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

Do it Anyway!

For all of us who have experienced sleepless nights due to concerns over life issues or have a busy mind that won’t stop rethinking the days events or even worry about the future in these uncertain times. Perhaps reading these words will inspire us to “do it anyway”,  to have faith in the face of uneasiness, uncertainty, and adversity. It is during that "feel good" zone that we are propelled forward and in doing so,  allow ourselves to relax and rejuvenate by enjoying the 'Gift of Sleep'. 

The Paradoxical Commandments – (have you heard of them?) was originally  written in 1968 by a then 19 year old sophomore at Harvard College. His name… Kent M. Keith. Since then, it has made it’s way around the world and has been re-written by others.

Mother Teresa, or one of her co-workers, put the Paradoxical Commandments up on the wall of Mother Teresa’s children’s home in Calcutta and this was reported in a book. As a result of that book, people have attributed the Paradoxical Commandments to Mother Teresa. The original had 10 commandments but the version circulating around the web connected with Mother Teresa is named “ The Final Analysis” because of the last two lines. One example of that version:

1. People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

2. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

3. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true  friends; succeed anyway.

4. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

5. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

6. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

7. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

8. Give the world your best anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

       The original, written by Kent M. Keith, goes as follows: 
               "Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership:"

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.


Visit Kent Keith's website at  http://www.kentmkeith.com/

Wishing everyone The Gift Of Sleep - Nancy

Photo by R.A.H.

What Happens In Deep Sleep?

We know that there are stages of sleep and the deepest stage is Delta sleep, when the body restores itself and growth hormones are released. This typically occurs in the first few hours of sleep. If you’re a sleep technologist you will see that the brain waves slow and the body seems to show a normalizing of oxygen levels in the blood, heart rate and we see rhythmic breathing.

Is this the time when my soul leaves the body in good hands, resting in bed and connects with other dimensions that give way to spiritual wisdom, knowledge and enlightment? Perhaps it is when I get answers to the questions that run through my mind during waking hours. Or…could it be that this is a time when my soul simply connects with other souls?

When I think of spirituality I tend to think in terms of personal growth and enlightment; we are spirtual beings having a human experience. How often have you heard that phrase? Now back to Delta sleep, spirituality and yet another question…is it possible that the soul might seek and find wisdom and knowledge that goes beyond personal growth and enlightment, but instead inspiration and insight to help humanity?

I believe we are indeed spiritual beings having a human experience and having said that, it is quite possible that when my BODY is being restored my spirit/soul is free to explore and restore. If I am to believe this to be so, then these experiences which occur during Delta sleep are not likely to be recalled during the day. They might appear to me as yes, inspiration or insight during the waking hours.

We dream during REM sleep which I believe is how we process events of the day, conflicts or even pleasant events, but in contrast Delta sleep is deep, allowing us to restore the body and while the vehicle is resting, the soul is restoring in what may be the only way it knows.

One more question… could “Déjà Vu” , which some of us often experience but can’t quite recall why this experience feels familiar, be what we have gleamed during our soul exploration in deep sleep? Next time you have a Déjà Vu experience perhaps it’s a spiritual experience your soul is remembering while you were in deep sleep.

Sleep is important to the body and soul on many levels. It is indeed a gift to behold and preparation for sleep is a ritual of sorts, routine if you will just as a child takes comfort in routine, schedules, and the preparation for bedtime. Adults who do the same may experience bedtime as something to look forward to each night not only for rest but possibly for deep sleep soul exploration that one can only imagine. Sleep well!

'Discover the Gift Of Sleep'-SleepCompass.com Nancy