Sleep is a process to restore the body’s energy lost after a day of activities. Many people assume that sleep is easy. However, for those who suffer from insomnia, sleep is not as easy as it seems. They often try various ways to fall asleep, but it also does not make them sleep faster. I

In fact, there are many factors that cause a person to experience sleep disorders, ranging from irregular sleep habits, the influence of drugs, to symptoms of chronic illness.

Hence, we will share some quick sleep tips for insomnia. Let’s read the following carefully.

1.      Bathing with Warm Water

Are you one of the people with insomnia? Don’t worry, you can overcome this by taking a shower using warm water when going to sleep. This trick is believed to be very effective.

Bathing warm water naturally helps to slow down and relax the nervous system and encourage drowsiness. The body will relax and get sleepy quickly.

2.      Set Sleep Hours

The next effective sleep tips for insomnia is to set a regular bedtime. Maybe this seems imposing, especially for you who are not accustomed to sleep with a time schedule.

If ​​you’re one of those who suffer insomnia, you might only able to sleep when the drowsiness comes which is certainly a waste of time.

At first, you might feel burdened and have difficulty sleeping with a set time. However, in this way, the body will signal the hormones serotonin and melatonin separately to make you feel relaxed and automatically preparing for sleep.

By doing this, it will also affect your psychology. You will feel the need to get enough sleep and put aside the egos including the ‘sleepy’ habit. If you can be patient, we guaranteed that you will have positive new habits.

3.      Get rid of Gadgets and Other Electronic Devices

We often check the gadget before going to sleep, but don’t be surprised that this habit is make it difficult for you to sleep quickly.

The main factor is because the emitted blue light that can disturb the brain. Blue light removes the body’s circadian rhythm or biological clock.

Not only that, the blue light emitted by the gadget can prevent the brain from releasing melatonin which is very important in sleep. So, it is better to keep all kinds of electronic devices away before going to sleep.

Note: It is recommended to get rid of gadget approximately 2 hours before bedtime.

4.      Perform 4-7-8 Breathing Exercises

What is 4-7-8 breathing exercise? This exercise begins with techniques to calm the mind and relax the body by regulating breathing in several stages.

Here are the step-by-step how to do it:

• Take a deep breath through your mouth
• Dep breathing through the nose for 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds
• Exhale through your mouth with the sound ‘whoosh’ do the count to 8
• Repeat the above steps 4 times

Try to focus on breathing in and breathing out properly. The goal is to get the maximum results. Try to do this breathing exercise for 2 times a day, both in the morning or when you want to sleep.

5.      Turn off the lights

Another quick tips to sleep for insomnia is to turn off the lights when you want to sleep. This method is the easiest and most effective, but there are still many people who are reluctant to do it. Make sure there are no light sources in the bed area. The right time to turn off the room lights is one hour before you sleep.

6.      Eat sweet foods

Based on new research from Japan found that the active compound in sugar cane can reduce stress and trigger sleepiness. Sleep research conducted on rodents found that the active compound named Octacosanol. Researchers reveal that stress is a major factor that inhibits sleep and octacosanol supplementation has been proven safe in humans.

Octacosanol can be used as an effective therapy for people suffering from insomnia due to stress. But do not worry, these compounds can also be found in other foods, such as rice bran, wheat seeds, and beeswax. So do not hesitate so eat food for fast sleep, so you are free from insomnia.

7.      Open the Air Vent

In order to maintain security and reduce mosquitoes to enter the room, usually we will close all windows and doors tightly. Yet according to a study, carbon dioxide trapped in the room can reduce a person to relax while sleeping.

That is one of the factors why sometimes people can wake up in the middle of the night. To work around this, you can open your room door so that air circulation can enter. This can be one way to make your sleep better.

8.      Sports

Exercise regularly is proven as one of the tips to sleep faster for insomnia. Sports that you can do are yoga, and a leisurely walk every morning.

It is a natural way and has a good impact on the body. With a duration of exercise 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week can help you fight insomnia and improve sleep quality.

9.      Bask in the Morning

Take time to sunbathe in the morning, at least 30 minutes. Because, sunbathing in the morning has the same effect with exercise. The sun forces a person to wake up and makes the body aware of metabolic processes. Exposure to sunlight in the morning can trigger the production of melatonin which is needed when we sleep.

