Let’s get the burning question out of the way right now — no, masturbation has no impact on the size of your penis.
This is just one of many misconceptions about the link between masturbation and penis size. Masturbation is a perfectly normal and natural activity, and it has no harmful effects on your health, including your sexual health.
Let’s get into some of the misconceptions you can cross off your list of worries and safe ways you can modify the size and appearance of your penis if you’re interested in doing so.
There’s no single origin to the pervasive myth that masturbation causes penis shrinkage. But people definitely have theories — none of which stand up to the rigor of scientific inquiry.
One possible source is the notion that ejaculation reduces your testosterone levels. Many people also believe that testosterone levels are responsible for making your penis grow and shrink.
So by extension, having less testosterone would imply a smaller penis. But that’s wrong.
Here are the two primary reasons this is false:
Testosterone levels fall only briefly after you ejaculate. They go up temporarily when you masturbate or have sex. Then, they go back to normal levels after you ejaculate. But masturbating doesn’t affect serumtestosterone levels, the amount of testosterone that naturally occurs in your bloodstream, in the long term.
Testosterone levels have almost nothing to do with your penis size or your erections. Your penis size is affected primarily by your genes. Your ability to get and keep erections is affected by more than just testosterone — your state of mind, your diet, your lifestyle, and your overall health can all affect your erections.
Can masturbation stunt my growth?
Again, no. This myth also has to do with people’s misconceptions about testosterone levels.
This important hormone is instrumental in your growth during your teenage years, especially. But numerous hormones are responsible for your growth throughout your life. Temporary reductions in testosterone after ejaculation don’t affect your body’s overall stores of testosterone.
In fact, eating unhealthily, not exercising enough, and exposure to air and water pollutants are far bigger factors in stunting your growth than masturbation.
Can masturbation make my penis grow?
No. It’s not clear where this misconception came from. Some believe that it stems from the idea that doing male Kegel exercises, as well as other penile muscle and tissue manipulations like masturbation, helps with bladder and sexual health, which can increase muscle strength.
This may have led to the notion that stronger muscle equals bigger size — which is false.
The short answer here is no. Making changes to your diet, substance use, or exercise will not make your penis bigger or smaller.
But here’s a caveat: a healthy penis has a lot to do with blood flow. When you get erect, blood flows into three cylindrical pieces of tissue in the penile shaft. Anything you can do to improve blood flow will be beneficial to your penis health.
Here are some tips that may not make your penis bigger, but may give you healthier, sturdier erections:
There are increasingly safe and effective methods of enlarging or stretching your penis that have led to satisfying results for some.
These enlargement techniques have minimal results and no real health benefits. Some can have potentially harmful side effects, too. This can include loss of blood flow, penile injury, or loss of sensation in the area.
Talk to a doctor about these enlargement options before you try them.
Here are some options you can consider:
manual penis stretching exercises like jelqing
enlargement devices like the Andropenis, which has been found to increase penis length up to 1.2 inches
Just remember that everyone’s penis is different. There’s no standard look, length, or width.
If a sexual partner, significant other, or someone else in your life is affecting your perception of your penis, talk to them about how it makes you feel.
You can also speak with a mental health counselor that specializes in sexual health. They can help you learn to be content with the size and appearance of your penis, and feel confident in talking to your partner about your feelings.
Masturbation won’t affect your penis size one way or another. In fact, masturbation can help you learn more about what makes you feel sexually satisfied.
The common cold has no boundaries. While there seems to be an uprise in sickness during the winter months, the truth of the matter is that there’s really no rhyme or reason for contracting a stuffy or runny nose, sinus pressure, overall fatigue and other dreadful symptoms associated with a cold.
That’s why it’s so important to regularly be eating foods that boost your immune system if you want to keep colds away.
Over-the-counter medicines seem to alleviate symptoms if only for a brief period of time, but sometimes the ingredients can be questionable for our wellbeing.
Eating power foods that boost the immune system is an easy and effective solution to preventing and fighting off a cold, with no bad side effects!
So while you can’t control every little thing in life, you can eat foods to protect your health and boost your immunity.
Add these 11 foods that boost the immune system to your grocery list this week!
1) Apples
Apples do keep the doctor away. Apples also are nutritional powerhouses, packing soluble fiber shown to lower cholesterol levels and are a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C.
You can eat apples plain or cut them up in slices and dip them into a little bit of peanut butter or almond butter for some protein.
Or, how about having apples with a little caramel dip or a slice of cheese? However, you choose to eat them, they’re great for building immunity!
2) Yogurt
You may have heard to steer clear of dairy when dealing with a cold, and while dairy can make mucus problems worse, yogurt contains probiotics which can actually help the body produce antibodies and fight off sickness.
By protecting your gut with the live active cultures found in yogurt, these cultures can help keep your belly and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs.
3) Oats and Barley
Fiber? Check. Antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities? Check.
Oats and barley are rich in the fiber beta-glucan, which aids in your body’s white blood cell response to bacteria, virsues and a variety of infections.
If you’re not big on cooked oatmeal, try adding raw oats to your morning smoothie. Barley can be easily added into soups for additional healing properties.
P.S. Not only do these foods boost your immunity but they speed wound healing too.
