You may have heard that raw-foodists only need to rest five to six hours daily. I have met individuals who told me they only needed three to four hours of sleep each day. I even met one man who said he slept 2 hours a day. Impressed by this, I attempted everything to be able to sleep less: juice fasting, fruit diets, etc. But I still needed my seven to nine hours of sleep.
Although it is true that the need for sleep is affected by diet, the amount of sleep required might not be the same from one person to another. You will notice that on a raw-food diet you'll need less sleep, on average about 1-2 hours less.
However, if you follow my recommendations, additionally , you will want to increase your fitness level by exercising more. For this, you'll need more sleep to recover. Usually, for every hour of exercise, you need about an extra hour of sleep. Keep in mind that a fit person is going to be much more productive and energetic during the waking hours than the usual sedentary person. The best advice I can give you about sleep is get as much from it as you can! And if you want to overcome a health challenge, the more the better.
An observation of nature can have us that animals like to rest and sleep. They get as much sleep because they wish, which, obviously, depends on the species. Also, notice that young animals need more sleep than mature ones. This goes true for humans. The younger you are, the more you need to rest. It is also good for seniors to get plenty of sleep. (Surveys show that the majority of older people do not get the quantity of sleep they truly need.) Intense exercise and training also increases your sleep needs.
Sleep and rest are essential to recharge your nervous energy. Your physical, emotional and mental balance depends on the quality and the quantity of your sleep. Work and play are wonderful, but they also put demands on the body, dissipate your energy and produce metabolic waste (toxins). Rest is the only thing that recharges these "batteries" and allows for the proper elimination of metabolic waste (toxins).
It might be true that the healthier you're, the less rest and sleep you need. But since we live in such a polluted modern world, we probably would be better off securing more rest. Those with health challenges must get all the rest, while avoiding mental and physical exertion, if they are to heal.
A bad piece of advice commonly given to chronically sick people would be to get tons of exercise. The further depletion of one's caused by exercising, once they should be resting, makes their recovery difficult. There is no danger in stopping all physical exercise and getting as much rest as possible for a few months. It is also my advice to people changing to a raw food diet to get as much rest and sleep as you possibly can, to temporarily suspend all hard, physical work, and to let your body heal. After a few months, the weight will quickly come back, and then you can exercise again to develop strength.
Try to sleep at regular hours. Awaken early and go to bed early. I know, you've heard this before. In a world of workaholics and party-junkies, going to bed early and at regular hours sounds boring. However, it's also the most natural thing to do and can bring you the best health. It's not part of our natural cycle to visit bed at 3 a.m. and wake up at noon. It's not part of our natural cycle to go to bed one day at 9 p.m. and subsequently at 1 a.m. That affects you, more than you can imagine.
An old saying is, "The hours before midnight count for double." We may have invented electric bulbs, but night is still meant for sleeping and daytime for waking. If you have trouble sleeping, several things may be causing it. Any food or drink that contains caffeine, especially if you follow a raw food diet, will disturb your sleep. A few years ago, I drank herb teas and green tea daily. I'd read somewhere that the caffeine content in green tea was negligible. I couldn't fall asleep before 3 a.m., and it took me months to make the connection.
Other items that disturb sleep are: garlic, spices, onions, condiments and the habit of eating late at night. Your evening meal should be fairly simple, light and properly combined. Also, do not eat sweet fruit late in the evening. The sugar and acids in fruit prevents you from falling asleep, and they may also disturb your sleep.
I suggest not eating or drinking three hours before sleeping. Otherwise, your sleep is going to be disturbed by digestion, which will manifest as disturbing dreams and nightmares. That which you eat before going to sleep greatly influences how you feel the next day. If you are truly hungry before midnight, a few bites of raw vegetables, or an apple, should be enough. But avoid heavy fruits and fats. Otherwise, you might wake up tired the next day.
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