Sleeping Issue

The ancient practice of meditation can do more than just relax the mind. Recent studies have revealed that meditation can positively impact heart health by reducing stress and lowering blood pressure and heart rate. Mindfulness and meditation can benefit overall health, including heart health. The age-old practice uses quiet contemplation, breathing and sustained focus to help let go of stress and feel more calm and peaceful. It can be thought of as a mini-vacation from stress in life. Psychological stress increases the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. This causes a release of harmful hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. These harmful hormones fasten the heart rate, increase cardiac output and narrow the arteries. As meditation induces deep relaxation in the mind and body, the stress subsides, and stability is restored. How to Make Meditation a Habit? Once people understand the basics of the practice, the next challenge is making it a habit. Like every other lifestyle change, it takes time to incorporate meditation into everyday life and build it into a routine. Here are some tips: Set a daily alarm on the phone or block out time on a digital calendar Try an app that reminds it's time to meditate and then record the length of the session Start by practising a few minutes every day and increase the time in small amounts until the goal is reached Meditation to Connect with the Heart's Energy Here are some simple steps to connect with the heart's Energy: Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Let go of any thoughts and the world outside. Focus the attention on the spiritual heart centre (the middle of the chest) and be aware of the heart as a space. Resting the attention on the heart centre, breathe gently and sense the breath flowing into the heart. One may also visualise a coolness permeating the chest. Breathe normally and steadily. For the next few minutes, sit and listen to the heart. The heart will gradually begin to release emotions, wishes, memories, dreams and fears long stored inside. If the mind wanders, gently return to the focus on the heart. Upon completing the meditation practice, take a few moments to reflect on the practice. Why Meditation can be Useful for Heart Health? Several studies have shown that meditation can lower stress levels, reduce cortisol levels and improve heart health. Meditation can activate the "rest-and-digest" functions of the body, which counteracts the "flight-or-fight" responses. With daily meditation practice, people can lower their heart rate and blood pressure, which may reduce the risk of heart diseases. Here's a look into what different studies have to say about meditation and heart health. Researchers in 2013 at the University of Sydney found that meditation can improve HRV. It is a significant marker of mental and physical health. After spending ten intensive days learning how to meditate, meditation drastically improved the heart's responsiveness. In 2021, the American Journal of Biomedical Science and Research published a report on meditation's effect on heart rate. It revealed that with time, meditation helps the heart to beat slower and become more consistent. This indicates that meditation may be effective in preventing heart diseases. The International Journal of Exercise Science published a study in 2017 on the effect of meditation on stressed college students. Throughout the 6-week-meditation programme, blood pressure and pulse decreased significantly. It takes time to learn meditation and gain confidence, as with any new endeavour. The important thing is to practice every day, even if only for a few minutes. Meditation, no matter how brief, is always preferable to doing nothing. A schedule can also be used to establish a routine. In addition, every day, one should try to practice meditation. Daily practice can have enormous benefits not only for the heart, but also for the mind, body, and soul. (Dr. Deepak Mittal, Founder, Divine Soul Yoga) Read More► 7 Indoor Exercises to Keep You Fit During Monsoon

New York: Close the blinds, draw the curtains and turn off all the lights before bed because exposure to even moderate ambient lighting during night-time sleep can harm your health. According to researchers at Northwestern University in the US, even dim light can harm cardiovascular function during sleep and increase insulin resistance the following morning. "The results from this study demonstrate that just a single night of exposure to moderate room lighting during sleep can impair glucose and cardiovascular regulation, which are risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Phyllis Zee, chief of sleep medicine at the University's Feinberg School of Medicine. "It's important for people to avoid or minimise the amount of light exposure during sleep," Zee said. The study, published in the journal PNAS, tested the effect of sleeping with 100 lux (moderate light) compared to 3 lux (dim light) in participants over a single night. The investigators discovered that moderate light exposure caused the body to go into a higher alert state. In this state, the heart rate increases as well as the force with which the heart contracts and the rate of how fast the blood is conducted to your blood vessels for oxygenated blood flow. "Even though you are asleep, your autonomic nervous system is activated. That's bad. Usually, your heart rate together with other cardiovascular parameters are lower at night and higher during the day," said Dr. Daniela Grimaldi, research assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern. Further, the investigators found insulin resistance occurred the morning after people slept in a light room. Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat and liver do not respond well to insulin and can't use glucose from your blood for energy. To make up for it, your pancreas makes more insulin. Over time, your blood sugar goes up. "In addition to sleep, nutrition and exercise, light exposure during the daytime is an important factor for health, but during the night we show that even modest intensity of light can impair measures of heart and endocrine health," Zee said. "These findings are important particularly for those living in modern societies where exposure to indoor and outdoor nighttime light is increasingly widespread," Zee said. (Agency) Read More► Genes May Be Responsible for Couples Not Wanting to Have Kids: Study

