ST_F_BRIAN

INTEGRATIVE HEALTH AND MEDICAL CONSULTANT
Time to Sleep
DR. MOIRA BORG
“ To everything
there is a season, and
a time to every purpose
under the heaven... a time to
break down, and a time to
build up”
Ecclesiastes 3:1,3.
As human beings most of us
need a minimum of 8 hours of
sleep per day. This is because
far from being a luxury sleep is a
necessary physiological function
that helps the regenerative
processes of both the body and
the nervous system making
it of vital importance to our
wellbeing. While the odd late
night makes little difference
to our quality of life, save a
following day of irrepressible
yawns and sticky eyelids,
chronic lack of sleep can have
deleterious effects on our health.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete
physical, mental and social wellbeing and thus anything which alters the balance
between these three factions can affect the quality of our existence. Chronic
lack of sleep is known to be a common cause of disturbance of this balance resulting
in physical, psychological and social ailments that in the extreme form can threaten our
lifespan. The list is endless and can range from increased incidence of viral and bacterial
infections due to a weaker immune system, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, anxiety and
depression, poor performance at work or school and strained relationships.
While some chronic conditions such as sleep apnoea or pain (especially in conditions like
fibromyalgia or cancer) can drastically affect our sleep patterns the most common culprits of
insomnia are found in our lifestyle habits especially the addictive use of computers and mobile
phones and the ‘never enough’ attitude we have to our work commitments and entertainment
alike. Likewise, we find it hard to let go even when our bodies are frantically signalling us to do
so and, more often than not, when we do, we find ourselves waking up in the middle of the
night trying to sort out a million and one things only ending up working ourselves in an even
tighter knot instead.
"Chronic lack
of sleep is known to
be a common cause of
disturbance of this balance
resulting in physical,
psychological and social
ailments"
44
Ultimately, the only way out of this maze is to acknowledge that for us to live a healthy
existence we need to keep the balance between our physical, mental and social wellbeing
and this can only be achieved if we learn to appreciate when it is enough and allow a
sensible interplay between acting and resting, doing and not doing, engaging and letting
go. This means standing up to the incessant pressure of a society that seems to abhor this
natural rhythm and expects us to be productive beyond our means or else be condemned
to an existence of shame, judgement and
rejection.
What we fail to see in this frenzy is that
unless we let go of one experience we can
never be open to a new one and likewise
we are stuck in the same vertiginous saga
that can only end when we burn out or
ultimately perish. Sleep is the ultimate
letting go of one everyday existence which
prepares us for the next and thus the
continuation of such.
It is literally a question of DO or DIE. ST
Credit: Dr Moira Borg