4) Garlic
It’s a great additive to any dish, but garlic does more than just add some flavor to your food.
The cloves contain a potent antimicrobial called allicin that works to fight bacteria, viruses and fungi. And if you’re serious about sticking it to that oncoming cold, try chewing a clove every 3 to 4 hours, or cut them into small pieces and swallow.
Just be sure to throw in a breath mint afterward!
Also, if you take in lots of garlic each week (say six cloves or so) you can lower your rate of certain types of cancer.
5) Fish
You know salmon, mackerel and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, those good-for-you kind that can protect you from respiratory infections.
Shellfish like shrimp, oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams have selenium which helps the body clear out viruses too.
6) Chicken Soup
We already know it’s good for the soul and makes you feel better when you’re sick, but if you load it up with immunity-boosting spices like garlic and onions, it just may prevent you from getting sick too.
7) Tea
Tea lovers rejoice! Not only is drinking a cup of tea tasty and hydrating, but it’s medicinal, too.
And it seems you can never have too much tea when you’re feeling a cold coming on. That’s because the green and black varieties are packed with antioxidants, including the immune-boosting amino acid L-theanine.
They’re also rich in flavonoids, which protect the immune system, too.
As for prevention, a Harvard study discovered that people who drank tea every day had immune system cells that responded five times faster to germs than those who didn’t.
Drinking tea also helps you stay hydrated, which is important in boosting immunity since drinking water aids in the production of lymph, which carries white blood cells and other immune system cells.
Want an even bigger boost? Squeeze a wedge of lemon and 1 tablespoon of honey into your cup.
Lemon, packed with cold-fighting vitamin C, also works to change the body’s pH level, which can work to ward off viruses and bacteria. Honey is antimicrobial, and helps to fight off infection.
8) Beef
It may seem like an odd recommendation, but having the occasional beef for dinner can ensure you have enough Zinc, a nutrient where many people are deficient.
Zinc helps your body’s development of white blood cells, the cells that destroy the bad stuff (bacteria and viruses) so you definitely don’t want to be deficient.
If you don’t eat red meat, try chicken, fortified cereals, yogurt or milk.
9) Orange Fruits & Vegetables
Carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, squash and other orange foods are packed with beta carotene, which works to aid in the health of the body’s mucus membrane.
This lines the respiratory and intestinal tracts, and the stronger it is, the harder time bacteria has entering the bloodstream and wreaking havoc on your health.
These orange fruits and vegetables are also loaded with vitamin A.
To get the most out of these fruits and vegetables, eat them raw, steam them for a side to your dinner, or chop them up and let them soften in your soup recipe.
10) Spices
Spices like cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, chili peppers and ginger have been used for their medicinal values for centuries, most notably in the Ayurvedic tradition to break a fever.
Modern research is now confirming what healers and traditional medicine practitioners believe about many spices, too.
Ginger, for instance, helps to ward off illness. An anti-inflammatory that fights off viruses and reduces pain and fever, it contains sesquiterpenes, which is a compound that prevents the main cause of the common cold, known as rhinovirus.
Chili peppers can unclog a stuffy nose thanks to the primary substance found in them, called capsaicin.
11) Mushrooms
Remember those white blood cells that fight the bad guys in your body? When you eat mushrooms you are powering up those white blood cells to fight for you.
Shiitake, maitake and reishi are the best (and most flavorful!).
Are you ready to go grocery shopping to protect your health and boost your immune system? Eat them year round for protection and health benefits galore!
Researchers recently found that not getting enough sleep consistently could cause the brain to clear a significant amount of neurons and synaptic connections.
Sleeping serves many purposes. Superficially, it helps our bodies replenish, and prepares us for the next day.
It however serves more purpose than this. Besides giving us the energy we need to function, it gets rid of the toxics in our brain, that are a residual byproduct of neural activity.
Researchers recently found that not getting enough sleep consistently could cause the brain to clear a significant amount of neurons and synaptic connections, while adding that making up for the lost sleep may not be able to undo the damage.
In essence, not getting sleep may be causing our brain to start eating itself!
A 2017 study led by Michele Bellesi from the Marche Polytechnic University in Italy examined the mammal brain’s response to poor sleeping habits, and realised there was a similarity between well-rested and sleepless mice.
The cells in our brain are being constantly refreshed by two types of cell – the “microglial” kind that get rid of the worn out cells in a process of devouring them, while “astrocytes” refresh the wiring of synaptic connections in the brain.
The scary part is that our body does this not only while we’re asleep, but also when we aren’t simply getting enough of it.
Overdrive mode!
In this process, the brain goes into overdrive and starts eating the “astrocytes”, which as previously mentioned are responsible for refreshing the brain connections.
The research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience took could not ascertain whether the mice behaviour could be replicated in humans. But given the 50 per cent jump in the number of Alzheimer’s cases is testimony to the possibility of more damage.
The researches after taking into account of groups of mice of on a scale of well rested to chronically sleep deprived found that the the brain had started devouring parts of itself after prolonged sleep deprivation.
Such activity has been linked to forms of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.
For some people, insomnia is pretty common. Stress, daily activities, and an accelerated pace of life can make it difficult to fall asleep at night, and staying awake for too long can be bad for your health.
