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6 Habits that Help You to Sleep Better

6 Habits that Help You to Sleep Better

by | Mar 22, 2020 | Health

Are you struggling with falling asleep at night? Do you toss and turn until the wee hours of the morning only to fall into a restless sleep? Wake up feeling more tired than refreshed?

You’re not alone.

Millions of people struggle with sleep disorders ranging from mild to severe.

If you don’t want to default to prescription sleeping pills, try going the natural route with chamomile tea. It is perfectly safe and it really works!

Studies have shown that chamomile tea is rich in apidenin, a flavonoid compound which helps relax the body and induce sleep. Get your chamomile tea now, its delicate flavour and warm aroma helps you to unwind after a long day. 

1. Chamomile tea

If you don’t want to default to prescription sleeping pills, try going the natural route with chamomile tea. It is perfectly safe and it really works!

Studies have shown that chamomile tea is rich in apidenin, a flavonoid compound which helps relax the body and induce sleep. Get your chamomile tea now, its delicate flavour and warm aroma helps you to unwind after a long day. 

2. Stay away from screens

Try to stay away from your phone or computer one to two hours before bedtime. I know it is tempting to keep checking your phone when you can’t fall asleep, but the blue light that the screens emit will mess up your melatonin production and prevent you from falling asleep.

Charge your phone across the room instead of right beside your bed. Drastic times call for drastic measures!

3. Establish a proper night time routine

This helps to signal to your brain that it is time for bed. This looks different for everybody. Do what helps you de-stress. Take it as your “me” time.

Light a scented candle. Take a warm bubble bath. Read a book. Drink a warm cuppa tea. Pray. Find what works for you and stick with it.

My nightly routine:

Drinking a warm cup of Roleaf tea while reading a good book helps me to unwind after a long stressful day. They have a such a great range of non-caffeinated brews to choose from! Calming Chamomile, Rooibos, French Rose Tea… These calming teas soothe my body. I love diffusing lavender and cedarwood essential oils too.

4. Exercise

Exercising tires out the body and helps you to sleep deeply. This is especially true for me after an intense session of weight training! I crash into bed and fall into a deep sleep almost immediately. If you don’t like weights, go and take a walk, go for a swim… just move. This will regulate your hormone production, making it easier to sleep at night.

*Make sure you do it during the day or early evening. Working out too close to bedtime is counterproductive because the rush of endorphins will make it difficult to fall asleep.

5. Sleep schedule

Try to go to bed and wake up the same time every day – even on weekends. It is tempting to sleep in all the way until noon on a Sunday, but that will only confuse your internal clock and make it hard to adjust again on weekdays.

6. Eating before slumber

Eating before bed is not always a bad thing. Some food are actually great to help you fall asleep.

  1. Warm Milk – contains tryptophan, a sleep inducing hormone
  2. Tart Cherry Juice – rich in melatonin for sleep regulation
  3. A small serving of carb-rich foods e.g. bananas, wholegrain cereal, wholemeal toast. Carbs induce sleepiness. Make sure to choose healthy sources of carbs with low sugar for all the benefits without the increased waistline.
  4. Sweet potato – It contains potassium, a muscle relaxant, and is rich in complex carbs.

*Avoid alcohol before bedtime. It might make you feel drowsy, but it actually impairs the quality of your sleep. Alcohol also metabolizes quickly in the system causing you to wake up multiple times per night.                                                                                                     

Written by Roleaf

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5 Steps to Kickstart a Healthy Lifestyle

5 Steps to Kickstart a Healthy Lifestyle

by | Mar 22, 2020 | Health, Lifestyle

Want to start working out but feel overwhelmed at the idea of it all? Scrolling through fitness accounts on Instagram and thinking to yourself, “How will I ever look like that?!” Here are a few steps to kickstart your healthy lifestyle this year.

1. Start Slow

Health goals are good, but be realistic.

If you’ve never exercised, your body will not be able to tolerate a HIIT workout or a crazy pounding weight session. You will probably puke and hate it too. In fitness jargon, this is called “unconditioned”. As such, conditioning the body and getting it used to higher heart rates takes time.

Sedentary individuals can start by just as little of 15-20 minutes of brisk walking 2-3 times a week. From there, progress to 30 minutes 4-5 times a week. Subsequently, you will quickly notice improvements in overall wellbeing and health during this period.

Bodyweight exercises are also an excellent way to begin activating your muscles. Squats, lunges, wall sits, push-ups, planks… the possibilities are endless! They can be performed at home or at the park without any expensive equipment.

Walk before you run. Bodyweight before barbells.

Increase intensity and duration progressively, not all at once.

2. Find Something You Love

Being healthy should be fun, not just something you have to endure.

When “exercise” is mentioned, what comes to mind for most is running. Running is excellent, but it isn’t the only workout you can do. I personally love it but it is boring to many others.

There are plenty of fun ways to get your body moving. Zumba, Muay Thai, Les Mills Body Combat and outdoor bootcamps are great ways to burn calories and get some blood flowing.

When you enjoy it, you will stick with it. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find something you love! 

Read: 3 Green Tea Tips for Weight Loss

3. Healthy Accountability

Having someone to be accountable to makes a whole world of difference.

 “I’m so tired today.”

 “Maybe tomorrow.”

 “Who needs exercise when I can have extra fries.”

Sound familiar?

Left on my own, I would never have dragged my lazy bum off the couch. Chances are it might be the same for you.

Find an exercise partner. Get your mom to nag at you. Find a workout partner. Immerse yourself in fitness communities. Sign up for group classes. Pay for a gym membership. Being healthy is a journey and you’re better off when you have like-minded people to do it with.

4. Hire a Trainer

Sometimes, the wealth of information on the Internet can be more confusing than helpful. Here is where personal trainers come in to help.

