Why do we get sleep?

And importance of Melatonin

Below contents are taken from different sources while researching the above topic. This is all about
why do we get sleep and not about what happens during sleep 

I understood that the facts given here are true and best to my knowledge. Hope most people will
agree with me  - Ram

This 24-hour cycle is controlled by a combination of two internal influences: sleep

homeostasis and circadian rhythms

Homeostasis:
 Homeostasis is the process by which the body maintains a “steady state” of
internal conditions such as blood pressure, body temperature, and acid-base
balance.

 The amount of sleep each night is also under homeostatic control.

 From the time that we wake up, the homeostatic drive for sleep accumulates,
reaching its maximum in the late evening when most individuals fall asleep.

 As long as we are awake, blood levels of adenosine rise continuously,

resulting in a growing need for sleep that becomes more and more difficult to
resist.

 Conversely, during sleep, levels of adenosine decrease, thereby reducing the

need for sleep.

 Certain drugs, like caffeine, work by blocking the adenosine receptor,

disrupting this process. Sleep loss results in the accumulation of a sleep debt
that must eventually be repaid.

 When we stay up all night, for example, our bodies will demand that we
make up each hour of lost sleep, by napping or sleeping longer in later
cycles, or suffer the consequences.

 Even the loss of one hour of sleep time that accumulates for several days can
have a powerful negative effect on daytime performance, thinking, and
mood.

Circadian rhythms:
 Circadian rhythms refer to the cyclical changes, like fluctuations in body
temperature, hormone levels, and sleep that occur over a 24-hour period,
driven by the brain's biological “clock.”
  Our circadian rhythm (or 'body clock') is influenced by melatonin, as it acts
as a cue', anticipating sleep. It is also an important physiological regulator of
the sleep-wake cycle.

 Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is key to sleep and

the sleep-wake cycle in humans and animals.

 In the body, melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in the brain

when night falls.

 Melatonin is made from an amino acid called tryptophan.

 When our surroundings are dark, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN tells
the pineal gland to produce melatonin, which is thought to trigger sleep.

 Melatonin levels were originally thought to decline with age. Early reports
said that a person's melatonin levels peaked at age 20 and gradually
decreased to 20% at age 80. This theory was used to explain why many
older people have sleep difficulties.

 The retina detects failing light, and the level of melatonin gradually increases,
reaching its peak in the middle of the night in natural circumstances.

 Melatonin is the seat of the soul.

 The scientific connection between melatonin and meditation was first

explored in 1995 by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical
Center's Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program. Since melatonin is
produced mainly at night, overnight urine samples were collected and tested
for 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, a melatonin breakdown product thought to be an
accurate reflection of blood melatonin levels.

 Researchers found that women who meditated had significantly higher levels
compared with women who did not.

 Another study found that meditation before bedtime increased melatonin

levels for that night. No increases in blood melatonin levels were noted on
nights where participants didn't meditate. This suggests that regular practice
of meditation is necessary.

 Siddhas will say that if you lose your semen then you lose your
melatonin and ultimately you won’t be able to succeed in Yoga.

Yoga Makes You Younger -The Third Eye and it's effects on the pineal gland's production of
melatonin.
The pineal gland is considered one of the body's greatest mysteries. Today we know
that it is an endocrine gland which secrets the hormone melatonin. It is shaped like
a pine cone and placed exactly in the middle of the brain. The french philosopher
Descartes suggested that the pineal gland, or the cone gland, as he called it, was
the dwelling place of the soul, and the gateway to the spiritual world. But apart
from this comment, western science has mainly ignored this gland and considered it
more or less useless. Since Darwin it has been described as remnicents of an eye
which no longer is in use, and originates from earlier history of evolution when we
were a more primitive species.

It is not until the last 50 years that science has started to uncover some of the
pineal glands great secrets. After seven years of age small layers of calcification
appears in the gland, and makes it look like a small cone in x-rays. Because it is
situated in the middle of the brain, it is used to detect tumours of the brain,
because this would displace the pineal gland from it's centre.

With the exception of the kidneys, no other place in the body receives as much
supply of blood as the pineal gland, and there is several indications that this gland
plays a much greater role than previously thought. New discoveries have now
shown that the hormone secreted by this gland, melatonin, has several effects:

- Decreases the aging process

- Starts off puberty
- Strengthen the immune system
- Regulates body heat
- Regulates oestrogen level among woman
- Regulates sleep function

The pineal gland is light sensitive, and is one of the reasons it is part of the body's
biological clock, both in humans and animals, and has a regulating effect in sleep
function. Melatonin has in fact also psychedelic effects, and can release special
ecstatic and transcendental experiences, among meditators and mystics.

According to several occult traditions, the pineal gland is connected to "The Third
Eye", which is situated in the middle of the forehead, on a straight line from the
pineal gland. With Shiva the third eye is found described as a "shining spot" and "a
flaming pearl", symbolising unity, transcendental wisdom and spiritual
consciousness.

This point is often used as point of concentration in meditation, because it is one of

the places in the body where it is most easy to hold a steady focus, as well as it
activates psychic energy.
Concentration on this point will sooner or later give strong impressions of inner
light, and is a method to get in contact with the energy dimension beyond the
physical body.

In the Bible there is a saying that refers to the third eye:

"Let thine eye be single. That thy whole body shall be full of light."
(Mark 6:22 and Luke 11:34. This is from the King James version of the Bible which
was written in the time of Shakespeare. Later editions have other translations
which often looses this interesting point made out by Jesus.)

