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May 11, 2021 By Pradnya Shinde 1 Comment

Panicked Due To The Pandemic? You Need To Know This!

panicked due to the pandemicThere must be few people you know who have been affected by COVID-19 during this global pandemic. Maybe you have gone through this too. Maybe you are experiencing few symptoms. You might have witnessed a few unfortunate deaths around you. This is like one of those sci-fi movies gone real. Everyone is talking about it and it’s terrible! 

How You Can Avoid Panic During The Pandemic 

As humans, we crave for stability and we are facing this uncertainty for more than a year now. Are you wondering when it will all end? Do we even see an end in sight? How do we deal with it?  covid-19 anxiety

Change Your Mindset!

The stress can cause frustration, worry, fear, helplessness, lack of hunger, overeating, tiredness, sleeping too much, headache, nightmares or the inability to focus on work. If you are overwhelmed due to this pandemic situation, let me tell you that you need to overcome this. When you panic, your body responds in the same way. If this is the battle, then half the battle is lost when you panic. When your mind gives up, then slowly your body gives up. 

Everyone has suffered a cold and blocked nose at some point or the other in their life. And you experience breathlessness in such times. People with Asthma deal with breathlessness many times. Before the pandemic, you used to get cold, cough and fever, but you didn’t think that you would die. Then there’s no need to think that way now. I am not suggesting that you ignore the symptoms or your health. By now everyone knows what they need to do for their safety. I Am not repeating here. I am talking about the mindset. How you deal with this mentally and emotionally is important. 

You can get the information you need but stop binge watching news channels and be conscious of what you read, watch and listen. You can make a habit to get the update at a specific time from a trusted source only. Other times, keep yourself involved in something meaningful.

If you get a cough, start a treatment or medicine for the cough. You can talk to your coach for a nice home remedy. If things get worse and you need to get admitted in the hospital, let me repeat, the first thing you need to do is stay strong emotionally.

What Can You Do Now?

Let’s start working for the things which are in our hands. Your immunity is so much more important right now than ever before. Cut down sugar slowly from your diet. Sugar has inflammation enhancing properties. It supports more mucus production in the body, which increases the chances of you getting infected easily. When I say sugar, I mean sugar from tea, coffee, biscuits, desserts, ketchup and all kinds of packaged food. It’s difficult but start making changes one by one. Taking action for better health is much better than taking stress. 

Regular exercise will help to beat the anxiety. Work to improve your lung capacity. If you have a habit of smoking, please stop it. Breathing exercises are a great way to improve your lung function. You can breathe better. Spend a good time for meditation regularly. It will reduce your anxiety. If you are not fond of it, then indulge in any of your hobbies, which you can pursue at home.

You will help a lot as an individual by NOT spreading fear. Stop discussing the topic with ten people. Don’t forward random whatsapp messages. Stay calm and keep calm. If possible, provide emotional support to those who are going through it. If you can help them in any means it would be great. We are physically apart, but you can stay connected with your loved ones like friends and family through calls or video calls. Provide the emotional support. Having a conversation with friends and family will help to reduce your stress.

Remember that we’re all in this together. So remain calm, observe your body and stay strong. More so, you can also self monitor using the GOQii Smart Vital which checks body temperature, SpO2, heart rate and blood pressure – basically all the vital parameters that could alert you if something is wrong. Till then, there’s no need to panic! 

For more COVID-related articles, you can check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. Furthermore, you can subscribe to GOQii and get the right guidance from a certified expert: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

#BeTheForce 

April 30, 2021 By Srini 1 Comment

Sleep Series: Sound NOT OK Please! Everything You Need To Know About Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea

Good sleep is ironically referred to as Sound Sleep. While “sound sleep” is Ok, sleep with “Sound NOT OK please!” Snoring is the “Lead Indicator” for sleep apnea. 30% of Males and 15% of females snore. Most of the male snorers beyond age 40 have a high chance of Sleep Apnea. 

