New Delhi, February 9 (IANS). In today’s busy life, some are staying awake till late night and some are sleeping more than necessary, but very few people know how important is the right balance of sleep and wakefulness. In the Unani system of medicine, it is considered one of the basic principles of a healthy life. If its coordination gets disturbed then many types of diseases start arising in the body.
According to Unani medicine, sleep is not just a time for rest, but it is the most important time for repair of the body. During sleep, the internal strength of the body, which is called Rooh-e-Hayati in Greek, remains safe and repairs the damaged parts of the body.
At this time, the digestive power is balanced, the mind gets peace and new energy is created in the body. If there is insufficient sleep, the body becomes weak, irritability increases and the ability to think and understand is also affected.
On the other hand, staying awake excessively is also considered harmful in Greek principles. Staying awake till late night or continuously working increases heat and dryness in the body. Its effect first falls on the brain, eyes and nerves. Such people suffer from problems like headache, burning sensation, restlessness, dry mouth and fatigue. If this happens for a long time, the body starts losing moisture, which can lead to weakness and premature ageing.
Unani medicine also suggests that sleeping excessively can be harmful. Taking too much sleep increases burudat (coldness) and rutubat (excessive moisture) in the body. The result is that the body’s performance becomes sluggish, digestion becomes weak and laziness prevails. Problems like obesity, heaviness, gas, cough and lack of interest in work become common in people who sleep too much.
In Unani medicine, to stay healthy, it is advised to decide the sleeping time according to the temperament and age of every person. Children need more sleep, while the elderly need less. Similarly, people with hot temperament need balanced and light sleep, whereas people with cold temperament should be more cautious not to sleep more than necessary. The best sleep is considered to be the one which is taken at night and the eyes open with freshness in the morning.
–IAANS
PIM/ABM