An Australian researcher, Swami Sannyasananda writes in a research report on

melatonin:

"Reduction of melatonin during the night increases the celles' vulnerability towards
cancer causing substances. It has been reported increased cancer incidents in areas
with unnormally high electric power fields, which results in decreased melatonin
production during the night. Melatonin is an active cancer protecting substance,
which both prevents cancer and the development of cancer, and is an important
part of the body's imunesystem. It is particularly in its function as an antioxydant
that melatonin has this effect. Melatonin also influences the production of T- cells
which counteracts stress and is one of the imunesystems most active substances."

Melatonin decreases with age

According to two scientists at the Macquarie University in Australia, professor Keith
Cairncross and professor Arthur Everitt this gland is a pure fountain of youth. After
three years of research they are convinced that the hormones secreted by the
pineal gland plays a central role in the mechanisms controlling stress in primates.
They presume that the reduction of melatonin with age, is a central cause for many
of the diseases occurring in the elderly. They therefore suggest to give many elderly
hormone supplements in the form of synthetic melatonin to counteract diseases and
prolong life.

Because of melatonin's powerful effects there is today a lot of research being done.
Often this includes experiments on animals, which often does not correlate to
reactions in the human body.

Yoga and melatonin

There are natural means to increase the production of melatonin, and particularly
simple yoga techniques. breathing or Nadi Shodan pranayama, and particularly
Candle gazing or Tratak, has a dramatic effect on melatonin production. Tratak is
concentration on an external object and in this case, the flame of a candle.
Experiments on persons doing Tratak every evening before sleep showed a
significant increase of melatonin.

On this background it is a highly recommended practise to do Tratak before bedtime

to calm down, and secure deep sleep and a strengthening of the imunesystem, and
other benefits of increased melatonin production.

The two practises are good in combination, Alternate breathing followed by Tratak
takes 15 minutes. It can be uses also in the morning, as well as a preparation for
meditation, or as described before bedtime.

Another Research Study:

Effects of Hatha yoga and Omkar meditation on cardiorespiratory

performance, psychologic profile, and melatonin secretion.

Harinath K, Malhotra AS, Pal K, Prasad R, Kumar R, Kain TC, Rai L, Sawhney RC.

Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, Timarpur, Delhi, India.

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate effects of Hatha yoga and Omkar meditation on
cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile, and melatonin secretion.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty healthy men in the age group of 25-35 years
volunteered for the study. They were randomly divided in two groups of 15 each.
Group 1 subjects served as controls and performed body flexibility exercises for 40
minutes and slow running for 20 minutes during morning hours and played games
for 60 minutes during evening hours daily for 3 months. Group 2 subjects practiced
selected yogic asanas (postures) for 45 minutes and pranayama for 15 minutes
during the morning, whereas during the evening hours these subjects performed
preparatory yogic postures for 15 minutes, pranayama for 15 minutes, and
meditation for 30 minutes daily, for 3 months. Orthostatic tolerance, heart rate,
blood pressure, respiratory rate, dynamic lung function (such as forced vital
capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced expiratory volume
percentage, peak expiratory flow rate, and maximum voluntary ventilation), and
psychologic profile were measured before and after 3 months of yogic practices.
Serial blood samples were drawn at various time intervals to study effects of these
yogic practices and Omkar meditation on melatonin levels.
RESULTS: Yogic practices for 3 months resulted in an improvement in
cardiorespiratory performance and psychologic profile. The plasma melatonin also
showed an increase after three months of yogic practices. The systolic blood
pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and orthostatic tolerance
did not show any significant correlation with plasma melatonin. However, the
maximum night time melatonin levels in yoga group showed a significant
correlation (r = 0.71, p < 0.05) with well-being score.
CONCLUSION: These observations suggest that yogic practices can be used as
psychophysiologic stimuli to increase endogenous secretion of melatonin, which, in
turn, might be responsible for improved sense of well-being.

Here are two meditation techniques that are based on those used in the research
studies. For maximal benefit, try to meditate for twenty minutes to half an hour
before you go to sleep using the technique that feels more comfortable for you.

Method 1 - Mindfulness Meditation

1. Find a quite and comfortable place. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your head,
neck and back straight but not stiff. Try to put aside all thoughts of the past and the
future and stay in the present.

2. Become aware of your breathing, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and
out of your body as you breathe. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your
nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is
different.

3. Watch every thought come and go, whether it be a worry, fear, anxiety or hope.
When thoughts come up in your mind, don't ignore or suppress them but simply
note them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor.
4. If you find yourself getting carried away in your thoughts, observe where your
mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing. Remember
not to be hard on yourself if this happens.

5. As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where
you are. Get up gradually.

Method 2 - Relaxation Response

1. Find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position. Try to relax your muscles.

2. Choose a word or phrase that has special meaning to you and makes you feel
peaceful. Or you can try the words "Ham Sah", a Sanskrit mantra meaning "I am
that".

3. As you breathe in, slowly produce the sound "haaam" as if you are sinking into a
hot bath. As you exhale, slowly produce to sound "saah", which should feel like a
sigh.

4. Breathe slowly and naturally. Inhale through your nose and pause for a few
seconds. Exhale through your mouth, again pausing for a few seconds.

5. Don't worry about how well you are doing and don't feel bad if thoughts or
feelings intrude. Simply say to yourself "Oh well" and return to your repetition.

6. As the time comes to a close, continue to be aware of your breathing but sit
quietly. Becoming aware of where you are, slowly open your eyes and get up
gradually.