Mrinali Kaul

Lack of respect is the main reason why many relationships fail. If you don’t respect your partner, you may feel that you cannot be yourself around them, or that you don’t have to try to be a good and loving partner. Without mutual respect, it is difficult for a relationship to succeed long term. Respect also makes your partner feel valued. Your partner will feel better about themselves and happier in the relationship if they know that you respect them for their individual qualities and talents.

Knowing that your partner respects you will help you believe in yourself and feel better about yourself. You will also be able to trust your partner more deeply, which can help you to build a stronger bond between you.

If your partner respects you, it will make it easier for you to be open and honest with one another, which means that both of you can express your true feelings and needs without fear of being judged or criticized negatively by each other.

Different ways you can show respect to your partner.

1. Respect their feelings
2. Respect as an individual
3. Respect as they are.

What is respect?

Respect means that you accept somebody as they are, even when they’re different from you or even when you disagree with them. Respecting your relationships builds feelings of trust, safety, and wellbeing. Respect doesn’t come to you naturally – it is something you learn over a lifetime.

Reasons why respect is important to have a healthy relationship

1. It strengthens communication.

One way to show respect for others is by listening to what they say and being open-minded about their opinions, ideas, and beliefs. You may not always agree with them, but you can still try to understand where they are coming from. When you listen carefully, you can learn new ideas and ways of looking at things which can be helpful in your life as well as help you understand others better.

2. It helps you to take good decisions.

Respect is essential for you to be able to have a healthy relationship. These days, the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of respect is its absence in relationships. But in reality, it is the fundamental aspect of any relationship. Respect gives you the power to treat others with dignity and should be present in any kind of relationship. Lack of respect in a relationship can lead to resentment, anger, and even hatred towards your partner and disappointments.

3. Respect depicts love and affection.

When you respect your partner, you show that you care about their needs and wants. You want them to be happy so that you can be happy too.

4. You will learn to be patient

Respect also creates an environment where your partner can express their needs without fear that you will make fun of them or dismiss their concerns. This will help them grow as a person and also make your relationship much stronger.

Having respect also allows you to accept your partner for who they are and not try to change them into someone else. You will learn to be patient with your partner and accept that they have a different way of thinking than yourself, which can only improve your relationship.

5. You will learn to think about others.

When you show respect to others, you show your honor and appreciation for them as individuals who deserve to be treated with kindness, dignity, and consideration. You are also showing that you value yourself enough to respect your boundaries and values – that you won’t put up with people who mistreat you or disrespect you in any way.

6. It will improve sex life

Respect is the cornerstone of a happy partnership. Without it, your relationships can become controlling and abusive. If you don’t respect your partner, why are you with them?

Studies have shown that the most important factor in a relationship is the level of trust between partners. To build trust, you need to be respectful so your partner knows they can feel safe with you. It’s particularly important when it comes to sex because, without respect, you can’t have consent.

7. Helps in long-lasting relationships

The key to a lasting relationship is respect for each other. This is the core of a healthy relationship and the basis for everything else.

When you have respect for your partner, you acknowledge that they are their own person and that they have their own thoughts and feelings. You value them as individuals and accept that they may not always agree with you.

8. You can support each other.

The most successful relationships are built on respect for each other. Respect means a feeling of deep admiration for someone admiring their abilities, qualities, or achievements. Respecting each other’s differences and points of view is also important in any relationship.

Life partners must trust each other. Mutual respect helps you support each other and work together through any challenges that may come up.

9. Improves Confidence and self-esteem

People who feel respected, moreover, have confidence in themselves. They feel better about themselves. This positive emotion helps expose the person to new things and experiences. It also motivates the person to succeed at new things they try.

10. Promotes truth and honesty.

When you are honest in your interactions and treat each other fairly, and with dignity, you build trust. This builds a foundation for open communication and mutual understanding. Respectful relationships are built on trust and honesty, so it’s important, to be honest when communicating with your partner.

In a healthy relationship, respect should be a two-way street: You give it, and you get it. If you feel that this isn’t happening in your relationship — if you don’t feel respected or valued by your partner — it may be time to reevaluate why you’re with them. 

In the Joyscore app, you will find tips on having a long-lasting relationship and being happy with one another.

It’s free to download, so why wait? Download it today!

