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Improve Sleep and Sleep Quality with these Lifestyle Changes

Improve sleep and sleep qualityWhile sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep per night to function at best. It has been estimated that more than half of the working population in India have experienced some or the other form of sleep deprivation or alteration during their lifetime.

Globally, the prevalence of insomnia ranges from 10-15%.

Sleep deprivation reduces your cognitive processes like thinking, learning, attention, concentration, etc. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, irregular heartbeat, etc. Over time, lack of sleep can contribute to symptoms of depression and kills your sex drive. And yes, lack of optimum sleep can make you gain weight.

How to Improve Sleep and Sleep Quality

1. Stay away from gadgets
Using electronic devices before bedtime can be physiologically and psychologically stimulating in ways that can adversely affect your sleep. The more electronic devices a person uses in the evening, the harder it is to fall asleep or stay asleep. Using TV, tablets, smartphones, laptops or other electronic devices before bed delays your body’s internal clock, suppresses the release of sleep-inducing hormones & makes it difficult to fall asleep. Along, with increase in alertness at the time you should sleep, it, in turn, delays the onset of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and compromises energy levels the next morning. Over time, these effects can add up to a significant chronic deficiency in sleep.

2. Take a Lukewarm Bath Before Bed
Taking a bath or shower before bedtime is a well-known sleep remedy. This is because a warm bath can help us relax. Our body temperature tends to drop after a warm bath, which can induce better sleep. Research suggests that the best time for taking a shower is 1-2 hours before going to bed. The duration of the bath does not need to be longer than 10 min. This will improve blood circulation and stimulate “temperature circadian rhythm” helping you fall asleep, improving sleep and sleep quality.

3. Perform Deep Breathing Before Sleep
Breathing strongly influences physiology and thought processes including moods. By simply focusing your attention on your breathing and without doing anything to change it, you can move in the direction of relaxation. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise also called “the relaxing breath” promotes better sleep. Here are the steps:

  1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
  2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
  3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
  4. Exhale completely through your mouth making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
  5. This is one breath. Repeat 20 times.

4. Sleep Inducing Foods
There are certain foods which can help induce better sleep.

  • A glass of warm milk is a perfect beverage to induce sound sleep. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that converts into serotonin. Serotonin is known to have soothing effects in the brain and helps you sleep well. Adding a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom and some crushed almonds will improve taste and sleep.
  • Chamomile tea: Refreshing, revitalizing and fragrant chamomile tea has soothing effects on nerves and helps induce sleep.
  • Almonds could help you support sound sleep. Almonds also contain tryptophan and magnesium which are helpful in keeping your heart rhythm steady.
  • Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and other stimulating foods after dusk.

5. Eat Your Dinner Early
When you eat late, you are unable to sleep because of improper digestion. An early dinner is good for digestion, helps in reaching your satiety value earlier and the body is able to utilize the food better and induce sleep. Eating late at night leaves the body on a high alert state which interferes with the circadian rhythm. Minimum 2-3 hours of gap between Dinner and sleep is good.

We hope these tips help you improve sleep and sleep quality! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on sleep, check out Healthy Reads or get these tips directly from your GOQii Coach, by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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Healthy Eating: Corn Tikkis

Healthy Recipe

We can all agree that there is something almost nostalgic about breathing in the fresh aroma of corn during the monsoons! Whether boiled or roasted on the cob, relishing the sweet taste of corn is quite the treat during this season. Let’s relish this monsoon treat by putting a healthy twist on corn and prepare some tasty and nutritious Corn Tikkis that you can enjoy.

What You Will Need: 

  • Boiled and Grinded Corn Kernels – 1 Cup
  • Finely Chopped Capsicum, Onion, Carrot, Coriander – 2 tbsp each
  • Boiled Corn Kernels – 2 tbsp
  • Boiled Potatoes – ½ cup
  • Ginger Paste – 1 tbsp
  • Green Chilli Paste – 1 tbsp
  • Red Chilli Powder, Coriander + Cumin Seeds Powder – 1 tsp each
  • Garam Masala – ½ tsp
  • Salt and Chaat Masala – As per taste
  • Wheat Rusk Powder – 2 tbsp
  • Oil For Roasting

Method:

  1. Take a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and add the ginger paste to it. Saute lightly and add grinded boiled corn and saute for 4-5 min on medium flame until the moisture flies away.
  2. In a big bowl, add mashed potatoes, all chopped vegetables, corn and grinded corn too along with all spices with salt and chat masala.
  3. Using your palms, mould the mixture into flat tikkis (cutlets).
  4. Spread wheat rusk powder on a plate and roll the tikkis in it.
  5. Heat a non-stick pan and brush some oil over it.
  6. Place the tikkis on the pan and roast for 4-5 min on medium flame until golden brown and then flip them over and cook for 4-5 mins on the other side as well
  7. Serve hot along with green chutney or chilly sauce.