We at Olympia would like to tell you about a study that could make you reconsider the importance of a healthy sleep regime.
Sleep helps us release toxins.
Sleep regenerates our immune system, our respiratory system, and our energy levels, allowing our brain to process the information it has acquired during the day, in addition to regulating our blood pressure and heart rate. But it also eliminates toxins from the neurological activity we experience during the day. When we don’t have enough hours of rest, our body converts these toxins into a kind of fuel reserve.
Burning brain fuel
In the short term, eliminating these toxins could be beneficial for our brain’s health, since all that energy would be used for that process. However, in the long term, in cases with people who suffer from sleep apnea or chronic insomnia, using all the reserves of their brain could affect its functions and contribute to the degeneration of this vital organ.
A study in mice
A team of neuroscientists, led by Michele Bellesi of the Polytechnic University of Marche in Italy, conducted a study using mice that they divided into different groups: The first could sleep as much as they wanted during the day, the second would be obliged to be awake and sleep less than 8 hours a day, and the third one had to be alert for 5 days in a row so that the scientists could observe the changes in their brains.
Cleaning cells
Astrocytes are responsible for the brain’s self-cleaning function and are also present in mice. That was how, by observing the activity of these cells, they were able to obtain a result. At the end of the experiment, the brains of the mice that had slept long enough had an astrocyte activity level of 6%, the second group had an astrocyte activity level of 8%, and the third, after 5 days, had an astrocyte activity level of 13.5%. This means that our cells will do a more thorough “cleaning” the less we sleep.
The brain may eat itself.
In rats, this process practically consists of consuming the synapses in their brain and suggests that the same effect may occur in humans. Not sleeping several nights in a row could cause this function to overflow, making us prone to degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or contributing to dementia in the long term.
Tips for better sleep
There are different methods that can help you fall asleep if you sometimes experience insomnia, but if your problem is persistent, we recommend that you see a specialist.
Practice meditation
Adjust the environment of your bedroom to make it more comfortable
How much sleep do you think you need? Are you getting enough? Research shows that our actual requirement is not less than eight hours every night. In modern life, most people are getting no more than 6-7 hours. The health damage accruing from this sleep deprivation is immense — it increases the risk of almost all major chronic diseases.
Why has sleep deprivation become an epidemic?
We have so many more conveniences nowadays than our grandparents did. We have airconditioning and heating, better beds and pillows, music that we can listen to at any time, etc. But these conveniences have come at the cost. Instead of taking the time to sleep, we spend time being awake and distracted or stressed. Even children struggle to get enough sleep. They have to wake up early to go to school and they stay up late into the evening. Adults are no different. The pressures of work and family keep them for longer and longer.
A person who misses a night of sleep has as little concentration as a person who is drunk! Without rest, the body and mind deteriorate in performance. Athletic skill, job productivity, emotional balance all suffer when we don’t get enough rest. Don’t we know this from our own experience? When a child is cranky, which parent has not said, “She/he didn’t sleep enough last night!”
A basic step in progressing towards sufficient sleep is to give ourselves permission to rest. Unless our life values and perspective allow us to rest, the mind and body will not take the time to sleep. Sleep is the ultimate and healthful form of rest, but every minute you take to allow yourself to experience deeper rest is a minute where your body can repair and rejuvenate itself, a minute where your mind can de-stress and find better balance.
Look at how coffee and tea have become staples of the modern day. Many people rely on these stimulants to keep themselves going through the day. What does this mean? If you did not have a cup of coffee and felt sleep as a result, does that not mean that you actually need the rest but are keeping your nervous system artificially stimulated, preventing it from resting? Now, it’s not that drinking coffee is bad. But if it is consumed as a substitute for getting adequate rest, that is an unhealthful habit.
Consider taking time during the day, even if it is just starting with a few minutes, to take a pause from your busy routine. Consciously tell yourself that you are taking that pause so that your body and mind can rest. Sit down and lean back. Slow down your breathing. Let your muscles relax. Feel the support your body gets from the chair or any other surface. Do not reject this experience. Don’t mentally rush to the next activity. Give yourself permission to take this minute and appreciate how valuable this brief time of rest can be to help rejuvenate your body and mind.
Whenever you take these rest pauses, let your breath slow down, and grow more calm and even. Tell yourself that, in this minute, there is no need to be in a hurry, leave alone rush. Then let your exhalation grow a little longer than your inhalation, and you will find the stresses in body and mind releasing.
If you can develop the habit of enjoying this feeling of resting, choosing it deliberately, wholeheartedly, you will find it easier to gradually improve the quality of your sleep at night. And you will also find that health in body and balance in mind is closer at hand!
Early morning or late afternoon, what is the best time to have coffee?Who doesn’t like a cup of steaming coffee to kick start their day? Most of us have programed ourselves to reach for a cup of coffee first thing in the morning. It’s our trusted beverage which will ensure we get out of bed and get to work every single day. Coffee can make us feel alert and productive even on the gloomiest of days and that’s exactly why we’ve made it our best friend. Now, to shatter your blissful idea of coffee drinking – according to a study, there are specific times where you should be consuming coffee to get maximum benefits. The best time? Certainly not first thing in the morning.
