Not just alcohol, cardiologist warns, one popular drink that will make you more vulnerable to heart attacks

 Conventional wisdom dictates that if you want to improve your heart health, you have to avoid alcohol. However, a cardiologist recently warned that alcohol is not the only drink that can do a number on your heart. In a chat with Today.com. Dr. James Stone, a cardiologist at the South Heart Clinic in Harlingen, Texas, explained how not just alcohol, but energy drinks are also your heart’s number one enemy.

He warned that a standard 8.4-ounce can of an energy beverage generally provides around 80 milligrams of caffeine, as reported by the American Beverage Association, the trade organization representing the beverage industry.

Experts suggest that the primary concern is not the caffeine itself but the habit of consuming multiple stimulating ingredients together in a single drink. The combined effect of these compounds may place extra strain on the body, especially when consumed frequently or in large quantities.

Stone insisted that caffeine is great as long as people don’t consume more than 400 milligrams per day. But in that case, it will be wiser to just drink black coffee rather than energy drinks.

Energy drinks are saturated with not just caffeine and sugar but with stimulants such as taurine, guarana, and L-carnitine. These stimulants can affect the nervous system negatively and even cause irregular heart rhythms if taken in excess. This makes energy drinks more dangerous for heart patients in particular, he warned. When combined, these ingredients can cause irregular heart rhythms that ultimately cause a sudden cardiac arrest and even death. People with heart diseases take beta blockers to slow down their heart rates, but having energy drinks would completely ruin this purpose. He explained how even healthy people get palpitations after having energy drinks.

He concluded that energy drinks could be rather addictive as they tend to be rather sweet. “It’s sweet, it tastes good. They’re borderline almost addicting, and they keep you up, and they give you a rush. It’s this unnecessary evil we don’t need to get ourselves into," he said.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for food, medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Insomnia tips: How to stop waking up in the middle of the night

Waking up in the middle of the night? Think you have insomnia? The truth is that pretty much everyone wakes up several times per night. The only difference is that good sleepers fall back asleep without noticing.

Then there’s the other lot. Many people assume that if they’re wide-eyed at 3 a.m., something’s gone wrong with their sleep. Often, this is less about being “bad at sleeping” and more about what’s going on in the moment—plus how well you prime your mind and body for rest long before you hit the hay. The good news: Most middle-of-the-night wake-ups follow predictable patterns. And once you know what they are, they’re surprisingly fixable.

We asked experts to break down the most common causes of insomnia and how to fix them.

Drinking too much before bed

Drinking before bed is one of the most common reasons why men wake up in the middle of the night. Waking once to pee isn’t unusual, says Justin Houman, MD, a board-certified urologist and men’s health specialist at Tower Urology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Waking multiple times and struggling to fall back asleep is—and it’s more common the older you get. (These red flags could signal nocturia, a symptom of underlying health issues such as prostate enlargement, diabetes, or sleep apnea.)

The fix: Dr. Houman advises stopping fluid intake two to three hours before bedtime. Find yourself parched during this time frame? Take small sips of water rather than big swigs.

Alcohol

You probably conk out easily after enjoying a hard drink or two. But alcohol is pretty much guaranteed to sabotage your sleep. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep early in the night, says William Lu, MD, sleep medicine physician and medical director at Dreem Health. It triggers a rebound later, which is why people often wake up suddenly alert in the early morning hours.

The fix: Stop leaning on liquor, beer or wine as a nightcap. This can be easier said than done for some, but it’ll benefit your sleep and overall well-being alike.

Caffeine

Regularly consume coffee, matcha, or energy drinks to power your days? Investigate your intake to see if it’s wrecking your nights. “Caffeine keeps us alert and delays the onset of sleep by blocking adenosine, a chemical that signals sleepiness,” says Dr. Lu. While this is helpful to muster the energy for a morning workout or fuel your 9-to-5, it’s less advantageous if the stimulant is still in your system by the time night falls.

The fix: Have a clear caffeine cutoff, ideally by noon to 2 p.m. The average half-life of caffeine is 5 hours (though it may range between 1.5 to 9.5 hours), so this should provide ample time for it to trickle out of your system. “Caffeine later in the day can overstimulate the bladder and should be avoided in the afternoon and evening,” adds Dr. Houman.

Eating too much too close to bedtime

According to Dr. Lu, big dinners could hinder your ability to stay asleep. “Eating big meals super late can also cause middle of the night wake-ups due to indigestion or acid reflux,” he says. Spicy meals are another culprit since they can trigger heartburn.

The fix: Many experts advise eating dinner at least three hours before bedtime. If you notice any of the symptoms shared above, it could help to scale down the size (and heat) of your meals, too. “Eating lighter, easily digestible meals in the evening and avoiding spicy or fatty foods can reduce reflux-related awakenings,” says Dr. Lu.

Stress

We all know that stress  can keep you from falling asleep. But there’s a chance it’s also driving your 3 a.m. awakenings, too. Per Dr. Lu, stress makes us sleep lighter and more prone to disruptions. Research backs this up: Worry and rumination exploit sensitive sleep systems and trigger sleep reactivity (i.e., issues falling and staying asleep).

Chronic stress can also throw your cortisol levels off balance. Cortisol levels naturally start to rise by 2 to 3 a.m. so we can be alert upon waking at our usual time. If you’re already stressed, that rise can be exaggerated—essentially nudging you awake before you meant to be.

The fix: Find healthy ways to manage your stress, especially before bedtime. Dr. Lu recommends establishing a calming nightly wind-down routine—viameditation, stretches, or simply ceasing doomscrolling—to reinforce the body’s natural sleep rhythm. If stress evolves into anxiety, consult a mental health professional.

 

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs