Dream on!

With regularity, I seem to blog about sleep.  Yes, sleep! (Try this, or this, or this)

I find the topic of sleep to be fascinating for two important reasons: First, many--the young and the old alike--seem to have sleep issues these days.

I am interested in this topic for another reason too-- it is impressive that scientists have figured so many things out, but don't know squat about sleep, which babies do really well.  In fact, we are often envious, it seems, so much so that if we had an awesome sleep, we even say, "I slept like a baby."

I clearly remember one incident from years ago, well, decades ago, during the wedding of a cousin (who tragically died young.)  There was the usual loud thavil and naadhasvaram in the crowded setting. A much younger cousin, who was perhaps five or six years old, fell asleep while seated right next to the thundering thavil. An older uncle of mine commented jealously about the kid sleeping in that noisy setting. Slept like a baby, indeed!

I have a solution for all those who have trouble falling asleep: Listen to the recordings of my lectures in the classes.  In no time at all, you too--like many students--will promptly and easily settle into a deep sleep! ;)

Every time I read yet another essay on sleep, I am impressed with the trivial and the profound alike.  Like this one:

All humans dream, usually three to five times a night. And every time a man dreams he has an erection; every time a woman dreams, the blood vessels of her vagina become engorged. These changes in our genitalia are apparently unrelated to sexual thoughts before sleep or to sexual content in the dreams themselves. Rather, erections and vaginal engorgement seem to be the result of the state of dreaming itself.

That is the trivial one, of course! ;)

But, seriously, what the heck, right?

Over the years, I have also become convinced that no amount of comfy mattresses and gadgets can really deliver that awesome sleep.  Wasn't there an old Tamil movie song where that emperor of poetry, Kannadasan, wrote about this?

So, if science does not know any damn thing about sleep, and it is not all the fault of technology, then is there anything else we can think about as a way to good sleep?

A recent study now raises the possibility that sleep could be affected by the degree to which someone feels like their life is purposeful or meaningful.

A meaningful life.

Perhaps developing a sense of purpose in life could be as effective at improving sleep as following healthy habits, such as limiting coffee. In addition to promoting good sleep hygiene, doctors may end up recommending mindfulness practices or exploring one’s values as ways of helping older adults sleep better.

All I can say is that I am not surprised at such possible relationships in our behaviors.  It is the total package.  The more all our daily practices are aligned, the better off we will be.  Of course, the downside is that others then refer to us as being regimented and boring.  I will gladly take "boring" because I don't ever want to have sleep issues, as I prepare myself for that final sleep ;)