Dr. Sarusha

Sleep hygiene is a variety of different practices and habits that are necessary to have good nighttime sleep quality and full daytime alertness.

Why is it important to practice good sleep hygiene?

Obtaining healthy sleep is important for both physical and mental health. It can also improve productivity and overall quality of life. Everyone, from children to older adults, can benefit from practicing good sleep habits.

How can I improve my sleep hygiene?

One of the most important sleep hygiene practices is to spend an appropriate amount of time asleep in bed, not too little or too excessive. Sleep needs vary across ages and are especially impacted by lifestyle and health. However, there are recommendations that can provide guidance on how much sleep you need generally. Other good sleep hygiene practices include:

Limiting daytime naps to 30 minutes. Napping does not make up for inadequate nighttime sleep. However, a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness and performance.

Avoiding stimulants such as caffeineand nicotine close to bedtime. And when it comes to alcohol, moderation is key 4. While alcohol is well-known to help you fall asleep faster, too much close to bedtime can disrupt sleep in the second half of the night as the body begins to process the alcohol. 

Exercising to promote good quality sleep. As little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as walking or cycling, can drastically improve nighttime sleep quality. For the best night’s sleep, most people should avoid strenuous workouts close to bedtime. However, the effect of intense nighttime exercise on sleep differs from person to person, so find out what works best for you. 

Steering clear of food that can be disruptive right before sleep. Heavy or rich foods, fatty or fried meals, spicy dishes, citrus fruits, and carbonated drinks can trigger indigestion for some people. When this occurs close to bedtime, it can lead to painful heartburn that disrupts sleep.

Ensuring adequate exposure to natural light. This is particularly important for individuals who may not venture outside frequently. Exposure to sunlight during the day, as well as darkness at night, helps to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.

Establishing a regular relaxing bedtime routine. A regular nightly routine helps the body recognize that it is bedtime. This could include taking warm shower or bath, reading a book, or light stretches. When possible, try to avoid emotionally upsetting conversations and activities before attempting to sleep.

Making sure that sleep environment is pleasant. Mattress and pillows should be comfortable. The bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees – for optimal sleep. Bright light from lamps, cell phone and tv screens can make it difficult to fall asleep, so turn those light off or adjust them when possible. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs" white noise" machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices that can make the bedroom more relaxing.

The festival of colours is here. Along with fond memories of Gulal, rain dancing, pichkaris and bhang, if you have repeated nightmares of skin and eye allergies or other serious problems due to the colours, this article’s for you.

Why you need to avoid synthetic colours

Recent studies have found safety issues with all three forms in which the Holi colors are produced: pastes, dry colours and water colours. The various ingredients found in synthetic colours like lead oxide (black), mercury sulphide (red), aluminium bromide (silver), copper sulphate (green), Prussian blue have been known to cause various health problems ranging from dermatitis (skin becoming red and blotchy), eye allergies, skin problems and even temporary blindness.

What kind of colours should you use?

Natural is best! Make the colours at home, like they used to in the good old days. Mix the following natural colour producing ingredients by making a paste and mixing with besan or gramflour:

• henna, palak (green)
• turmeric, marigold flowers (yellow)
• red hibiscus flowers, tomatoes, beetroot, kumkum (red)
• tea leaves (brown)
• You can also buy organic/herbal colours to play safe this Holi.

Tips to protect your hair and skin from synthetic colours:

Hair: After playing Holi, you might have noticed that your hair becomes very dry, frizzy and brittle. To avoid this, Massage your hair well from scalp to hair tips with coconut, olive or castor oil. This oil gives your hair a protective covering and shields it from harmful chemicals, dust and dirt. This will help the colours come off easily later, Try and cover your hair with a bandana or cap to decrease contact with colours.

Skin: Wear clothes that cover a lot of your skin, Cover the skin on your face, arms, legs etc with copious amounts of olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil or mustard oil, Use a waterproof sunscreen (SPF 30 and above), Cover your lips with a thick coat of Vaseline or lip balm.

Other potential dangers of Holi:

• If you are a known asthmatic or suffer from severe dust allergy, it is advisable not to venture out to play Holi with colours, especially the dry variety.
• If you wear contact lenses, do remove them before going out to play holi. If someone is spraying coloured water on your face, close your eyes.
• Bhang, the official drink for Holi, when consumed in large quantities can lead to effects like increased blood pressure and heart rate, psychosis. Never consume it on an empty stomach and do not mix it with alcohol.

Sugar (cane sugar) is not only a big industry but has been a part of many of our traditional foods. Somehow, today sugar has been given a tag of being an 'unhealthy' food. What we don't realize before we demonize a food the reason for it to suddenly become unhealthy. Sugar in small required amounts does not cause any health issue. What we don't realize is the amount of sugar that we are unknowingly consuming through foods like packaged cereals ,juices , health drinks , pastries, burgers and even the so called 'low fat' packaged foods marketed as healthy foods. Excessive sugar in these forms can definitely become harmful. So, rather than banning sugar from your diet, try to make better food choices.

The steps you can take to reduce sugar intake in a week are -
1. Stay hydrated and avoid health drinks and packaged juices - Replace so-called health drinks and packaged juices with fresh drinks like lime water, coconut water, herbal teas and home-made fruit drinks like raw mango juice / aam panah and Water. The natural electrolytes will stop any craving for excessive sugar laden foods.

2. Limit caffeine intake - Drinking coffee in the morning causes caffeine kick which spikes the energy levels in the body. As soon as this spike wears off, there is an intense sugar craving in the body.

3. Eat more complex carbohydrates - Increasing consumption of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and yams helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels in the body. This happens as they are digested slowly and help in controlling sugar cravings.

4. Restrict salt intake - Excessive salt consumption can increase cravings for sugary foods. Eating too much salt can cause the body to balance out the flavors thus leading to increased sugar cravings.

5. Exercise - Exercise causes perspiration in the body which helps in flushing out the salt and making the body alkaline thus reducing sugar cravings.

6. Limit processed food intake - Eating naturally occurring foods such as grains and fruits are healthier than eating packaged foods. Packaged foods generally contain both added sugar and salt which tend to increase sugar cravings and promotes weight gain.