12 TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009, DELHI
com
LZFE
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HEALTH
10 WAYS TO
A GOOD
MORNING
Switch on the music, BY KAVITA DEVGAN
····························
give a loved one a hug,
I
t was sheer chance, but it
make yourself a green worked. Punita Khandel-
wal,* 32, a highly
cuppa... These are just stressed chartered ac-
some of the things you countant based in Delhi,
got hold of a tape of ocean
can do to start your sounds and played it while
having breakfast one morning.
day right and bright And relaxed instantly. “The
feeling of calm stayed with me
all through the day,” she says.
Most of us would do much to
wake up feeling happy and
ready to take on the world. Yet it
Illustration by can be achieved easily enough.
Jayachandran/Mint We talked to health and life-
style experts, as well as busy
professionals adept at juggling
demands on their time, to
bring you a prescription for a
good morning.
1. Turn on the music
Make your morning musical,
like Khandelwal did.
About a decade ago, Frances
Rauscher, a psychologist now
at the University of Wisconsin,
and her colleagues made waves
SURF
CONNECT
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good night’s shut-eye, visit www.livemint.com/
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RELATED ARTICLES
For other articles on sound
sleep and sleep disorders, as
well as on choosing the right
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BUSINESS OF
with the discovery that listen-
ing to Mozart improved peo-
ple’s mathematical and spatial
reasoning. Even rats ran mazes
faster and more accurately after
hearing Mozart than after being
exposed to white noise or mu-
sic by minimalist composer
Philip Glass. Some experts
think that music boosts brain-
power simply because it makes
listeners feel better, both re-
laxed and stimulated at the
same time, and that a compara-
ble stimulus might do just as
well. Apparently, music helps
bring on a more positive state
of mind, helping to keep de-
pression and anxiety at bay as
well. And morning is a good
time to start positive, before the
day can get you down.
Ayurveda too swears by it too.
Ayurveda claims the doshas
(vata, pitta and kapha) can be
balanced by music therapy.
2. Meditate, in many ways
It’s not just for the spiritually
inclined. “Meditating for just a
few minutes, especially in the
www.livemint.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2009,DELHI 13
closed is not your definition of
relaxation, here’s a style of
meditation no one can com-
plain about. Herbert Benson,
director emeritus, Benson-
Henry Institute for Mind Body
Medicine in Chestnut Hill,
Massachusetts, writes in his
book The Relaxation Response
that meditation can be inter-
preted as walking, swimming,
painting, knitting…basically
any activity that helps keep
your attention calmly in the
present moment. How’s that
for simplicity?
3. Set the clock back
New Delhi-based Geetika
Ganju, business communica-
tor, master of ceremonies and
television anchor, wonders
why she didn’t do this earlier:
“I had been hearing of this all
my life from my mom, but
(only) when I began practising
it about a year back, I realized
its effectiveness,” she says.
“It’s simple: I just set my
alarm clock 15 minutes early.
This way, I don’t have to jump
morning, right after you get out of bed and rush through
up, can help clear the mind,” the morning. Plus I get time to
says Rama Ranjit Mehra, func- do things I enjoy during this
tional medicine practitioner at time. I have tea leisurely, take
Ranjit’s Svaasa Wellness Bou- my dog for a walk, write a bit
tique Spa Haveli, Amritsar, on my Vaio (or add to whatev-
and Svaasa Wellness, New Del- er I am writing at the mo-
hi and Bangalore. “It helps in ment) and make a list of my
balancing the body channels, to-dos for the day in my little
replenishes the mind energy black diary. All this while
and energizes the vital forces there are Shiv shlokas (play-
of our body,” she claims. And ing) in the background. These
adds: “Our minds are in a con- extra minutes add to my feel-
stant state of thinking and, ing of well-being and reaffirm
contrary to what most people every morning that my happi-
think, it is most aggravated ness is a priority.”
when we wake up. Which is
why it’s no coincidence that 4. Colour your cuppa green
heart attack rates are at their Green tea is already popular be-
highest in the morning, just af- cause it has one-third the caf-
ter waking.” feine of regular tea and does not
There’s scientific proof of the bring on caffeine dependency.
benefits of meditation: A 1960s But there’s another benefit: its
study by Akira Kasamatsu and calming effect.
Tomio Hirai, physicians at the Several studies have shown
University of Tokyo, found that
alpha waves in the brain be-
came amplified in 48 Zen mas-
ters and their disciples during
meditation.
