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6 Magical Herbs That Can Help You Sleep

6 Magical Herbs To Help You Sleep There are many people who face severe issues of sleep disorder and it is difficult for them to fall asleep. Sleep is a key component of good health. They say humans need at least 8 hours of sleep a night to rejuvenate and restore their bodies. Unfortunately, in the days of stress, chaos, constant electronic bombardment, adrenal fatigue, and hormonal craziness, we are seeing people generally getting less sleep, and the sleep they do get, tends to be interrupted in some way. This means the sleep quality and quantity have a lot to be desired. Thankfully, we have these 6 magical herbs which can help you relax, rejuvenate, and come to a quiet place of rest and relaxation.

6 Magical Herbs To Help You Sleep

1. Ashwagandha (Winter Cherry)

It is an adaptogen with strong affinities towards the nervous system. It helps the body deal with stress and hormone fluctuations caused by stress, especially helping regulate cortisol levels at night time. Cortisol is what wakes you up at 2 am thinking about a million things at once and not being able to fall back asleep. Taking 500mg of Ashwagandha daily can help your body even out stress hormone levels which can help you get a good night sleep. It has also been shown to ease anxiety and depression.

2. Chamomile

It is a wonderful calming herb. It relaxes both the body (muscles) and the mind. It is also a wonderful, gentle sedative. It is safe and effective for children. Chamomile tea sipped by a breastfeeding mother can soothe the baby after breastfeeding. Toddlers can sip chamomile tea with a little bit of honey before bedtime to calm them down. Adults can drink 1-2 cups of chamomile tea at the end of the day to help calm down before bedtime. Steep chamomile in hot water for 10 minutes in a tightly capped jar, strain and enjoy.

Chamomile oil can also be put in bath water (5-6 drops) to soothe overwrought nerves, diluted to 2% to make an excellent massage oil, or used as an inhalant.

Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3x daily; Tincture, 30 drops 3 x daily.

3. Lavender

Everyone knows that Lavender is great for relaxing and calming the mind and body. The essential oil can be diffused in the evenings alone or combined with other relaxing essential oils to bring on a state of peace and relaxation. The leaves can be drunk as a tea, or added to food. It is great for insomnia, agitation and restlessness. Lavender is a gentle strengthening tonic for the nervous system as well. A few drops of lavender oil added to a bath before bedtime are recommended for persons with sleep disorders. Additionally, the oil may be used as a compressor massage oil or simply inhaled to alleviate insomnia.

Dose: Tea, 1 cup 2-3 x daily; Essential oil may be inhaled, massaged into the skin (use 10 drops essential oil per ounce of vegetable oil), or added to baths (3-10 drops).

4. Passionflower

It’s a great herb for people who wake frequently throughout the night. It is a safe herb for most (excluding excessive use in pregnancy, especially in the first trimester), including children and can be taken in large doses frequently. It is used to promote a deep restful sleep and ease anxiety. Take 30-60 drops of passionflower tincture an hour before hitting the bed, and again at bedtime if you are not yet tired. The herb can be combined with others to make a wonderful night time tea as well. Passionflower is used for minor sleep problems in both children and adults (Bruneton, 1995). It is an excellent sedative with no side effects even when used in large doses (Spaick, 1978).

Dose: Tea, 1 cup 3x daily; Tincture, 30-60 drops 3-4x daily.

5. Lemon balm

It is used primarily to lift the mood and promote calmness and relaxation. Since depression is often related to insomnia, probably because of a lack of serotonin, lemon balm can help you achieve sleep by promoting mental and physical health. Several studies have confirmed its sedative effects, however, it should be noted that too high of a dosage (1800 milligrams) increases anxiety.

To make it into a mild, uplifting, and relaxing tea. You will need:

  • 2 tablespoons of dried lemon balm, or 8-10 tablespoons of fresh lemon balm
  • 2 teaspoons dried chamomile
  • Honey to taste (optional)
  • 8 ounces of fresh water

Directions: Place the loose herbs in a mug and cover with 8 ounces of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes, strain, and drink 30-45 minutes before bed.

