Doctor's two easy habits to stop you feeling 'tired all day'
A doctor swears by two key lifestyle habits for skyrocketing energy levels - and they're actually surprisingly simple. Dr Alexandre Olmos, who specialises in internal medicine, said incorporating these took him from 'being tired all day' to 'feeling alive' in a recent TikTok.
"Add up only these two life habits, and your energy level will skyrocket," he told his 26,000 followers. "I'm not the type of person who tries impossible challenges, but when I first tried this, I went from being tired all day to feeling alive.
"And no, you don't need to take anything weird." You may be surprised to hear that Dr Olmos' first habit is to 'expose yourself to the cold', he noted that just a simple two-minute cold shower might be enough to make a difference.
And Dr Olmos certainly isn't alone in his views either.
In 2023, one study found that participants who spent five minutes in a cold bath reportedly felt more 'active, alert, attentive, proud, and inspired' and less distressed or nervous. Other research has also acknowledged potential links between cold water therapy and anti-inflammation perks.
However, it's clear that further research is necessary to thoroughly understand these associations. Dr Olmos continued: "You will notice a surge of energy, improved circulation, and your immune system will activate.
"And the second one is even simpler. Stop eating dinner so late. If you have dinner three hours before going to sleep, your body goes into recovery mode, not digestion mode."
Once again, various other experts have echoed these thoughts, too. Resting after a large meal can significantly affect sleep quality, which might lead to acid reflux or heartburn.
Helen Bell, a nutritionist at the UK Care Guide, previously told the Mirror: "When you lie down soon after eating, it can lead to acid reflux or heartburn due to the stomach acid travelling back up the oesophagus.
"I would [also] say that eating before bed can contribute to weight gain. With my clients, I've observed that late-night eating often leads to the consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods like snacks and desserts. These foods are more likely to be stored as fat because your metabolism slows down during sleep."
In his video, Dr Olmos continued: "[If you avoid this] you are going to sleep profoundly, you will burn fat while you sleep, and your biological clock will synchronise itself."
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The Independent
6 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘You can literally pregame recess with these': Experts warn of caffeine pouches targeting teens
Last summer, a TikTok user shared a video responding to a commenter asking if 13-year-olds can use caffeine pouches. The pouches, which are placed between your cheeks and gums to absorb the stimulant directly, have become increasingly popular amongst teens. 'Yes, guys, you can literally pregame recess with these,' the video creator says, holding up a tin of LyvWel 'Cherry Blast' caffeine pouches. There are a lot of similar videos all over TikTok. 'Can a 13-year-old use or buy upper-deckies from the TikTok shop? Yeah, of course you can,' a different user said, referencing the popular online nickname for pouch products. 'These are literally just caffeine pouches.' There is no national age restriction on caffeine in the U.S., so anyone can purchase products that contain the stimulant. Caffeine use in kids can even result in a hospital trip, which is rare but on the rise. The number of children ages 11 to 14 who had to visit the emergency room due to a caffeine overdose doubled between 2017 and 2023, according to a November 2024 study. And experts are getting increasingly concerned about the impact of caffeine on children, and the marketing tactics that could expose kids to these products. Dr. Michael Garcia, an internal medicine doctor with a focus on nutrition at UCLA Health, told The Independent that 'less is more' when it comes to caffeine for adolescents. Long-term use among teens can increase blood pressure, worsen anxiety and impact sleep, he explained. 'We know caffeine is one of those things our body can develop tolerance to,' Garcia said. 'So little by little, maybe use increases as that tolerance develops. And it's like any other stimulant or substance that gives us some sort of immediate effect, we then depend on it ... long-term.' The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests 100mg as the upper limit for kids 12-18, which is about the equivalent of a cup of drip coffee, about two cans of Diet Coke, or one energy drink. There are several other companies that sell caffeine pouches, including Deckiez, Rebel Pouches, and Wip, a caffeine pouch start-up founded by Richard Mumby, a strategic investor and marketing executive who worked with the e-cigarette company Juul. Different brands have different amounts of caffeine: many of LyvWel's pouches contain 56mg per