The science behind the best time for coffee The study was conducted by Steven Miller, a Ph.D. candidate at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda. In his study, he talks about the reason behind having coffee at specific times. It all starts with the 24-hour hormonal cycle referred to as the circadian clock or in other words internal body clock or your sleep/wake cycle. Its basic function is running the background of your brain and cycles between sleepiness and alertness at regular intervals.
The clock also controls the production of the hormone called cortisol which makes us feel alert and awake. The production of this stress-related hormone increases with consumption of caffeine. Now here’s the tricky part, the production of cortisol is at its highest when we wake up – from 8 to 9am. According to Miller, drinking coffee at the time when your cortisol production is at its peak will ultimately lead your body to create a tolerance to it. Basically, your cup of morning coffee would become less effective and would not do much to make you feel ‘more awake’ as your body is already approaching its peak in terms of alertness. So, you probably shouldn’t be consuming caffeine at a time when your cortisol concentration in the blood is at its peak.
Best time to consume coffee
A Seattle-based Japanese coffee lover, Ryoko Iwata, created one of her posts based on the research gathered by Steven Miller. On her blog, I Love Coffee, She explained the theory with the help of visuals and smart graphics.
According to the chart created by her, the best time to drink coffee is when your cortisol levels naturally dip, or in other words ‘the coffee break’ time.
Your cortisol levels are at their peak: 8-9am, 12-1pm,5:30-6:30pm. The appropriate/coffee break time: 9:30-11:30 and 1:30-5pm. Even though every human body and every circadian clock is different, the best time to consume coffee is in the time periods mentioned above, where the level of cortisol dips in a majority of people. Drinking coffee at times of peak cortisol can increase your tolerance for caffeine which in turn can lead to heightened cortisol levels, disturbing the circadian rhythms. So what about people who are early risers and start their day at about 5am? Miller suggests to wait for at least an hour after waking up before you reach out to your nearest cup of coffee.
What to do
This theory has certainly created quite a stir in the minds of coffee addicts/lovers. On one hand there are researchers who claim that caffeine is beneficial any time of the day and on the other Miller claims that there are specific times of its effectiveness. Most of the things make sense including the traditional idea of a coffee break or the fact that maybe having coffee first thing in the morning was a habit that got instilled in our daily routine over the years. So, do what you find best. If you would like to stick to your old routine, fair enough. If you would like to change your coffee routine to see a difference, that’s good too. While you contemplate that, I’m going to grab my cup of coffee and think about it some more.
Diabetes is a major epidemic that needs to be addressed quite seriously. In 2006, it was estimated that the total deaths from diabetes in India would increase by 35% in 10 years. With 32 million people already living with diabetes today, the number is poised to rise to 80 million by 2030. Although there are several medications for chronic illness that can help you control the symptoms of this deadly disease, the key is prevention.
If it’s too late for prevention, the next step is identifying the early symptoms as soon as possible so that one can begin corrective treatment immediately.
Here Are A Few Symptoms That Are Easy To Spot:
Excess hunger
Without sufficient insulin to move the sugar from your blood into the cells of your body, your muscles will feel depleted of energy, thus triggering intense hunger. If they are normal hunger pangs then you can satiate your stomach by having healthy snacks like upma or rava to reduce blood sugar.
Fatigue
Even though you’re consuming more food, the lowered insulin and resultant restriction of sugar entering the cells will leave you constantly feeling tired.
Thirst And Frequent Urination
The high sugar content in the blood will cause fluids to be pulled from tissues. This will leave you feeling dehydrated and increase thirst thus making you urinate more.
Dry Mouth And Itchy Skin
Because fluids are being drawn from tissues as a result of heightened blood sugar, there’s less moisture for other things. This may cause dehydration leading to itchy skin and a dry mouth.
Blurred Vision
The dehydration and fluid loss can also occur from the tissues around the eyes and lead to blurred vision. If this occurs, you should not waste any time and ask someone to drive you to a hospital immediately.
Weight Loss
Even with the increase in the number of calories consumed, the cells in your body do not absorb the sugars from food and it’s passed out of your body by frequent urination which is another symptom. This will result in sudden weight loss.
Yeast Infections
Yeast feeds on glucose and thrives in diabetics because of the heightened level of blood sugar. Both men and women are susceptible to infections and hence should be careful.
Slow-healing Sores Or Cuts
Elevated levels of blood sugar can affect the flow of blood and damage nerves thereby making it harder for your body to heal wounds.
As one of the fastest growing epidemics, especially in those over 45, it’s best to be aware of the symptoms that could possibly be lifesaving.
Do you work in an office setting? Does your job require you to sit a majority of the day? The unfortunate trend in the United States is that many of us sit more and more, whether it is at work or at home. In fact, 25 percent of the U.S. population is not active at all (CDC, 2010). From work environments to the home to transportation, modern life seems to consistently tempt us to sit more and move less—a tragic trend in environmental design and human behavior.
Is there anything that we can do to combat the ever-increasing sedentary lifestyle we are all adopting (perhaps unintentionally)? Fortunately, there are plenty of options to foster physical activity and exercise habits, whether you are working in an office setting or have fallen victim to a sedentary way of life.