Don’t be too proud to ask for help.

This is important especially if you’re new to the gym. Get a trainer to teach you proper form and technique, or even to design a workout program tailored to your specific fitness goals because the last thing you want is to injure yourself. 

Most commercial gyms offer personal training sessions upon sign up. Other ways to look for good trainers are via word-of-mouth or online research. Find an experienced trainer you trust and whose approach you are comfortable with.

Don’t forget to ask for their credentials. Reputable trainers will be registered with a professional board such as ACE (American Council of Exercise) or NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). Bonus points if they have a current CPR certification.

 

5. Just Start

Truth be told, you could read a million motivational quotes, drool over pictures of toned bodies and abs, pay for the most expensive gym or hire the most qualified trainer – but at the end of the day, no one else can do the work but you. 

You are responsible for your own body and health.

Yes, you might probably hate it at first, but your future self will thank you for the hard work you put in now. The benefits of having a lean, strong and healthy body are incredible. And more than just looking good, fitness will unlock a self confidence and passion for life you never even knew was there. 

Start small, start somewhere, just start to be healthy.

Written by Roleaf

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5 Cups Of Tea A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

5 Cups Of Tea A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

by | Mar 22, 2020 | Health

Tea comes in as the second most consumed beverage in the world, next to water. It is no surprise why!

Besides being super tasty, tea offers up a whole host of healthy benefits for the drinker – one of which is a potent immune system boost.

It is a well-known fact that polyphenols, i.e. the antioxidants found in plants are what gives tea its immune-boosting superpowers. One particular type of polyphenols in particular – catechins – are wonderful for killing influenza viruses. 

It may also protect your cells against free radicals, which may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.

Read: 3 Green Tea Tips for Weight Loss

p.s. For that extra virus blasting kick, add lemon and honey!

Lay off the milk though, because the protein in it will bind to the polyphenols, making them ineffective.

 

Alkylamine in Tea

 Another recent study conducted by Jack F. Bukowski, published in the online journal of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, discovered that the compound “alkylamine” is abundantly available in tea. It can also help prime the body’s immune system to fight off infections.

It is present in bacteria, cancerous cells, parasites, fungi and other diseases causing microbes. In the same way an immunity shot preps the body to ward off stronger disease causing agents, tea teaches immune cells to recognize alyklamines. Even though alyklamines in tea are relatively weak, and don’t fully activate the immune system, they do prep it to be in a state of readiness when a full-blown infection does occur.

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The experiment, conducted on human volunteers, proved that the immune system of tea drinkers responded five time faster and more aggressively to germs than the blood cells of non drinkers.

What are you waiting for? Drink up and strengthen your immune system. Invest in your own health and wellness!

 

Written by Roleaf

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3 Green Tea Tips for Weight Loss

3 Green Tea Tips for Weight Loss

by | Mar 19, 2020 | Health

Explore green tea.

We should not overlook the potential of this drink to aid in your weight loss program.

Researchers have found that the caffeine and flavonoids in green tea can help to spike up the body’s metabolic rate. The most important of these flavonoids is a substance called EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate). It works to increase your calorie and fat burn so you will burn more calories, even at rest! The compounds have also been found to increase fat oxidation and even improve insulin activity.

Read: Green Tea 101

1. 2 – 3 Cups of Green Tea a Day

How many cups should you drink per day? Overall weight loss depends on individual body dynamics but as little as 2 – 3 cups a day can help you in your weight loss mission. That’s an easy step for an important mission.

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2. Drink Natural Tea

It is important to consider different sources and their quality if you are going to include tea as a weapon in your weight loss arsenal. Packet and processed tea sold in commercial stores are often laden with sugar – which will encourage weight gain instead. Instead, opt for the natural route. Here at Roleaf, we source our tea only from top-notch suppliers, so you can be sure you are drinking the best, and definitely for less.

3. Matcha Green Tea

If it is to your liking, matcha powder is arguably the best form of green tea when it comes to weight loss. The whole leaf is grounded into powder form and consumed as a beverage.

Read: Matcha 101

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Why not add this extra boost of tea to help you achieve your weight loss goals? A little tea goes a long, long way.

Read: 5 Cups of Tea a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

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2 Oolong Tea Pairing Tips for Beginner

2 Oolong Tea Pairing Tips for Beginner

by | Mar 18, 2020 | Tea

Do you find oolong tea too complicated?

We explored tea pairing of green tea & black tea – but now, we want to guide you on how to perfectly pair oolong tea!

Remember, an important key in tea pairing is that they should complement, and not override each other. 

Oolong tea has beautifully complex notes, which make it perfect for pairing with a diverse range of foods. If you are at a buffet, and have a wide variety of foods to taste and sample, oolong would be your best bet.

 

1. Lighter Oolong Tea

Lighter and greener oolongs are fragrant, slightly sweet and floral-aromatic. It is lightly oxidized and smooth in texture so they tend to go well with lobster, scallop and other sweet-rich foods.

For something a little more adventurous, pair with light salty/savory snacks! The sweet and salty contrast will be such a delight.

e.g. Jade Tie Guan Yin, Dong Ding Oolong

2. Darker Oolong Tea

Darker oolong teas are more prominent in flavor and robust in taste so it will compliment stronger foods like grilled dishes and smoked meats. Notable examples are such as duck meat, smoked salmon and ham.

Dark oolongs can also be paired with sweet maple desserts.

e.g. Ai Jiao Oolong, Traditionally Roasted Tie Guan Yin

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There are various types of oolong, but generally, it will be quite smoky and complex and therefore pair well with smoked meats, herby meals and fruity desserts. Hope these tips help you to serve the right teas to your dinner guests confidently!

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