Once a person catches COVID, it doesn't always go away easily. Approximately 10-35% of COVID survivors suffer from Long Covid whilst 85% of those who were hospitalised as a result of COVID experienced severe post-COVID symptoms.

Credit: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9846887/

Even after the line fades on the test, many COVID patients still find themselves facing long-term illnesses such as fatigue, shortness of breath, 'brain fog' and insomnia. But what if there was a solution?

When COVID enters your body, it enters deep into your lungs, into the Alveoli. It is a small organ that medicine normally cannot reach. This means that lung disease is difficult to treat conventionally. The only exception to this is: Molecular Hydrogen.

In China, Molecular Hydrogen is utilized in their post-Coronavirus treatment programs. Let's explore why Hydrogen helps Post-COVID symptoms.

1. Antioxidant
The antioxidative effects of molecular hydrogen neutralises toxic free radicals formed in the lungs by the COVID virus, which relieves oxidative stress and repairs cells. Hydrogen selectively targets the bad free radicals while leaving all other cells untouched. The only byproduct of this neutralisation is water! As Hydrogen is capable of selectively neutralising toxic free radicals without affecting other body cells, it means that there are no side-effects or contraindications.

2. Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is your body's natural response to disease but chronic inflammation can lead to long-term health issues. When your body recovers poorly post-COVID, it's because your body's inflammatory response is ringing its alarm bells while it detects the oxidative stress in your body. By neutralising free radicals, Hydrogen relieves your body's inflammation.

3. Improves Sleep
Oxidative stress can affect sleep. By neutralising it, Hydrogen helps you get the sleep you deserve. Also, when your body is less inflamed, sleep becomes more comfortable and natural.

4. Boosts Energy
Fatigue is a common Post-COVID symptom. With Hydrogen's reparative effect on cells, it brings back your cell's ability to generate energy to give your body the boost it needs. Furthermore, with Hydrogen, you'd be sleeping better which means that you'd have more energy during the day!

Discover how molecular hydrogen aids Post-COVID recovery: https://youtu.be/Kzdw5XnOiZk?si=UtQOoQLT5jRgWffG

Our Post-COVID Recovery Care Plan

Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy combines the curative effects of Molecular Hydrogen with our certified physiotherapists to help patients recover after contracting COVID. Beyond just treating the symptoms, Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy also guides you on lifestyle changes that supplement our Hydrogen Therapy to help you solve your health conditions from its root cause.

If you are interested in finding out how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help you, make your appointment now!

Can’t sleep? If you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, it can take a huge toll on your health and well-being.

Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, resulting in unrefreshing or non-restorative sleep. And it is a very common problem which has great ramifications as people who suffer from insomnia tend to have low energy, an inability to focus, inability to function during the day, grumpiness or even depression. Chronic insomnia can even contribute to serious health problems.

Some people struggle to get to sleep no matter how tired they are. Others wake up in the middle of the night and lie awake for hours, anxiously watching the clock. But, because different people need different amounts of sleep, insomnia is defined by the quality of your sleep and how you feel after sleeping - not the number of hours you sleep or how quickly you doze off. Even if you are spending eight hours a night in bed, if you feel drowsy and fatigued during the day, you may be experiencing insomnia.

Although insomnia is the most common sleep complaint, it is not a single sleep disorder. It is more accurate to think of insomnia as a symptom of another problem. The problem causing the insomnia differs from person to person. It could be something as simple as drinking too much caffeine during the day or a more complex issue like an underlying medical condition or feeling overloaded with stress or responsibilities. 

What are the Symptoms of insomnia?

• Difficulty falling asleep despite being tired.
• Frequently waking up throughout the night.
• Trouble getting back to sleep when awakened.
• Unrefreshing sleep.
• Relying on sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep.
• Waking up too early in the morning.
• Daytime drowsiness, fatigue, or irritability.
• Difficulty concentrating during the day.

Insomnia is generally split into two types. The first is acute insomnia which is short-term and typically lasts for a few weeks. The second is chronic insomnia which is when sleepless nights occur a few times a week for more than three months. 