First, let’s consider some practical ways you can simply move more and sit less when you are at the office:
Free option: Build a standing desk addition by putting a box and/or some books stacked on top of each other on your desk to place your laptop or desktop (for good posture, you need to stack them to an appropriate height).
2. Replace your regular office chair with a resistance ball.
Several sizes of inexpensive resistance balls are available. Be sure to choose one that is the right height in relation to your desk to promote good posture. Sitting on a resistance ball engages your core and may assist with improving posture. Begin by sitting on the ball for short periods of time throughout the day, gradually reducing the amount of time you spend sitting on a traditional office chair.
3. Phone time = walk time
Every time your phone rings, get up and walk around in your office space. This will assist you with building an associative positive habit.
4. Meeting time = standing time (or walking time)
Movement increases productivity, which may help convince your colleagues and supervisors to conduct meetings while standing or walking. If no one is excited about your suggestion, start the trend and stand ormove during meetings.
5. The 30-minutes challenge
Set an alarm on your cell phone to alert you every 30 minutes. As soon as the alarm goes off, complete a two-minute physical activity challenge such as:
Walking in place, pulling the knees higher toward the belly button
Use your office chair to sit down and get up repeatedly for as long as you can during the two minutes
Here are some basic exercises that can be done in your office space (even for the above-mentioned 30-minutes challenge). Depending on your current fitness and ability level, the number of sets and reps for each will vary.
Office desk push-ups. Use one edge of your desk to complete push-ups (some may prefer to just do them on the floor)
Office chair triceps dips. Use a chair to perform triceps dips.
Office walking lunges. Use the entire office space to complete walking lunges (from one end to the other).
Office wall sits. Use a small wall space in your office, lean against it and squat down so that there is 90-degree angle about your knees (hold as long as you can)
Office standing calf raises. Perform standing calf raises, holding on to your office chair if balancing is initially challenging.
OFFICE LUNCHTIME FITNESS
For a greater challenge, set aside 20 to 30 minutes of your lunch hour to complete a variety of exercises or to walk outside. If the 30-minute challenge is not an option for you, you can complete the exercises listed above during this lunchtime fitness session. To engage in more vigorous exercise, find a staircase that you can use to complete up-and-down challenges.
For more variety, enjoyment and greater challenge, consider building your own office mini-fitness center. Basic fitness equipment that is not very expensive could include:
Don’t fall victim to sedentary environmental design and increasing sitting behavior patterns and start moving more today. Innovative office fitness ideas can increase your quality of life, work productivity and sense of wellbeing, and decrease your risk for disease. Positively impact not only your own life, but also the lives of your colleagues and bosses by making your office space a movement space.
Getting good sleep is incredibly important for your overall health.
It may reduce your risk of developing certain chronic illnesses, keep your brain healthy, and boost your immune system .
It’s generally recommended that you get between 7 and 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, though many people struggle to get enough
There are many strategies you can use to promote good sleep, including making changes to your diet, as some foods and drinks have sleep-promoting properties .
Here are the 9 best foods and drinks you can have before bed to enhance your quality of sleep.
Almonds are a type of tree nut with many health benefits.
They’re an excellent source of many nutrients, as 1 ounce (28 grams) of the dry roasted nuts contains 18% of an adult’s daily needs for phosphorus and 23% for riboflavin.
An ounce also provides 25% of the daily manganese needs for men and 31% of the daily manganese needs for women .
Eating almonds regularly has been associated with lower risks of a few chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This is attributed to their healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, and antioxidants.
Antioxidants may protect your cells from harmful inflammation that can lead to these chronic diseases .
It’s been claimed that almonds may help boost sleep quality as well. This is because almonds, along with several other types of nuts, are a source of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin regulates your internal clock and signals your body to prepare for sleep.
Almonds are also an excellent source of magnesium, providing 19% of your daily needs in only 1 ounce. Consuming adequate amounts of magnesium may help improve sleep quality, especially for those who have insomnia .
Magnesium’s role in promoting sleep is thought to be related to its ability to reduce inflammation. Additionally, it may help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is known to interrupt sleep.
Yet, despite this, research on almonds and sleep is sparse.
One study examined the effects of feeding rats 400 milligrams (mg) of almond extract. It found that the rats slept longer and more deeply than they did without consuming almond extract.
The potential sleep-related effects of almonds are promising, but more extensive human studies are needed.
If you want to eat almonds before bed to determine if they affect your sleep quality, a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving, or about a handful, should be adequate.
SUMMARY
Almonds are a source of melatonin and the sleep-enhancing mineral magnesium, two properties that may make them a great food to eat before bed.
It’s high in protein, with roasted turkey providing almost 8 grams of protein per ounce (28 grams). Protein is important for keeping your muscles strong and regulating your appetite.
Additionally, turkey is a modest source of a few vitamins and minerals, such as riboflavin and phosphorus. It’s an excellent source of selenium, with a 3-ounce serving providing 56% of the Daily Value (DV).
Turkey has a few properties that explain why some people become tired after eating it or think it encourages sleepiness. Most notably, it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which increases the production of melatonin.
