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

Getting a good night s sleep is essential for mental and physical wellbeing. Ideally, one should get at least 8 hours of continuous sleep every night. However, some people find this hard to achieve. They may have trouble going to sleep, wake up frequently or have a very poor quality sleep. 

Here are a few tips to help you improve your sleep: 

Set a sleep schedule: Like children, adults also need to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. This should be followed for at least 6 days a week. Having a sleep in the day may seem like a good idea but this can affect your ability to go to sleep in time at night and make you wake up the next morning feeling tired. Hence, train your body to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
Avoid stimulants after sunset: Nicotine and caffeine can be very detrimental to your sleep cycle. The effects of these substances can often last for hours. Caffeine not only makes it difficult to fall asleep but can also make a person wake up frequently at night. Alcohol can make a person seem sleepy initially but can make him or her wake up earlier than usual and hence, disrupt the sleep schedule. So, avoid these substances for at least a few hours before going to bed. Instead, you could drink a cup of calming chamomile tea to soothe the nerves and help you sleep well.
Create the right sleep atmosphere: Ban the television, tablet and other mobile screens from your bedroom. The light from these devices makes it difficult to fall asleep and the material being seen can play on your mind for hours and make you toss and turn. Make your room as dark as possible to make it easier to fall asleep. Using blackout curtains can be a good idea. Also, make sure the noise and temperature levels are conducive to sleep.
Exercise: Exercise has many benefits. This includes better sleep quality. A workout tires the body and reduces the chances of waking up in the middle of the night. However, timing your exercise routine is very important. The ideal time for a workout is in the early morning or early evening. Do not work out just before going to bed as this can have a stimulating effect on the mind.
Limit naps: Avoid napping through the day. While this may seem like a good way to catch up on sleep, it can have a detrimental effect on the quality of your night sleep. If you must nap in the afternoon, keep it short. Training your body to associate sleep with darkness can make it easier for you to fall asleep at night.
Hence, if you are also having any sort of troubles with your sleep, immediately apply the above discussed tips in your daily life and you will see the results within a few days.

Suffering From Sleep Problems - 5 Tips To Help You Get Over Them!

If there is anything other than food and a healthy living that sustains us, it is sleep. Sleep is the basic necessity of our lives. It is the battery that keeps our body clock working. Nowadays our lives are fast-paced with competitions to meet and targets to reach where stress takes a toll on our body. A good night s sleep would be enough to feel rejuvenated, you think? Well, you think it right but what if it is the sleep that causes the problem? What if your sleep is imbalanced?

According to Ayurveda, there are 3 different types of sleep imbalance, arising from Vata, pitta and Kapha dosha.
Vata: Sleep becomes imbalanced when your mind stays awake despite you being tired. Your mind is occupied with thoughts and worries which do not let you fall asleep.
Pitta: It is the dosha which is one of the most common disorder found in the elderly people where you have a perfect sleep but wake up in the dawn or wee hours and are unable to go back to sleep resulting in the tossing and turning in the bed and ultimately giving up.
Kapha: When you sleep well for a long time but yet you wake up feeling tired and fatigued instead of being fresh, is when Kapha dosha occurs.

Ayurvedic tips for a good sleep
There are many people around us who go through at least one of these three imbalances in sleep. Ayurveda has come up with several easy and natural tips to have a good sleep. There 4 great tips among many, following which you will get a quick result.

Oil Massage: Oil is said to soothe our nerves if massaged properly. Warm oil works best on the scalp and on the soles of our feet. Any oil, from jojoba to jasmine, almond to coconut with a few drops of lavender oil could be used for massage. Applying this daily will soothe one's nerves and induce a good sleep.
Warm milk: Drinking a glassful of warm milk 10 minutes before going to sleep will help in having an uninterrupted sleep.
Routine bedtime: Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise . Note the use of the word  healthy  in this nursery rhyme. We have been taught this since our childhood days, only if we could follow. Sleeping on time plays an important role here because inadequate sleep due to long working hours often cause sleeping disorders.
Morning Exercise: After waking up early in the morning, Ayurveda suggests exercising as early morning exercise will help you fall asleep at night easily. You must not indulge in an exercise later in the day because it would make you more active instead of inducing sleep.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is what we all look forward to and that is why sleeping on time and doing the right things like following these simple tips from Ayurveda will lead us to a healthier living.

4 Great Ayurvedic Tips That Promote Good Sleep!

For diabetics, healthy eating is essential. This can be the most important tool available in managing diabetes and blood sugar fluctuations. This is because what a person eats has a direct effect on their blood sugar levels. When food is digested, it is broken down into a form of sugar known as glucose. This powers the body and acts as an energy source. For this, the body needs insulin. In the case of diabetics, insulin does not function the way it should or is not present in the required amounts. This causes the glucose to remain in the blood and in turn spikes blood sugar levels. The good news is that diabetes can be controlled. This is where the person s diet plays an important role.

