Tag: way of living

Will Getting Up Early In The Morning Make You Happier?

Mornings may be difficult, particularly when you ‘re striving to squeeze in every additional wink of sleep you can. Waking up early, on the other hand, may make you a happier individual and studies suggest that it can enhance your overall health and general feeling of well-being.

Existing studies have found a relationship between chronotype, or a person’s biological predilection for mornings or evenings, and mood. Night owls, for instance, are more vulnerable as morning persons to suffer depression.

Morning people tend to be more in sync with conventional work-rest patterns, but night owls may struggle to adjust. Getting up early has been shown in studies to improve mood, increase satisfaction with life, and reduce mental health issues. Also there is a relationship between getting up early and having a higher level of well-being among elderly people.

Some Of The Advantages of Getting Up Early

Improved Organizational Skills

Because you have uninterrupted time to yourself in the early morning, this is usually the most productive time of day. When you are not distracted, you can do any work more quickly. You may utilise this calm and quiet time to organise your day ahead of time, allotting a certain amount of time to each of your activities. Mentally planning your day before you begin improves your organisational abilities and promotes productivity.

Avoid Heavy Traffic During Your Commute

If you get up really early, you may leave your house before peak traffic hours. You don’t lose time sitting in traffic on your way to and from work.  You’ll also be on schedule for all of your subsequent engagements during the day.

Have a Stress-Free Environment

Getting up early allows you to organise your day ahead of time. You aren’t racing through your day with a crowded head. Preparing ahead of time reduces the anxiety that comes with hurrying to complete tasks. Furthermore, waking up early allows you more time for stress-relieving leisure activities, allowing you to begin your day with a peaceful and focused mind.

Reap The benefits of Quality Sleep

Morning people are more likely to fall asleep quickly. When you get up early, your body becomes fatigued quickly, which leads to great sleep as soon as you go to bed. You become used to the natural circadian rhythm, which causes you to go to bed and wake up early. Heading to sleep early increases your chances of completing all four phases of sleep over the course of four to six sleep cycles, resulting in a well-rested and refreshed feeling the next morning.

Tips to Get Out of Bed Earlier

Begin slowly

Set reasonable goals and don’t begin getting up at an unusual hour. It is better to steadily increase the time. For instance, if you are accustomed to getting up at 7 a.m., set an alarm for 6:45 a.m. When your body has adapted to the change, you can extend it for another 15 minutes. Starting slowly will allow your body to better adjust to the shift.

As Soon as You Wake Up, Get Out of the Bedroom

In the bedroom, your mind has been programmed to feel drowsy. Leaving the bedroom as soon as you wake up prevents you from falling back asleep. While attempting to become early risers, numerous night owls succumb to the urge of going to sleep when they spend some time in the bedroom.

You Should Reward Yourself

You can encourage the system while training yourself to wake up early. You may spoil yourself with your favourite coffee taste or with more time in the shower. Do something out of the ordinary to make yourself feel exceptional for achieving your goal of getting up early. Rewarding oneself encourages you to stick with the exercise.

Maintain Good Sleep Hygiene

Create a nighttime ritual that signals to your body that it is time to sleep. Take a nice shower, read your favourite book, or reflect on the good things that happened to you that day. All of these things assist you to relax and prepare your body for sleep.

Blue Lights Should Be Avoided

Melatonin synthesis might be suppressed by blue light from your television or other devices. Inadequate or delayed synthesis of this sleep-inducing hormone may have a detrimental impact on your sleep quality. To really be regular with waking up early, you must go to bed early. Keeping away from blue lights for at least an hour before sleeping aids in your objective of falling asleep earlier.

Take Care Of Yourself

If you’re feeling unwell or weary, ease up on yourself and don’t force yourself to get out of bed too early. This adaptability will keep you from hating the thought of getting up early.

Good Food, Good Mood

What we eat doesn’t simply influence our physical health: it could also influence our mental health and wellbeing.

The relation between food and mood originates from the direct connection between your brain and your gastrointestinal tract, which is sometimes referred to as the “second brain.” Billions of bacteria live in your GI tract, influencing the creation of neurotransmitters, which are chemical compounds that continually transport messages from the stomach to the brain. (Two common examples are dopamine and serotonin.)

Eating nutritious foods encourages the growth of “good” bacteria, which has a favourable effect on neurotransmitter synthesis. A consistent diet of junk food, on the other hand, might promote inflammation, which can stifle output. When your brain’s neurotransmitter production is in excellent health, it gets these positive messages loud and clear, and your emotions reflect it.

A Mediterranean-style diet (rich in vegetables, seafood, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, cereal, and grains) combined with fish oil helps alleviate depressive symptoms. On the other hand, there are two types of foods that are harmful to the brain: those that trick the brain into releasing chemicals that we may be missing, temporarily influencing our mood (for example, caffeine and chocolate), and those that discourage the conversion of other foods into nutrients which the brain requires (for example, saturated fat such as butter, lard and palm oil).

THREE WAYS YOUR DIET AFFECTS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

  1. It is essential for brain development – When we eat healthy food, it transforms into protein-building blocks, enzymes, brain tissue, and neurotransmitters, which transport information and impulses across different regions of the brain and body.
  1. It shifts the brain into growth mode – Some nutrients and dietary habits are associated with alterations in a brain protein that aids in the formation of new synapses between brain cells. A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and zinc raises levels of this chemical. A diet heavy in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, has a significant detrimental influence on brain proteins.
  1. It fills up the gut with beneficial bacteria – The gut contains trillions of beneficial microorganisms. They keep harmful bacteria at bay and your immune system in check, which means they assist to control inflammation in the body. Some gut bacteria even aid in the production of brain-boosting B vitamins.

