Day 3 - For Whom The Bells Toll

We in the west have been conditioned to sleep more than we actually require.  The amount of sleep needed is different for everyone, but if sleep is deep and restful less is required.  Due to hyperventilation, my sleep is not refreshing.  I do not rise feeling energized, in fact when I wake I have very little energy.  This is due in part to lack of oxygen, but length of sleep time is included in the equation. 

 

Part of my experiment is to play with my sleep habits. 

I used to wake and immediately begin coughing.  I'd barely have one eye open and the coughing would begin.  The coughing was exhausting which would further effect my energy level.  A brilliant Buteyko practitioner I was working with instructed me to sleep less, and break up my sleep pattern with Buteyko breathing. He deduced that the cough was a result of too much hyperventilating at night. He also told me to never sleep until my stomach was empty.  So, you see how my late night Henry Vlll eating and drinking came into play.  I would always go to bed while digesting food.  The practitioner had me eat no later than 6 PM and go to bed at midnight, set my alarm for 3 AM and do a short session of Buteyko Breathing, go back to bed and rise at 6 AM.  After only one night my cough was gone.

When trying to slow the progression of this disease, and to restore a sense of bodily well-being use every arrow in your quiver; diet, exercise, Buteyko practice, and regulate sleep patterns.  So the bells toll for me at 3 and 6 AM.  

Famous India Guru Muktananda used to say, "Eat less, sleep less, talk less."  All of this advice is good, I would add "love more."  

So I am on a juice fast and I will economize sleep too, and I'll love my body even though it's functioning poorly.  Better functioning poorly than not at all.  I'm grateful for this period of healing and rejuvenation.