10. Reducing Caffeine

The effects of caffeine can last up to 5 to 6 hours. So, if you consume coffee at 4-5 pm, it is certain that the body will be awaken and you will have trouble sleeping.

Well, you should reduce drinking coffee or other drinks that contain caffeine in the afternoon until evening, so it is not difficult to sleep.

11. Meditation

Meditation is another sleep tip you can do when you want to sleep to relieve stress and rest the brain after undergoing activities during the day. Meditation begins with trying breathing exercises that can make the body relaxed and focused.

12. Eat Early

Another great thing to remember is that it is not recommended to eat too close to bedtime. It is better to eat before 8 pm, so that means the body has time to process food.

If you eat right before going to sleep, the digestive system will keep you awake longer. Make sure you don’t eat at midnight.

13. Immerse the Face in Cold Water

According to Life Hack Solution, one way that can make you sleep faster is to bury your face in cold water for a few moments. Drowning your face in cold water will trigger a forced phenomenon called dive reflex. This method will reduce your heart rate and blood pressure, which means your nervous system is being reset to calm the body. This trick is very well done if you are feeling anxious or depressed before going to sleep.

14. Drink milk

Drinking warm milk before going to sleep is believed to make you sleep better. Milk contains a-lactalbumin protein. This protein contains high amounts of tryptophan amino acids, which produce melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep.

Foods that contain tryptophan are like egg whites and pumpkin seeds which you should consume often if you have insomnia problems.

15. Massaging the Sleep Trigger Points

Our body has certain points which if it pressed or massaged will cause certain effects.

Dr. Idzikowski suggests massaging the point area between the eyebrows, the point between the thumb and index finger of the right foot, or the point under the index finger of the right foot.

Here are the Step-by-Step:

• First, place the thumb on the point between the eyebrows at the top of the nose, where there are slight curves. Gently massage and hold for 20 seconds, then release briefly and do it repeatedly.
• Sit down and place your right leg on your left knee. Massage the point between the big toe and forefinger for 20 seconds, release briefly and repeat the massage.
• Find the point just below the nail on the top of the right index finger. Use the thumb and forefinger of the right hand to gently massage for 20 seconds, take it off briefly and then do it again.

16. Reduce Naps

Although napping is one of the right ways to replace your lack of sleep, this method is not very appropriate. It’s important to establish and maintain regular sleep patterns and train yourself to associate sleep with cues such as darkness and consistent sleep time. Naps can affect the quality of sleep at night.

17. Putting a Pillow on the Feet

By placing a pillow under the feet, it will balance the position of your hips when sleeping. So that it will reduce pain in your body and will provide calm during sleep. You can sleep on your back and slip a pillow under your knee to relieve pain.

18. Resolve All Concerns Before Sleep

If you feel worried while you sleep and think about tomorrow, you should set aside time after dinner to review or make plans for the next day. The goal is to be calmer and maintain the quality of sleep.

To Conclude

We hope that staying up is no longer become your habit. The methods above are the quick sleep tips to get a better quality of sleep for insomnia like you. Not only will your body become healthier, but your mind and mood will improve each day.

The post 18 Effective and Quick Sleep Tips for Insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

The ketogenic diet which is commonly known as Keto diet is one of the popular diets right now. It is a low-carb and high-fat diet is mostly followed by weight watchers. However, aside from weight loss, as per studies, there are other health benefits of it as well including better blood sugar levels, fight cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease among others. If you are following this diet then you are asked to drastically reduce the consumption of carbs and replace it with fat. As the reduction in carbs puts our body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When we are in the state of ketosis, body burns fat for energy. With increased fat breakdown, there is also a reduction in insulin levels. Also, the liver starts producing high numbers of ketones to supply energy for your brain. So, how, to know whether you are in the state of ketosis or not. As per Healthline.com’s article, there are several signs which can hint about the same. Read on to know about the common symptoms of ketosis.

1. Bad breath 
 bad breath once they reach full ketosis. The specific culprit is acetone, a ketone that exits the body in your urine and breath. Many ketogenic dieters brush their teeth several times per day or use sugar-free gum to solve the issue.