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Relaxation Techniques Before Bedtime

Nearly one out of five people are dealing with the problem of insomnia. There can be many reasons for those sleepless nights. And this difficulty in sleeping is sometimes poorly understood. 

Some recent surveys show that 44 percent of people consider stress a primary culprit behind this. So what are the ways in which people can cope with the problems of restless sleep due to stress? Of course, popping in sleeping pills cannot be a solution! 

Let’s look at ways and relaxation techniques to help you counter your sleeplessness and manage stress levels.

The stress is real

Do you often toss and turn as soon as you hit the bed or spend most of your night staring at the ceiling?

Do you know that there is a strong connection between stress-related anxiety and insomnia?

When the body and mind are both under tension, there is an automatic release of the stress hormone cortisol. This leads to alertness and other physiological changes affecting breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.

This alertness does not let you sleep, and it becomes a challenge to counter this sleeplessness.

Relaxation Techniques: The resort to calmness and restful sleep

You can try to modulate and shut off this stress response by relaxing calming your mind and body, thus achieving physical and mental relaxation.

There are several relaxation techniques and exercises which can help trigger your body’s relaxation response, ultimately lowering your blood pressure and heart rate, slowing down your breath, and improving your ways of falling asleep faster and sleeping restfully.

This, in turn, can help to augment your overall health and well-being.

In short, this vicious cycle of lack of sleep, stress, and anxiety can be broken and taken in control by practicing simple relaxation techniques. 

When integrated into your daily life, these relaxation techniques can help you manage stress and anxiety, thus stopping your racing thoughts.

Before You Begin

Here are a few tips that need to be considered before diving into various relaxation techniques and exercises.

• Combining these exercises with maintaining a regular sleep schedule and de-stressing yourself during the day is important for these exercises to work.

• Experimenting is the key; what works for the other person may not work for you, so keep experimenting to find the right one. 

• You should work on these relaxation techniques regularly; they work on the mantra that practice makes a man perfect. Make it a habit to inculcate these in your daily life and not just one time/ short term.

Research studies have shown that people who engage in these exercises and relaxation techniques can sleep a little longer during the night than those who don’t.

There are different kinds of relaxation techniques that one can follow:

Breathing- The Stress Buster

Breathing techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing and 4-7-8 breathing:

4-7-8 breathing: 

Inhaling for four seconds, holding your breath for seven seconds, and then exhaling slowly, for eight seconds. A repetition of these steps several times helps your body relax and de-stress.

The process of slow breathing helps to augment your body’s oxygen levels. Slow inhaling, holding, and exhaling, being meditative, accustoms you to the process of falling asleep as it sends you in a mode of relaxation. Just before bedtime, doing these deep breathing exercises help to mimic sleeping onset and propel your mind and body towards a restful sleep.

 Diaphragmatic breathing:

This type of breathing uses muscles at the base of your lungs and helps you relax and de-stress.

• Lie down, placing one hand on the upper part of your chest and the other one on your belly, just below the ribs, and breathe from your belly.

• Breathe through your nose so that your belly pushes against your hand while your hand on the chest and the chest are still and not moving.

• After doing this, exhale through your lips which are pursed, as muscles in your belly are still tightened. Repeat the same steps several times.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This is also called deep muscle relaxation/ Jacobson’s relaxation techniques. It is based on the principle of tensing and relaxing a specific group of muscles one by one. 

The muscles which are involved in this process are those of hands, forearms, and wrists, shoulders, forehead, biceps, nose and eye muscles, muscles around jaws and cheeks, those around the mouth, back and front of the neck, muscles of stomach, chest, and back and also the muscles of the lower parts of the body such as hips, thighs, and legs.

• You can choose from any group of muscles and begin the technique.

• Lie down, breathe in and tense up the group of muscles you have chosen, and continue doing this for 5-10 secs.

• Following this,  breathe out and loosen or relax them quickly.

• Continue to stay relaxed for 10-20 seconds before moving to the next muscle group.

Repeat these steps for all the muscle groups; after you have finished, put all your focus on the relaxed muscles and go into a peaceful sleep. 

Autogenic Training

It involves focusing on different body parts and calming them down. This is done by consciously relaxing them. 

Here, breathing techniques can be used to influence and achieve physical and mental relaxation, which comes from deep within.

The mind focuses on creating heaviness and warmth in various body parts, which leads to relaxation both physically and mentally. 

