Notes on Prince, Pain, and Sleep Deprivation

Writing this column on May 8, the news of Prince’s death is still stunning and painful. During a moment of silence at the ZMR Music Awards on Saturday night, you could feel the wave of emotion in the room. It still feels like it happened yesterday.

 

There are still so many unanswered questions. The tabloids offer multiple theories and conflicting reports. Bottom line, though; no one knows how much pain Prince was experiencing on a daily basis.

 

Like millions around the world, I wish he had reached out earlier for professional help; maybe he’d still be with us.

 

At the airport flying home from New Orleans, I glanced through the commemorative issue of TIME: Prince: An Artist’s Life: 1958-2016. I haven’t read it all yet, but the articles and photos gave me a much deeper appreciation of how extraordinary he was. If you are a Prince fan, you might want to check it out.

 

I remember that in those early days of New Age music, artists like myself, Iasos and Joel Andrews often performed wearing lots of purple. Our LPs had purple print in the liner notes and artwork. As many readers of this magazine know, violet is the color of the seventh chakra, and the seventh ray.

 

Perhaps you too, were touched by the emotional impact of seeing so many images from around the world, of buildings, monuments, and stages bathed in purple, in tribute to Prince’s passing. From a color-healing perspective, this was a non-denominational, spiritual, uplifting moment.  One wonders what the effect on our collective consciousness has been.

 

The Sleep Revolution

 

You’ve probably seen her being interviewed, or read a review of Arianna Huffington’s new bestseller, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time. I read it at 35,000 feet, and I highly recommend it to you.

 

Back in March 2011, I reported in this column that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had just stated: “Insufficient Sleep is a Public Health Epidemic.” The problem has gotten worse since then. I’ve discussed suggestions for helping you get to sleep in the past, and will do so in greater depth again.

 

The economic and personal impact of not getting enough sleep affects millions of us.  Latest estimates place the cost at over $65 billion a year.

 

What makes Arianna’s book so valuable is her writing style. While conveying lots of hard facts and research, she does so in a very conversational manner, and with humor.

 

My only reservation is her very limited list of recommendations involving sound. She’s obviously a fan of guided visualizations, especially one read by her sister. (It kept me awake.)  

 

In 1997, I reported on the non-relaxed response of attendees in three consecutive health expos to the recording of classical music she suggests. (It didn’t work for 80% of us.)

 

Arianna, if this gets to your desk, let me suggest that you check out the #1 best-selling music for sleep, which has a proven track record of over 40 years of helping millions to fall asleep. These albums include CHAKRA SUITE, OCEAN SUITE, SLEEP SOUNDLY, and SLEEPSCAPE DELTA.

 

Why is this music so effective in helping you to relax and fall asleep? There are hidden stressors in most music that keep your mind busy, rather than promoting a quiet mind.  Check out my brief video on the “Scalus Interruptus Effect” at https://youtu.be/-Ml8KiWH_1E,  and you may want to supplement your list of recommendations. Most of the individuals I meet at my workshops and speaking engagements over the past decades would certainly agree.

 

Namaste,

Steven Halpern

 

 

Steven Halpern is a Grammy® nominated recording artist celebrating his 41st anniversary as “the most trusted name in sound healing.” His latest releases are MINDFUL PIANO, AMONG FRIENDS: 1975-2015: A 40 Year Retrospective (nominated for the ZMR Meditation/Relaxation Album of the Year), and CLUTTER CLEARING AT THE SPEED OF SOUND. Read more at StevenHalpern.com, and watch videos at YouTube.com/StevenHalpernMusic.