Everyone knows that drinking a cup of coffee before bed can leave you tossing and turning for hours. Eating the right food not only gives the body the right kind of nutrition, it also affects the quality of your sleep. While some foods are sleep deprivers, others are sleep enhancers. Here are a few such types of food that you can include in your diet to improve your sleep.

Cherries: Cherries are rich sources of melatonin. This is the chemical responsible for controlling the body s internal clock. A serving of tart cherries in their raw, whole form or a glass of cherry juice(without added sugars) can improve sleep quality and help treat chronic insomnia. It can also be used to fight jet lag.
Walnuts: These nuts are rich sources of an amino acid known as trytophan. Trytophan boosts serotonin and melatonin production thus regulating the body s sleep-wake cycle. This can help you fall asleep faster and avoid tossing and turning.
Milk: A glass of warm milk is a well known home remedy for insomnia. Milk or any form of dairy is rich in tryptophan. As mentioned above, this helps people fall asleep faster by regularizing their circadian rhythm. Additionally, calcium also helps regulate muscle movements and calms the body by fighting stress and stabilizing nerve fibers. If you don t like the thought of plain milk, you could try other forms of dairy like cheese and yogurt.
Rice: Jasmine rice and other forms of white rice have a high glycemic index. This means that the body digests rice slowly and hence releases glucose produced during digestion very gradually into the body. This helps cut down the time it takes to fall asleep. A gradual absorption of glucose in the body also prevents a  sugar high  and its accompanying crash. This helps prevent waking up in the middle of the night and ensures that you sleep through the night comfortably.
Bananas: Bananas are great not only for your overall health but also for your sleep cycle. Bananas are rich sources of magnesium and potassium. These are natural muscle relaxants that promote sleep. They also help fight sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome and muscle cramps to give you a more restful sleep. Bananas are also rich in carbohydrates that are slow to digest and hence make people fall asleep faster. Combining bananas and milk is a sure shot way of falling asleep faster.

5 Foods For a Good Night Sleep

We always think of wearing something cosy to bed to get a good night's sleep. We even dress up kids to be comfortable and bundled up so they can get a sound sleep. Studies have shown that contrary to popular belief, sleeping nude is the best way to a sound sleep. In addition to good sleep, there are other benefits that have been identified too, as listed below:

1) Improves sleep quality: While most of us think of keeping ourselves cosy in our nightwear leads to good sleep, science believes otherwise. A reduced core body temperature is what leads to better sleep. This happens when you sleep with no extra layers of clothes to keep you warm. Research conducted showed better depth of sleep and reduced number of awakenings when there are no extra clothing layers.

2) Better skin and hair health: Melatonin and growth hormone are essential for anti-aging and they are released when the body temperature is cooler, which happens when sleeping in the nude. Growth hormone is essential for bone mineralization, improved immunity, and muscle mass building. Melatonin is a good hormone regulator, and manages the functioning of other hormones essential for our body. The armpits and groin area are always covered, and sleeping without clothes can help these areas breathe and feel fresher. The chances of yeast infection are also reduced.

3) Reduced stress levels: The stress hormone cortisol is also optimal, both in release and function, when the body gets a good sleep. This is essential for better immunity and cognitive function, better sugar regulation. Reduced stress leads to reduced chances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc. Therefore, sleeping without clothes helps to better equip you with fighting stress.

4) Weight loss: Our body has two types of fat, both brown and white. While fat helps to keep the body warm, sleeping without clothes burns more of this fat and thereby, increases weight loss. Another mechanism is the  good sleep that you get when sleeping without clothes helps improve metabolism, reduce fat and sugar cravings, thereby further adding to weight loss.

5) Improved relationships: Needless to say, getting into the habit of sleeping without clothes will help your sex life. The science behind it is the improved release of oxytocin, which is the cuddle hormone.

6) Better sperm quality: The testes produce better sperm quality when body temperature is cooler, thereby improving male fertility. Warm clothes at night also has a bad effect on testosterone, which is essential for boosting libido and other male sexual features.

There you go, a lot of valid scientifically proven reasons to drop those night suits and pajamas off  what is more, there is also a cost saving here!