The exercises can be done during the day or incorporated into your night routine to manage stress and bring calmness. Also, the exercises need to be done regularly to be effective in the long run.

Example: First, do some breathing exercises and get your body relaxed, and then start focusing on each part of your body like your hands. Keep all the attention on your hands, and focus on relaxing them. Similarly, do it for other body parts.

Visualization/ Imagery

This relaxation technique is more visual, as you imagine and visualize calming, soothing, pleasant, and peaceful scenes. While doing this, you try to relax and bring yourself into slumber mode.

Biofeedback

This relaxation technique is more complex than others as it involves some technology. There is a need for an electrical device such as an electrode/ a sensor that can measure and monitor different processes in your body. The device can monitor your heart rate, breathing, body temperature, etc.

You may need to visit a sleep specialist or a doctor for this type of monitoring. However, if you want to start from home, you can buy a smartwatch or a fitness tracker and measure these parameters. 

You can then monitor and develop strategies to bring down your heart rate or blood pressure and improve your health.  

To Summarize
A good night’s sleep can do wonders for your overall well-being. Using the right relaxation techniques and exercises to achieve this has become essential during these stressful times. So enjoy a deep, peaceful slumber sans stress and anxiety. For more information and tips on sleep and hygiene, download the JoyScore App!

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Mindful Meditation: The Power And Science Behind It

What does mindfulness mean? A term that has gained extreme importance and attention in the past few decades. With the fear of COVID looming over, more and more people have succumbed to several mental issues during these times.

While despair, depression, and stress engulfed people, many resorted to mindful practices to combat these problems and have benefited from them. 

So what exactly are these mindful activities, and how are they beneficial? Let’s delve in.

One major mindful technique is meditation, used for over a thousand years. Loaded with umpteen benefits for overall well-being, meditation has proved to be a boon for society, loaded with umpteen benefits for overall well-being.

When one practices mindfulness through meditation, it can help develop a strong connection between the mind and the body; one learns to accept difficult things that are going around them.

Although its origins date back to ancient times, it is gaining popularity and is being practiced even today. One can find peace and harmony with oneself and develop inner calm by practicing it.

There are different styles of meditation that people can follow, including mindfulness meditation, movement meditation, focused meditation, mantra meditation, transcendental meditation, progressive relaxation, spiritual meditation, and visualization meditation.

Each of these meditations requires a different skill and frame of mind. And whatever style the person feels comfortable with, he/ she should practice.

Backed by Science

Meditation is a mindful practice, which involves training our minds to become aware of our surroundings. It is to focus as well as redirect our attention towards observing things without judging them.

A way to reduce stress and improve concentration, the benefits of mindful meditation are backed and supported by scientific evidence and research.

The benefits of meditation are not just restricted to mental healing but have been shown to extend their positive effect on several physical problems too.

Research studies have shown the role of mindful meditation in conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, and post-traumatic stress disorder and reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

Let’s learn about some of the scientifically proven benefits of meditation.

1. Keeping stress at bay

Mental stress is accompanied by rising cortisol levels and the release of inflammation-causing chemicals which can prove harmful to the body. 

These can lead to anxiety, disrupt sleeping patterns, promote fatigue, increase blood pressure, and also may cause depression. 

Research has shown that mindful meditation can help counter this inflammatory state caused by stress. And thus can help to bring down stress levels.

2. Anxiety in control

When a person suffers from stress and is trying to cope, it is accompanied by anxiety. As meditation helps reduce stress, it can also have a positive effect on a person’s anxiety levels.

Several studies have emphasized the impact of mindful meditation in controlling anxiety, thus improving ways people can cope with it.

Evidence from many research studies also gives an insight into the role of different meditation techniques and mindfulness exercises in reducing anxiety.

3. Breaking addictions and increasing self-control

Research shows that following mindful practices such as meditation can help people develop mental discipline. It can put people in self-control by keeping them off dependencies and thus improving their quality of life.

4. Bringing positivity

Mindful meditation practices can help promote the emotional health of a person. It can bring positivity and lead to mood enhancement.

Research shows people who practice mindfulness are less likely to be bogged down by negative thoughts and emotions.

5. Increasing Self-awareness

Over more than 20 research studies have shown the role of mindful meditation in making people more aware of themselves, recognizing their capabilities, and increasing their confidence.