If sitting still with your eyes
SLEEP KNOW
March has been declared Sleep Awareness Month by the Indian To learn more about nutritional gatekeepers who influence how
Sleep Disorders Association (Isda), in association with Abbott a family eats, Cornell University researchers queried 770 family
India Ltd. Here are some myths Isda would like to rectify: cooks about their personalities, cooking methods and favourite
• “In sleep, your brain shuts down.” In fact, the sleeping brain ingredients. Five distinct types emerged.
is more active at certain times than it ever is during the day. “Giving” cooks (22%) are enthusiastic about cooking and spe-
• “Worry is the primary cause of insomnia.” In fact, insomnia cialize in comfort food. “Methodical” cooks (18%) rely heavily on
can occur due to various physical and mental conditions. recipes, so are strongly influenced by the cookbook they use.
• “Insomnia affects only the elderly.” Insomnia affects people “Competitive” cooks (13%) think less about health and empha-
of all ages, though usually just for a night or two. size on making the most impressive dish. “Healthy” cooks (20%)
• “Our body has the ability to adjust to different sleep sched- often serve fish and use fresh ingredients, but taste isn’t the pri-
ules.” Actually, the human biological clock is programmed to mary goal. “Innovative” cooks (19%) like to experiment with
sleep at night and be active during the day. ingredients, methods and cuisines, which tends to lead to more
• “Insomnia can be cured automatically.” Insomnia actually healthful cooking.
requires proper treatment. STAFF WRITER ©2009/THE NEW YORK TIMES
TOMORROW in BUSINESS OF LIFE
GADGETS
UNIVERSAL REMOTE IN
YOUR SMARTPHONE
New applications help you
control devices the same way
as a universal remote
When you work out
in the morning, you
are more likely to
adhere to your
exercise regimen, says
Reebok master
trainer Nisha Verma
that the amino acid L-theanine
in green tea improves memory,
cognitive functions and learn-
ing and counters stress respons-
es, both psychologically and
physiologically. L-theanine also
stimulates the production of the
same alpha brainwaves that
were generated by the Zen
monks during meditation.
5. Note to self: read
Why not read something posi-
tive or uplifting in the morning
for a while? Read something in-
spirational, motivational or
spiritual. Those few minutes
early in your day, used for feed-
ing your mind with positive
thoughts, will pay dividends all
day long—indeed, all life long.
“I have a collection of motiva-
tional quotes and poems and I
like to read at least one every
morning…puts me in a positive
frame and then that’s the frame
I stay in all through the day,”
says 28-year-old Gargi Purohit,*
a sales executive from Noida.
To add a memory-boosting
bonus for your brain, also eat a
breakfast of high-fibre whole
grains, low-fat dairy items,
whole fruit and lean protein.
6. First, drink water
The fact is that you’ve been fast-
ing all night, so you wake up de-
hydrated. This is why drinking
water first thing in the morning
is a very good idea. Not only does
it cleanse your system, but also
TREADMILL
TOOLKIT
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We tell you how to
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RAJAT CHAUHAN
WHILE YOU ARE
improves bowel movements and
helps remove toxins from the
the commitment if you give
yourself flexibility to do it later
SLEEPING...
W hile you were sleeping… Did your back muscles re-
body. Plus, it keeps you energetic
throughout the day. “Ever since I
during the day. But once you
get it out of the way, you don’t
lax completely? And while your vertebral column
lost the support of those stabilizer muscles that propped
have started drinking water first
thing in the morning, I feel that I
have all day to come up with di-
versions and excuses.”
it up all through the day, did your bed hold it up just so?
Or have you woken with a crick in your neck, a kink in
have a lot more energy and a your spine and a dent in your temper? That’s what we re-
much better level of concentra- 9. Roll your eyes ally call “getting out of the wrong side of the bed”.
tion all through the day,” says Working continuously for ump-
Amitabh Sharma, a Dehradun- teen hours, staring like a zombie Learning to lie down
based entrepreneur. at the computer screen, trying to Most of us should be sleeping 6-8 hours a night: That’s a
finish that presentation before quarter to one-third of our lives! Falling asleep is one of
7. Coax a cuddle starting on the next… Is this what the few things human beings are born knowing how to
“Right in the morning, jump- you foresee in the hours ahead? do, and don’t need to learn. So we take it for granted that
start the relaxation response of Then you are probably also we know what we are doing when we sleep.
your body by cuddling your pet, dreading tired, swollen eyes, But do we? If we did, why would the very “natural” way
giving a huge hug to a family blurred vision, light sensitivity we curl up or fall flat on our backs leave us with aches,
member or snuggling with your and headaches later in the day. pains and weariness? Maybe we need to reconsider.
