Reiki and Sleep
One cannot overstate the importance of sleep. This is when the body gets to repair and rejuvenate. The number of hours that we sleep in itself is very important, as several studies have shown.
Inadequate sleep is associated with several health problems – heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, lack of sex drive, depression, premature ageing and the list goes on. What’s more, it even kills your brain cells and makes you more dumb. Doctors have pointed that one of the problems with less sleep is that the person is usually convinced that their system has gotten used to it and that it is now ok to sleep less. However, studies show a definite drop in functionality in these cases.
So, where does Reiki come in?
Let’s start with the assumption that one is not able to sleep. Insomnia is not only a very common problem, but also a very frustrating, depressing one. The most common causes for insomnia are stress, anxiety, depression and other psychological problems. This is the variety that experiences the quickest and most long lasting relief. Certain medication and some medical conditions also cause sleep disorders, and both of these situations can also be abetted through regular Reiki practice.
For those who do not have insomnia, know that less than 6 hours of sleep is what is associated with all the problems mentioned above. 6 hours is a minimum, but that’s not all, it has to be a good rest.
We spend the whole day accumulating thoughts, images, sounds and sensations. It is only when we go to sleep, when our mind is fairly rested, that it starts to sort and process all these impressions. Depending on whether these impressions were powerful or weak, it affects our sleep and thereby, the rest that we get. Practicing Reiki just before we sleep helps to dissolve a lot of these impressions and we can go to sleep with a much cleaner mind. What this does, is give the body a greater chance to slip into deeper and more relaxing sleep. To enhance the effect of Reiki for better sleep, practice abdominal breathing as you heal yourself. A warm shower before the self healing will further enhance the effect.
It is known that bright lights in the evening set off the body balance and interfere with sleep patterns, so if not the whole evening, make sure that atleast when you practice Reiki self-healing, the lights are comfortably dim and preferably yellow, not white.
Author of ‘Healing Through Reiki’, Ashwita learned Reiki in 1997, and started teaching it in 2006. She now incorporates other forms of energy healing, as well as hypnotherapy and past life therapy in her work. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, crafts, reading and painting.
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