Enjoying Naps in the Winter Season

Most mammals are polyphasic sleepers, meaning that they sleep for short periods throughout the day. For humans, days are divided into two distinct periods, one for sleep and one for wakefulness, which is a monophasic sleep pattern. However, this may be a product of living in an industrialized world and not the natural sleep pattern of humans. Our bodies are programmed for two periods of intense sleepiness a day: between 2 and 4 am and 1 and 3 pm. Unfortunately, despite our biological vestige, we are having to consolidate our sleep into one long period.

A short 20-minute midday nap boosts mental alertness, mood, productivity and sharpens motor skills. There is also solid scientific evidence that napping lowers the risk of heart attack, stroke, excessive weight gain and diabetes as well as reducing stress. Naps up to 45 minutes can sometimes include REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which enhances creative thinking and sensory processing. If you need to spring into action upon waking, keep your nap below 45 minutes.

Tips for Getting the Perfect Nap

• First off, get over the stigma that you are being lazy for taking a nap. Recognize that napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up. Napping isn't for the lazy or depressed. Bill Clinton, Lance Armstrong, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison are and were known to be afternoon nappers.
• Avoid consuming large quantities of foods that are heavy in fat, sugar or caffeine, which can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Instead, choose foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep.
• Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won't disturb you, preferably where you can lie down. It takes about 50% longer to fall asleep sitting upright.
• Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. Try to darken your room, or wear an eye-shade.
• Body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket.
• Set your alarm for the desired duration to prevent oversleeping.

Notes on the Negative Effects of Napping

Napping isn't always the best option for everyone in spite of its benefits. Naps that last more than 20 minutes can leave people with sleep inertia, a feeling of disorientation and grogginess that lasts for half an hour or more. Especially for those who are sleep deprived, post-nap impairment and disorientation can be more severe.

Another downside of daytime napping is that it may have a negative effect on other sleeping periods. A nap longer than 45 minutes or taken too late in the day may adversely affect the length and quality of nighttime sleep. If you usually have trouble sleeping at night, a nap may only aggravate this problem.

Acupuncture Media Works © 2011 Copyright, All rights reserved. The information contained within the Health WellNews newsletter is only used to educate and inform. This newsletter is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed and registered health care provider. Seek prompt attention for emergencies. Consult a health care provider for specific health concerns, and before starting a diet, cleanse or exercise routine.

Seasonal Health: Winter and your Kidneys

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, health is achieved by living in balance with nature and the seasons. Winter, the season of the Water Element, is the season for slowing down, reflecting, and conserving our resources. We all feel this tendency, but we don't always listen to our bodies. In the Western culture, being active is rewarded and expected. We feel compelled to keep up the hectic pace that is typical in our daily lives.

This season is associated with the kidneys, bladder and adrenal glands and it is the time of year when these organs are most active, accessible, and even vulnerable. They are more receptive to being restored, nurtured and energized. At the same time, it is also when they can become easily depleted.

According to Chinese medicine, our kidneys receive a specific amount of energy at the time of our birth that will carry each of us through our lives, called Jing Qi. Imagine for a minute that our kidneys are like batteries that cannot be recharged. Jing Qi is the energy stored in our kidney batteries. Our body and mind pull from this reserve in times of change, healing and stress. Every action we take draws on this power supply.

Some people can easily deplete their Jing Qi due to poor lifestyle choices and extreme stress. Others preserve it by nurturing it with the right foods and behaviors. Jing Qi is finite. The more we use it, the less we will have for necessary body functioning. Everyday our kidneys filter blood and other body fluids, remove toxins from the liver, and our bladder collects, processes and excretes these liquids through the urine.

Preserve your Jing Qi

There are ways we can preserve our Jing Qi. In addition to Jing Qi, we operate on renewable sources of energy. The spleen makes Qi (vital life force) for us out of the food we eat, and the lungs bring us Qi from the air. We will have less need to draw on our Jing Qi and be healthier and more energetic as we eat, rest and breathe better and do Qi Gong to replenish our renewable sources of energy.

Keep in mind that stimulants such as caffeine deplete the kidneys, and rob us of our ability to know how we really feel. If our body is in need of rest and sleep, caffeine consumption will make us unaware of this fact, thus causing us to ignore our body's needs. This can then contribute to the unnecessary depletion of our Jing Qi.

In order to maintain and cultivate health, it is important to nurture and nourish our kidney energy. Acupuncture, yoga, Tai Chi, quiet reflection, meditation, simple walks and herbs are wonderful ways to recharge and energize!

Source: www.tcmworld.org; www.lagrandelife.com

Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Inbalance

Emotional/Mental Symptoms: Feeling deeply drained, fear, anxiety, paranoia, panic, memory and concentration problems, lack of inner calm and strength.

Physical Symptoms: Dizziness, vertigo, night sweating, ache in bones, poor memory, thirst, dark-scanty urine, sore back, dry mouth at night.

Foods To Help Build Kidney Yin

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Yin is the energy that is responsible for moistening and cooling bodily functions. Your body begins to show signs of "heating up" when this energy is depleted. This is due to the lack of the moistening and cooling functions that our bodies need for a healthy balance. Basically, Yin is substance to the body like a log is substance to a fire. They are dependent on each other to exist. For Yang energy to burn long and bright, sufficient Yin needs to be present. Eating the right foods is one of the best ways to create balance in our bodies.

The key is to focus on tonifying foods that moisten and some mildly cooling foods. Keeping the Fire element strong is important so try not to overdo cooling foods. Also, eating the same foods over and over again is not the way to go in this season.

• Salty flavored foods: Kidneys govern and regulate water in your body and maintain the electrolyte balance. Switching from table salt to sea salt and consuming a balanced dose of salt is needed to support the Water element. Imbalances in water/salt intake can lead to edema (body swelling). Miso, tamari, salted raw sauerkraut or kimchee are examples of foods that contain both salt and water.
• Kidney shaped foods: Beans are kidney shaped foods which are considered especially nourishing to the Kidneys. They also symbolize potential seeds for new life. Black beans especially can detoxify and nourish kidneys, alleviate water retention and smooth blood. Keep in mind that people who suffer from chronic kidney disease need to refrain from bean products.
• Blue and black foods: Eating foods that are blue and black in color can strengthen the Water element of the Kidneys. Example are: blueberries, blackberries and mulberries.
• Seafood: Fish, shrimp, seaweeds – all support the Water element.
• Seeds and Nuts: Seeds relate to fertility and growth, which is governed by Kidney energy. Examples are: black sesame, flax, sunflower, pumpkins, walnuts, chestnuts, etc.
• Grains: Barley and millet. These are both mildly cooling and nourishing to Yin.
• Vegetables: Deep green leafy vegetables build the blood, which is a Yin fluid. Asparagus is especially beneficial in restoring the flow for those with dark, scanty urine.
• Fruits and Melons: Too much fruit can be too cooling and can cause diarrhea. Modest amount of fruit daily will be moistening and mildly cooling.

Source: www.mybodywisdom.net/pdf/Nutrition_for_Kidney_Yin.pdf