Causes of insomnia: Figuring out why you can’t sleep

In order to help with sleep, we must first identify which category the individual’s insomnia falls under. The first category is primary insomnia which would indicate that the insomnia is not caused by any health conditions. The other category is secondary insomnia which would identify health problems or substance abuse as the cause of the insomnia.

Here are some causes of primary insomnia:

• Emotional issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression cause half of all insomnia cases
• Sleep routine 
• Bad sleeping environment (i.e. loud noises, bright lights or extreme temperatures)

Now that we have the causes of primary insomnia out of the way. Let us take a deep dive into the causes of secondary insomnia. They include:

• Daytime habits – such as Excess consumption of caffeine, tobacco or alcohol
• Emotional issues ~ anger, worry, grief, trauma, etc
• Psychological health issues - Depression, Stress, Anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc
• Medical problems or illness - Asthma, Allergies, Parkinson’s disease, Hyperthyroidism, Acid Reflux, Kidney Disease, and Cancer 
• Medications that hinder sleep
• Chronic Pain (especially at night)
• Sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome and circadian rhythm disturbances tied to jet lag or late-night shift work.

Here are some questions that may help you identify whether you have primary or secondary insomnia:-

• Are you under a lot of stress?
• Are you depressed? Do you feel emotionally flat or hopeless?
• Do you struggle with chronic feelings of anxiety or worry?
• Have you recently gone through a traumatic experience?
• Are you taking any medications that might be affecting your sleep?
• Do you have any health problems that may be interfering with sleep?
• Is your bedroom quiet and comfortable?
• Do you try to go to bed and get up around the same time every day?

How to get the sleep that you need

Whether you’re looking to resolve a specific sleep problem, or just want to feel more productive, mentally sharp, and emotionally balanced during the day, experiment with the following sleep tips to see which work best for you:

• Have a good sleeping pattern. Keep in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle
  • Sleeping and waking up at the same time every day
  • Ensure that sleep time is 7-9 hours
  • Do not nap during the day
  • Avoid sleeping in - even on weekends
  • Fight after-dinner drowsiness
• Control your exposure to light
• Expose yourself to bright sunlight in the morning
• During the day, let as much natural light into your home or workspace as possible
• Spend more time outside during daylight
• At night, avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime
• Say no to late-night television
  • Do not use digital devices right before bed. The light may make it harder to sleep

• Have a good sleeping environment
  • Dark, quiet and the right temperature  
  • Use sleeping masks, ear plugs, fans if necessary
• Regular exercise during the day
• Avoid stimulants that cause insomnia like caffeine, tobacco and alcohol
• Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening as it may result in frequent trips to the bathroom throughout the night
• Cut back on sugary foods and refined carbs
• Do not eat heavy meals before bed
• A light snack before bed may be useful eg: a warm glass of milk before bed
• Develop or practice a relaxing bedtime routine. 
• Try to wind down and clear your head
  • Read a book, listen to classical music 
• Take a warm bath
• Meditate to clear your mind 
• Deep breathing exercise

Primary/acute insomnia is relatively easy to treat and often the simplest methods prove to be the most effective. Secondary insomnia is harder to treat than primary insomnia and the doctor may suggest behavioural therapy as a way to cure it. These require a change in lifestyle patterns and adopting habits that promote sleep. 

It is extremely important that we practice good sleeping habits as it could affect our ability to perform during the day. Insomnia can be extremely frustrating so we must definitely take the necessary steps to ensure that we do not suffer from it. Sleep is something that most people nowadays pay little to no attention to so we must spread the word of its importance and overall effect on the human body.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help with Insomnia here: https://hi-bliss.com/our-wellness-programs/    

Sources: 

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes#:~:text=Insomnia%20is%20a%20sleep%20disorder,for%203%20months%20or%20more.

How much sleep do you need? What happens when you don’t get enough? By understanding your body’s needs, you can improve your sleep schedule and the quality of your waking life.

