Peace and love 🙏
Silent Sunday 💚
Peace and love 🙏
Category: mental health
10 facts: Sleep wake cycle linked to cortisol 👐
1.Cortisol is a stress hormone released from the adrenal glands, which is ideally secreted during a fight-or-flight response. However, in today’s world, our daily lives are filled with stressful situations, such as competition, comparisons, peer pressure at work, negative people, and relationships stress. As a result, cortisol is released not just in short bursts but remains chronically elevated. This persistent high level of cortisol keeps the body in a constant state of stress, leading to chronic inflammation, sleep problems, and various diseases.
2.Cortisol plays essential role in the body for survival. But when cortisol is elevated for a longer period of time can lead to health issues like weakened immunity, metabolic syndrome and mental health issues. The functions of cortisol are :
– Maintaining blood pressure
– Elevating blood sugar levels
– Regulating the circadian rhythm
– Facilitating the utilisation of energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
– Reducing inflammation
3. Sleep-wake cycle follows a synchronised rhythm with the night and daytime. During the sleep phase, the body goes through different stages, such as:
• Non-REM stage: The phase where the body and mind, being awake, slowly move to a calmer state before falling asleep. Followed by a stage where the body’s core temperature drops, brain waves slow down. After this, a stage emerges where the heartbeat, breathing, and brainwaves slow down, entering a deep state of relaxation.
• REM state: This stage occurs normally after the deep sleep phase. In this phase, people have vivid dreams, and intense dreaming appears. There is weakened muscle activity similar to temporary paralysis. This stage is important as the brain is cleaning out the buildup of waste and toxins.
4. HPA axis: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is responsible for the neuroendocrine regulation. Hormones like melatonin and cortisol from the HPA axis modulate the sleep-wake cycle. When there is disruption of this axis disturb the sleep cycle. Studies show that there are reciprocal interactions between sleep regulation and the HPA axis. Stressful situations like PTSD, emotional trauma, and chronic workload can lead to long-standing sleep issues like insomnia, sleep deprivation, and lack of restorative sleep, which in turn lead to disruption of the HPA axis and vice versa.
5. The HPA axis and sleep have a significant interconnection. Good quality sleep, deep sleep causes an inhibitory effect on the HPA axis, whereas hyperactivation of the HPA axis leads to overload of glucocorticoids, wakefulness, and loss of sleep. Sleep disorders related to HPA dysfunction are:
•Insomnia is a common sleep disorder which is found to have a connection with an increase in ACTH and consistent cortisol levels and arousal of the central nervous system.
•Obstructive sleep apnea or daytime sleepiness has been associated with elevated pro- inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF.
6. Elevated cortisol level: Studies show that sleep deprivation has a direct connection to elevated cortisol levels, long hours of wakefulness in the daytime, glucocorticoid overload, and disruption in the HPA axis. These directly affect the well-being of the individual and increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Other symptoms of elevated cortisol levels are:
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Weakness of bones
• Muscle weakness
7. Cortisol level: Normally, there is a spike of cortisol level in the morning, known as the awakening response, and it continues for about 60 minutes thereafter. Then, gradually the level-starts dropping and reaches the lowest level towards the evening/midnight. The factors which can affect the cortisol levels are:
• Stress
• Disturbed routine sleep schedule
• Morning light may cause the surge
• Cushing’s syndrome
8. Stress and cortisol level: Cortisol is a steroid hormone which is released from the adrenal glands in the body’s response to stress. Cortisol also releases sugar from the liver to combat stress. In addition to this, sleep and stress are also closely linked. Prolonged stress can lead to sleep disorders like acute insomnia. The types of stress when cortisol is secreted are:
•Short-term stress
•Long-term stress
•Trauma, both psychological and physical.
9. Food and cortisol: Certain foods can support gut health, reduce stress and lower the cortisol level naturally:
• Whole grains and natural fibres – Whole grains are rich in polyphenols, which can support gut health and reduce stress and cortisol. Fibrous foods like vegetables, fruits, and berries contain both polyphenols and antioxidants that help reduce cortisol levels.