Highlights of the Corn Tikkis:

  • Not a very quick recipe but will satisfy your taste buds just as similar to having a crispy pakoda.
  • The recipe will give us so many colourful vegetables which are all good for our system.
  • Corn is extremely good for your eyes with the phytochemicals & vitamins it provides
  • The insoluble fiber in this recipe aids digestion and promotes gut health.

Did you enjoy this Corn Tikkis recipe? Is there a specific recipe you want to see next? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or get these recipes directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Eat Healthy and #BeTheForce

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Healthy Eating: Skinny Sev Puri

healthy eating

Every now and then, we often pass a bhelpuri vendor and find ourselves tempted beyond measure. While the weather seems great and eating bhel or sev puri might seem harmless, it can give you enough calories which you will have to burn by being physically active for more than an hour.

More so, consuming any eatables from outdoor vendors during the rainy season might not be a good idea as this is the perfect season for the E Coli bacteria to breed. But yes, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favourite “Chaat” at home! I’ve prepared the perfect Skinny Sev Puri recipe that will leave you wanting for more!

It is called skinny because it won’t make you fat or sick!

What You Will Need

  • Cucumber – 1 Medium sized (thick slices)
  • Tomato – 1 Medium sized (finely chopped)
  • Onion – 1 Medium sized (finely chopped)
  • Freshly chopped coriander
  • Partially Boiled Sprouted Mung – ½ Cup
  • Curd – ½ Cup
  • Honey – 1 tsp
  • Green Chillies – 1 or 2 (finely chopped)
  • Crushed Khakhra – 2 tbsp
  • Salt, chat masala, red chilli powder – As per taste

How To Prepare Skinny Sev Puri

  1. Take a bowl and add the sprouted mung, curd, honey, tomato, onion, coriander, green chilies, salt, chat masala and mix well
  2. Take a plate and place the thick cucumber slices on it
  3. Using a spoon, place the mixed stuffing on the cucumber slices.
  4. Top it up with crushed Khakhara for crunch along with some chilli powder

So here is your very simple and healthy chaat recipe!

Please Note: As cucumber forms the base and if you are allergic to it, you can use tomato slices, zucchini, partially boiled beetroot slices or radish slices.

Highlights

  • It is a very low-calorie snack and helps you stay away from the trans-fat found in fried puris
  • It is rich in fiber and balanced protein
  • Can be prepared quickly and is perfect for people who love fancy mid meals

Do you like this skinny sev puri recipe? Which healthy recipe would you like to see next? Drop us your suggestions in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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Healthy Eating: Oats & Besan Pancake

Healthy Eating

Eating the same or similar food everyday can be a boring affair. So if you’re tired of eating roti-sabji (flattened wheat bread and vegetables) and are looking for a change, try adding a twist to your meals! Here’s a Oats & Besan Pancake recipe which is super easy, nutritious and tasty.

Ingredients

  • Besan / gram flour – 1 cup*
  • Roasted and powdered oats flakes – ½ cup
  • Finely chopped onion – ½ cup
  • Grated carrot – ½ cup
  • Finely chopped tomato – ½ cup
  • Finely chopped capsicum – ½ cup
  • Washed and chopped coriander – 4 tbsp*
  • Chilly ginger paste – 1 tbsp
  • Turmeric – ¼ tsp*
  • Chilly powder – ½ tsp
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • Mix besan and oats. Add the required amount of water to it to make a medium thick batter
  • Add salt as required and allow it to rest till you chop the vegetables
  • Add the chopped vegetables to the batter and stir
  • Add green chilly ginger paste, turmeric, chilly powder and coriander to the batter and stir
  • Add some water if required to make the batter thin
  • Heat a pan and spread the batter once hot
  • Make a thin medium sized chilla and allow it to cook on medium flame
  • Flip it over once cooked from bottom.
  • It turns out soft and thin even without a drop of oil but if you like you can add a tsp per pancake.
  • Serve it hot with green chutney

Highlights

It works great as a quick breakfast idea. Best for your kid’s tiffin but I love to eat it for dinner as well. Oats has Beta Glucan which is a soluble fiber and helps in losing weight. It aids blood sugar control as well and is best for the gut!

Do try this Oats and Besan Pancake Recipe and let me know if you like it! For more recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask your GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

*Abbreviations: 1 cup = 200 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml

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