During sleep, the body parts relax and for few of us, the muscles around the air passage – throat and tongue – collapses (relaxes) and obstructs the airway. This: 

  • Stops flow of air to lungs 
  • Breathing stops
  • Oxygen level in the blood goes down – less than 90%, Co2 rises
  • Brain detects the low level and URGENTLY REACTS! 

The brain sends signals to wake up, but to the collapsed parts only (normally the person still continues to sleep – hence he just does not know the issue) and then the cycle continues. 

During Apnea, there are complex harmful hormonal reactions in the body: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/more_evidence_untreated_sleep_apnea_shown_to_raise_metabolic_and_cardiovascular_stress 

Sleep Apnea kills slowly! Sleep Apnea unleashes Diabetes and Hypertension and lethargy of course, among a myriad of other diseases. I first noticed that I may have apnea since I felt very sleepy in office meetings. That they were boring is another reason, but I felt sleepy in ALL meetings! I was tired and lethargic.

How I Tackled Sleep Apnea 

My “sound sleep” was like a Lion’s Roar! I heard my recordings – first it was my wife who talked about it, then even my sons, who sleep in the adjacent room. That’s the time, coincidentally, GOQii folks were discussing sleep apnea, CPAP machines, etc. There was a free polysomnography (sleep test) going on offer and I grabbed one. The results confirmed a mild version of apnea and I promptly purchased a Philips APAP (more advanced than CPAP) machine.

I struggled to get used to sleeping with a face mask but as I got used, the benefits were telling! I invariably woke up fresher, singing a song and ready to Carpe Diem. I was more attentive in meetings (asking even tougher questions) and then the health benefits began pouring in – my hypertension plummeted, and the quantum of medicines dropped – my overall quality of life improved

The reason why I shared my personal story bit more elaborately:
I had a sleep problem that resulted in 

  • Low productivity
  • Stress and strain as I worked hard to compensate for the low productivity
  • Irritability due to poor sleep – bad 360 degree feedback
  • I was taking more coffee to stay awake – resulting in further loss of sleep – caught in a vicious cycle (read caffeine and sleep here)
  • Suffered from an avoidable hypertension issue for at least 15 years and took all kinds of beta blockers resulting in even deadlier side effects
  • I HAD NO CLUE and sadly NOT EVEN MY DOCTORS
  • NO doctor EVER asked me ANY questions about my snoring or sleep quality – NOT a comment on the Doctors, but on the system, treat for the “symptoms” that we narrate.

Therefore, YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE for your HEALTH!  

  • Talk to your body, understand the signals (language of body) it is sending – even better, measure it regularly
  • In Mumbai, I found just two sleep doctors on Google – I consulted with one of them.  (Just 2 for Maximum City? No wonder Mumbai is a city that does not sleep)
  • I read Matthew Walker’s book on Sleep, read many blogs and watched many Videos
  • Used CPAP Machine, understood its readings, correlated with GOQii Smart Vital readings and made corrections to lifestyle
  • Invested in upgrading my bedroom
  • Experimented with a few foods (next/last blog) and adapted what was suiting me
  • Then, finally decided to share it on LinkedIn, because that is my community 

Summary

  • Sleep Apnea is MORE common than what gets detected and treated
  • Sleep Apnea is not just a health problem, it is the biggest killer of productivity – HR Folks, note this!
  • Low productivity results in even more hard work for knowledge workers 
  • Responsible for ALL MAJOR lifestyle chronic illnesses like Diabetes and Hypertension
  • If you feel sleepy in the office before lunch, then watch out, you may have sleep apnea whether or not you snore ( feeling a bit sleepy during the second half is ok)
  • If you are over 40, then I strongly advise you to consult a sleep doctor and take a polysomnography test. Make it part of the Master Check Up
  • If you snore, then do not wait, get yourself tested for apnea

Modern CPAP and APAP machines are fantastic. They are as comfortable as they can get and they give you a comprehensive MIS on your sleep the next day. More importantly, they have high quality air filters, which filters pollutants and smaller dust particles – that’s an added benefit! 