Also, people who practice mindful meditation have been shown to possess a positive thought process and thus believe in overcoming challenges. 

It also makes them more creative and improves their problem-solving abilities.

6. Better sleep

Research shows that practicing mindful meditation can help people sleep longer. Also, when meditating on a regular basis, people suffering from Insomnia can relax in a better way, improving the severity of their insomnia.

It can help generate a peaceful sleep by keeping away thoughts that often lead to sleeplessness.

7. Health benefit- Reducing blood pressure

Heart diseases being very common these days pose risks to several lives. And an increase in blood pressure contributes significantly to poor heart functioning leading to strokes and heart attacks.

Practicing meditation regularly helps release tension present in blood vessels and the various signals that help coordinate heart muscles during many stressful situations.

8. Regulates Pain and its reduction

When stress takes over,  pain may accompany and become elevated in many situations. 

Studies conducted on patients with chronic pain show that meditating regularly can help bring down the pain sensations and help people with an increased ability to cope.

People with chronic pain have shown to be highly benefited by practicing mindful meditation.

9. Impact on disease conditions 

Mindful meditation has also been shown to impact several diseases positively. 

It can help alleviate symptoms of conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and many more.

10. Reduce aggression and generate kindness 

Several meditation techniques are associated with inculcating positivity in self and towards others.

About more than 20 research studies support the basis of this. These studies give an insight into how practicing meditation made people more positive, compassionate, and kind towards others.

The positive feelings were shown to increase with the number of times people meditated in a day.

The Bottom Line
Meditation is a way of connecting with your inner self and bringing yourself to peace. You can choose from different meditation styles and get started with the one that suits you and your schedule. There are styles which you can be done anywhere. For more information and tips on mindfulness meditation, download the JoyScore App for free and immerse yourself in the benefits of meditation.

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You are what you eat.

Several lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, and cancer have been on the rise lately. The manifestation of these diseases is not only a result of bad living choices but is equally contributed by bad dietary choices. Due to these issues, the health trends are changing, and with the changing times, everyone wants to stay healthy. Gone are the days when one would pick up a sandwich or a roll and a coffee and be on the move. Nowadays, people choose carefully and make decisions about the popular diet they want to eat/ the diets they wish to follow.

Whatever works best for you

There are an endless number of diet plans that one can follow. These popular diets can serve different purposes ranging from weight loss to gaining muscle mass, improving focus, or being more healthy. 

Although there are many sources on the nutritional information of different diet plans that can be obtained just at the click of a button, these trends should not be followed blindly. 

You should always consult a professional before starting one. So let’s delve into different types of popular diet plans.

Watch what you eat and choose wisely.

Mediterranean Popular Diet

A diet inspired by Mediterranean people who followed it traditionally. This popular diet focuses mainly on plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables with less processed meat and chicken.

In addition to this, use a wide variety of whole grains and legumes healthy fats like nuts, seeds, and olive oil—the moderate use of dairy and eggs along with moderate wine consumption.

The American Heart Association recommends this popular diet for a healthy heart. In addition, many research studies have also suggested using the Mediterranean diet to reduce the risk of Diabetes. Other benefits include improved cognitive function, decreased inflammation and frailty in the older population, and improved gut health.

Paleo Diet

Sharing its origins from the paleolithic age, when there was the absence of agriculture and people used to hunt and gather food. And hence also called the “Caveman Diet”, returning to what early humans ate. 

A diet rich in whole foods, vegetables, lean meats, fruits, seeds, and nuts. This diet is devoid of any processed foods, dairy, beans, legumes, grains, and sugar. 

Some studies show that this popular diet helps in weight loss due to consuming fewer carbs and more proteins. However, cutting on beans, legumes, grains, and dairy may lead to the loss of essential nutrients. 

Atkins Diet 

A popular diet that focuses on lowering your carbohydrate/sugar intake. You will have to cut down on carbohydrates, including the healthy ones, although you can eat as much fat and moderate protein. Hence, the body burns and uses the stored fats for energy rather than sugars. 

Divided into four phases, wherein the first phase, you cut down on your sugar (under 20gms of carbohydrates in one day), and in the next phases, you reintroduce it slowly. This, in turn, helps the person to lose fat and hence maintain weight in the long run. 

The advantage of this popular diet is protection from many lifestyle diseases.

