Sleep, Dreams and Biorhythms

We sleep in cycles.
Each cycle is 90 to 120 minutes.
There are 3  NREM (N1, N2 and N3) and 1 REM makes a cycle.

N2 is Light Sleep

N3 is Deep Sleep

Memories are probably stored during deep sleep in a raw and random fashion.

NREM        =      Non Rapid Eye Movement

REM           =      Rapid Eye Movement

SCN          =      Suprachiasmatic nucleus
                          Regulates Diurnal Rhythm

In REM sleep memory is reorganized and redundant information is filtered off.

REM sleep is generally 25% of the total sleep and we tend to dream in REM sleep.
Memory is stored during REM.
REM starts as short bursts and as one sleeps longer REM tends last longer.

We have 6 cycle per night.

We generally needs 8 hours of sleep out of which 4 hours of Deep Sleep is vital.

One need not worry about  since these patterns are determined by melatonin secretion.

Ophidiophobia

Generally I do not fear anything.

I was brought up as an adult not to fear even bombs during L.T.T.E, J.V.P and D.J.V.P.

J.V.P. landed their makeshift bombs on top of our room in 1971 and in 1989 I was 4th in their hit list.

It was RAW of Indira Gandhi that funded the D.J.V.P and the ploy was to stop Americans launching a satellite from Ceylon.

I am generally Anti-American but this incident made me lifetime Anti-Indian and beating Indians in a cricket match should be our ultimate goal.

I am not sure but Chinese are reviving the ground station and we can use Chinese satellites to cover the Indian ocean.

Enemies enemies are our friends phrase can be applied to India and China.

I am far off the target.

I do not fear blood or dealing with any horrific accident patients in hospital care from my Internship.

I was a good trauma officer in New Zealand and indirectly was the flying doctor.

I have only treated one patient with  snake bite all my life and that was also in a private hospital in Negamboo,  a non venomous sea snake.

Taking a fishhook accidentally stuck in a forearm was more difficult than treating a snake bite.

But fear is still there for snakes specially for cobras.

As a kid we lived inbetween Galgedhara and Mawathagama.

It was called Weuda (means village built on a filled up lake).

There were lot of snakes around our house.

It is perfectly normal to find a deadly Magamaruwa or Thelkarawala.

Sometimes these snake go inside to feed on honey bees in bee boxes. They become plump and cannot come out unless bee box is opened and the parasitic snake is released.

Snakes were not a problem but come cobras I go into panic mode.

Under 5 years, one day I pulled out my tiny suitcase to find a tiny cobra under my bed.

I immediately took the ruler out hit it dead on the neck.

It formed its hood to bite me but I was bit quicker.

That incident passed away and one day we were walking down a narrow gorge and I found a water snake peacefully swimming.

I took a little marble and reflectively hit it.

It died an agonizing death.

That day I took a vow never to hurt any animal all my life.

Incidentally, I became a pet lover and ornamental fish keeping was my longterm hobby.

I was woken up with a daytime dream when accidentally I broke one of my big glass fish tanks.

I could not pick up all the fish especially the baby fish and that stress alone woke me up.

Made a cup of tea and decided to pen down on ophidiophobia.

I have accidentally touched a belly of two giant cobras.

The third time, I was feeding the fish and when I turned back I saw a huge cobra at least 12 to 16 feet long behind me.

I was obstructing its escape path.

In two steps, I was down onto the next level 8 feet below.

I did not crack my leg but the snake was so alarmed calmly slithered away in a few seconds.

It did not try to show its hood and it would have sensed I was more alarmed than the snake.

This fear is not reasonable.

I think it is genetic fear built in any human being.

Irrational to the core.

I think I am rational and I am scientific.

I doubt that classification and deep within I am NOT a rational but intrinsically and inherently fearful guy.

To, snakes specially cobras.

Why?

I do not know.

It is also called herpetophobia or fear of all reptiles but I do not have any fear on other reptiles, like lizards and even big comodo dragon.

Comodo dragon was very common good old days.

But the real adoring guys were tortoises.