Question on Sleeping/Body/Mind?

[DalTheJigsaw123]

I have been thinking about sleep; importance and the benefit of it.

One thing I found was:

A body needs on average 8 hours of sleep.

4 hours for the body to rebuild/recharge

And 4 hours for the mind to recharge and rebuild.

Totaling to 8 hours.

This is quite fascinating.

It seems that in my part, this is actually true.

My brain does not think clearly when I get 5 or 6 hours of sleep.

My body feels okay, but my brain seems a bit slow.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Bumpin'

[rsalazar]

Hi Leon,

Interesting topic and a tough question - it seems that sleep needs vary and usually fall in the 4-8 hr range, but the bottom line is that we all need it for survival - the actual function is still controversial and is not totally clear from my reading, although it's been a while - I've always been curious about modifications to the normal function as a consequence of training in different yogic disciplines, I'm curious if anyone's sleep needs have dramatically changed as a result of yogic training.

Cheers,

R

Bumpin'

[Marblehead]

Yeah, I pretty much agree with Rsalazar.

 

The needs of different people vary. Needs also vary during our lifetime.

 

I think it is a fair statement to say that the brain actually needs more rest than the body does.

 

Of course, a person's need will be reduced if one is able to meditate during the day for short periods.

 

Peace & Love!

[DalTheJigsaw123]

Thank you both!

[Bum Grasshopper]

 

A body needs on average 8 hours of sleep.

4 hours for the body to rebuild/recharge

And 4 hours for the mind to recharge and rebuild.

 

 

I don't think this is entirely correct. We sleep in cycles of REM and non- REM sleep. During REM sleep, we dream and it is believed that the brain sorts out memories, kind of like cleaning up and organizing thoughts. During this phase, the brain emits mostly theta waves, same as deep meditation.

 

During non- REM sleep, the brainwaves slow to delta waves 2- .05hz. This is when hormones are released and the body seems to be repairing it's self. This deep sleep occurs early in the cycle. Alcohol consumption before sleep will disturb this portion. That is why even when you get your 8 hour of sleep after drinking, you still feel tired.

 

Then we go back to REM sleep and theta state 7-4HZ. But when we return to non-REM delta, we don't go as deep as the previous cycle. By the end of the cycle, we are still going into non- REM sleep, but out brain is in theta. This is why when you get awakened in the middle of the night you feel groggy, but in the morning you awake refreshed. Science is still trying to figure out what is going on during that phase, but they know it is mostly the brain working on memories and things learned.

 

So our body needs about 1/4 to 1/3 of our sleep cycle. The brain uses the rest.

 

Meditating increases out time in a theta state, resulting in less time needed in sleep.

[joeblast]

here's one thing that embryonic breathing hit really well for me - the ability to sit down for 15, 20 minutes and take "an hour-long power nap" - not something I do all the time, but the regular practice cultivates this. by that rationale, doing the practice for an hour and a half, 2 hours gives me roughly the same "charge-time" as 3, 4 hours of sleep - its a matter of freeing up enough resources so that the body focuses them on core processes, and with the embryonic breath it adds to the available energy as well as being in a low energy consumption state (think=the physical components involved (front of abdomen, perineum, quadratus lumborum aka 'kidneys') generate vector quantities (energy that has direction) that you can focus to increase the scalar quantity (LTT, stored charge) that is the main source that feeds the primary channels. of course, that is only addressing breath components.)

so in doing this for 30 min, an hour, 2 hours each night, its like starting the sleep-meter ahead a couple spots - I generally wind this down into a relatively hypnogogic state which is like gently landing a plane transitioning from that to normal sleep

 

best example I had of the re-charge was when jen and I took a trip to niagara falls a year or two ago and I had a show to play for one of my bands to get to upon leaving, so I had to focus my attention for 7 hours to drive back (she would have driven too slow so I had to take the wheel for the whole trip back ), load up, get to the show with an hour to spare...and I just found a couch and sat for 20 minutes, I came walking back over to my friends and one of them goes "holy shit, you dont even look like the same person that went and sat down over there a bit ago, I thought you were going to be struggling to pick up your sticks!" and the show went well

[Aetherous]

Yes, breathing does the same thing for me, as joeblast. If I get in a good session in the evening, I end up waking up totally refreshed after about 4 hours of sleep.

 

However, I've also noticed that I get "groggy" later on the next day, despite being very alert.

[DalTheJigsaw123]

I don't think this is entirely correct. We sleep in cycles of REM and non- REM sleep. During REM sleep, we dream and it is believed that the brain sorts out memories, kind of like cleaning up and organizing thoughts. During this phase, the brain emits mostly theta waves, same as deep meditation.

 

During non- REM sleep, the brainwaves slow to delta waves 2- .05hz. This is when hormones are released and the body seems to be repairing it's self. This deep sleep occurs early in the cycle. Alcohol consumption before sleep will disturb this portion. That is why even when you get your 8 hour of sleep after drinking, you still feel tired.

 

Then we go back to REM sleep and theta state 7-4HZ. But when we return to non-REM delta, we don't go as deep as the previous cycle. By the end of the cycle, we are still going into non- REM sleep, but out brain is in theta. This is why when you get awakened in the middle of the night you feel groggy, but in the morning you awake refreshed. Science is still trying to figure out what is going on during that phase, but they know it is mostly the brain working on memories and things learned.

 

So our body needs about 1/4 to 1/3 of our sleep cycle. The brain uses the rest.

 

Meditating increases out time in a theta state, resulting in less time needed in sleep.

 

So how much sleep does one need?

6 or so hours?

I practice breathing and mindlessness meditation.

Zen meditation.