes poor sleep? Does having the mind, body and spirit all working well, and in balance result in great sleep?
Who knows? Who could know? Theologians, religionists, monks, New age spiritualist, pop psychologists, doctors, Sleep Medicine Specialists (that was me in my former profession!)???
How about finding out for yourself? Forget all you know about sleep, and try to know sleep...by rejecting all conceptual explanations of sleep in favor of the direct experience of sleep! Learn to view sleep accurately, without the obstructions of all your emotions or intellect! You might arrive at the same conclusion that Eric Chiles, author of the new book for insomnia, Zen and the Art of Sleep
that insomnia is an unnecessary form of suffering originating from one's own effort to obtain sleep. By applying Zen techniques to his insomnia, he overcame it by experiencing his sleep problem free of all distortions!! In essence, he quieted his thinking, and learned the art of seeing and direct experience of sleep and awake. And eventually he realized that sleep, dreaming, and awake are part of the same moving stream of consciousness, and that within this flow will come an inevitable bed-time moment of drowsiness, free to proceed naturally and without effort.
There is, therefore, no"why do we sleep." Sleep arrives simply because it makes sense!!
Gus

Choose to Sleep or Not- Choice vs. Choicelessness

There are only 2 ways to look at choice and choosing, either you are the chooser or you are not!
If you are the chooser, it has to be that you are ALWAYS choosing what you think is best for you at every instant. That is, what ever you are choosing to do, at the time of the choice, it has to be the best thing you can choose...or else you would choose something better. Later (after the fact), it may become obvious this was not a great choice, that something else would have been better. However, at the time the choice was made, it was the best choice you could make! Again, if you did not think so you would have chosen something else!
On the other hand, it maybe you are not the chooser; that all choices are made by your Higher Self/Spirit Guide/Soul/Divine Nature, but not by your "rational mind" or ego.
So, either you are always making the best choice you can, at all times, OR you are not choosing at all!! Either way, you may as well relax and know that all is well, at all times, for the choices made are always the best ones for you.
It follows, then, that if you are not sleeping tonight, you are making the best choice you can (or else you would choose to sleep), or your Higher Self/Spirit/Soul/God has made this choice for you!! Again, either way, you may as well RELAX....and know this is the best choice for you at this time! This is another way to "Surrender to Sleep" (see my prior post).
As an aside, this leads to the awareness that you can never blame yourself for what happens from these choices! But neither can you take credit!!! In addition you can neither blame nor credit anyone else for their choices. Life becomes peaceful.
So relax, all is well. You, and every one else, are doing your best at all times, whether you are asleep, awake or neither.
Personally, I choose to 'not choose!' I am pro-choicelessness!



Sleep easy or relax, and Discover the Gift of Sleep, Gus

Surrender to Sleep

If you can not sleep tonight, why not try surrendering to God, the Universe, Consciousness, or your own Higher Power. Then observe what happens. I learned to do this last year (2007), when sleeping in uncomfortable, and unpleasant environments. Within a few nights I was OK, whether I slept or not! And soon I began to sleep, at 1st just good enough, but eventually really good! Indeed, it seemed the more I Let Go, the better the sleep, and the less stress over whether I slept or not. This surrendering not only produced good sleep, but a rested and productive day as well. And I was happier. The book," Zen and the Art of Sleep" by Eric Chiles, taught me this, how to witness my sleep, and my experience(s). But mostly it taught me to analyze less, and "go with the flow." Simple, yet powerfully effective advice. If I have trouble falling asleep, or if I wake up in the middle of the night, what I do simply is to say "God, I surrender and accept whatever happens for the rest of the night." Usually I fall back to sleep within minutes. I suggest everybody having trouble sleeping try this, using any entity that is not yourself, and make it a part of their insomnia program. It can only help.
'Discover The Gift Of Sleep'-SleepCompass.com Sleep well, Gus