spouse,” advises psychologist “Eye fatigue is a common prob- If your sitting or walking posture, the way you pick up
Ashima Puri, Fortis La Femme, lem, so take steps to sort it out things or go through the motions at the gym makes the
Delhi. This way, you can show right in the morning,” suggests difference between energy and injury, the way you hold
tension the door and keep your Delhi-based yoga instructor Ab- yourself a third of a day must make a bigger difference.
stress levels low all day. Studies hinav Sagar. The problem, people often imagine, is that we aren’t
have also shown physical con- He advises yoga mudras for conscious enough to correct our posture while asleep.
tact (which includes petting your the eyes, such as the Sambhavi But the human mind is quite suggestible. Surprising as it
dog or cat) may actually help mudra: Look up to try and see may sound, you can actually, over a period of time,
lower blood pressure and de- your eyebrows, and then down change your sleep posture just through determination.
crease stress hormones. to try and focus on the tip of your
nose. Repeat 10 times to the ex- Sleep straight
8. Get exercise tent comfortable every morning. A basic requirement for really restful sleep is that we keep
A good reason to work out in our spine in neutral, bearing as little load as possible.
the morning is that it gets your 10. Things to avoid
metabolism going and jump- Equally important are things to
starts your body and mind for exclude during the golden hour
the day ahead. There is noth- of your morning.
ing like getting your heart rate • Television news: If at all you
and sweat going for an imme- must, get it in small doses.
diate sense of wellness. “When • Snooze button: Start waking
you exercise in the morning, up when you have decided to.
the endorphins produced last You won’t sleep well once the
all day, adding to your sense of alarm’s clanged and clamoured,
well-being and happiness,” so you may as well get up and
says Delhi-based Nisha Verma, get on with it. The mattress is your first consideration. Some dos and don’ts
master trainer, Reebok. This • Coffee refills: Give that sec- 1. Always use a mattress. A hard floor may seem tradi-
endorphin hit is addictive and ond cup a miss. Avoid drinking tional, but it is not a good idea.
you will continue to feel good too much caffeine during this 2. A good mattress needs to be soft but firm. Sounds like
for 24 hours after that, which time of purposeful planning an oxymoron? The bottom part should be firm enough to
should see you through to your and preparation. support you (not let you sink in unduly); the top couple
next workout, she notes. of inches must be yield, so that your hips and shoulders
“Plus, when you work out in push in just enough to align your spine (see illustration).
the morning, you are more like- 3. The moment you notice lumps or hollows that refuse
ly to adhere to your exercise *Names changed to protect to spring back, it’s time to change your mattress.
regimen,” she adds. “This is be- privacy
cause exercise is all about disci- Next, the pillows
pline and there are chances Write to us at Your neck is a bridge between your head and the rest
that you’ll try and wriggle out of businessoflife@livemint.com of your body. It needs the right structural support to
keep it from falling. When you use a pillow only un-
der your head, your neck is trying to hang on between
the pillow and your shoulders with no support but its
own muscles. With those muscles tensed through the
night, how do you expect to feel fresh in the morning?
(Plus, most jobs involve sitting at a computer, tensing
neck and shoulders all through the day too.)
1. Never sleep without a pillow. It scrunches your
neck up, especially if you sleep on your side. It’s like
tilting your head to your shoulder for 8 hours! That
has to hurt.
2. The pillow is there to support your neck and head, not
your shoulders, or you’ll destroy the alignment again.
3. When you sleep on your side, you need more pil-
low height than if sleeping on your back. The pillow
must bring your head and neck in line with the spine.
Too high, and your neck folds forward; too low and it
flops back. So match your pillow to your posture.
For more about your sleep posture and how it affects the
TREAT quality of your sleep, see ‘Surf’, far left.
The author is a practitioner of musculoskeletal medicine
Philips is entering the home health care market in India, intro- and sports and exercise medicine. He is also CEO and
medical director of Back 2 Fitness. Write to him at
ducing the Philips Respironics products for management of treadmill@livemint.com
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and home respiratory care. India
is the first country where the Philips Respironics portfolio has For previous Treadmill columns, log on to
been launched formally since its global acquisition of Respiron- www.livemint.com/treadmill
ics in 2008.
OSA is a condition characterized by the repeated cessation of www.livemint.com
breathing during sleep, resulting in snoring as well as poor oxy-
gen flow in the blood. It is estimated that in India, for example,
close to 4% of the adult population suffers from moderate to LIVEMINT BLOG
severe OSA, with only a fraction being diagnosed. Bobby John Varkey
The new Respironics products being introduced also include LIFE etc...
non-invasive ventilation and oxygenation technologies for I become a fashion victim... again!
at http://blogs.livemint.com/life
home use by patients with respiratory problems. STAFF WRITER