• Dark chocolate (70 – 80%) – Flavonoids in dark chocolate can lower the stress response and cortisol from the adrenal glands.
• Green tea contains polyphenols, catechins, and L-theanine, which can lower stress reactivity.
• Probiotics/Prebiotics are linked to healthy gut health, reduce stress and cortisols.
• Healthy fats in nuts, fatty fish, and seeds rich in omega3-fatty acids reduce stress and support mental health.
• Water – Consuming water throughout the day prevents dehydration and controls the cortisol level.
10. Natural habits that can keep the cortisol level under control:
• Good sleep routine – Firstly, keep away from cell phone or any kind of distraction at least 1 hour before bedtime, avoiding alcohol, caffeine intake and nicotine 5-6 hours before bedtime, maintain a bedtime schedule; going to bed and waking up the same time every day is important for sleep hygiene.
• Daily routine exercise, nature bathing, walking or any kind of physical activity.
• Practise deep breathing techniques like Pranayama, mindfulness breathing, Meditation, yoga, tai-chi.
• Maintaining your mental health by managing your personal relationships, staying away from negative people and a negative environment, cultivating hobbies, laughing, and listening to music.
• Spirituality – believing in spiritual faith, attending spiritual workshops, meditation, community spirit, kindness /charity /voluntary works, helps maintain cortisol levels.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love 🙏
Silent Sunday 🍃🌞
Peace and love 🙏
10 facts on the link between poor gut health and hormonal irregularities ✋
1. Poor gut health means poor metabolism, microbiome irregularities, digestive issues, chronic inflammation, built-up toxins, elevation of cortisol and hormonal issues. Therefore, a weak gut health profoundly affects the endocrine ecosystem. On the other hand, studies have confirmed that gut microbiota can be influenced by the hormonal environment. Some studies suggest that there is a connection between gut microbiome and sex-related diseases like polycystic ovarian disease, post-menopausal osteoporosis, ovarian cancer and type-1 diabetes.
2. The gut microbiome normally maintains and regulates digestion, nutrient absorption, immune protection and hormonal regulation. In fact, a balanced gut microbiome is the key element in stabilizing hormones like oestrogen, cortisol, and insulin. When the gut microbiome and its ecosystem are in balance :
• Digestion is smooth
• Hormones are regulated
• Inflammation is low
• Mood and energy are improved
• The estrogen level is stable
3. Trouble arises when the gut microbiome goes out of balance and gut health is disturbed; the hormonal health is impacted as well. The common issues may appear:
• Body weight may fluctuate
• Estrogen levels may shoot up
• Other hormone levels may fluctuate rapidly
• Sugar cravings increase
• Toxin levels may rise
• Hair fall
• Irregular periods
• Trouble sleeping
4. The gut microbiome and oestrogen link: A special group of gut microbiome named estrobolome maintains and regulates the oestrogen cycle in the body. The bacterium helps to clear out the excess oestrogen from the body and maintain the menstrual cycle:
When estrobolome functions properly,
• Menstrual cycle remains regular
• The oestrogen level is regulated
• PMS remain under control
• Acne and skin issues are absent
• Bloating and gas issues are nil
When estrobolome is unhealthy,
• Estrogen levels imbalances
• Instead of clearing, the oestrogen recirculates in the body
• Acne, bloating, and gas issues may arise
5. When gut health is optimised, the estrobolome produces enzymes like betaglucoronides which not only metabolise and maintain the optimal levels of oestrogen, but also help in breaking complex carbohydrates, absorption of bilirubins and flavonoids. Oestrogens are basically produced by the female ovaries and adrenal glands. In women, the hormone plays an important role in reproductive functions, regulating body fat, maintaining heart health, bone health and brain health. In men, this hormone helps to maintain libido and the maturation of sperm.
