Prioritizing Good Sleep Is Promoting Good Health

1. Leave a couple of hours between eating & sleeping, to have a good night's sleep. It not only helps to sleep in a relaxed state of mind but also improves digestion and helps in weight loss.

2. Blue lights from screen affects your biological rhythm & affects your sleep. So switch off the mobile phones & laptops before sleep and use luminosity software available like f.lux or adjust the screen brightness.

3. Entering your bedroom should induce sleep – have a comfortable mattress, pillow, total darkness ( increases melatonin secretion) & soothing colours on the wall. Use it only for sleep; no tv and no work talks.

4. Increase the intake of substances rich in melatonin; the sleep hormone for good night sleep as melatonin actually tells you its time to sleep :-tuna, pistachio, banana, walnuts, cherry-juice, dairy products, shrimps, lobsters, hummus & many more.

5. Increase the intake of potassium (banana, coconut water, potatoes, apricots) magnesium (dark chocolate, seeds, avocadoes ) & Vitamin B-6 (almonds, lettuce, raw garlic, all fruits ) to increase the ability to sleep.

6. Herbal drinks like- chamomile tea (glycine-relaxes muscles & nerves) & passion fruit tea (has harman alkaloids –makes you feel tired) before sleep as they help you sleep.

7. If you have worked on a night shift , always wear shades when you come out in sun or cover your head with a cloth & avoid smoking & drinking coffee 3 hours before your shift gets over (as it will keep you wake for another 4 hours).

8. Having soaked raisins (munacca), date palms or figs just before sleeping also helps to have a good quality sleep.

9. Follow mindfulness meditation / jacobson's relaxation every night before going to sleep or anything comfortable like listening to relaxing music which helps with sleep & stress management.