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Getting adequate sleep regularly is very important for your overall health and well being. There are many people out there who have problems getting a good night’s sleep on a consistent basis. Failing to get adequate sleep over a period of time will eventually have harmful effects on your physical, emotional and mental health. You won’t be able to concentrate on your daily tasks and end up feeling tired well before the end of the day. Regular sleep should be a part of a healthy lifestyle and it should never be overlooked. If not getting proper sleep has been a problem for you, then there are various simple techniques that you can follow to get better quality sleep on a regular basis.

First of all, you need to consider your lifestyle choices to check if they require a few alterations. You should check if you maintain a regular sleep pattern or you don’t have a fixed time to go to bed. You should also check if you over-exercise or perform other tiring physical activities just before you go to bed. If you do, you need to change this habit as it can affect your quality of sleep. Eating late at night should also be avoided as it will not allow you to get proper sleep. If you try to sleep just after eating, your body will be too busy digesting and will have to stay more active. Have dinner at least 4 to 5 hours before your bedtime so that your body can digest the food well before you go to bed. This will definitely help to improve your sleep pattern.

When it comes to sleep, quality is as important as quantity. Every individual requires varying amount of sleep. If you feel low on energy or tired throughout the day, then it is a sign that you are not getting enough sleep. It is recommended to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. However, some people may require more or even less than 8 hours of sleep to feel at their best. It is up to the individual to determine how many hours of sleep makes him or her feel healthy and fresh throughout the day.

Tips to Improve the Sleep Quality

Determine how many hours of sleep makes you feel energetic and what time you feel is best for you to go to bed each day. Once you have developed a sleep schedule, stick to it. Also try to maintain a fixed time at which you wake up each morning. This is the best way to develop a regular sleeping pattern and improve your sleep quality. If you get in the habit of sleeping at a fixed time, you will also find it easy to get up at the same time every morning.

Sometimes when you fail to get enough sleep, find time to take a short nap. This will help you to make up for the lost sleep. Make sure to not extend your nap time to more than 30 to 60 minutes, as it can disturb your sleeping pattern.

Understanding your body and the amount of sleep that it needs on a regular basis will certainly help you to enjoy better quality sleep, which will in turn improve your overall health.

Asthma is a long term lung disease that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airway. It is a common health issue and has been among the leading causes of deaths. Although people of all ages can be affected by asthma, this condition often begins during the childhood. The common symptoms of asthma include breathing problems, chest tightness, coughing, wheezing, and allergies to strong smell and dust. Both genetic and environmental factors are known to contribute to asthma.

Asthma can be classified into two types: Atopic or extrinsic and non-atopic or intrinsic. The symptoms of atopic or extrinsic asthma are often triggered or aggravated by allergens. People who suffer from extrinsic asthma have wheezing attacks on coming in contact with allergens that result in inflammation. Intrinsic asthma or non-atopic asthma, on the other hand, is not triggered or aggravated due to external allergens.

Some common risk factors that increase the risk of asthma include: family history of asthma, respiratory infections or lung diseases in childhood, frequent contact with animal dander, living in a polluted environment condition, and active or passive smoking.

Causes of Asthma

There are quite a few factors that are known to trigger asthmatic attacks in asthma patients. Although the asthma triggers differ from individual to individual, below is a list of a few common triggers that asthma patients should avoid.

Polluted Environment

One of the major and most common triggers of asthma is air pollution. The airways to lungs are quite sensitive and polluted air can cause swelling and inflammation. As a result of swollen airways, very little air reaches the lungs and this triggers an asthma attack. It is highly recommended for asthma patients to not live in an industrial area. It is also recommended that they carry their drugs with them if they ever need to travel to a polluted area.

Firsthand and Secondhand Smoke

Smoking is another well know asthma trigger. People who suffer from asthma should not only quit smoking, but also stay away from second hand smoke.

Climatic Conditions

Asthma attacks can also be triggered by drastic changes in climatic conditions. Thunderstorms, extremely humid conditions, drastic fall in temperatures, and directly breathing in cold air from air conditions can all trigger asthma attacks.

Pets

Hairy pets like cats and dogs can also cause asthma attacks. For people who suffer from asthma or have any family member who is affected by it, it is advised to not have any pets at home. If you do have pets, then you need to make sure that they are always kept clean and are never allowed to enter the bedroom of the person having asthma. As a precautionary measure, it is important to clean the house frequently so as to remove pet’s hair.

Cockroach Drippings, Dust Mites and Mold

Breathing-in dust mites, cockroach dropping and molds often trigger asthma attacks. Keeping your house clean and vacuuming frequently can help to keep away mold and cockroach droppings. It is also important to keep mattresses and pillow covers clean as dust mites are often found on them.

Some other factors that trigger asthma attacks in many people include acid reflux, respiratory infections, sinus infections, exercising, allergies and strong smell.

Although there is no cure for asthma, being aware of these factors and taking precautionary measures can allow people with asthma to live a normal life.

The number of deaths caused due to heart disease is on the rise. As you get older, your likelihood of suffering from heart disease increases. The kind of lifestyle choices that you make can cause damage to your heart. If you eat a poor diet, smoke cigarettes, drink too much alcohol or are overweight, then you are more likely to suffer from heart disease.

Primary Causes of Heart Disease

Heart disease occurs when there are blockages in arteries that are responsible for providing your heart with oxygen and essential nutrition. The width of the arteries gets reduced due to a condition called atherosclerosis in which fatty deposits get collected within the artery wall. This makes it very difficult for blood to pump through the heart, thereby depriving it of oxygen and essential nutrition.

Due to the buildup of cholesterol caused by this condition, the cell waste and other substances that are present insides the walls develop plaques. This blocks the absorption of much needed nutrients by the artery walls, which in turn leads to high blood pressure and also increases the risk of developing blood clots and suffering from heart attack.

Symptoms of Heart Disease

A common symptom of heart disease is suddenly feeling out of breath. Other symptoms include a sudden increase in your heart rate, fluid retention, fainting, and unusual tiredness. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should consult your doctor as soon as you can. The more symptoms you experience, the higher are the risk factors. People who are overweight, smoke, drink too much alcohol, eat a poor diet and live a sedentary lifestyle should be extra careful and alert about these symptoms.

The symptoms that indicate the onset of a heart attack usually include breathlessness, sweating, nausea, light-headedness, stomach ache, pain or a feeling of heaviness on the chest, and heartburn.

Tips to Maintain a Healthy Heart

Although heart disease cannot be cured, you can follow certain steps to maintain a healthy heart. You can maintain the health of your cardiovascular system by maintaining normal levels of cholesterol and blood pressure.

The best and simplest way to reduce the risk of heart disease is to make healthy lifestyle choices. If you are smoker, then it is necessary to quit smoking. If you are overweight, you need to exercise and go on a healthy diet to lose weight. It is also necessary to have control over the amount of alcohol that you drink.

Making sure that you provide your body with all the nutrients that it needs is also a good way to maintain a healthy heart. A diet rich in fiber and consisting of a lot of fruits and vegetables can do a world of good for your heart health. To maintain healthy cholesterol levels, you should cook your food in unsaturated fats and also limit your consumption of added salt. It is also important to avoid foods that are high in saturated fats.

Too much stress for a prolonged period of time can have negative effects on your heart. It is very difficult to avoid stress in this competitive world, but you can control it by meditating, practicing yoga and getting adequate rest and sleep.

If you are older than the age of forty, then you should stay in touch with your doctor and have regular check-ups. By taking these simple steps, you can significantly reduce your risk of suffering from heart disease.