Sleep Works for You! Let it or Make it

At sleepcompass.com we stress the importance of sleep in daily life. It's a basic necessity of life, as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water. When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to face daily challenges. When we don't, every part of our lives can suffer. Our jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety (and that of those around us) are all put at risk. The National Sleep Foundation provides an excellent review called "Let Sleep Work For You."
The cover story of the September 2008 issue of Fortune Small Business , "Make Sleep Work For You," addresses this as well but with a slight twist! It does emphasize that sleep deprivation is associated with poor job performance, costly mistakes, and reduced memory. It promotes obtaining good quality, and quantity of sleep, even if this means taking a power nap. It describes the benefit of using sleep aids when used infrequently and judiciously, and the importance of seeking medical advice when problems such as fatigue, insomnia, snoring/gasping are present frequently (for more sleep tips go to sleepcompass 'sleep tips' page).
However, the article also describes "sleep working" a technique used to actually work and solve problems while you sleep. Or better stated, to allow sleep to solve your work related problems. To do this, personal coach, Alan Stafford, suggests, to 1st identify the exact issue you need solved, but without trying to solve it!! Then, have patience; it can take many nights before the solution(s) materialize.
Many ideas have come to people while sleeping, such as the structure of the benzene ring, the "riff" for the Rolling Stone's song 'Satisfaction', and the correction of a golf swing (Jack Nicklaus).
So, if you are having trouble with a particular problem, try asking just before going to sleep at night. Make sure to be as specific as possible, but do NOT try and solve it. Do this every night until you get the solution.
Remember to have a pen, preferably a Lighted Gel Pen, so that when the answers arise, you can record them, and return to sleeping soundly and peacefully, as your problems have been solved!!!
Sleep productively, Gus

Bedtime Prayer

The Hush of Heaven holds my Heart tonight,
The Peace of GOD quiets my mind...
And in this stillness Sleep arrives,
I REST IN GOD...

Good Night, Sleep safely,
Gus, Jane, and Nancy Discover the Gift of Sleep

Powerful Medical Intention

Installing into the subconscious mind (subc) as much as you can, as often as you can, will cause the things you install to manifest in your world! This is scientifically guaranteed, and the principle mechanism for auto-suggestion. The subc will perform without judgment all that is programmed into it, regardless of what your conscious mind (cons) thinks or feels about the subject! Hence, the warning "be careful what you wish (or pray) for, for it may come true," not because what you think you wish (or pray) for might come true, but because of what your subc is holding in its memory banks. Because my grandfather, father, and eventually my younger brother became medical doctors (MD), I was destined to be an MD since I was born, or more likely, since conception!! I was asked, not "what do you want to be when you grow up?", but "what kind of doctor are you going to be when you grow up?"!!! So, from the earliest time possible, it was placed into my subc that I should, and would become an MD. And I did, with relative ease, even as I partied through the 1970's Miami Disco scene. Every one around me, whether I knew them well, or had just met them, expected me to become an MD. My subc knew nothing but to be an MD. However, my true passion, "Personal Legend" and "burning desire" for my life was not exactly to be an MD. I am not sure when it was that I realized maybe I don't want to be an MD, but it was "seeping" into my conscious awareness 4-5 years before I finally resigned my Florida Medical License in Jan 2007, 27 years after obtaining my MD degree and practicing Neurology and Sleep Medicine. By then, enough conflict, turmoil, and problems had arisen that it became obvious I did not enjoy the MD thing. I was relieved when I signed the letter resigning my license. I now am able to help people and heal people with a sense of ease, comfort, joy and enthusiasm. Who would have thought, I had to quit being a doctor to help and heal others?!?!? I realize now the power of the subc, the difficulty in trying to oppose it, and the resultant bad habits, wrong behavior, and hurting of myself and others, that comes about from not addressing this conflict, between subc and cons, mind and spirit, body and soul. I do not regret, nor hold a grudge, to what has happened, it took what it took to teach me what I know understand. However, going forward, I will remember this lesson, and use the wisdom to help myself, others and the world we live in. To that end, I have found the 4 Steps - Flip It technique that we coach at 18mind.com's Mind Syntropy Program to be the most powerful method to recognize, and neutralize any conflict that may lead to distress, unhappiness, and even harm. And it is deceivingly simple, at times to the point that my ego-mind disregards it, or even "poo-poos" it. So, my main function is to remain vigilant to any discomfort, distress, or unease that arises, and to perform the 4 Steps immediately, regardless of the issue that arises , and of any excuses that I come up with against doing them. Now my life becomes effortless, most of what manifests is healthy and useful to me, and I am happy almost all the time...All this awaits you, being happier, more productive, healthier, fun, and having more energy, including, if you desire, becoming an MD (one of my clients is a 46 year old who is applying to medical school in 2009!

'Discover The Gift Of Sleep'-SleepCompass.com Gus