Sleep NAKED to Be Healthier and Happier

For most people, the screen of a cell phone is the first thing they see in the morning and the last thing they see before going to bed. Nobody can deny the fact that living without a cell phone today is extremely difficult but must we be so glued to them? Staring into a phone or tablet screen, before going to sleep affects your sleep as well as impacts your health. Here's how:

It is harder to fall asleep

We feel sleepy when the brain releases a hormone called melatonin. This release is determined by the body's circadian rhythm which is controlled by light exposure. The blue light of a cell phone screen interferes with this rhythm and tells the brain not to secrete melatonin. This makes it harder to fall asleep even after you have switched off your phone.

It hampers the quality of your sleep

A direct effect of sleeping late is a reduced amount of sleep. On top, that, using a cell phone before going to bed also hampers the quality of your sleep. When an office email or a text message is the last thing you see before going to sleep, your brain cannot completely shut off. This makes you tense even in your sleep.

It lowers your attention span

When you wake up from a restless night's sleep, your productivity suffers. Not getting enough sleep is known to hamper your decision-making skills, impairs both long term and short term memory and make you distracted. This leads to unnecessary stress and anxiety.

It increases the risk of weight gain

The body is more likely to feel hungry when you don't have enough sleep. This is because sleep-deprived people have a lower metabolism. Thus using a cell phone before sleeping also increases your chances of snacking on something unhealthy to get through the day and in turn you put on weight.

It weakens your immune system

The body's immune system produces antibodies that fight infections while we are asleep. Depriving the body of the sleep it needs weakens the immune system by not giving it enough time to build its forces. Not only does this increase the risk of falling ill it also slows down recovery from illnesses.

It damages your skin

Sleeping late at night and not getting enough sleep can cause dark circles, puffy eyes and fine lines across the face. The blue light of a cell phone screen also tells the body to secrete cortisol which makes the skin less elastic and smooth.

Thus, even if you look at a phone screen for just five minutes every night before going to bed, the side effects last much longer and affect your mental and physical health as well as your looks.

Browsing on the Phone Before Sleep: Effects on Health

Sleep is a natural part of the daily biological functions and we spend some time of the 24 hours sleeping.

Sleep cycles are different for different persons and while 5 to 6 hours of sleep may be enough for some people, others may need up to 8 hours of sleep to feel refreshed. How you sleep is as important as the duration. This is one area which is often neglected by people.

Why sleeping positions are important?

Sleeping positions are very important as you stay in a single position for hours at a time every day, and if these habits are bad, they can contribute to spinal problems. Thus, many of the spinal problems can also be alleviated by sleeping correctly.

Some of the bad sleeping positions that may adversely affect your spine are as follows.

On your stomach - This position is in overall a bad position as it curls up the spine, especially where the neck meets the spine and can cause spinal deformities over a long period of time. Certain adjustments to this position can lessen the effects, but it is important to try to change habits and sleep in a better position.

The fetal position - Although this is one of the more natural positions and most babies are crouched up in this form in the mother's womb; as a sleeping position, it has its disadvantages as well. The lower spine is especially put under a lot of stress when someone curls up in this position.

On your side - Although this is safer compared to the other two, sleeping on your sides straight would cause blood circulation issues and also put a lot of stress on the relevant organs, depending on the side you were sleeping on.

In all of the cases, slight adjustments to these positions will lessen the stress on the spine and also help you sleep better.

Some of the adjustments that you can make are:

1. Sleep with a pillow between your knees to align your hips and cause less strain on the spine.
2. If you don't have sleep apnea, put a pillow under your knees to raise them while lying on you back.
3. If you sleep on your back, try to consciously change your position to sleep on the side.
4. Try and actively change your posture throughout the day to ensure good sleeping position at night.

How Badly Sleeping Postures Can Affect Your Spine and Ways to Undo It

You might have a wonderful morning routine to keep you healthy. However, do you know what really determines health is also your bed time routine? Each night you end one day and stand at the brink of starting a new one. It is therefore crucial how you organize your bed time.

Here are 7 things to adopt for your bed time- 

1) Plan for next day: Preparing in advance always gives you more time and leaves you stress free. Things like looking for keys, deciding what to wear etc make you late and add to your morning stress. Prepare also for breakfast or what to cook the next day. Planning at night doesnt take much time and makes your next day start on a good note.