We hope this article on Sleep Apnea helps you! Watch out for the next and final article on the Sleep Series by Srini. For more on sleep, tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

To get your GOQii subscription, download the app or click here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

#BeTheForce 

April 16, 2021 By Srini Leave a Comment

Sleep Series: The Relentless Rivalry of REM and NREM

REN and NREMWhen we sleep, we go through a few stages. Prominent among them are REM and NREM. It is observed that for some non-specific reason, there is significant movement of the eyeball in all directions rapidly during REM sleep BUT does NOT send any visual signals to the brain. Hence, the name Rapid Eye Movement ( REM) sleep and the opposite – Non REM sleep. Some also say that they are “deep sleep” vs “shallow sleep” which I am not a great fan of. I believe they are simply various stages of sleep.

 

Sleep Series

Courtesy: sleepadvisor.org and Mathew Walker.

IF we draw a graph of brain neural activity, the graph will look something like this

As you can see, at the start it is the NREM which is occupying the real estate and the REM shows up intermittently. Approximately each of the cycles lasts for 90 minutes and then it changes. But in general, we can see the domination of NREM in the first half and REM in the second half. 

Interesting Facts on REM and NREM 

  • Dream your way to creativity: As homo sapiens came down from trees to sleep on flat grounds, they developed REM sleep as an evolutionary advancement. REM sleep is responsible for the evolution of creativity, memory and problem solving. It is during REM sleep, the neural network gets more intricately wired with new synapses being formed. In some sense, it is the REM sleep that contributed to the supremacy of humans over other animals.
  • Early morning school timing inhibits creativity: If schools, colleges or universities start pretty early in the morning, it is quite possible that the student has to wake up early and hence, foregoes some part of REM sleep. That is NOT good news for memory and creativity, which are most critical for studies.
  • Sleep algorithm is an enigma: NREM has been measured in 4 stages depending upon how deep it goes. The deeper it goes, the body gets better rest and the housekeeping activity of scavenging the brain of useless memory and storing of useful memory in the long term storage area happens – this is a totally involuntary activity based on an enigma algorithm. God/Nature is the first and best coder. 
  • Forgetting is beautiful: The brain decides to delete (forget) what is irrelevant. You will definitely not remember what breakfast you had the same day last week. Forgetting is an essential function just as much as remembering is. 
  • Striping emotion – REM heals: REM sleep is responsible for stripping emotion from past events over time. For example, you would remember the death of a close relative. But rarely you can recollect the emotions that were recorded when it happened. It is a blessing in a way. It is not the Time, but it is REM that heals! 
  • 7 hours or nothing: 5 cycles of 90 minutes – 450 minutes approx. 7 hours gives you a good full cycle. Anything less is like jumping 90% of the well! Short sleep leaves work undone and there is no use. You add to the pressure of work.
  • There can be no sleep “Deposit” and Sleep “Loans” ( this would appeal to the Finance community). You cannot oversleep to compensate for a past deficit nor you can accumulate a deficit to be cured by oversleep a bit later. It is 7.5 to 8 hours  a day, every day! You would now have understood why from the chart above.
  • You cannot “Live your dream”: The motor activity other than breathing is all frozen during REM stage , all muscles (particularly limbs) are frozen – imagine you swishing your sword or trying to run away when chased by a cobra! It protects you from getting injured!
  • You are not meant to remember your dreams: You will only remember that you had vivid dreams or nightmares. Dreams have been the subject of so much research. Only one thing is clear – every dream is made of illogical and impossible combinations. If you behave during the day like the way you behaved in your dream, you will find yourself in a psychiatric ward. It is the façade or alibi as the brain is reorganizing the hard disk.
  • Dreams have no meaning: Do not over analyze, dreams have no hidden meaning. If you need to know something, why would it be revealed in your dream? It would rather appear in Times Square visible to all.
  • NREM is all about detox and growth: NREM sleep detoxifies the body, grows tissues, improves immunity, repairs injuries. Breathing slows down, body temperature goes down, blood pressure drops and the body gets a deep relaxation to get ready for the next day. 
  • You need both: It is NOT that NREM is better and preferred than REM. Combined activity and result from both is critical for overall physical and mental health.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article on REM and NREM sleep. Stay tuned for more from the Sleep Series by Srini! To read more about sleep and sleeping techniques, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