The quality of your sleep at night directly affects your mental and physical health and how well you feel during the day. Sleep impacts your productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune function, creativity, vitality, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!

Minimal sleep loss can take a substantial toll on your mood, energy, mental sharpness, and ability to handle stress. And over the long-term, chronic sleep loss can wreak havoc on your mental and physical health. Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body shuts off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing biological maintenance that keeps your body running in top condition, preparing you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.

Facts about Sleep

• Losing even one hour of sleep can affect your ability to think properly and respond quickly. It also compromises your cardiovascular health, energy, and ability to fight infections. Frequently waking up throughout the night.

• The quantity of sleep you get is important, sure, but it’s the quality of your sleep that you really have to pay attention to. Some people sleep eight or nine hours a night but don’t feel well rested when they wake up because the quality of their sleep is poor.

• The idea of “making up for lost sleep during the week by sleeping more on the weekends” may possibly cause a disruption in our sleep pattern / cycle. Although this sleeping pattern will help relieve part of a sleep debt, it will not completely make up for the lack of sleep. Furthermore, sleeping later on the weekends can affect your sleep-wake cycle so that it is much harder to go to sleep at the right time on Sunday nights and get up early on Monday mornings. 

• Our body takes time to adjust to different sleep schedules. Most people can reset their biological clock, but only by appropriately timed cues—and even then, by one or two hours per day at best. It can take more than a week to adjust after traveling across several time zones or switching to the night shift at work.

How much sleep do you need?

There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get by on and the amount you need to function optimally. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, six or seven hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, though, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation. 

While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more. And despite the notion that our sleep needs decrease with age, most older people still need at least seven hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap. 

The best way to figure out if you’re meeting your sleep needs is to evaluate how you feel as you go about your day. If you’re having enough sleep hours, you’ll feel energetic and alert all day long, from the moment you wake up until your regular bedtime. Here’s a chart on the Average Sleep Needs by Age (from the National Sleep Foundation) as a guide:-

Signs that you’re not getting enough sleep

If you’re getting less than eight hours of sleep each night, chances are you’re sleep deprived. What’s more, you probably have no idea just how much lack of sleep is affecting you. How is it possible to be sleep deprived without knowing it? Most of the signs of sleep deprivation are much more subtle than falling face first into your dinner plate. Here are some signs that you may be sleep deprived: -

• Need an alarm clock in order to wake up on time.
• Rely on the snooze button.
• Have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.
• Feel sluggish in the afternoon.
• Get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms.
• Get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving.
• Need to nap to get through the day.
• Fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening.
• Feel the need to sleep in on weekends.
• Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed.

The effects of sleep deprivation

Sleep deprivation has a wide range of negative effects that go way beyond daytime drowsiness. Lack of sleep affects your judgment, coordination, and reaction times. Here are some of the effects of sleep deprivation:

• Fatigue, lethargy, and lack of motivation.
• Moodiness and irritability; increased risk of depression.
• Decreased sex drive; relationship problems.
• Impaired brain activity; learning, concentration, and memory problems.
• Difficulty making decisions - Reduced creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Inability to cope with stress, difficulty managing emotions.
• Premature skin aging.
• Weakened immune system; frequent colds and infections; weight gain.
• Impaired motor skills and increased risk of accidents; hallucinations and delirium.
• Increased risk of serious health problems including stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers. 

Sleep deprivation has a direct link to overeating and weight gain. There are two hormones in your body that regulate normal feelings of hunger and fullness. Ghrelin stimulates appetite, while leptin sends signals to the brain when you are full. However, when you don’t get the sleep you need, your ghrelin levels go up, stimulating your appetite so you want more food than normal. At the same time, your leptin levels go down, meaning you don’t feel satisfied and want to keep eating. So, the more sleep you lose, the more food your body will crave.

Learn more how Hi-Bliss Hydrogen Therapy can help with Sleep here: https://wordpress-851564-2937612.cloudwaysapps.com/treatment-services-stress-relief/     

Sources: 

HelpGuide, The National Institutes of Health, The National Sleep Foundation