Not all food causes an increase in blood sugar levels. The effect of a food item on a diabetic depends on how it affects the body s ability to process glucose. Processed foods, fatty foods, food with added sugar etc. can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. However, fruits and vegetables do not have the same effect. Foods that have a high glycemic index do not keep a person satiated for long but cause blood sugar fluctuations. On the other hand, foods with a low glycemic index do not cause blood sugar fluctuations and keep hunger satiated for longer. Hence, the former should be avoided as far as possible. Replace processed grains with whole grains, red meat with lean meat or fish and add plenty of beans and legumes to your diet. Trans fats should also be avoided.

Eating right can also help with weight management. Being overweight puts additional pressure on the insulin available which leads to frequent blood sugar fluctuations. Eating right accompanied by regular exercise is crucial to weight management. Keeping your weight under control can even help prevent diabetes especially in cases, where a person has a high genetic risk of developing diabetes. This can also help reduce the risk of further complications.

When it comes to diabetes, eating at the right time is as important as eating the right food. Diabetics should not leave long gaps between their meals. This is because having a gap of more than 3 hours can destabilize blood sugar levels and be dangerous for the patient. Hence, a diabetic should eat smaller, more frequent meals. It is also a good idea for a diabetic to monitor sugar levels before going to sleep and after waking up.

Importance Of Diet Management In Diabetes!

Getting a good night s sleep is needed not only to remove dark circles but to improve your overall health as well. Ideally, adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. This helps you stay physically and mentally healthy. However, getting a good night s sleep is easier said than done, as sleep apnea is one of the factors that could affect the quality of your sleep. This can cause a number of health issues including heart disease.

What is sleep apnea?
Sleep Apnea is a sleep disorder that can make your breathing start and stop repeatedly while you are asleep. These pauses can range from 5 times an hour to 30 times in one hour. Waking up tired after a long sleep and snoring are characteristic symptoms of this condition. This can be annoying for others, but for you, it could be life-threatening. When your breathing stops; your airways get blocked. 

This is characteristic of obstructive sleep apnea, as every time this happens, you wake up. This can increase the risk of high blood pressure. High blood pressure, in turn, can cause arrhythmia, heart failure, and strokes. This can increase the risk of a fatal heart attack by up to 5 times.

Heart disease and central sleep apnea have a cyclic relationship. In this case, heart disease causes the person to retain water and salts. At night, this excess fluid can enter the lungs making the person wake up feeling short of breath. This is not necessarily because the airways get blocked but because the brain does not send the diaphragm a signal to expand and contract. This is not as common as obstructive sleep apnea.

Reducing your risk of heart disease caused by sleep apnea
There are ways to treat sleep apnea so as to reduce the chances of heart diseases. To treat it, it must first be diagnosed. Thus, if your roommate notices you snoring, consult a doctor immediately. For a diagnosis, you will need to undergo a sleep study. This involves staying overnight in the hospital where they will monitor your sleep. Treatment for sleep apnea is known as continuous positive airway pressure or CPAP. 

This form of treatment involves wearing a mask that regulates the air pressure as you breathe thus ensuring that the air passages do not close down. In case of obstructive sleep apnea, losing weight if you are obese, can also help treat the condition and keep the airways open. 

Sleep Apnea - How It Can Increase The Risk Of Heart Disease?

Sleep-Wake Disorder is a very uncommon syndrome which causes irregular sleeping patterns without any real schedule.

Causes
Persons with brain malfunctioning and those who do not have a regular routine during the day experience such disorders. People with changing work shifts often experience such disorder. Also, travellers who often move from one country to another with different time zones may also have these symptoms.
There's no cure for this disorder, but treatments, including hormones, medicine, and light therapy, can help get you closer to a normal sleeping pattern.

Symptoms

Symptoms may include any of the following:

Sleeping or napping more than usual during the day
Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep at night
Waking up often during the night
Exams and Tests
A person must have at least three abnormal sleep-wake episodes during a 24-hour period to be diagnosed with this problem. The time between each such episode varies from 1 to 4 hours. The doctor may advise you to go ahead with a device called actigraph in case the diagnosis is unclear. The device looks like a wristwatch, and it can tell when a person is sleeping or awake.

Treatment
Though there is no simple cure for irregular sleep-wake syndrome, however, several therapies and lifestyle changes may help a person return to a normal sleep-wake cycle. These include:

A regular daytime schedule of activities and mealtimes need to be fixed.
You should not stay in bed during the day for long.
Use bright light therapy in the morning like those from computer screens and television. The period of exposure should also be increased. Exposure to blue light should be minimized at night.
You should take melatonin at bedtime. This is a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle. By taking doses at the right times, you might be able to shift your body clock earlier or later.
Make sure to make the room dark, quiet, and as comfortable as possible at night.
Also one should try to minimize the amount of noise in the sleep environment.
Add more structure to the patient s day by scheduling social interaction, exercise, and other activities.
Your doctor may prescribe drug to control the timing of the sleep-wake cycle.
Finally, you should take proper care of yourself. Make positive changes in your lifestyle. You can even ask your boss to make your work schedule a bit flexible.

The ultimate goal of these lifestyle changes is to help the person sleep longer at night and make him feel active and awake during the day. Most people have sleep disturbances on occasion. But you need to see your doctor if such sleep disorders occur regularly.


Sleep Wake Disorder - Irregular Sleeping Patterns

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