#BeTheForce 

March 6, 2021 By GOQii 1 Comment

Sangeeta Jajodia goes from a Simple Housewife to a Super Woman!

Sangeeta Jajodia

They say being a housewife is a full time job, and quite rightly so. As one among many, 52 year old Sangeeta Jajodia from Mumbai, led a very busy life. Her routine revolved around tending to the needs and demands of her grown up children, cooking, cleaning and regular household chores. During her free time, she watched TV or browsed through her mobile – this is how she summed up her life before GOQii.

Apart from her daily chores and normal walks which were required, she never indulged in any physical activity. She had no restrictions on food, she would sleep late and wake up early to prepare food for her kids. All of this led to acidity, cholesterol, fatty liver and weight gain. She says that she had never been underweight nor obese.

In 2017, after a family wedding when browsing through the pics, she realized that she had gradually put on a lot of weight. She decided that she needs to lose weight. Not knowing where to start, she decided walking was the one thing she could do. Seeing her interest, her son gifted her a GOQii and with it, a key to a new life which began taking shape from January 2018.

Life after GOQii

Initially, Sangeeta Jajodia was very reluctant to follow her GOQii Coach’s instructions – even simple things such as adding a salad and fruits to her diet – something she hadn’t done before. Slowly, she began adding salads to her dinner and her lunch as well. Now, she includes them daily.

Apart from adding salads to her diet, some of the changes included:

  • Adding fruits in between her main meals to avoid the long gap she used to have before.
  • She had to exercise portion control while eating her meals.
  • Drinking 2 cups of green tea and cinnamon water before going to bed
  • Eat dinner by 8 PM
  • Regularize eating and sleep timings
  • Apple detox twice a week which includes adding a few pieces of apple and cinnamon powder to a jug full of water, leaving it overnight and consuming that water throughout the day. On these days, she avoids grains and dairy products
  • 1 hour walk every day and does basic home workouts shared by her GOQii Coach
  • She takes her 10k step target seriously and walks even if she’s on vacation.

Sangeeta Jajodia Makes the Shift!

After implementing all of the small lifestyle modifications suggested by her GOQii Coach, Sangeeta Jajodia witnessed a lot of positive changes in her life. To begin with, her weight had reduced from 82kg to 73kg within a year of joining GOQii. Furthermore, her acidity was gone completely. Her cholesterol and fatty liver levels are in the normal range. Apart from this, she has participated in 4 5k runs and 1 8k run last year.

What Does Sangeeta Think About Her GOQii Coach?

Sangeeta completely trusts her GOQii Coach and follows her instructions and guidance diligently. Her coach follows up with her every day and reprimands her if she doesn’t follow a habit or cheats on her diet. What Sangeeta likes the most is that if she is in a difficult situation, her GOQii Coach modifies her habits – for instance, when Sangeeta’s mother-in-law was sick and she was stressed, her GOQii Coach asked her to start with breathing exercises and meditation which really helped her out during that time. Constant suggestions and a customized solution like this is what appeals to Sangeeta the most!

Like Sangeeta Jajodia, do you want to make a positive lifestyle change as well? Download the GOQii App and subscribe to our service now!

For more inspiring user journeys, read here: https://goqii.com/blog/category/user-stories/

#BeTheForce

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