Eating Habits That Can Trigger Insomnia

by bloggerswalaUncategorizedPosted on No Comments

You’re laying there, staring at the clock, waiting for sleep to set in, but for some reason, you just can’t seem to wind down. Was it something you ate? Possibly. There’s definitely a connection between your diet and your nighttime rest. A variety of eating habits can trigger an episode of insomnia—or even create chronic sleep problems.

1. Overdoing it on caffeine

No surprise here! Caffeine is notorious for its stimulant effects. This natural substance—found in coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, certain supplements, and various other products—blocks the brain’s receptors for adenosine, a chemical that promotes sleep. Overconsuming caffeine throughout the day (or eating and drinking caffeine-containing foods and drinks too close to bedtime) is a recipe for nighttime wakefulness.

2. Indulging in energy drinks

Not all pick-me-up drinks are caffeinated. Some, like certain herbal energy drinks, contain other substances designed to perk you up. While this can be a boon during the afternoon slump, it’s not such a great idea as bedtime nears, as (like caffeine) they can keep you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you’d really rather sleep.

3. Eating spicy foods before bed

There’s nothing wrong with the occasional midnight snack. But, for better rest, just don’t make it a taco or a curry. Eating spicy foods can cause heartburn at any time, but especially when you lie down. Without gravity to keep stomach acid in place, it travels more easily up the esophagus, leading to pain, sour belches, and indigestion of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

4. Eating too much saturated fat

 According to 2020 research that reviewed multiple such studies, high saturated fat consumption during the day caused sleep quality to deteriorate at night. One study in the review found that people with a higher saturated fat diet were more likely to have frequent nighttime wakings and less restorative sleep overall.

5. Eating too many refined carbs

The likely explanation for the connection between refined carbs and poor sleep: these types of carbohydrates rapidly spike blood sugar. High blood sugar has consistently been linked with sleep disruptions like sleep apnea and general insomnia.

6. Not getting enough of certain nutrients

The best sleeping pill just might be a multivitamin. There’s a fascinating interplay between healthy sleep and the micronutrients in food. You may have heard magnesium recommended for shut-eye, but it’s not the only option in your micronutrient arsenal.

Meditation : Way to reduce stress

by bloggerswalaFitnessPosted on No Comments

If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, consider trying meditation. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can help restore your calm and inner peace.

Anyone can practice meditation. It’s simple and inexpensive. And it doesn’t require any special equipment.

And you can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you’re out for a walk, riding the bus, waiting at the doctor’s office or even in the middle of a difficult business meeting. 

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health. You can also use it to relax and cope with stress by refocusing your attention on something calming. Meditation can help you learn to stay centered and keep inner peace.

And these benefits don’t end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day. And meditation may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions.

Meditation and emotional and physical well-being

When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.

The emotional and physical benefits of meditation can include:

  • Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
  • Building skills to manage your stress
  • Increasing self-awareness
  • Focusing on the present
  • Reducing negative emotions
  • Increasing imagination and creativity
  • Increasing patience and tolerance
  • Lowering resting heart rate
  • Lowering resting blood pressure
  • Improving sleep quality

Meditation and illness

Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress.

While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation, some researchers believe it’s not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of meditation.

With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Asthma
  • Cancer
  • Chronic pain
  • Depression
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Sleep problems
  • Tension headaches

Meditation isn’t a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it may be a useful addition to your other treatment.