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Night
Prayer and the Human Body Clock
The
sleep-wake cycle of the pineal gland becomes disrupted as we increasingly eat,
socialize and sleep not questioning the psychological and physical effects of
our pre-occupations. In trying to keep up with the schedules of the day it
becomes increasingly difficult to switch-off the problems of the outside world
we take home affecting domestic commitments.
“Surely
in the daytime you have prolonged occupation” (Surat ul Muzzammil
73:7).
This
implies that there is counter-balance in the night to daily preoccupations. What
could be achieved in the evenings could sustain and nourish us into the day.
However, we use artificial light to extend those pre-occupations. Once the
daylight ends, the pineal gland goes into increased production of melatonin. By
extending light artificially to levels of and above 500lux we impede its
production. A darkened room with a 100watt bulb provides 100lux if we are
five feet away. This doesn’t compromise the release of melatonin.
Factors
Affecting Melatonin Production
Factors
in our working lives can affect melatonin production. Electric utility workers
based at a generation station were found to have reduced melatonin levels being
exposed to electro-magnetic fields. Their colleagues in the administrative
section working under 60hz of alternating current working in low light offices
in the daytime also had reduced nighttime melatonin levels (Penton p.1).
Other
elements also compromise the pineal gland like tranquilizers, beta-blockers,
calcium channel blocking drugs, sleeping pills like benzodiazepines, Non-Steroidal
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs like Ibuprofen and excessive (3mg
daily) intake of Vitamin B-12 (Nedley p.6, 7).
Night-time
Praying
The
question of the purpose of sleep continues to haunt scientists. In vibrational
medicine, one hour of sleep balances each chakra, with a minimum of three hours
in total for really healthy people. For the really healthy, three hours is all
that is needed by the higher chakras, which in turn balances the four lower ones
(Gurudas p.60). So what do we do with the rest of the night?
“Rise
for prayer in the night, except a little, Half of it or less. Or add to it –
and recite the Qur’an in slow, measured, rhythmic tones” (Muzzammil
73:2-4).
Fadhlalla
Haeri informs us that these verses tell us to take what we need for rest and if
we rise from rest there is balance in it. “Surely rising in the night is
stronger in impact, and straighter in speech (Muzzammil 73:6). He continues
saying that ‘Nashiatul-layl’ is the maximum darkness during which
one’s sleep is sound, the energies are low, and the field of reflection is
clear and empty. This part of the night has the best results (Haeri p.12-14).
The
part of our body that functions in this capacity is the pineal gland. In the
Indian tradition, it is the Seat of Consciousness, the seventh energy point, the
Crown Chakra. The pituitary and the pineal gland work in unison through
relaxation and meditation which Rasulullah (saw) practiced much before The
Revelation. Flashes of intuition occur with increased practice, raising
consciousness from an emotional nature to awareness. Haeri continues, “when we
go into sajdah our individual profiles are obliterated when performed
meditatively. We are in Tawhid (unity) echoing the cosmic
expansion” (Haeri p.38). In Indian tradition the seventh chakra spiritualizes
the intellect and is associated with the personal ability to integrate with
Allah (swt). Then spiritual fulfillment is able to resolve negative emotions.
The
Pineal Gland
When
the sun sets, the pineal gland shifts gear and produces its primary hormone
melatonin in larger quantities until it peaks from 2 – 3.00a.m in the morning
(Majidali p.7). It is a derivative of the amino acid trytophan, and rises and
falls daily within our blood according to the circadian cycle (Ultranet p.1). This cycle sets the biological
clocks, turns on the immune system and inhibits tumor promoters like estrogen (Penton
p.1) Jet-lag is a disturbance in this cycle (Sleep p.7).
The
center of navigation in birds and other animals, the light sensitive pineal
gland produces the hormones: melatonin, epithalamin, serotonin, vasotonin and
melanin. Epithalamin is related to our learning capacity and slows aging;
serotonin has a strong influence on sleep, pain and well being and vasotonin is
related to rapid deep sleep (Gates p.1). The hormone antigonadotropin suppresses
ovulation (Medic p.8). Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle and inhibits sex
hormones before puberty. In addition, Jordanian scientist Samer Hattar’s
recent research has discovered that a single protein cell –melanopsin- in the
retina seems to detect light by which the human body’s internal clock is
reset. (Hattar p.1).
Modern-day
Living and Melatonin Production
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Melatonin production is reduced by late-night TV viewing.
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The
1995 National Sleep Foundation polls revealed that half of American adults have
sleeping problems at one time or another. Habits like drinking alcohol too late,
exercising before bedtime, sleeping at different times, concentrating on work
before trying to sleep and shift work are contributory factors (NSF p.4). In addition, production
of melatonin is reduced by excessive
exposure
to artificial light, late-night T.V viewing, electromagnetic fields, chemical
pollutants like pesticides and beta-blockers for heart disease, high blood
pressure and headaches. Studies indicate that even the most modest
exposure to extended light stresses our bodies, accelerates aging and
debilitates the immune and nervous systems.
Caffeine
in coffee, black tea and certain types of sodas reduce melatonin jeopardizing
its natural antioxidants, which are vital to cell protection during waking
hours. Yet it must be said it is the quality not the quantity of sleep that
restores and rejuvenates the body.
In
children, melatonin levels are 120 picograms dropping to 60 picograms at ages 20
– 30. Seen as a ‘youth drug’ store bought melatonin has reportedly
caused fatigue, depression and arterial constriction (NSF p.2, 3). In England
and Canada, it is considered a drug and only obtainable by prescription.
The FDA has yet to remove it from US health stores.
Modest
food restrictions increase the number of melatonin receptors in the body, so
short-term fasting is seen as a plus increasing day-time plasma melatonin levels
to night-time levels (Majidali p.2, 7, 12). One can also increase one’s
melatonin levels naturally from foods like oats which contains 1,796 picograms,
sweet corn at 1,366 picograms, rice at 1,006 picograms, ginger at 583 picograms
and barley at 378 picograms (Gates p. 1, 2).
In
vibrational medicine when the chakras are aligned and balanced there is a
greater appetite for food in its natural state and greater sensitivity to the
chemical environment that man has created for himself (Gurudas p.170). However,
Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri reminds us, “All it takes is purification and
awareness of our intentions, and then our intentions unify with our actions,
then we are in tawhid (unity) with Allah (swt) and ikhlas
(sincerity).”
Sources:
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Also:
Hwaa Irfan
is a staff writer for Health and Science section of Islamonline
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