|
|
What brings stress?
Every day we are surrounded by noise pollution (it has doubled in the last 10 years), lights, deadlines, responsibilities, change, pressure, loss, fear; maybe we are living with disability, pain or worry. On the radio some of the advertising has several voices speaking at once. This is all calculated to increase stress as our minds are struggling to make sense of what is being said and being put into overload and manipulated. This can make us mentally very vulnerable, and break down our defences. The images that are brought to us on TV show us the harsh reality of this world, but sometimes the distress imposed on us by the presenters is greater than we can cope with.
Life's patterns too, are often controlled by our TV. We see things in small clips, sometimes only a split second at a time but it is enough for the thought or stress to have entered our minds. Sometimes we do not understand what we are seeing. Such things are contributory to poor concentration in the more important things. It also increases our sense of bewilderment with life. None of these things brings us tranquillity or peace of mind. No wonder so many people feel burnt out.
How can we repair the damage?
A story was once told of a vet who had a novel idea for helping damaged, neurotic dogs particularly during times of war. He set up a farm and there he gave them a life that was |
 |
routine, predictable, with simple natural food, play times, romps, times when they were able to run loose and chase and play in a special field, and comfortable places to stretch out and sleep undisturbed. It worked. Even a snappy little Pekinese with a pink bow in its hair, ran free, and was allowed to get its hair all in tangles that had to brushed out, but its little body never stopped wagging. |
 |
|
An overweight Boxer regained its youthful appearance.
Uncomplicated life styles and taking advantage of the natural things around us -water and sunshine, colourful fresh food and exercise in 'country air' all help to restore tranquillity to our own hearts and minds. But we need something other than those - we need sleep, good sleep. |
 |
|
SLEEP
We have internal rhythms called Circadian rhythms. These are set inside all of us. We have a sleeping-waking rhythm that mirrors the day and night very closely. To be in optimum health we need to listen to that internal body clock. If we do not follow it we can end up with fatigue or tiredness which does not seem to go away. It has been found in experiments that most mistakes or accidents are made between midnight and 8.00am. This is when our bodies are naturally wanting to be asleep.
This is our time of deep restoration. |
 |
Seven to eight hours is usually said to be the average time we need for sleep. Some very interesting things happen when we are asleep. This is the time when we are built up again, and the events of life slip into perspective. We talk of needing to 'sleep on it' so we understand what this means.
While we are asleep certain hormones are released into our bodies |
- The first is growth hormone. This is produced in the hours before midnight, in the early part of our natural sleep cycle. It improves the size of the brain and body growth in the developing child. In an adult it aids the quality and efficiency of the brain, and repairs damage to body tissue.
|
|
<< Back | More >>
[ Home ] [ About Us ] [ Using The Gifts Of Creation ] [ Contact Us ]
Copyright © 2008 healthandhope.org.uk |
