Techniques & Tips to Have a Good Night!
Arnold Shapiro, MD
September – October 2022 • Vol 3, No 123
After our series of articles on Brief Relaxation Techniques for Natural Life News, let’s promote the benefits of more prolonged relaxation, namely—a good night’s sleep! All humans in all cultures sleep at night. Many in hotter climates have built-in afternoon siestas as well. All mammals sleep (not necessarily at night). Sleep is a biological necessity, to let our cells and organs have a period of low activity in order to restock/restore/recharge at the cellular level. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, sleep is a major, if not crucial, pro- wellness factor.
Many years ago, I came across an anonymous quote: “A good night’s sleep is the best eraser in the world.” This statement describes recovery of functional acuity after a long day of energy- consuming, resource-consuming activity. Every one of our organs and systems benefits from “down-time.” The ideal length of sleep is 7 to 8 hours. Getting consistently under 6 hours of sleep is detrimental to our physical and mental health.