Snoring can be frustrating and annoying, especially for those who sleep with a snorer. The National Sleep Foundation reports that one in three men and four women snore every night. Though snoring is often overlooked as a minor issue, it can occur due to various reasons requiring immediate attention. Obesity or being overweight is one of the leading causes of snoring. Snoring accompanied by irregular breathing is a sign of cardiovascular disease risk. Sleep apnoea can be another condition that increases the chances of snoring. Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder in which the breathing repeatedly stops and resumes again. Fortunately, plenty of remedies are available to treat snoring naturally without using over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Obesity or Excess Weight For those who have started snoring after gaining weight, shedding some extra pounds can be quite helpful. Obese people tend to have excess tissue and fat in the neck region, which can reduce the airway size and elevate the risk of airway collapse. Studies have proved that weight reduction can eliminate the frequency of snoring with increased weight losses causing near to complete elimination of snoring. Sleeping Position Snoring accelerates when people lie in the supine position or on their backs. When someone lies down on the back, the tissues surrounding the airway are pulled down by gravity, making it narrow. Research and studies on snorers have revealed that the intensity and frequency of snoring reduce considerably when they lie on their sides. Blocked Nasal Passages Snoring can also be prevented by keeping the nasal passages open. When the nose is clogged or blocked, air moves in much faster, leading to snoring. Hot oil massages or nasal oil drops can open the blockages in the nose. Also, a hot shower before bed can be quite beneficial as the moisture opens the nasal passages and reduces the chances of snoring. Hydration Staying hydrated is crucial not only to avoid snoring but also to maintain overall health and well-being. When the body is dehydrated, secretions in the nose and soft palate becomes stickier. This can obstruct the proper flow of air and cause snoring. For men, it is recommended to consume at least 3-4 litres of fluid every day, while women must consume 2-3 litres of fluids daily. Smoking and Alcohol Researchers believe that snoring in smokers can occur because of oedema and upper airway inflammation. While it takes time to show the effects but quitting smoking can significantly lessen the chances of snoring. Alcohol is another substance that relaxes the muscles around the airway, increasing the likelihood to snore among drinkers. Therefore, it is often recommended not to indulge in drinking in the hours leading to bedtime. The tips mentioned above can bring positive results if tried daily. It is important to try them all to find the ideal remedy that helps. Read More► Here's How to Optimise Stress, Sleep and Immunity

Do your children wake up late every day? Then, you should be happy as it is a good sign that your child is sleeping well. But you have to worry when the child fails to wake up even after several alarms and you literally have to drag your child out of the bed. There are many children who fail to get sound sleep at night and feel lethargic and are unable to focus on studies during day time. Is your child cranky? Is your kid unable to concentrate on studies or do their daily chores with ease? Then, he/she must encounter sleep problems. Yes, you have heard right! Many children become night owls, and that takes a toll on their overall well-being. Sleep is vital for young children. Early in life, one experiences tremendous development that impacts the brain, body, emotions, and behaviour and sets the stage for their growth through childhood and adolescence. Having a sound sleep at night can help children lead healthy lives. Thus, from babies to school-aged kids and teenagers, parents might be keen to know many hours of sleep is essential for their child. New-borns' need to get around 14 hours of sleep, infants need around 15 hours of sleep, toddlers need approximately 14 hours of sleep, pre-school children need around 10-13 hours of sleep while school-going children of 6-13 age need around 9 hours of sleep. Here are a few foolproof tricks to help your child get sound sleep at night: * Allow your child to get at least 10 to 11 hours of sleep every day without fail. If your child has a habit of sleeping late then make bedtime earlier half-an-hour as doing so will help your child wake up on time, and he/she will not have to miss online classes. * Try to maintain the same schedule and your child will be able to sleep peacefully and complete his/her sleep properly. Create a consistent bedtime routine to calm down the child and make him/her sleep on an immediate basis. * You will have to limit your child's exposure to electronic gadgets at least 1 hour before sleeping. Do not allow your child to play games on the mobile or watch television before hitting the sack as doing so can snatch away the child's sleep. * Avoid caffeine and sugary drinks, particularly in the second half of the day as it hampers good sleep. Don't let your child drink a lot of water before sleeping as he/she will have to make continuous trips to the loo and the sleep will be disturbed. * Maintain good lighting and temperature in the kid's room. Don't fill up the child's bed with toys and heavy blankets that will suffocate the child and make him/her uncomfortable. Use a good pillow and mattress that will support your child's back and neck. Improper mattress and pillow can lead to back and neck pain. If your child has any sleep problems such as loud or heavy breathing, snoring, and even waking up after regular intervals then you need to consult the doctor. Make sure your child gets enough sleep on a regular basis so that he/she can stay healthy and hearty. Read More► Vitamin C Serum for Monsoon Skincare!