Some health concerns after following this diet include low levels of protein in the blood, kidney stones, deposition of extra fat in the liver, and nutrient deficiencies; this diet should be followed only after consultation with your doctor.

Keto Diet 

Another popular diet low in sugar moderate in protein and fat intake is the Keto diet. Based on the principle of Ketosis, which means the body uses fat rather than sugar as the source of energy. 

Although being somewhat similar to the Atkins diet, the only difference is a strict restriction on carbs in the Keto diet. Whereas in Atkins, sugar is incorporated gradually.

The keto diet is highly beneficial in weight loss, reducing triglycerides, controlling blood sugar, improving digestion and mental health.

Skipping meals-The Healthy way out

All the popular diets mentioned above can augment good health, but research also shows that abstinence from food for a short period of time can provide umpteen health advantages. 

The fasting process can get rid of toxins from your body and repair them at the cellular level. There are different fasting methods you can follow and enjoy their benefits.

Intermittent Fasting: Based on alternate cycles of fasting and eating, which can be followed in several ways. Here, a day or a week is divided between fasting and eating.

16/8 method: One of the most popular fasting methods involves an eight-hour window. For example, skipping your breakfast and eating straight at noon, followed by dinner. Although, it can be a little difficult for people to follow, who can’t skip their breakfast.

Alternate Day fasting: In this way of fasting, you skip your meals every other day. This kind of fasting is a little difficult for beginners and can not be done for a long period of time.

Spontaneous meal skipping: A popular diet with no hard and fast rules, you can skip whichever meal you like. 

For example, you can skip your lunch if you have had a heavy breakfast and then, straight away, have dinner without munching any snacks in the evening. After fasting, make sure you eat other healthy meals.

Eat stop Eat: Based on the pattern of eating normally four to five days a week and fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week. 

The fast can last from dinner on one day till dinner the next day. Or you can eat your breakfast at 9 in the morning and not eat anything till 9 a.m. the next day. This leads to an accomplishment of 24-hour fasting.

The Warrior Diet: This diet involves eating small portions of raw foods such as fruits and vegetables during the day and then eating one big meal at night. 

You can fast all day long and then eat only between a four-hour window period. The example is between 4-8 in the evening, before going to bed. 

This has been the earliest and most popular form of intermittent fasting that people follow. Also, the foods eaten during the day are extremely healthy and unprocessed.

Cons: Intermittent fasting may not be suitable for everyone, people who are malnourished or are sensitive to blood sugar level drops, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children.

The Whole-30 diet

This diet is gaining popularity with time. It’s a diet based on removing alcohol, legumes, grains, sugar, dairy, and additives in processed foods from one’s diet. It helps reset your body’s metabolism, as it eliminates certain foods that may have a negative effect on your health.

The diet needs to be followed for a period of 30 days and hence the name. There are no cheat meals, and the diet needs to be followed strictly.

Foods that are allowed include poultry and meat, eggs, seafood, all types of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds except peanuts, some healthy fats such as coconut oil, ghee, clarified butter, duck fat, and healthy plant oils.

After completion of the 30 day period, the second phase comprises reintroduction of the eliminated foods. This can be done by adding back a single food at a time. Doing this will help you rule out the foods that do not suit you.

One major disadvantage of this popular diet is that it may deprive an individual of many nutrient-rich foods.

The F-factor Diet 

The F in the F-factor refers to fiber. Dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot created this diet.

It is a high fiber diet, mainly created for weight loss. It combines lean proteins with high-fiber carbohydrates. Being low in calories, the food keeps individuals feeling fuller throughout the day. 

It involves eating at least 35 grams of fiber per day and adhering to the recommended portion sizes for different fats and proteins.

The fiber can be obtained by eating pulses like beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas. Fruits like apples, pears, bananas, guavas, raspberries, oranges, figs, blackberries, and dates.

Vegetables such as artichokes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash, and parsnips. Along with this, nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, almonds, peanuts, and pecans.

The priority in this popular diet is to have wholesome, nutritious, and nourishing foods. 

The bottom line to summarize, it can be said that when you eat right, it feels right. Treat your popular diet like a bank account and make good food choices, as they are like little investments that add up to a healthier you. Check out the JoyScore App for more information on health and nutrition. A healthy lifestyle with a well-balanced diet is all you need for a happy life!

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