The protein in turkey may also contribute to its ability to promote tiredness. There’s evidence that consuming moderate amounts of protein before bed is associated with better sleep quality, including less waking up throughout the night .
More research is necessary to confirm turkey’s potential role in improving sleep.
SUMMARY
Turkey may be a great food to eat before bed due to its high amounts of protein and tryptophan, both of which may induce tiredness.
3. Chamomile tea
Chamomile tea is a popular herbal tea that may offer a variety of health benefits.
It’s well known for its flavones. Flavones are a class of antioxidants that reduce the inflammation that often leads to chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease .
There’s also some evidence that drinking chamomile tea may boost your immune system, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve skin health. In addition, chamomile tea has some unique properties that may improve sleep quality.
Specifically, chamomile tea contains apigenin. This antioxidant binds to certain receptors in your brain that may promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia .
One 2011 study in 34 adults found those who consumed 270 mg of chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days fell asleep 15 minutes faster and experienced less nighttime wakening compared to those who didn’t consume the extract .
Another study found that women who drank chamomile tea for 2 weeks reported improved sleep quality compared to non-tea drinkers.
Those who drank chamomile tea also had fewer symptoms of depression, which is commonly associated with sleep problems.
Drinking chamomile tea before going to bed is certainly worth trying if you want to improve the quality of your sleep.
SUMMARY
Chamomile tea contains antioxidants that may promote sleepiness, and drinking it has been shown to improve overall sleep quality.
4. Kiwi
Kiwis are a low-calorie and very nutritious fruit.
One fruit contains only 42 calories and a significant amount of nutrients, including 71% of the DV for vitamin C. It provides men and women with 23% and 31%, respectively, of the vitamin K they need each day.
It contains a decent amount of folate and potassium as well as several trace minerals too.
Furthermore, eating kiwis may benefit your digestive health, reduce inflammation, and lower your cholesterol. These effects are due to the high amounts of fiber and carotenoid antioxidants that they provide.
According to studies on their potential to improve sleep quality, kiwis may also be one of the best foods to eat before bed.
In a 4-week study, 24 adults consumed two kiwifruits one hour before going to bed each night. At the end of the study, participants fell asleep 42% more quickly than when they didn’t eat anything before bedtime.
Additionally, their ability to sleep through the night without waking improved by 5%, while their total sleep time increased by 13% .
The sleep-promoting effects of kiwis are sometimes attributed to serotonin. Serotonin is a brain chemical that helps regulate your sleep cycle .
It’s also been suggested that the anti-inflammatory antioxidants in kiwis, such as vitamin C and carotenoids, may be partly responsible for their sleep-promoting effects.
More scientific evidence is needed to determine the effects that kiwis may have in improving sleep. Nevertheless, eating 1–2 medium kiwis before bed may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
SUMMARY
Kiwis are rich in serotonin and antioxidants, both of which may improve sleep quality when eaten before bed.
5. Tart cherry juice
Tart cherry juice has some impressive health benefits.
First, it provides modest amounts of a few important nutrients, such as magnesium and phosphorus. It’s a good source of potassium too.
An 8-ounce (240-milliliter) serving contains 17% of the potassium a woman needs each day and 13% of the potassium that a man needs each day .
Additionally, it’s a rich source of antioxidants, including anthocyanins and flavonols.
Tart cherry juice is also known to promote sleepiness, and it’s even been studied for its role in relieving insomnia. For these reasons, drinking tart cherry juice before bed may improve your sleep quality.
The sleep-promoting effects of tart cherry juice are due to its high amounts of melatonin .
In a small study, adults with insomnia drank 8 ounces (240 ml) of tart cherry juice twice a day for 2 weeks. They slept 84 minutes longer and reported better sleep quality compared to when they didn’t drink the juice .
Although these results are promising, more extensive research is necessary to confirm the role of tart cherry juice in improving sleep and preventing insomnia.
Nevertheless, drinking some tart cherry juice before bed is worth a try if you struggle with falling or staying asleep at night.
SUMMARY
Tart cherry juice contains the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin and may help induce a good night’s sleep.
6. Fatty fish
Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout, and mackerel, are incredibly healthy. What makes them unique is their exceptional amounts of vitamin D.
For example, a 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of sockeye salmon contains 570 international units (IU) of vitamin D. That’s 71% of your DV. A similar serving of farmed rainbow trout contains 81% of your DV.
Additionally, fatty fish are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
EPA and DPA are known for reducing inflammation. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids may protect against heart disease and boost brain health .
The combination of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in fatty fish has the potential to enhance sleep quality, as both have been shown to increase the production of serotonin .
In one study, men who ate 10.5 ounces (300 grams) of Atlantic salmon three times a week for 6 months fell asleep about 10 minutes faster than men who ate chicken, beef, or pork.
This effect was thought to be the result of vitamin D. Those in the fish group had higher levels of vitamin D, which was linked to a significant improvement in sleep quality.
Eating a few ounces of fatty fish before bed may help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. More studies are needed to make a definite conclusion about the ability of fatty fish to improve sleep.
SUMMARY
Fatty fish are a great source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which have properties that may improve the quality of your sleep.
7. Walnuts
Walnuts are a popular type of tree nut.