2. Fast weight loss
As per studies, Keto followers witness a major drop in weight. The reason could be a massive fat loss as stored carbs and water gets used up. After water weight, body loses fat consistently if you stick to the diet and calorie deficit. 

3. Appetite Suppression
Many people experienced decreased appetite after following the keto diet. The reasons are still being investigated. However, experts believe that hunger reduction could be due to an increase in protein and veggies’ intake and also the body’s hunger hormones changes. The ketones may also affect your brain to reduce appetite.

4. Better focus and more energy
Many people initially experience keto flu i.e. they feel sick, experience fatigue, and brain fog by following a low-carb diet. However, long-term ketogenic dieters reported that they experience better focus and more energy. The same could be due to stabilized blood sugar levels and lesser carbs in the body. 

5. Digestion issues 
Major changes in diet happen when we follow the Keto diet so digestion such as constipation and diarrhea happens in the beginning. However, it mostly gets subsided after the transition period. Also, be mindful of foods as chances of nutrient deficiencies are also high along with digestion issues. 

Note: Please consult a doctor before you start following this diet. And ask a dietician to chalk up a custom diet as per your body needs for you. 

The post Keto Diet: 5 signs that prove you are in the state of Ketosis appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Health and wellness have been on everyone’s mind of late, and unsurprisingly, the health and wellness industry has grown. In 2018, the global health and wellness industry was valued at an estimated $4.5 trillion. Additionally, as more people are on-the-go and too busy to spend time on health matters, there is now a growing demand for portable devices that can help them keep their healthy routine and ease their conditions even when they are out and about. In fact, some analysts expect the fitness tracking technologies market to grow by as much 20% annually going forward. With an emergence of these health related gadgets, it begs the question, which technologies provide the most value?

Portable Blood Pressure Monitor

Nearly one-third of deaths in Singapore are caused by cardiovascular disease. For this reason, individuals are often interested in tracking their blood pressure. However, blood pressure tests may seem like an inconvenient, time consuming, and even expensive undertaking. Fortunately, portable blood pressure monitors are now increasingly affordable and accurate, and can be easily purchased online. For example, our research suggests that the Omron Smart Elite blood pressure monitor costs about S$175, which includes free delivery and a 5-year warranty. Meanwhile, a visit to a general practitioner typically costs S$47.25 – S$125 per visit. This means that individuals that plan to check their blood pressure a handful of times a year will easily break even, and those that need frequent checks will save even more. Not only that, the Omron Smart Elite, which is lightweight and can be synced to a mobile app for reviewing past and current records. Additionally by acquiring the monitor, blood pressure tracking can be conducted more regularly, hence ensuring that users can always be well informed about their health.

Fitness Watch with Built-In Heart-Rate Monitor

As mentioned above, good heart health should be a point of emphasis for all individuals. While tracking your blood pressure is a great idea, it is also important to maintain an active lifestyle in order to maintain and improve your general health. Thankfully, new technologies allow us to monitor our fitness goals and even our heart rates. Whether you are working out or doing your usual errands, these devices can track your heart-rates with sensors and algorithms to reveal insights about your body, fitness and health.

Consumers may not know where to start as there are a variety of fitness watches available. For those with a bigger budget, the latest Series 5 Apple Watch could be a good fit. This device features a number of fitness related tracking functions including an ECG function that flags risks of irregular heart rhythms. However, the Apple Watch costs S$599, which may deter those seeking a more affordable option. Alternatively, Garmin (S$299) and Fitbit (S$188) offer competitive products with great features as well. For example, Garmin Forerunner 45 incorporates an easy-to-use heart-rate monitor with GPS to track work-out pace and distance. It also provides training plans that bring personalized coaching information through the watch.

Metabolism Tracker to Optimise Health Planning

Besides heart health, many individuals have the specific goal to lose weight. Keeping your body slim and fit can be a lot easier if you can monitor your metabolism and track it to optimise your diet and fitness plans. The Lumen Metabolism Tracker claims to do all of those things. By breathing into the device, the tracker will be able to track our metabolism, sleep, nutrition, and fitness data. It can also tell if we have enough energy before a workout or whether we need to re-organise our diet for the day to improve our metabolism. Priced at S$490, this portable device has very few competitors in the market that offers such an easy-to-use model. Another metabolism tracker is the Breezing, which is available for pre-order only (~S$355) through a crowdfunding page. The device currently only works with Android, though the creators are actively working on an iPhone version.