6. California Poppy

This is a great herb for insomnia due to restlessness and anxiety (and it’s safe and gentle enough for children). This herb not only helps you to fall asleep, it improves the quality of your sleep as well. A tincture is the most powerful way to take this. Try 30-40 drops twice daily (the second dose close to bedtime).

These herbs can be combined to make a lovely relaxing night time tea that works for your specific needs. That is the great thing about herbs, some speak to you more than others. Those are typically the herbs that you should do some more work with to see if they suit you!

Before you try any of these herbs, have a word with your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist. You can also speak to our Coaches and Experts by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

For more articles on sleep and sleep tips, check out Healthy Reads.

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Does Exercising In Cold Weather Have Any Special Benefits?

exercising in cold weatherWinter months are usually chilly and these months create some form of physiological stress to the body. A healthy person can cope up with this kind of stress more easily than an unhealthy one. Even if your new year’s resolution is to get active, it can be tough to find the motivation to get out of bed on a cold and chilly morning. But, is there any difference between exercising in cold weather compared to other seasons? 

Benefits of Exercising in Cold Weather 

  • Burns more calories: Your body tries to keep warm and keep up the core temperature. In cold weather, the body needs to push itself harder to maintain the inside temperature to balance with the outer environment temperature.
  • Boosts immunity: Boosting immunity during the cold weather helps to ward off common viruses causing cold and flu. Exercise helps in the production of WBC (white blood cells) that help fight infections in our body.
  • Improves endurance: Exercising in cold weather increases the efficiency of the workout as the heart has to pump harder to maintain the normal blood flow to all organs effectively. 
  • Staying slim: Brown fat, also called brown adipose tissue, helps produce more energy compared to white fat. Brown fat production happens in cold weather. Brown fat keeps up the heat production through cold weather and temperature regulation within the body.
  • Stronger bones: Warm sunlight on a cold morning is an experience in itself. It indirectly helps in getting doses of Vitamin D as you tend to exercise in sunlight during cold months. More Vitamin D = stronger bones! 
  • Improves mood: Exercising in cold weather elevates the release of endorphins. Positive feeling is usually triggered by endorphins which stay active for a span of 20-30 mins. During winter, cortisol or stress hormones are higher. Exercising in cold weather helps reduce the cortisol in the body.

If you’re exercising in cold weather, dress in comfortable, dry clothes to stabilize core temperatures. Keep your feet warm and stay hydrated! Cold weather can leave you more dehydrated due to increased urine production and drying nature of the cold weather. Keep your motivation up and get out of bed on a cold morning to get your daily dose of exercise without fail. People on the heavier side can benefit more from this! 

We hope this article on exercising in cold weather helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on fitness, check out Healthy Reads or subscribe for LIVE interactive sessions with our experts on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App.

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Are Cruciferous Vegetables Bad For Thyroid?

cruciferous vegetables

Vegetables have always been considered healthy and they can be consumed by everyone. As vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and the best part is they are low in calories as well, we assume that we can eat liberal amounts of this food group. But, have we ever thought that any of these vegetables can interfere or play around with our hormones as well? Yes, they do! Let’s talk about Cruciferous vegetables and how it impacts thyroid function. 

What Is Thyroid & How Does It Affect Our Health?

Thyroid hormones carry out a large number of functions in our body, like maintaining body temperature, regulating other body organs like the brain, heart and muscles as well as body metabolism which in turn regulates our body weight. The most common disorders related to the thyroid gland are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

  • Hypothyroidism: is a condition in which the thyroid gland is unable to produce a sufficient amount of thyroid hormones. One of the reasons for hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency. Iodine is required for synthesis of thyroid hormones, thus its deficiency can cause hypothyroidism. Lack of thyroid hormones leads to weight gain, feeling lethargic, constipation, hair loss, impaired memory and sensitivity to cold.
  • Hyperthyroidism: is a condition in which there is increased production and release of thyroid hormones. Excess of thyroid hormones leads to weight loss, restlessness, irritability, hair fall, muscle weakness and intolerance to heat.

How Do Cruciferous Vegetables Affect Thyroid? 

Cruciferous, also known as Brassica vegetables, come from the plant family known as Cruciferae or Brassicaceae. Most commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables include  broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, turnips, bok choy, Chinese cabbage, radish, watercress, rutabagas, spinach and lettuce. These nutrient packed vegetables are loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and they are also good sources of antioxidants and fiber. These vegetables are beneficial for weight loss, fighting cancers and reducing inflammation. But, when we talk about thyroid, it has a negative role to play with respect to hypothyroidism.

Goitrogens are naturally occurring chemicals found in cruciferous vegetables when consumed in raw form. They are healthy and vitamin rich. But, if you have a thyroid condition, you should be aware of it. Goitrogens in cruciferous vegetables interfere with thyroid function by reducing the body’s ability to use iodine. As discussed earlier, our body needs iodine for production of thyroid hormones, hence, iodine deficiency can lead to hypothyroidism. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables increases the symptoms of hypothyroidism and people suffering from this condition should  avoid consuming cruciferous vegetables.

But, in the case of hyperthyroidism, they have a positive role to play by inhibiting the production of thyroid hormone and keeping it in check. So people suffering from hyperthyroidism can consume cruciferous vegetables without restrictions.

You Can Still Enjoy Them With Small Adjustments 

Or we can say we can minimise the negative effects of cruciferous vegetables and even people suffering from hypothyroidism can consume them in moderation. Just follow these simple tips:

  • Cooking cruciferous vegetables, instead of consuming them raw, helps in reducing the levels of goitrogens. Cooking methods like steaming, blanching and fermenting can be used.
  • Increasing iodine intake by adding iodine-rich sources like seafood, eggs, dairy products and iodized salt (less than half a teaspoon of iodized salt can fulfill our daily iodine requirement).
  • Increasing selenium intake as selenium helps in removing free radicals generated in the thyroid gland, preventing any damage to the thyroid gland. Some of the selenium-rich sources include brazil nuts, fish, meat, sunflower seeds, tofu, baked beans, portobello mushrooms, whole grain pasta and cheese.

Please Note: Even after having cooked goitrogens in the diet, if it gets difficult to balance your thyroid condition, you may have to cut out cruciferous vegetables from your diet. It is  better to consult your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian to make sure your diet is well balanced. Apart from avoiding cruciferous vegetables, maintaining an active lifestyle, a protein and fiber rich diet will help us boost metabolism and shed down extra weight gained due to hypothyroidism.

We hope this article was informative and helps you. To know more about how to manage thyroid issues with lifestyle changes, speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

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How much cardio should you do?

 

cardio exercise

 

CARDIO- The only form of exercise which has grabbed everybody’s attention and why not, almost all the common activities are a form of cardiovascular exercise.

Whenever I ask someone about what exercise you do throughout the day- their reply is mostly WALKING. Hours of walking sometimes.

So, what does cardio include?

  • Walking (As already mentioned above)
  • Running
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Aqua-aerobics
  • Aerobics
  • Zumba
  • Rowing
  • Boxing

I have seen people concentrating only on cardio exercises for years without any change in their routine. Some people consider themselves to be fit with simply walking.

Fitness is measured by different things and not just your overall structure.

As a part of your fitness routine, these 3 components are very important which is as follows: –

  • Cardiovascular exercises
  • Strength training exercises
  • Flexibility exercises

None of the components can be skipped.

All these 3 components are very important for a proper fitness regime.

The question which I always get is (which also became an idea to write this article) how much cardio should I do?

And my answer is (Always), you should actually ask how much of these 3 components I should do?