FOODS THAT PROMOTE GOOD HEALTH

  1. Whole foods – Preservatives, food colouring, and other chemicals have been linked to hyperactivity and depression in certain studies. So, if you only remember one thing, remember to consume real food, which is food which has been minimally processed and has a few nutritious components. Consider eating fresh fruits and veggies.
  1. Fiber – Plant-based meals are high in fibre, which helps your body digest glucose – or food sugars – more slowly, avoiding sugar highs and lows. Fruits and vegetables, as well as nutrient-dense carbohydrates like whole grains and legumes, are high in fibre.
  1. Antioxidants – These anti-inflammatory compounds are abundant in berries, leafy green vegetables, turmeric, and foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and black chia seeds. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants as well.
  1. Vitamin D – Vitamin D aids in the synthesis of serotonin and is often obtained by exposure to sunshine. However, mushrooms, particularly reishi, cordycep, and maitake, are an excellent source. If you are vitamin D deficient, your doctor may also advise you to take a supplement.
  1. Magnesium – This important mineral aids in everything from nerve and muscle function to maintaining a regular pulse. However, it is also critical to the food-mood relation: A mineral shortage can harm your gut microbes and produce anxiety-like symptoms. Natural sources include dark chocolate, cacao nibs, almonds, and cashews, spinach and other dark leafy greens, bananas, and beans.
  1. Fermented foods – Fermented foods are high in probiotics, which are living microorganisms that are beneficial to the digestive tract. Sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh, and the fermented drink kombucha are a few examples. These items are also rich in sodium, so eat them in limit or avoid them entirely if you have hypertension.

Begin to pay attention to how different meals make you feel – not only in the moment, but also the day after. For two to three weeks, try eating a “healthy” diet, which includes avoiding all refined carbohydrates and sweets. Take note of how you feel. Then, one by one, gradually reintroduce items into your diet to observe how you feel. When some individuals “go clean,” they can’t believe how much healthier they feel, both mentally and physically, and how much worse they feel when they reintroduce items known to increase inflammation.

What Is Zen Buddhism?

Zen Buddhism is a Japanese school of philosophy that is said to have evolved from Mahayana Buddhism. It is more centred on meditation and intuition, and it is seen as a lifestyle rather than a fixed form of prayer or religion. 

The term “Zen” is the Japanese rendering of the Chinese word “Ch’an,” which means “meditation.” Around the eighth century, Ch’an arrived in Japan and became known as “Zen.” Though Zen Buddhism made its way to Japan via China, but it’s true home is India. Today, the term “Zen” is more often used in the West.

For many individuals from East Asian cultures, Zen is particularly essential in helping families show their continuing love and respect for their ancestors—departed family members who are in the afterlife awaiting rebirth.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ZEN BUDDHISM

Zen Buddhism is a simple, determined, uncompromising, to-the-point, meditation-based Buddhism that is uninterested in theological subtleties. Zen, which does not rely on scripture, dogma, or ritual, is validated by personal experience and is passed down ineffably from teacher to pupil, hand in hand, via rigorous, intimate practice.

Though Zen accepts – at least in part – the legitimacy of traditional Buddhist scriptures, it has developed its own writings over time. Much of ancient Zen literature is based on legendary stories of the great masters, and is liberally flavoured with Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese poetry, as well as written in casual language studded with Chinese folk sayings and street slang. 

One of the most key characteristics of Zen Buddhism is Zazen or Zen meditation. Zen meditation’s objective is to control one’s attention. It is also referred to as a technique of “thinking about not thinking.” In zazen, practitioners sit on a cushion in a structured pose with a straight back, eyes half open, and legs crossed onto the opposite thigh in what is known as the full-lotus position.

HOW TO PRACTICE ZEN MEDITATION 

  1. Keeping an eye on one’s breath – During zazen (sitting meditation), meditators should adopt a comfortable position such as the Burmese, half-lotus, or Seiza pose. Sitting on a cushioned mat or cushion is preferable, although sitting in a chair is also fine. The focus of awareness focuses on a specific object of meditation, most commonly the breath and how it travels in and out of the abdominal area. 
  1. Stillness of mind – This type of meditation does not rely on a single point of focus, such as the breath. Meditation students are taught to let thoughts pass through their brains without judgement or rejection. This is known as shikantaza, or “simply sitting” in Japanese. This Zen Buddhist meditation technique is performed without the need of an object of concentration, attachments, or contents.
  1. Intensive group meditation – Committed meditators conduct intensive group meditation on a regular basis in meditation centres or temples. This is known as sesshin in Japanese. During this stage of intense meditation, practitioners dedicate the majority of their time seated. Each class lasts approximately 30 to 50 minutes and is interspersed with walking meditation, brief breaks, and meals. 

Finally, Zen Buddhism provides practitioners with means to mend their minds and hearts while also connecting with the world. Many practitioners nowadays turn to Zen in search of mental clarity and peacefulness through meditation. Zen, like other schools of Buddhism, begins with the recognition that humans suffer, and it offers a remedy to this suffering by realising the interconnection of all creatures and learning to live in accordance with this reality.