2) Shut out the buzz: Most of us say goodnight to family and head to bed only to spend the next hour checking Facebook and social media. Or you end up watching a funny video or movie late into the night. If you keep yourself distracted, you can't go off to sleep early or get quality sleep. The light from your gadget's screen can be harmful and stress inducing. It is best to give yourself an hour away from your mobile phone or other gadgets before you sleep.

3) Write a 'Thank-You' Diary: There are many ways to become a more positive person and the best is to have appreciation. Try finding out that 1 thing (more is better) that you are thankful for. Do it everyday. This practice right ahead of your sleep time calms you down, makes you feel happy, satisfied and goes on a long way in contributing to a heathy lifestyle.

4) Stretch it out: Like most people do you also have a job where you keep sitting for long hours? Stretching really works, it helps lengthen tendons and muscles and can reduce the frequency and severity of cramps ensuring you get a better night's sleep.

5) Try meditating: Our work life has become ever so demanding, we are constantly bombarded with information via the television, social media, the internet, friends and work which results in stress and anxiety! Few minutes of meditation before bed, slows down your brain activity which results in a deeper and more peaceful sleep. You will wake up feeling well-rested, energized and ready to take on the day!

6) Book by your side: Reading before bed is has amazing benefits. Firstly, it calms the nerves by eliminating excess sound and vision stimulus (exactly the opposite of what you get from watching television!). It helps you to wind down and sleep better, it also improves brain function, your memory and the thinking process overall.

7) Sleep is crucial: Foremost is to simply make sleep a priority. It is not as simple as it sounds. Sleep deficiency directly relates to increased stress, weight gain and productivity loss. Going to bed late and managing with 5 or 6 hours sleep sets a bad tone for your day.

Your happiness and general wellbeing is controlled by how relaxing you make your bed time.

Click on Consult Privately to ask me a private question on this topic or a related one.

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Dr. Sapna Zarwal Tells You How To Improve Your Bed-time Routine

Even though you might feel it is impossible to sleep without pillows, you will be surprised to know that sleeping without a pillow is a good way of preventing neck, back, and shoulder pain. Remember when you were a child, you would fall asleep at any place without waiting for a pillow? The human body can thus adapt to any situation owing to its resilience. And as we age, we are still able to rest our body comfortably without needing a pillow or any other form of support.

The Many Benefits Of Sleeping Without A Pillow-
If you have already encountered some signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation, you will need to find the root of the problem. In doing this, you may find that all these health issues may stem from the pillow you sleep on. If you, like many others, believe that pillows are an indispensable part of your sleep, you may be wrong. Your soft and cozy pillow may do you harm without leaving any scope of suspicion. Here are some of the most compelling advantages of not using a pillow while sleeping:

Neck and Shoulder Benefits: When you don t have a pillow while sleeping, your back, neck and shoulder muscles will extend naturally without causing any aches or sprains. When you sleep on a pillow that is very soft, it will strain the muscles on the neck while also decreasing the flow of blood to the head. When your head is tilted downwards on any pillow that is not able to provide optimum support for the head, the airflow to the respiratory system is much reduced. If you are already suffering from neck and shoulder pain, you may try sleeping a night without any support to see if the pain subsides.
Spinal benefits: Sleeping on your back without a pillow allows the spine to rest completely with the natural curves of the body. Sleeping with a thick pillow can displace your spine.
Sleep Benefits: When you are not having any neck and head support while sleeping, your body would be able to rest optimally. When you sleep on pillows that do not offer good support, your body starts compensating by engaging the back and neck muscles. This causes more strain when the body is supposed to be resting to overcome everyday stress.
Facial Benefits: Many people tend to bury their face in the pillow while sleeping. This will prevent your face from being able to breathe and perspire. The pores on the skin surface will not have any access to air. This leads to the formation of oil and grease on the face, and it will give way to blackheads as the added dust and impurities on the surface of the pillow will come in contact with your face.
For all these compelling reasons, you can try to forgo your pillows and observe improvement in your general health.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Sleeping With A Pillow- Is It Good Or Bad For You?

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