sleep in noon

Hello Nikul,

Good to see of your interest as regards Brahmacharya. Coming to the answers,

Day and night are the two opposites nature has made with two different and important purposes.

Rising of the Sun represents life, dynamism, energy and movement. It signifies the heralding of a new day made by God for man to evolve further. All life on earth derives the energy required to sustain through the Sun and there would have been no life on earth without the Sun. Sunrise surcharges all animate and inanimate objects on the earth and sky with immense cosmic energy which is nothing but Prâna (life energy.) The solar energy thus generated is the chief source of Prâna for plants, animals and man to sustain themselves. Sunrise fills the entire cosmos with 'Sâthwic energy' (energy that supports purity) and 'Râjasic energy' (energy that supports activity). All processes within the human body right from digestion, assimilation, circulation and excretion including functioning of the brain occur due to the Prânic energy that the Sun gives. The food we eat is again a product of Prana. All plants yield fruits and vegetables using solar energy. These fruits or vegetables are then eaten by man or animals and the Prâna finds its way into the human system either directly or indirectly. The Prâna thus inducted through food which undergoes digestion followed by a seven stage process leads to the formation of Rethas (semen). Thus semen represents the seventh and last tissue element of life process at the gross level. It is the subtlest and most powerful form of Prâna in the gross bodily level capable of producing another life.

Now to understand why one mustn't sleep during day time, one has to also know the properties governing night. Sunset followed by moon rise represents the end of a day and withdrawal of life energy. Birds automatically go back to their nests and retire for the day. Moon representing female energy, cools the atmosphere making it more conducive for plants, animals and man to rest, relax and recuperate from the toils of day. The advent of night is an indication for man to stop activity and rest. Moon rise increases the 'Tâmasic energy'(energy promoting inertia/inactivity) in the cosmos so as to help life forms retreat and rest. The energies prevalent at night are unsuitable for activity but have been created for rest and rejuvenation. Numerous biochemical, physiological, and psychological functions occur during sleep.

What happens if a man were to sleep for a few hours during the day? Firstly he indulges in an activity that is against nature. At a time when the energies in nature are fully conducive for activity, achievement and progress he immerses himself in something exactly the opposite. At a time when 'Sâthwic' & 'Râjasic energy' is predominant, he indulges in sleep which is 'Tâmasic'. At a time when nature has made it fully conducive for man to progress and evolve he does the exact opposite by immersing himself in slumber through sleep. This has serious repercussions at the physical, mental and karmic levels. Firstly, the mind and body having rested during the course of the day become less prone to sleep at night which is actually the correct time to rest. A man who sleeps during day time cannot get deep and dreamless sleep that is required for revitalization and detoxification of the body at night. On the other hand a man who has not slept during the day will naturally be more fatigued and tired by night and thus synchronizes with nature through deep sleep.

By not sleeping well at night, various bodily hormones (such as Melatonin) and secretions necessary to detoxify, refresh and revitalize the body with health that are produced only during deep night sleep do not get secreted. The non-release of these hormones results in health disorders and rapid ageing over the course of time leading to ill-health. People who sleep during the day and thus suffer from lack of deep sleep at night are prone to irritation, agitation, lust, anger and other negative emotions. Sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea manifest in many. By going against nature, man creates an imbalance within his own self for which he has to pay a penalty.

From the angle of Brahmacharya, people who sleep during the day and thus remain awake at night become unfit for a life of virtue and purity. They cannot hold their semen beyond a certain period. The energies prevalent at night are meant for man to rest in deep sleep. Instead, if man were to be awake, these energies evoke lustful and sexual undercurrents within a person causing the mind to wander over sexual objects. This will eventually result in frequent wet dreams. The person becomes more prone to lust attacks and finds himself constantly being hammered by lustful thoughts even the day after.

Also the best health benefits accrue further to sleeping in a pitch dark room at night without any light. Among the various health giving hormones released at night the smallest amount of light for example prevents the release of the hormone Melatonin which is ideally released from the Pineal gland in the brain between 2.00-3.00 A.M when man is deep in sleep. For this reason, Melatonin is also called as the 'Hormone of darkness'. The hormone Melatonin has been known to act as an active ingredient in the prevention of cancer, immune disorders, cardiovascular diseases, depression, sleep disorders, delirium, infertility, headaches, gallbladder stones, obesity and mood swings including protection from radiation. The slightest amount of light however prevents this hormone from getting released into the blood stream and hence the need for total darkness. There are numerous other health giving hormones which get released only during deep night sleep and not otherwise.

The correct way of ensuring a healthy lifestyle is to go to bed no longer than 9.30 P.M and wake up before Sunrise while still dark. Brahmacharya again becomes beyond the reach of a man who stays in bed beyond Sunrise. This period before Sunrise is highly conducive for the Brahmachari wanting to meditate and evolve spiritually. It a time which is neither day nor night but in between and hence promotes the meditative state which is beyond duality.

              ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)