They’re abundant in many nutrients, providing over 19 vitamins and minerals, in addition to 1.9 grams of fiber, in a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving. Walnuts are particularly rich in magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and copper.
Additionally, walnuts are a great source of healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and linoleic acid. They also provide 4.3 grams of protein per ounce, which may be beneficial for reducing appetite .
Walnuts may also boost heart health. They’ve been studied for their ability to reduce high cholesterol levels, which are a major risk factor for heart disease.
What’s more, some researchers claim that eating walnuts improves sleep quality, as they’re one of the best food sources of melatonin .
The fatty acid makeup of walnuts may also contribute to better sleep. They provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that’s converted to DHA in the body. DHA may increase serotonin production.
There’s not much evidence to support the claims about walnuts improving sleep. In fact, there haven’t been any studies that focus specifically on their role in promoting sleep.
Regardless, if you struggle with sleep, eating some walnuts before bed may help. About a handful of walnuts is an adequate portion.
SUMMARY
Walnuts have a few properties that may promote better sleep. For instance, they’re a great source of melatonin and healthy fats.
8. Passionflower tea
Passionflower tea is another herbal tea that’s been traditionally used to treat a number of health ailments.
It’s a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants. Flavonoid antioxidants are known for their role in reducing inflammation, boosting immune health, and reducing heart disease risk.
Additionally, passionflower tea has been studied for its potential to reduce anxiety.
The antioxidant apigenin may be responsible for passionflower’s anxiety-reducing effects. Apigenin produces a calming effect by binding to certain receptors in your brain .
There’s also some evidence that passionflower increases the production of the brain chemical gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA works to inhibit other brain chemicals that induce stress, such as glutamate.
The calming properties of passionflower tea may promote sleepiness, so it may be beneficial to drink it before going to bed.
In a 7-day study, 41 adults drank a cup of passionflower tea before bed. They rated their sleep quality significantly better when they drank the tea compared to when they didn’t drink the tea.
More research is needed to determine whether passionflower promotes sleep.
SUMMARY
Passionflower tea contains apigenin and has the ability to increase gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) production. This may influence sleep.
9. White rice
White rice is a grain that’s widely consumed as a staple food in many countries.
The major difference between white and brown rice is that white rice has had its bran and germ removed. This makes it lower in fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants.
Nevertheless, white rice still contains a decent amount of a few vitamins and minerals.
A 4-ounce (79-gram) serving of white rice provides 19% of your daily needs for folate. It also provides provides 21% of the daily thiamine needs for men and 22% of the daily thiamine needs for women.
A 4-ounce (79-gram) serving of long-grain white rice contains 13% of your DV for manganese .
White rice is high in carbs, providing 22 grams in a 4-ounce (79-gram) serving. Its carb content and lack of fiber contribute to its high glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food increases your blood sugar .
It’s been suggested that eating foods with a high GI, such as white rice, at least 1 hour before bed may help improve sleep quality.
One study compared the sleep habits of 1,848 people based on their intake of rice, bread, or noodles. Higher rice intake was associated with better sleep than bread or noodles, including longer sleep duration
Despite the potential role that eating white rice may have in promoting sleep, it’s best consumed in moderation due to its comparative low amounts of fiber and nutrients.
SUMMARY
White rice may be beneficial to eat before bed due to its high glycemic index (GI). A high GI may promote better sleep.
Other foods and drinks that may promote sleep
Several other foods and drinks have sleep-promoting properties. For example, they may contain high amounts of nutrients such as tryptophan.
However, in some cases, there’s little research into their specific effects on sleep.
Dairy products: Dairy products, such as a glass of milk, cottage cheese, and plain yogurt, are known sources of tryptophan. Milk has been shown to improve sleep in older adults, especially when paired with light exercise .
Bananas: Banana peels contain tryptophan and the fruit itself is a modest source of magnesium. Both of these properties may help you get a good night’s sleep .
Oatmeal: Similar to rice, oatmeal is high in carbs with a bit more fiber and has been reported to induce drowsiness when consumed before bed. Additionally, oats are a known source of melatonin.
SUMMARY
Other foods and drinks, such as dairy products, bananas, and oatmeal, also contain nutrients known to improve sleep quality. Specific research into their effects on sleep may be limited, though.
Getting enough sleep is very important for your health.
Several foods and drinks may help. This is because they contain sleep-regulating hormones and brain chemicals, such as melatonin and serotonin.
Some foods and drinks contain high amounts of specific antioxidants and nutrients, such as magnesium and melatonin, that are known to enhance sleep by helping you fall asleep faster or stay asleep longer.
To reap the benefits of sleep-enhancing foods and drinks, it may be best to consume them 2–3 hours before bed. Eating immediately before going to sleep may cause digestive issues, such as acid reflux.
Overall, more research is necessary to conclude the specific role that foods and drinks have in promoting sleep, but their known effects are very promising.
The potent benefits of green tea are due to the presence of compounds called catechins, specifically epicatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate, epigallocatechin, and EGCG. These compounds help to fight cancer, boost metabolism, enhance brain functioning and improve digestive health, which in turn helps you lose weight. This tea also contains traces of potassium and caffeine. There are several varieties of green tea available in the market. Some of them even contain nutrients like vitamin A, B, C, manganese, zinc and chromium. Green tea contains 99.5 per cent water and is considered the second most hydrating beverage after water. Whenever you buy green tea, always opt for tea leaves over tea bags. Brewed green tea contains more nutrients than the one made from tea bags.
