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*SLEEP* is one of the 15 pillars of good health. The remaining 14 pillars are:
1. Exercise
2. Drinking daily adequate water
3. Stopping alcohol intake
4. Stopping smoking and drug abuse
5. Healthy body mass index(BMI)
6. Routine healthy behaviours like wearing your seat belt while driving
7. Balanced diet
8. Reduction of sugar intake
9. Reduction of salt and spices intake
10. Reduction of physical and mental stress
11. Having safe and sufficient good sex with your spouse
12. Good relationship with others
13. Being spiritual and religious, and
14. Regular medical check up.


Today i will be educating you on *SLEEP:* one of the major pillars of good health.


*SLEEP:* by way of definition is what happens to you when you close your eyes and intentionally relax your muscles by breathing deeply in and out until you go from conscious level to unconscious level and back to conscious level later. Sleep is accompanied by reduced mental and physical activity in which your consciousness is altered and sensitivity to your environment is reduced to a large extent.

There is something called a cycle of sleep. One cycle of sleep has 4 stages: First stage is called *FALLING ASLEEP* which lasts for 5-10 minutes. This is when you are trying to intiate sleep. This is followed by second stage called *LIGHT SLEEP* which lasts for an average of 10-30 minutes then followed by *DEEP SLEEP* which lasts for 20-40 minutes. It is during this deep sleep that our body repairs all the tissues that have damaged in our body and brain then this stage is followed by *PARALYSIS AND DREAM STAGE* which lasts for an average of 10-60 minutes. It is during this last stage that we dream. In total, one cycle of sleep lasts for an average of 90- 120 minutes. So when we sleep for 7-9 hours we go through this sleep cycle like 5 to 6 times at a stretch before we finally wake up back fully.

We are designed to share our daily 24 hours like this:
1. *WORK*: 8hours
2. *SLEEP*: 8hours
3. *OTHER AREAS OF LIFE:*(marriage, family, religion, career, education, socialization, friends, etc)

Many adults take the above formula for granted and cut some hours of sleep. Below is the implication of what you are doing to yourself 👇:

*As an adult, for every 1 hour of sleep you consistently cut out of these 7-9 hours of sleep you should have daily, if you are a man you are cutting your life span by 7 months overall, if you are a woman you are cutting your life span by 4 months overall. So if you cut 2 hours of sleep daily consistently out of that 7-9 hours, multiply the above overall reduction in your life span by 2.*

*BENEFITS/ADVANTAGES OF SLEEP:*

*1. Get sick less often as good sleep makes you physically strong as the wears and tears of your body and brain are repaired during sleep.*

*2. Stay at a healthy weight.*

*3. Lower your risk for serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease.*

*4. Reduce your stress and improve your mood.*

*5. Think more clearly and reduces your risk of depression and anxiety.*

*6. Do better in school and at work hence making good money .*

*7. Get along better with people.*

*8. Spiritual benefit of dreaming through which God communicates with you.*


*HOW YOUR BEDROOM SHOULD BE TO MAKE SLEEP DESIROUS AND SPONTANEOUS:*

*1. Put dim light in your bedroom.*

*2. No TV or sound system in your bedroom*

*3. Clean bedsheet and good pillows and pillow case. Not hard or soft pillow. Use medium*

*4. Your bed is not making noise as you turn during sleep*

*5. Good perfume that makes your room cozy and sleepy. Not a smelly bedroom. Well organized and neat.*

*6. Have a good rug on the floor because you may want to shift to the floor from the bed. Don't restrict yourself to bed alone. Have a couch inside your room where you can sleep sometimes.*

*7. Don't bring office work inside your bedroom. That bedroom should be for 3 things: brief prayer, sex and sleep. Good sex is a sleeping tablet,take it at least 3 times weekly.*

*8. Have AC or good noiseless fan inside your room. It is difficult to enjoy sleep if you are feeling hot.*

*NOTE: Even if you are on duty overnight and you can't have good night sleep, please once your duty is over, go home and have your 8 hours sleep please. It is not an advantage for you to use the day to go and be doing something else. Lack of sleep can make you die young!!!*

*This article is written by: DR AA ADESIDA (CONSULTANT FAMILY PHYSICIAN 08068649694)*

*PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE WIDELY TO YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU*