Dr. Pritesh

Insomnia or sleeplessness is quite difficult to cope with and for people suffering from anxiety, it is even tougher. People suffering from anxiety remain in a state of mental and physical distress. On top of this, if they cannot sleep well because of insomnia, life becomes quite hard. Insomnia causes anxiety and also is caused due to anxiety.

Here are some simple tips to manage anxiety and insomnia:

1. Maintain a schedule: Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. Experiment with several different bedtimes and wake up times to find out which one works best for you.
2. Turn off electronic devices: Switch off all electronic devices thirty minutes before you go to bed. Electronic devices stimulate your mind and the light from the devices does not make you feel that it is time to sleep. Keep the devices away from you while going to bed.
3. Dim lights: Practice dimming all lights in your house before bedtime. Change light bulbs and replace them with low wattage lights. This will enable you to have lights, although they are dim. Low lighting will make your body produce melatonin to make you prepare for sleep.
4. Keep away from alcohol and smoking: Consuming alcoholic drinks before bedtime reduces your quality of sleep and you may wake up within two hours. Do not consume alcohol before bedtime. Smoking should be restricted before sleeping, as the nicotine contained in cigarettes is a stimulant, which can take away your sleep.
5. Ignore caffeinated drinks: Caffeine is a stimulant and consuming caffeinated drinks before going to bed can result in losing sleep. Do not drink coffee before sleeping.
6. Exercise: Exercise is a perfect solution to reduce anxiety and results in improved sleep quality. Exercise regularly during the day or three to four hours before bedtime. Yoga and meditation performed just before going to sleep are effective.
7. Make a pre-sleep ritual: Try to find ways, which would help you calm your mind just before going to sleep and practice it every day. This can be reading a book, taking a hot shower or listening to your favorite songs. Your mind will be relaxed, and you will get better sleep.
8. Maintain a sleep journal: Keep a sleep journal and write about the time when you go to sleep and when you wake up. Also note down the time you require to fall asleep, the number of times your sleep breaks and how your sleep was. This will enable you to observe your sleep patterns and make adjustments.

For people suffering from anxiety, added insomnia results in enhanced difficulty. One should cope with the problems properly and try to improve upon them.

Eating a piece of cheese after a meal helps in pulling away some of the plaque and leftover tiny food particles from meals. And since it contains calcium, it adds to the health of teeth and bones as well.

Do you know about the ill effects and various serious consequences that are associated with endometriosis? 

In this disorder, there is a presence of endometrium (lining of uterus) outside uterus. It is likely to spread to ovaries and other nearby areas. It can involve any other part of the body also. Endometriosis, at times, causes great pain and may result in infertility. 

Causes 
The exact cause of endometriosis is not known. 

1. It may occur because of a process, known as retrograde menstruation. In this, menstrual blood flows back via fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity, along with natural process of flowing out from the uterus. 
2. The displaced endometrial cells stick to the pelvic wall and on the surface of pelvic organs such as ovaries, bladder, and rectum. They continue growing thicker and bleed during menstrual cycle. 
3. The condition is also likely to occur when small regions in the pelvis convert into endometrial tissue. 

Symptoms 
The intensity of symptoms of this condition vary. 

1. In some women, mild symptoms are experienced, while the intensity may be severe in others. Pain in the lower abdomen is one of the common symptoms. 
2. The severity of pain experienced does not indicate the degree or extent of endometriosis. 
3. Other symptoms include painful periods, lower abdominal pain during and before menstruation, development of cramps, abnormal uteine bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse, discomfort during bowel movements, and lower back pain during menstrual periods. 
4. It is also likely for you to experience no symptoms at all. 

Complications and Consequences 

1. Problems with fertility are considered to be common with endometriosis. 
2. Women who have mild endometriosis can conceive and give birth to a baby. 
3. Medications do not help in improving fertility. 
4. It is possible for some women to conceive after having the endometrial tissue removed via surgical procedures. 
5. In case, these measures do not show effective results, you should opt for undergoing fertility treatments such as IVF i.e. in vitro fertilisation. These might improve your chances of giving birth. 

If you are affected by endometriosis and want to have a child, consult Gynaecologist. This is because your symptoms can worsen with time, which may make it difficult for you to conceive on your own. It is recommended for you to talk to doctor for suggestions and remedies.

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

3 healthy unhealthy dietary habits

With the vast amount of available information, ranging from age-old wisdom to health magazines and health sites, most people are prone to misinformation when it comes to what to eat and what to avoid.

From drinking copious amounts of water to eating a light lunch, it is the time that these commonly known health tips are debunked.

These 3 habits that may seem healthy on the surface but are actually harming you!

1) Drinking large amounts of water

It is advisable to drink a healthy dose of water each day, but you should drink water only when you feel thirsty and not otherwise. If you drink water beyond your level of thirst, it can lead to excess water intake. This excessive intake can be the cause of conditions like obesity, skin and digestive problems among other health conditions. An average person consumes 8 glasses of water each day. But you are advised to drink that much, only if you are thirsty enough. It is also recommended not to drink cold water or ice-cold drinks.

2) Eating uncooked foods

It is essential to preserve the nutrients of the ingredients you eat, but it is equally important to make them digestible. Cooking involves subjecting the ingredients to heat, which helps to remove and kill certain impurities and bacteria in them. Cooked foods are easily broken down, and hence, digested with ease. Some vegetables and foods are even more beneficial when lightly cooked. Vegetables like Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and kale should not be consumed raw.

3) Eating a light lunch

The ideology behind eating a light lunch may be to keep your weight in check and to stay healthy, but if the food you're having is not nutritious, it can still cause you to gain weight. Some food joints even offer a lunch menu of light proportions while the dinner menu may be packed with heavy amounts of food. This is wrong. It is advisable that people have larger proportions of food in their lunch while dinner should be meager as your digestion slows down as the day progresses.

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Related Tip: Dieting Vs Fad Dieting: How can you spot the FAD?