Well, I will be covering all these 3 components in 3 separate articles so for now, I will be concentrating on cardio.

So, going back to the question which I always get, I wish I had an answer to that which could be as simple as

Do 60 minutes a day or maybe 150 minutes a week!

But being a healthcare professional, I cannot give a generic answer.

In fact, that question has no specific answer.

The amount of cardio which should be done completely depends upon these 4 factors: – (Ps: – Please read all the factors before you come to a conclusion for yourself)

cardio ex1

(1) It depends on what you are aiming at.

Well, not everybody needs weight loss! Some people might be looking for muscle gain while someone else might need to run a marathon.

So, does that mean all of them will be doing 150 minutes of cardio per week?

Definitely not!

Along with the aim, you also need to know about your metabolism.

Metabolism is the rate at which your body needs calories while resting.

So, for a person who wants to lose weight will probably be needing a lot of cardio but for someone who wants to build muscle- the amount of cardio which you require completely depends on your metabolism. If you have a fast metabolism then you don’t need any cardio but if your metabolism is slow then you need to do some amount of cardio.

Someone who is into different sports like shot put or powerlifting or sprinting might require very little cardio.

Why am I targeting these 2 categories first?

It is because losing weight and gaining muscles are totally different things to talk about. For your body as well, it becomes a very confusing state because the body cannot do 2 things simultaneously. However, with proper training, it does become possible sometimes.

Then, what about fat loss? How much cardio should one do?

If losing weight is your only goal then it is okay to put your focus more on cardio and neglect the muscle gain part.

You just work on not losing muscles while you are losing your fat.

This can be achieved by 2 times a week strength training and adequate proteins in your diet.

What If someone is a marathoner? How much cardio should one do?

It also includes a good amount of cardio and minimum strength training but flexibility here is very important. It can all be divided throughout the week with a focus more on cardio and other endurance sports.

Although I don’t like putting anything in a restricted way I guess I can do with sharing some guidelines about the first factor which I have discussed in brief above so that it becomes easier for everyone to understand.

  • Building muscle + Fast metabolism = No cardio
  • Building muscle + Slow metabolism = 2-4 days per week with about 20-30 minutes every day.
  • Losing fat = 5-6 times per week with about 45-60 minutes every day
  • Marathoner= 4-6 times per week with about 30-60 minutes every day

*This is very generic; the requirement might differ in each person but this can be used as a guideline to work upon.

(2) State of your hormones

Well, the most common problem which most of us are facing is WEIGHT GAIN or UNABLE TO LOSE THE EXISTING WEIGHT which ultimately makes you hit the gym and your trainer will suggest you do cardio. He or she will decide the plan and everyone blindly follows that plan. But, do you think everybody needs exactly the same amount of cardio?

When your weight becomes a problem the hormone which comes into the picture is CORTISOL.

Cortisol is a hormone which is released all the time in the body but most commonly it reaches its peak under extreme stress. When the stress is often short-term like some assignment to complete or some exams to give then the graph of cortisol keeps fluctuating but when the stress becomes long term which goes on for months and years then the gland which produces cortisol is adrenal glands that starts burning out which means there won’t be enough cortisol which is produced. Well, none of this is good. Neither LOW nor HIGH. Everything goes well in balance.

So now that was about the theory, let’s understand how to practically apply it.

Symptoms of cortisol imbalance: –

  • Rapid weight gain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Mood swings
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Confusion
  • Insomnia
  • Fluctuating sugar levels

 

How to know about your cortisol imbalance?

  • It is important to do a stress test first and then go for the lab reports and get your 8 am cortisol checked.
  • Visit an endocrinologist with your reports.

 How much cardio should you do if your cortisol levels are not up to the mark?

  • Under 60% of your maximal heart rate.

How to calculate your maximal heart rate?

  • 220 – your age= maximal heart rate

For example: –

Person who is 40 years of age,

220-40= 180 (Maximal heart rate)

60% of 180 = 108 beats per minute.

