Healthcare

Follow Tips And Diet For Good Sleep And Master Your Internal Clock

A very basic knowledge about your internal body clock\sleep-wake cycle is essential to stay productive during the day. Nature knew best when you should rest.

Have you ever wondered — Why always around a specific time in your 24-hour-cycle, you feel very drowsy or more energetic?

Haven’t you felt — I have no control or power over any of this?

Have you experienced this — You set an alarm at 5'0'clock every morning for waking up. And as days pass by, you are no more in need of the clock’s help because you are awake at 5 am even without it. And this waking up at 5 am becomes so casual or a life’s routine that you don’t depend anymore on anybody or anything to wake you up?

Say your quick thanks to your own, *Circadian-Rhythm* — Your internal body clock.

What is Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythm also called as internal body clock or sleep\wake cycle is a internal 24-hour clock running in the background of your brain to regulate your sleepiness and wakefulness. Basically, it wants your well-being because it knows the best when you must rest so you could be more productive when awake.

You can get the highest quality sleep by keeping your sleep cycles in tune with the rhythms of the universe (known as circadian rhythms) — Deepak Chopra

This nature’s timekeeper is controlled by a tiny pea-shaped pineal gland of hypothalamus and is called the third eye because it responds to light. It is the reason why you are most alert and active (hopefully)while the sun is gleaming and you wanna sleep tight (Not hang tight as in medium stats ,lol) when the environment turns dark.

To make it simple, the darkness sends signals to the third eye, which in turn produces a hormone called *Melatonin* that makes you feel tired. Melatonin is therefore called,*Hormone of darkness*.

I am Melatonin, I come to you, when darkness sets in. To put you to sleep so you shall sow your seed(hard-work) during the day and reap(benefits) — Chirag

To turn on Melatonin, you must take an effort to turn off the light (all lights including digital devices)

Foods Rich In Melatonin

• Animal Source — Melatonin is present in high concentrations in fish and eggs than meat. Milk from cattle is rich in melatonin. Milk extracted at night has ten times more melatonin than in the milk from daylight milking. Colostrum, the first secretion of milk immediately after giving birth to young one is greatly rich in melatonin.
• Plant Source — In comparison to rice and corns, melatonin is relatively high in cereals like barley, wheat and oats. Melatonin is high in bread crumbs than the crust.
• Fruits — High levels of melatonin is available in tart cherries, grapes and strawberries.
• Vegetables — High melatonin content in tomatoes and peppers and also mushrooms.
• Seeds — Mustard seeds and about 400% increase of melatonin content is seen in germinated soya seeds than the raw seeds.
• Nuts — Walnuts, peanuts and pistachios has good amount of melatonin.

Master Your Biological Clock

• Don’t snooze the alarm Your internal clock alone knows best when you should rest. Give your ears to your body’s natural signals, calling you either for lying down or run. Your disobedience can result in chaos.
• Follow proper and regular sleep schedule Regular bed time and regular waking hour will keep your internal clock in check. I know, you are thinking about your weekends. Yeah! I understand. Each one of us would be waiting for weekends to break all the rules of life. Joy of weekends gives us strength to push our tiring working days. But… Weekend temptations can throw off your body clock during the working days. Keep check on your temptations. Even with biological clock on during weekends, you can still enjoy and also stay productive. You don’t agree? Well! Go ahead, break the clock.
• Charge the battery of your internal clock Temptations defeated you? Well! Morning walk or jogging can reset your circadian rhythm. The exposure to sun (light) can signal the hypothalamus that it’s great time to start your day with full of energy. But please, “Try hard next weekend. Don’t let the temptations defeat you often.”
• Limit Artificial Light — The toughest fight Artificial lights\blue lights after the evening hours may confuse your brain that you are still in day. Melatonin is not gonna sing its lullaby if you pretend to be in your day. Stop cheating your brain,please!!!
• Consume Melatonin Rich Diet

Turn of your light If you wanna sleep tight…

Chirag