One of the boxes on my massage and yoga intake forms is "difficulty sleeping", and it is marked quite often. The occasional sleepless night is, of course, normal and reasonable, but once it starts becoming chronic, it will bleed through and affect every aspect of life.
It is during deep relaxation that we synthesize all of the things we have experienced since our last period of deep relaxation. The student who procrastinates and does a late-night study session the night before a test may remember information for the test, but will most likely not actually learn anything (make connections, apply new information to understanding of the world, etc). The athlete who trains hard but doesn't sleep well gains less coordination and strength from their training. We often dismiss sleep time as a necessary but wasted time, but it is actually the most important. Because it is during that time that we "get smart", in our bodies and minds.
Let's look at this idea of sleep being wasted time. Why do we think this way in our culture? Probably the main reason is that we are unconscious, so we are not aware of all of the things we are accomplishing during that time. Some people see it as unproductive time, so it becomes a badge of honor to be able to work or produce with little sleep. But the truth is, our conscious minds are often our own worst distraction from real productivity, and that's why most of the really important things happen when we are asleep. It is during sleep that our:
- Blood pressure drops
- Muscles are relaxed
- Blood supply to muscles increases
- Tissue growth and repair occurs
- Energy is restored to brain and body
- Hormones are released, such as: Growth hormone, essential for growth and development, including muscle development
- Stress hormone cortisol decreases
- Hormones related to hunger and the feeling of fullness are regulated
That seems like a pretty productive list to me! It is also during deep relaxation or sleep that we tend to make the most profound connections in our minds, coming up with new ideas, understanding problems we have encountered during the day, and generally "getting smart".
But getting healthy sleep can be difficult for many. Worry, pressure, over stimulation, and pain are four top reasons for poor sleep, with over stimulation becoming more and more of a problem. And as with most things, improving our sleep involves making some lifestyle changes. Some very basic starting advice for improving sleep include the following:
- Have a bedtime: Your body operates on a cyclic or rhythmic basis. It needs to sleep at the same time each night.
- Have a bedtime routine: Let yourself transition into sleep with a regular routine. Maybe it involves having some kind of beauty routine, or reading time, or meditation. Whatever it is, make it take up the time just before bed.
- Stay away from excessive stimulation before bedtime: Falling asleep while watching television is overload for your senses. So is any activity on a screen, heavy physical exercise, loud music, etc. For at least an hour before your bedtime, try to create a peaceful and low stimulation environment. For some, this may involve some creativity or negotiation!
- Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and beyond.
- Avoid alcohol in the hours before bedtime.
- Meditate: Meditation can be as simple as just paying close attention to your breathing cycle for 5-10 minutes. Find a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes, and let your regular, relaxed breath be the most important thing you think about for those 5-10 minutes.
As for pain, work with your doctor to make some decisions. Pain is always part of a cycle: pain leads to poorer sleep, leads to more pain, leads to worse sleep, and so on. Being able to interrupt that pattern in some way is the only way to get out of that cycle.
Poor sleep is definitely not something one should live with for an extended period of time. We want to prioritize our ability to sleep well if we want to be able to perform our best at whatever we do when we are awake.
Note: Obviously, this article is not intended to be specific advice for any individual. 