However, are these devices really worth their high prices? This depends on your perspective. If we can compare the cost of purchasing a Lumen with taking a 30-day Keto diet, which claims to fix a sluggish metabolism, acquiring a Lumen may help to establish a longer-term method of maintaining wellness if one is self-disciplined enough to follow through with the recommendations provided by the device. Additionally, the Keto method can actually cost significantly more than a balanced diet. In the end, it is best to consult a doctor before making any significant changes to your diet or investing in a metabolism tracker.

Sleep Gadget for More Comfortable Rest

According to a study conducted with 43 cities, Singapore is ranked as the third most sleep-deprived. Chronic sleep deprivation can significantly affect our health, work performance, safety, and even lead to depression. Nursing a sleep disorder can be a costly affair, even a subsidised polysomnogram, which is an in-laboratory sleep study, costs S$708 at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and this does not even cover the treatment. For that matter, many sleep gadgets have been invented to improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety and mood without the need to visit a sleep specialist. One such product is the Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet that uses natural frequency to strengthen the human biomagnetic field and restore the body’s ability to sleep deeply and restfully.

There are also cheaper options like the Philips Somneo Sleep and Withings Sleep Tracking Pad, which promise to regulate sleep cycles and heal sleep disorders. However, given that these devices do cost hundreds of dollars, we recommend that you consult your primary care physician to make sure investment is a good fit for your health needs.

Explore the World of Health Care Technology

Health treatments do not work the same way for all people, similarly, health care technology may need a fair bit of trial and error before you can find the right fit for your needs. The trick is to identify the well-researched and well-developed technological products that can help to improve your health and well-being. When you get the right fit, it can even prevent serious conditions or cure diseases with little effort at a relatively low cost.

The post 4 Portable Health Gadgets That Are Worth Purchasing appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian, Adriana Lima … The list of celebrities and celebrities who follow the latest fad diet is almost endless. The Keto diet, which dispenses with carbohydrates, is trending. Its results vary depending on people, but there are those who claim to have lost 15 kilos in just a few weeks. Here are the keys:

The keto diet eliminates – or minimizes – the intake of carbohydrates. Instead, go for fats and proteins. This is a formula that is prescribed to many athletes, especially when it is intended to lose weight.

How does it work? La keto is a ketogenic diet. This “word” derives from ketosis, the name of a metabolic process where the body produces enough energy to keep it going.What happens when you don’t get enough glucose from carbohydrates for energy production. This is when the body then has to use fats to generate energy, also known as beta-oxidation.

For this, what is done is to suppress carbohydrates, thus achieving the “burning” of fats is anticipated. Hence the weight loss. There are also those who assure that this diet favors brain activity.

What there is also scientific evidence for is that this diet is not a miracle for weight loss. It is a diet considered one of the most restrictive, for the limited range of food it allows.

Long-term use is also not recommended, as it can have dangerous effects on the body, especially on the bones.. Alcoholics and diabetics are especially discouraged.
For best results, experts advise combining it with physical exercise. Both activities will increase the weight loss of the user.

If you are willing to follow this diet you will need to know what type of food you can eat. Here are some: all kinds of meats –including red meats–, fish –especially blue meats– and seafood, eggs, dairy products –preferably the most fatty ones, such as cream, cream or cured cheeses–, cocoa, avocado, nuts, coconut and its derivatives, vegetable oils, seeds, creams and vegetable pates.

Therefore, foods such as bread, pasta, cereals, sugars, legumes and some fruits and legumes should be suppressed.

However, experts advise against starting this type of diet on your own. It is recommended to consult a doctor first, because assuming this mode of feeding can be seriously detrimental to health depending on which cases.

The post Weight loss tips: The miracle diet in fashion among the famous with which you can lose 15 kilos in 12 weeks appeared first on MyMedicPlus.