Living after midnight, rockin’ to the dawn
Lovin’ ’till the morning, then I’m gone, I’m gone

I took the city ’bout one A.M, loaded, loaded
I’m all geared up to score again, loaded, loaded
I come alive in the neon light
That’s when I make my moves right

Living after midnight, rockin’ to the dawn
Lovin’ ’til the morning, then I’m gone, I’m gone………..

Wonderful! I am in love with these lines. Don’t know when I heard these lines, but surely I like it. It’s a song sung by Judas Priest and I think this song has a life in it. Yes, the life of this modern E- world century where we use number of gadgets and are slaves of money and technology.

Truly speaking, “Life begins after midnight”. No not all Indians are working in a call center where job is 8 P.M. to 4 A.M or preparing for IIMs CAT entrance or say EAMCET for 12th standard students who mug up and solve problem Nth times to get into the entrance exams. But still the new morning for today’s guys and gals is after 12 A.M.

Sleep is an important aid to living healthy. All knows but to have pleasure, fun and “Me Time” people especially young lads of today are awake till 3 A.M or 4 A.M.

No goodnight sleep messages anymore, it is more of Hello and Hi buddy, wassup? This is our night. With one hour sleep or may be no sleep we are awake in nights like a vampire rising after midnight. Why have all become like this? We’re shifting to a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week society, and as a result we’re increasingly not sleeping like we used to. Why?

Thanks to the access to Internet and Social Networking sites which builds relationships and friends, e-mail, late-night cable and other distractions of modern life, a growing body of scientific technology has affected our sleep much.

Our lifestyle contributes to sleep problems. How we live our awake-time determines the success of our sleep. Lack of sleep Our lifestyle contributes to sleep problems. How we live our awake-time determines the success of our sleep. Lack of sleep makes life difficult.

How much sleep is necessary for us? Some people are aware of the fact and some are still ignorant. Say lifestyle has taken charge over sleep. It is said that

•Toddlers need 11 hours of sleep every night, plus a two-hour nap during the day.

•Preschoolers need 11 to 12 hours of sleep a night.

•School-age children need 10 hours of sleep each night.

•Teens need 9.25 hours of sleep every night. Most get less than 8.5.

•Adults need about 8 hours of sleep every night.

Most of us need 7-8 hours of continuous sleep to feel good and function well, but we often get far less with today’s busy lifestyles. Sleep deprivation affects out health and our work.

For many, sleep is a natural end to the day. It comes naturally, easily and without much effort. For others, getting a good night’s sleep is an ongoing problem. They don’t get sleep and have problems. Many are not aware of, or willing to accept, the fact that what they do during their waking hours can have a dramatic effect on their sleep. However, lifestyle can have profound effects on sleep quality and quantity.

What Affects Sleep? Check out the following.
Many things can affect sleep. These include:
• Intake of alcohol
• Caffeine habits
• Your diet
• Internet chat rooms and addiction to Social Networking
• Night shifts
• Stress

These all lead to “Sleeping Deprivation”. It means general lack of the necessary amount of sleep. It occurs due to the sleeping disorders

People may have sleep problems due to a physical stress or condition; others suffer from sleep disorders due to some mental or emotional cause. But these days it is different. Partying in the nights, pubs, discos etc is increasing nowadays which leads to sleeping in the morning hours. They are on unhealthier side of what is called healthy life.

I must say that these people are suffering from sleeping disorders which is mainly due to lifestyle of today. A makeover is needed. People who have the following conditions or lifestyle habits are at a higher risk of suffering from any type of sleep disorder:
• Depression or increased stress
• Diabetes (popularly known as Sugar)
• Lack of exercise ( No workouts)
• Obesity (sitting hours on computers)
• Poor diet (alcohol, caffeine .etc)
• Use of prescription medication.
Although many of us experience the occasional night of poor sleep, persistent sleep disorders can clearly cause a number of serious conditions. As a result, getting immediate medical treatment for your sleep disorder is important to maintaining good health.

According to Thomas Dekker,” Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together”. So try to follow the following steps

 Be mindful of what you eat and drink before bed.
 Keep the room dark
 Avoid stress and tensions of any sort
 Exercise or meditate.
 Take medical help if necessary

Remember always, good night sleep is important for good day’s work and sound body.