  • You should not cross 108 beats per minute while doing cardio in any case.
  • You must strictly monitor it and get yourself a personal trainer/coach who can help you understand this.

Why are we discussing cortisol imbalance and what is the reason behind reducing your cardio activities in such cases?

treadmill-2581437_640

  • All the exercise puts the body into some stress. This stress can affect stimulation of different hormones.
  • When you do steady cardio like a treadmill or cycling your body increases cortisol and reduces other hormones like growth hormone.
  • When you do interval training your body increases cortisol and growth hormone
  • When you do strength training with moderate repetition and sets your body increases growth hormone and cortisol by a small margin.
  • When you do strength training with heavy repetition and sets your body increases testosterone (Which is mostly seen in bodybuilders)

I have given you an in-depth reason here so that you can understand that doing cardio under any stress will increase the complication even more and will do no good to your body.

So before getting into intense workouts, check your cortisol levels.

If everything is okay then you can do the cardio as discussed above.

(3) Depends on your intensity

Whenever I try getting the history about exercises, I get to hear this very often: –

” I do cardio for about 1 and half hours in the gym but I am not getting any results “

” I walk for about 2 hours a day, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening but I don’t think it is helping”

Well, the basic point to this is,

YOUR DURATION DOESN’T MATTER.

WHAT MATTERS IS- YOUR INTENSITY.

You can work out for just like 15 minutes and still get the same effect as you might get it from longer duration.

Since a couple of months, I often see people talking about high-intensity workouts, low-intensity workouts. I was actually very curious to know their definition of these workouts. I was actually very surprised to know that out of 10 people not even 2 of them knew what exactly it is. They were talking about it because they read it on the internet or their trainer told or something else. You don’t need to be a doctor or personal trainer or a certified health expert. You as a common man to have the rights to know, after all, you are the one who is actually, going to follow that advice. Well, writing this article in this depth is just for everyone to understand the basics behind all the theories which are coming up.

So, coming back to the theory behind intensity.

What is a low-intensity workout?

  • Under 60% of your maximal heart rate (How to calculate it is mentioned above) is a low-intensity workout.
  • These intensity workouts will not increase the endurance but do have relaxation benefits.

What is moderate intensity workout?

  • In between 60-85% of your maximal heart rate is moderate intensity workout.
  • This is a basic workout if your goal is to lose fats.
  • Start with 3-4 times per week and for 30-45 minutes
  • This is just about cardio however in this routine strength training is also required which will be covered in the upcoming article.

What is a high-intensity workout?

  • Anything above 85% of your maximal heart rate is high-intensity workout
  • This can be maintained only for about 1-4 minutes before your speed drops and then gradually goes ahead.
  • Start with 2-3 times per week for about 20 minutes.
  • This course will include proper strength training also which will be covered in upcoming article

Note: – High-intensity workout is not suggested for anybody who has not done any cardio exercises for past 4 months, for someone who has serious cardiac issues. Please consult your doctor before getting into these kinds of workout. Inform your coach and coaches too can take this as a basic part of history taking.

(4) Depends upon how well your response to cardio exercises.

  • As I mentioned in the beginning of the article, every individual is different and there is no same answer to HOW MUCH CARDIO YOU SHOULD DO?
  • It all depends on your responses which can vary from person to person
  • I can simply guess that maybe you require this much workout but I am never sure about it unless I check the response for minimum 15 days.

My players always ask me that why do I give the workouts for 15 days and then think so much for the next set of workouts. Sometimes it so happens that I refuse to change the workout and make then repeat it for 15 days. I know it’s annoying, like very annoying but it is better than any serious injury. Unless I am sure about the responses and progress I do not go ahead in case of workouts.

This article only gives you insights about CARDIO but your workout routine is incomplete with strength training and flexibility.

My next blog is HOW MUCH STRENGTH TRAINING YOU NEED TO DO?.

We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

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