2. Nutrients in green tea
The potent benefits of green tea are due to the presence of compounds called catechins, specifically epicatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate, epigallocatechin, and EGCG. These compounds help to fight cancer, boost metabolism, enhance brain functioning and improve digestive health, which in turns helps you lose weight. This tea also contains traces of potassium and caffeine. There are several varieties of green tea available in the market. Some of them even contain nutrients like vitamin A, B, C, manganese, zinc and chromium. Green tea contains 99.5 per cent water and is considered the second most hydrating beverage after water. Whenever you buy green tea, always opt for tea leaves over tea bags. Brewed green tea contains more nutrients than the one made from tea bags.
03. Here is what you should know
Well, the most important thing to understand here is that while green tea is healthier than the traditional tea or coffee, it does not mean you can have it throughout the day. Surprisingly, the timing when you choose to drink the beverage may determine if you will have positive or negative side-effects.
4 The best time
To reap maximum health benefits from green tea, it is important to have it at the right time. Studies suggest that the best time to drink green tea is in the morning and before the workout session. Swapping your cup of coffee with green tea is the best way to kick start your day. Like coffee, green tea also contains some amount of caffeine and L-theanine. Both of them together can help to improve your mood and enhance your concentration level.
If your motive is to burn fat then, drinking green tea before your workout session is the best for you. Several studies suggest that doing this may increase the fat burning process during the workout.
5. The worst time
Drinking green tea after your meal and at night are the worst of all. There are different types of compounds found in green tea, which can bind with the minerals present in the food and can block their absorption in the body. Iron, copper and chromium are some minerals that might not get absorbed by the body if you drink green tea immediately after your meal.
Sipping a warm cup of tea before going to bed might seem like a nice idea, but it is not. Again the caffeine content in the green tea might make it difficult for you to fall asleep. It might also lead to anxiety, high blood pressure and nervousness.
6. The caffeine content in green tea
The caffeine content in a cup of green tea depends on the duration of infusing time and the amount of tea. Green tea contains less amount of caffeine as compared to black tea and coffee. In general, 230 ml of green contains 20-45 milligrams of caffeine, which is quite less than the amount of caffeine found in coffee and tea.
7. How to make green tea healthier
Green tea is healthy. But if you want to maximize the positive effects of green tea, and make it taste better at the same time then here are a few things you can do.
The water you use for green tea should not be too hot or too cold. Water that is between 160 and 180 degrees is the best.
Do not steep green tea for more than 2-3 minutes. Less time will prevent the tea leaves from releasing their flavour while more time will make your tea bitter.
Adding 2 grams of tea leaves to 177 ml of water is the right ratio to make a healthy and tasty cup of tea.
You can add some mint leaves, lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey in your green tea to improve its taste.
Good brushing habits help to keep your teeth healthy and maintain the brightness of your smile. To keep your teeth strong and free from cavities, it is recommended to scrub them twice daily for at least 2 minutes. But it has never been clearly outlined when you should exactly brush your teeth.
Most of us who deal with the problem of morning breath immediately rush to the washroom to get rid of the stinky smell as soon as we roll out of our bed. It is a common habit that we have been taught since childhood and seem pretty valid. But there is also a group of people, who believe cleaning their teeth after having their morning meal would cleanse their mouth and freshen their breath. The views of an expert in this matter are quite diverse. Some support brushing teeth before breakfast while others suggest doing it later. Here we will tell you the pros and cons of both so that you can make an informed choice.
02. The right time to brush your teeth
As per some experts in the field of dental science, brushing your teeth after having your breakfast is much more beneficial for your tooth enamel and overall oral health. According to some studies, when you sleep at night, plaque-causing bacteria multiplies rapidly in your mouth, which makes your mouth stink in the morning. Washing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste in the morning helps you to get rid of plaque and bad breath. Moreover, it protects your enamel against acid by creating a barrier. Brushing in the morning also jump-starts your saliva production, which helps you break the food and destroy harmful bacteria present in the mouth.
03. Rules for brushing teeth after breakfast
Some dental experts advocate cleaning teeth after the first meal as leaving food particles from the morning meal in your mouth for a long time can encourage the growth of bacteria. However, if you choose to clean your teeth after having your breakfast then you must wait at least 30 minutes after consuming acidic foods. Bread, dried fruit, citrus fruit, coffee all are acidic and you must be careful while cleaning your teeth after consuming them. Waiting for a while is necessary to protect your teeth and enamel.
04. The correct way to brush your teeth
Brushing your teeth twice would not be helpful if you do not do it correctly. Here is the right way to clean your teeth.
Step 1: Wet the head of your brush and add a small amount of fluoride toothpaste to it.
Step 2: Slowly, move the brush to every corner of your teeth. Do it for 2 minutes and try not to apply too much pressure.
Step 3: Spit out any leftover toothpaste and rinse your mouth with water.
Step 4: Brush your tongue to clean the bacteria or use a tongue scraper.