6. PCOS linked to gut health: Many women who suffer from PCOS usually have gut health issues, including slower metabolism and chronic inflammation. Other issues which are commonly seen are:
• Blaoting, gas issues
• Irregular digestion
• Sugar cravings• High insulin levels
• Depressions, mood swings
• Low energy
• Irregular periods
• Skin issues, acne
7. Holistic health approach: To maintain stability and balance between gut health and hormonal balance, changing lifestyle habits, nutritional habits, and daily physical activity are the major steps towards this goal. Developing routine habits includes:
• Changing nutritional habits to whole foods.
• Timely eating habits
• Manage routine stress
• Mindfullness
• Breathing techniques like Pranayama
• Regular physical activity
• Maintaining a sleep routine
• Avoid the intake of unnecessary antibiotics
8. Nutrition plays a significant role in shaping gut health and maintaining hormonal stability. The important steps are:
• Completely avoiding processed, junk, refined and sugary foods
• Maintaining hydration, drinking plenty of water
• Focus on whole grains, lentils, beans
• High-fibre vegetables
• Fermented foods
• Omega-3 rich foods
• Herbal teas
• Fresh fruits
9. Probiotics/Prebiotics: Both probiotic and prebiotic foods strengthen gut health and support hormonal health. When consumed routinely, it significantly impacts digestion, slows down inflammation, improves sleep, and helps in managing PMS and PCOS in women.
•Probiotics like fermented food, such as pickled vegetables, kombucha, kefir and curds.
•Prebiotics include whole grains, onions, garlic, and bananas.
10. The major takeaways in optimising gut health and maintaining hormonal balance are:
• Always be careful what you put into your body. Food not only curbs our hunger but they feed our cells.
• Routine exercise helps in the detoxification of the liver and reduces daily cortisol levels, regulate the levels of sex hormones. Activities like Yoga, mindfulness practises, and breathing exercises maintain an optimal environment for the balance of the gut-hormone axis.
• Curbing smoking and limiting alcohol can prevent toxins from building up, supporting the liver in the detoxification process, which is crucial for endocrine health.
• Avoiding unnecessary antibiotics as they can disturb the ecology of the gut microbiome and disrupt its functions.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love 🙏
10 facts: Why is self-awareness an ultimate goal?
1. Self-awareness is quite a commonly used term for mental health and well-being. While it has been discussed frequently, many people lack its actual understanding. Our everyday life is often caught up in autopilot mode, so our quality of awareness is very low. Our thoughts, emotions, reactions, habits, routines and impulses of day-to-day life are all on autopilot, so that instead of being aware of them, they keep us in control every day. So, it is important to understand Self- awareness and learn this ability of self-observation to improve our quality of awareness.
2. Many times in real life, we have gone through similar experiences, similar kinds of failures, attract similar people, have similar reactions, similar impulses, similar emotional meltdowns; the reason is not the outside world, but it is our inability to understand ourselves and our unwillingness to change. Most of the time, we are not self-aware of our emotional state, lack understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, so we end up in similar situations and experiences. As an individual, it is important to learn self-assessment, introspection and the ability to recognise our thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions.
3. Self-awareness is a psychological skill of knowledge and understanding about one’s own emotional state. It’s about self-observation, self-assessment of one’s emotions, thoughts, feelings, reactions and actions. It’s a capability of recognising one’s own reactions, actions, and behaviour in interacting with the outside environment and other people. Self-awareness helps in identifying tendencies, understanding emotional states, strengths, weaknesses, limitations and personal goals. It’s a lifelong learning ability to develop confidence and optimism in this dynamic world.
4. Self-awareness can be beneficial in several ways:
• Helps in building self-esteem, self-control, creativity, and skills
• Benefits include self-acceptance, emotional growth, and self-development.
• Aids in decision-making.
• Understanding strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.
• Accurate self-reports.
