Recently, there was the World Cup Championship - a famous football competition and many were lack of sleep as the game was televised mostly after 00.00 am. Some are still wide awake till now:- they cannot go to bed early thus trying to do other things. Some do reading but there is a better way to stay healthy even when deprived of sleep.

One must admit, biologically human being sleeps at night not day-time as this is regulated by certain hormones.

During the day with sunlight, the Pineal Gland will secrete serotonin to energise the body for daytime activities. By 16.00 - 17.00 pm daylight is less intense and serotonin is drastically reduced to prepare the body for rest and at the same time, the Pineal Gland gradually secretes Melatonin-which is another hormone. Melatonin level in our body gradually increases and we feel sleepy during the night. By 02.00 am, Melatonin level decreases and by morning it is replaced by Seretonin and that is the time we are awake.

If you are deprived of sleep, your body is against the natural hormone cycle. Thus you put your system out of balance and sickness is predominant. There are some guidelines for you good care of your health when you have to sleep very late such as during examination.

1. Eat food that is rich in vitamin B and C. When deprived of sleep, the Pineal Gland is depressed so you become tense. Vitamin B and C will help ease the problem. You should eat brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fruit juice. Orange juice is one of the best.

If you are unable to eat as suggested, you need to take 1 tablet of B100 and 2 tablets of C (1000 mg) after breakfast.

2. Late at night, when you are still awake you need to supply your body adequate food for energy. Food you have taken will last only for 6 hours. If your dinner is at 18.00 hrs, by midnight you are short of energy supply. You need to eat if you do not want your health affected.

Easy to digest food is recommended such as boiled rice, porridge, rice milk, and grains. Avoid high fat food such as milk, cocoa drink or malts drink. Since sleep hours are limited, high fat food will be hard for the body to digest and your sleep will not be so sound.

Other choice of food is in the carbohydrate group. Bananas, rice and sticky rice encourage a good quality sleep.

3. After late night activities end, you should not waste time by going out for something to eat, just go straight to bed. Remember that you need at least 4 hours of continuing sleep to be in good health. If you sleep by 02.00 am, it is best to wake up by 7.00 am. You need to be a good organizer of your own time, however.

4. Do not drink tea or coffee to keep you awake. Coffee will activate you for 6 - 8 hours. If you drink coffee by 10.00 pm, normally you will stay awake till 04.00 am. That reduces a great deal of your sleep hours.

If you are tired, sleep first then wake up later to read for examination or watch a late night TV programme.

5. After breakfast, take the B100 and C1000 at the dosage recommended: better still, together with Genseng. Taking coffee after deprivation of sleep is not healthy. Coffee stimulates the body but not the brain.

However, lack of sleep is not good for anyone. The recommendation given here is meant to deal with lack of sleep in the short term such as during examination. I do not favour sacrifice of a good night sleep in favour of a late football game as health comes first in life. Sleep well for a better health tomorrow.