Stargazing during a time where sleep seems impossible can be physically and mentally therapeutic all while promoting relaxation. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, roughly 60 out of approximately 300 million Americans suffer from nightly sleep interruptions.
Most adults who have sleep problems do not report them, believing the loss of sleep to be normal and curing it with a big ol’ cup of joe. As someone who stresses the importance of rest, I find it interesting that not very many individuals have considered stargazing as a way to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Believe it or not, research studies have shown that those twinkling specks of light can help their viewers reduce stress and improve their overall mental functioning.
Sleep deprivation and insomnia are two primary sleep issues plaguing Americans. A Live Science blog post suggested that sleep deprivation could devastate memory processing, affect the ability to concentrate on daily business activities, instigate weight gain, and disrupt the proper maintenance of bodily hygiene.
Sleep deprivation begins once a person sleeps for less than seven hours a night. Those who suffer from insomnia, a sleep disorder that prevents a person from falling asleep and staying asleep, experience growing complexities of their symptoms the longer they are without a restful night.
While insomnia is something I do deal with as a symptom of PTSD, the fact that I could stay up for at least 28 hours with not even a head nod worried me. I knew I was in the danger zone for some serious sleep deprivation side effects such as hallucinations and delirium. My body wasn't shutting down for internal restoration. I was slowly starting to lose hope in my ability to fall into restful sleep.
But then, one night I decided to meditate and, perhaps, ease the frustration I was beginning to feel from not being able to get comfortable enough for rest. After about thirty minutes of beautiful visuals, I was drawn to get up and go outdoors. Once I arrived on my patio, I immediately looked up. I watched the stars sparkle and dance against the sea of indigo stillness.
I began to feel myself wonder instead of worry with my thoughts slowing and my body relaxing. The tension I felt in my chest began to lift and the frustration from fighting to fall asleep gave way to an "aha!" moment.
Of course, stargazing effectively places a lid on emotions, simmering down any racing thoughts until they are quieted below a whisper. This was something that I had never truly considered until I came across a really neat article by Psych Central which lists stargazing as one of six different mindful techniques believed to help a person fall asleep.
Now that I have been able to use stargazing in order to induce my own sleeping, I can vouch for this technique. Stargazing really does help sleep deprived individuals fall asleep, stay asleep, and even lucid dream.
Have you ever given this method a try to help you sleep? Have you ever looked into the total benefits of stargazing? If not, I highly recommend you do!
In the meantime, I’ll catch you in the trees!
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