Dr. Asha Vijendra Gowda

A new study of interval training found out that 60 seconds of strenuous exertion proved to be successful at improving health and fitness as 45 minutes of moderate exercise.

High-intensity interval training is a type of workout that consists of an extremely draining but brief burst of exercise essentially a sprint followed by light exercises such as jogging or resting then another sprint, more rest and so on.

Pregnancy is considered to be one of the most challenging and important phases in the life of a woman.

Pregnancy Complications are health problems that occur during pregnancy. They can involve the mother’s health, the baby’s health, or both. Some women have health problems before they become pregnant that could lead to complications. Other problems arise during the pregnancy. Keep in mind that whether a complication is common or rare, there are ways to manage problems that come up during pregnancy.

Some complications that might occur during pregnancy are discussed below:

1. Severe Nausea and Vomiting: It is common for nausea and vomiting to occur during a pregnancy. In order to avoid this condition, one should consume several small meals throughout the day and completely avoid spicy and fatty foods.
2. A persistent abdominal pain, severe headache, swelling and visual disturbances during the third trimester: This can be a fatal condition and often is a sign of high blood preeclampsia (pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure as well as damage to another organ system). It can be diagnosed early using good prenatal care which essentially comprises of frequent check-ups with the doctor and all the necessary treatment during pregnancy.
3. Flu Symptoms: It is recommended that flu vaccine should be administered to pregnant women as they usually tend to develop the disease during their pregnancy.
4. Gestational Diabetes: Gestational diabetes can increase the chance of a larger baby at birth and create delivery complications, increase your risk for high blood pressure and cause the baby to have blood sugar problems after birth. If you are diagnosed, it’s important to consult your gynecologist to control your blood sugar level, which can often be done through diet and exercise.
5. Baby’s activity level significantly declines: Sometimes, the activity of a previously active baby might decline. This can be felt by reducing the number of the kicks by the baby. The doctor has specific equipment that aids in identifying and resolving the problem.
6. Bleeding: Heavy bleeding accompanied by abdominal pain and menstrual-type cramps during the first trimester might indicate an ectopic pregnancy (embryo is implanted outside one’s uterus) or a miscarriage while occurrence in the third semester indicates placental abruption (characterized by the placenta separating from the womb’s walls). Any form of bleeding warrants the immediate attention of the doctor. Steps to avoid bleeding include bed rest, avoiding heavy work, and keeping yourself hydrated.

A Healthy Pregnancy-

The best way to ensure a healthy pregnancy is to focus on the things you can control and don’t obsess about what could happen. Take good care of yourself and your developing baby and talk with your healthcare provider when you have concerns. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

With more people frankly discussing about the loss of libido, studies have been conducted to investigate the reasons behind this. Surprisingly, in addition to hormonal and functional causes like genital issues, one common factor that causes loss of libido in both men and women is lifestyle changes. In addition to improper food habits and loss of exercise, loss of sleep is one of the most common causes of reduced sex drive.

Listed below are some reasons how sleep affects your sex drive:

1. Lowers testosterone levels: Optimal amounts of testosterone in the body are required for having a good sex drive. Sleeplessness reduces the amount of testosterone produced in the body, thereby directly affecting the person's libido. A week with only 5 hours of sleep daily can reduce testosterone levels by 15%, which is equivalent to approximately 10 to 15 years of ageing.
2. Vaginal lubrication: Studies have shown women who sleep regularly are wetter and have less pain during sex. Painful sex in turn reduces the sex drive in women.
3. Erectile dysfunction: Improper sleep habits also reduces the quality of erection, thereby leaving you dissatisfied. Patients with sleep apnea who breathe irregularly with pauses in between were identified to have erectile dysfunction. The correlation gets stronger when the erectile dysfunction and sleep apnea improved drastically with regular sleep habits.
4. Sleep induced depression: Sleeplessness leads to depression and general fatigue, and the last thing one wants to indulge in when depressed and tired is to have a sex.
5. Impaired cognitive function: In addition to depression, deprived sleep also leaves you with overall reduced cognitive function, which leads to a vicious cycle of not reacting to your partner's instincts, etc. If you are not able to decipher whether or not the other person is interested, then the frequency and more importantly the quality of sex is reduced. This again sends out wrong signals to the partner, who will also not make the first move. And that again leads to a gradual decline of your sex life.
6. Reduces love: Ever wondered why good sex is followed by a sound sleep and leaves you feeling fresh. There are strong chemical reasons to it sex induces hormones like prolactin which helps you relax and feel rested; it also produces the cuddle hormone oxytocin which increases the goodness feeling; it also reduces cortisol which is the stress hormone. All these increase feelings of belonging and love between the partners, which are affected by lack of sleep.

So, if you and your partner have been have been wondering how to rekindle your love life, think of getting a good night's sleep and sex will happen on its own.