5. For several decades, thousands of research studies have been carried out to understand the interconnectedness between self-awareness and important key attitudes of human behaviour like habits, feelings, emotions, happiness, stress parameters, empathy and job satisfaction. Broadly, two types of self-awareness studies are recorded as :
• Internal self-awareness: It’s the ability to observe and monitor our inner world, while some label it as a state of self-consciousness temporarily. It is found to be associated more with relationships and job satisfaction as we try to fit ourselves with our personal control and social control.
• External self-awareness: Some state it as the difference between how we see ourselves and how others perceive us. Studies show that people who understand how others see them can be more empathetic and understanding of others’ perspectives.
6. Extensive research has identified five layers of self-awareness:
• Physical: Awareness of your physical body as shape, size, gender, race, ethnicity and five senses.
• Energetic: The breath and energy levels, which include the life forces that help you to move, think, create and take action.
• Mental: The thoughts, feelings, emotions that help you to react and take actions for yourself, others and life.
• The Witness: When you learn to become your witness and become aware of the different layers of self-awareness without being judgmental. This is an essential part of the path of learning self- awareness because you can bring about changes, a better understanding of your flaws, unhelpful patterns of beliefs, and habits that need to change.
• Bliss: Deep connection with a Higher Self, the Truth. A spiritual interconnectedness with the Divine.
7. The skill of knowing yourself is the biggest deal. If we actively start employing this art of self- awareness, we see ourselves as in a mirror, no hidden veil, just inside out, the reality as it is. Then,we start to find acceptance within ourselves, develop resilience if changes are not possible, and consciously bring about changes in our reactions, habits, behaviour and actions in our day-to-day life whenever required. This makes our everyday life approach easier, better handling relationships with people around, self -efficacy in controlling our mind, emotions, impulses, feelings, reactions, dealing with the external environment, people and the world around as it is.
8. Being in a path of self-awareness asks us to understand:
• Clear knowledge of our basic nature, character, impulses, flaws and desires.
• Observe our own habits and behaviour in dealing with our inner world and external world.
• In alignment with our energy levels and breath, and how they are affected by our choices and lifestyle.
• Keep an eye on our thoughts, feelings, emotions, impulses and learn to respond rather than react to whatever life throws us.
• Being a witness to self (intuitive wisdom) so that self-acceptance is easier without being judgmental.
• Searching for our connectedness to something bigger than ourselves.
9. Practising and learning to seek self-awareness is far from being an easy task; it is a lifelong process. Our day-to-day life is so much attuned to working, earning money, parenting, paying the mortgage, bills, and routine hustles that we hardly get time for ourselves. Besides, many obstacles cause hindrance in this path :
• Fear – Knowing and understanding our vulnerability, uncomfortable emotions, and weaknesses.
• Attachment – attachment to people, desires, things can often lead to internal conflicts.
• Aversions – Conscious understanding and resurfacing of situations, people, we usually avoid, internal conflicts, unresolved emotions and discomforts.
• Ego- Instead of being the centre of the world around us, knowing that ego is that tool to distinguish us “I” from the outside world, learning to balance it with wisdom rather than controlling us.
• Ignorance – Learning and understanding about the larger picture of life, rather than being happy when life goes well and disliking it whenever life throws challenges.
10. Developing and seeking self-awareness is an ongoing process, a lifelong learning. In this process, as an individual, there is tremendous personal growth, control over emotions, decision- making and self-acceptance with limitations. Some of the basic strategies are:
• Daily practising mindfulness, calmness, and reflections upon thoughts without judgement.
• Journaling your thoughts, feelings, emotions, impulses on experiences and situations.
• Getting honest feedback from trusted friends, family members, siblings, and partners.
• Self-analysing the situations that can trigger strong emotional responses like anger, panic- attacks, pain, and fear.
• Self- assessment of limitations, weaknesses, strengths, and levels of resilience.
• Routinely reviewing the day-to-day reactions, actions, decisions and interactions.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love 🙏
Silent Sunday 🌞🍃
Peace and love 🙏
10 facts behind this human behaviour: Why act of cleaning is deeply satisfying?
