Instincto and Sleep

A natural diet contains no stimulants, such as those found in coffee, tea, cocoa, alcohol, grains, and other sources of alkaloids. Coffee beans, cocoa beans, coca leaves, fermented fruits, and even whole grains have bitter flavors that are particularly off-putting.

Thus, no stimulating foods are found in the natural food range. The effect on sleep is clear: falling asleep is significantly easier, deep sleep is more restorative, REM sleep is less disturbed by disordered dreams, and so on.

In contrast, a conventional diet is rich in various stimulants, so the nervous system is constantly under the influence of unwanted stimulation that distorts the arousal threshold. Abnormal neuronal excitation induces mental automatisms, forms of self-excitation that keep unwelcome thoughts, emotions, and fears in conscious awareness. One then becomes unable to stop ruminating, worrying, rehashing reasoning, etc., which delays or inhibits the process of falling asleep.

It takes a few days or weeks of practicing instincto, depending on one’s dietary history, to regain all the qualities of natural sleep. A resurgence of old sleep disturbances is sometimes observed, due to the detoxification process, but these are only short periods linked to detoxification phases. In fact, occasional sleep disturbances allow us to recognize the presence in the bloodstream of excitatory molecules related to the elimination of accumulated substances from traditional foods.

The average time it takes to fall asleep with a traditional diet is 18 minutes; it is much shorter in the context of instincto.

Criteria for natural sleep:

In cases of stress, danger, threats, imprisonment, etc., sleep becomes more difficult, as the mind focuses its attention on crucial issues that deserve attention. In such cases, it is best not to force yourself to sleep, but to turn on a dim light and read or take notes. Perhaps occupy your mind with a solitaire game. Above all, do not try to eat late at night under the pretext of promoting sleep; the effect will be exactly the opposite. At most, it is recommended to try a small portion of crackers: a few slices may be enough to promote the detoxification of circulating tissues without putting any strain on the digestive system.

A lack of sleep always results in a decrease in appetite and digestive capacity. It’s best not to try to maintain your usual portion sizes: alliesthetic mechanisms and feelings of fullness will then indicate the appropriate quantities and types of food. Simply pay attention to them, even if the choices and limitations seem surprising.

It remains important to sleep at the times dictated by our natural biological clock: the circadian rhythm requires us to be asleep before midnight. Ideally, we should go to bed as soon as we feel sleepy. If we have developed bad habits, for example, due to the influence of electric lighting, we can become accustomed to going to bed later and later. The best remedy is to eat earlier in the evening (finish your meal before 7 or 8 p.m.), and read or stay up by candlelight, or with minimal lighting, so as not to stimulate the waking system. Turn off the light as soon as your eyelids begin to close, having made sure to set your alarm early enough the next morning, and aim for 6 to 8 hours of sleep. Waking up earlier will ensure you fall asleep at the same time the following evening.