1. Organizing or cleaning your space, room, or home isn’t about tidiness, but being in control of a world that feels otherwise uncontrollable. It’s about a mental state with clarity, being organized and being at peace with oneself. Psychologically, the environment we live in reflects our mental state. In a world full of everyday stress, chaos, and overwhelming uncertainties, cleaning becomes a tool, a therapy to make ourselves feel organised, meaningful and at peace. Clearly, this act can help reduce stress hormones and release endorphins, which can lift the mood.
2. Many people, even after a stressful day, have a habit of cleaning and tidying their stuff after reaching home or their living space. Psychologically, when emotions are overwhelming and stressful, our brain tries to do things which are tangible, grounding, and clarifying, which makes us feel more in control. These actions give the brain a sense of relief and stability, an escape in an otherwise uncontrollable world.
3. In the brain, activities like reorganising the bookshelf, arranging the office table, cleaning and tidying the home, folding clothes in the closets, cleaning the kitchen, washing the dishes, vacuuming the floor stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, the reward system, releasing dopamine, the happy hormone. These small acts instantly feel rewarding, light and happy. A tidy living space, home, or office gives the subconscious mind a feeling of security, stability, and organization.
4. Psychologically, on the flip side, a disorganised, messed-up space gives the mind a sense of cluttered thoughts, incoherence, ambiguity, confusion and anxiety. In an already stressful, loud world, you feel more overwhelmed, stressed, where things and people are unpredictable, uncertain and reactive. So, for a change, cleaning, organising, and rearranging makes people feel instantly happy, stable, predictable and certain.
5. Research shows that a cluttered, anxious, stressful mind raises the cortisol hormone. On the other hand, the environment we live in reflects our mental state. So, a messy, cluttered space clearly affects our mental state. The subconscious mind feels confused, lacks clarity, and is incoherent in a disorganised space. So, rearranging the room, furniture, things, clothes, books gives an instant emotional high, certainty and sense of control. The truth is, cleaning isn’t about habit, it’s about emotional regulation, choosing to change the emotional responses of stress, anxiety, chaos to stability, calmness and clarity.
6. Emotional regulation, by definition, is the ability to regulate our emotional responses from a state of uncontrolled, overwhelming situation by making behavioural changes with a healthy coping mechanism to a state of emotional grounding, stability and a sense of control. Examples of emotional regulation are deep breathing, going for a walk, journaling, light exercise and doing tasks like rearranging the books, furniture, cleaning the kitchen, doing the dishes and so on. It’s the ability to change a negative situation’s impact to a more productive and fulfilling one.
7. The strategies of emotional regulation can be summed up as :
• Recognise: Identifying the emotions like anger, anxiety, ambiguity and incoherence.
• Respond: instead of reacting negatively, changing the situation’s impact to a more productive, controlled and tangible behaviour like going for a short walk, rearranging the books on the shelf, cleaning the mess, folding clothes in the closet, cleaning or mopping the floor or any similar activity.
• Reappraisal, like changing the emotional response to more rewarding outcomes like stability, calmness, sense of control and certainty.
• Reflecting on the change of behaviour and situation gives deep satisfaction and happiness.
8. Activities like cleaning a room, realigning a corner, rearranging books, furniture, cleaning a countertop or mopping the floor are not just tidying or organising acts or behaviour but something more deeper as emotional relief or emotional satisfaction. It’s about reconnecting oneself, bringing a sense of control, stability in a world of external chaos, a stressful day or an overwhelming situation. So, for many people, organising and cleaning their home or their living space becomes a daily emotional ritual and therapeutic.
9. People who keep doing such activities, while they keep performing the acts, they also process their emotions, release the stressful thoughts, anxiety, ease the confusion, bringing more clarity and stability. In fact, by doing such activities, as the visual clutter slowly fades away by physical actions, internally, the mental clutter slowly subsides, emotions and thoughts become more under control, and thinking becomes clearer and regulated.
10. To sum it up, in a world full of uncertainties and unpredictability, organising, rearranging, and cleaning gives an instant outcome which the brain interprets as safety or being under control. When a book or a thing is placed exactly where it belongs, refolding a dress and placing it back in the closet, cleaning the otherwise dirty countertop, it’s like reconnecting with oneself, which gives the subconscious mind that instant boost or reward of comfort, safety and stability in an external world of chaos or an uncontrolled environment.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love 🙏
Silent Sunday 💚
Peace and love 🙏
Silent Sunday 🌻
Peace and love 🙏
10 facts to know about Vitamin D linking to mental health🧠
Vitamin D deficiency is critical for both physical and mental health. Here are some facts to understand the impact of vitamin D on mental health.
1.Several research studies have concluded that low vitamin D levels are directly linked to anxiety, mood changes, depression and cognitive dysfunction such as impaired memory, sadness, weight loss and loss of appetite. Studies have not shown that vitamin D deficiency causes depression but people who suffer from depression do show low levels of vitamin D.
2. Vitamin D mainly maintains the body’s calcium homeostasis. It is also crucial as a neurosteroid hormone and plays a significant role in maintaining normal brain functions and helping in brain development. Therefore, numerous studies have shown that hypovitaminosis D is linked to depression and neurocognitive disorders.
3.Some studies have shown that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is more prevalent in winter as there is a lowering of Vitamin D levels in the cold season. Lack of exposure to sunlight in winter months is shown to increase the incidences of depression, mood changes and anxiety issues.
4. Rising cases of suicide have been a common risk factor for low vitamin D levels (psychiatric times.com).A research study in 2023 found a correlation between low vitamin D levels with cases of suicidal behaviour. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation is mandatory for all those who have low levels can help to address mental health issues and prevent cases of suicide thereby saving lives.
5.As mentioned earlier, Vitamin D is required for normal brain development. Vitamin D supplementation is essential in childhood for overall brain and cognitive development. Low levels of vitamin D have been found in many cases of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder). Improved levels of vitamin D by supplementation have shown marked improvement in symptoms of ADHD children.
6. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to have a direct correlation with adult schizophrenia. Studies show that it is quite common to have in individuals with poor nutrition, elderly persons, people living in regions with insufficient sunlight, or during pregnancy. So, it is important to routinely check the levels of Vitamin D to reduce such risk factors. Correction of the levels of vitamin D shows marked improvements in symptoms of such mental illness.
7. Vitamin D acts as a neuroprotective neurotransmitter and helps to maintain the functions of neurons and glial cells of the central nervous system. So, administrating Vitamin D helps to reduce the oxidative stress and neurotoxicity on the cortical neurons. Therefore, controlling the neuronal inflammations helps to reduce many psychiatric illnesses.
8.Strong evidence shows that low levels of Vitamin D are related to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Vitamin D supplementation can improve or even prevent the neurodegenerative process by reducing the deposition of beta-amyloid plaques, intra-neuronal tangles of tau-protein and loss of cholinergic neurons and synapses.
9. Vitamin D levels ranging from 50nmol/L or above are sufficient to maintain overall physical and mental health well-being. Blood levels below 20 ng/mL are treated as insufficient and require immediate vitamin D administration. Normal levels can be maintained by exposure to sunlight, vitamin D supplementation and food sources like oily fishes, eggs, meat, liver, veggies like broccoli, pumpkin, green leafy veggies, green peas, avocados and many more.
10. Though vitamin D is not the only cause of mental health issues, essentially, it is an important nutrient to maintain normal brain function and neurochemistry. In the general population, many people do suffer from vitamin D deficiency, unknowingly. Supplementation of vitamin D can improve the blood levels in individuals and can at least help address the challenges of mental health issues.
Thanks for reading.
Peace and love 🙏
3H:health,happiness,healing 