pouch, which is roughly equivalent to a can of soda. Deckiez sells pouches with 40mg and 50mg of caffeine. Wip sells products with 100mg and 200mg of caffeine per pouch, with 15 pouches per package. Wip's Instagram features influencers over 18 promoting the products while doing athletic activities, including surfing, skateboarding and weightlifting. Rebel Pouches' Instagram shows men playing golf, softball and running, amongst other sports. Deckiez, founded by a teenager and his father, shows the now-college student founder talking with other young men, and shows people snowboarding and playing softball. LyvWel's focuses on discount prices and flavor variety. Dr. Robert Jackler, founder of the Stanford Research Into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising group, tells The Independent he's concerned social media marketing tactics could make teens eager to try the products, pointing out Wip's use of sports teens are particularly attracted to. 'These videos of the skateboarder doing his tricks…I mean, there may be 50-year-olds and 30-year-olds who are interested in that, but it clearly has a differential interest amongst young people,' he said. Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a developmental psychologist at Stanford Medicine, also argued that using influencers and sporty imagery indicates it's 'clearly being marketed to young people.' 'You could talk about users on the way to the office, on the way to a business meeting…that would be much more obvious that you're targeting adults,' she said. 'There's nothing that I can see of the sort here. It is all fun and games.' However, caffeine pouch companies claim that they only aim their products to over-18s and, there's age-related warnings on the tin. Wip rejects any suggestion that they have advertised to underage children, with the company noting that its packaging is designed to appeal to adults and that hiring influencers is normal marketing practice. The product also includes age and usage recommendations, including a warning that says Wip is intended for people 18 and older. 'Wip has adopted an exceptionally proactive and responsible marketing approach, grounded in and exceeding official health authority guidelines,' the company said in a statement to The Independent. Deckiez founders Dean and Mike Herkenrath noted that their product was created 'as a healthier alternative to the huge spike in nicotine pouch use' and pointed out that caffeine has some health benefits for adults. For instance, studies have shown that adult coffee drinkers are less likely to develop heart failure, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. 'Many of our customers have quit or heavily reduced their nicotine pouch consumption and we're very proud of that,' the Herkenraths said in a statement. 'Our social media content is indented for success minded young adults to ageless at heart seeking to energize their goals!' LyvWel said in a statement to The Independent that the TikTok creators encouraging 13-year-olds to try their caffeine pouches are not affiliated with the company, and appear to be using 'TikTok's Affiliate Program, which allows any user regardless of age to tag and promote TikTok shop products without brand involvement or approval.' The company says it has tried to report 'several inappropriate videos,' but some haven't been taken down. The Independent has contacted TikTok for comment. As interest in caffeine pouches grows, Dr. Grace Kong, a psychiatry professor at Yale Medicine who specializes in child and adolescent psychology, told The Independent that adolescents don't have all the tools they need to make informed decisions about caffeinated products, especially those they find on social media. 'There is an issue if we're targeting that kind of advertising or marketing to teens for those substances, because teens are still minors,' she told The Independent. 'There still needs to be protection in some way about the decision-making.' She noted that she thinks caffeine pouches are too similar in design to nicotine pouches, which could encourage young people to try them. 'It could be a gateway, or it could really normalize pouch use,' Kong said. There's also concern about how the caffeine is being delivered through these pouches, Dr. Taylor Argo, an adolescent medicine fellow at the University of Michigan, told The Independent. 'There are lots of blood vessels right there, and so that caffeine is being absorbed directly into the bloodstream…we hypothesize that when you put medicines directly into your mouth that way, or other substances, it's absorbed a little faster,' she said. The 'biggest risk factor' for teens when using high levels of caffeine is irregular heart rates, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, Argo said. 'I actually have not heard of any of my patients using these, and I care for teens every day…I do worry about the amount of caffeine that is in it and how it's being delivered,' she added. Garcia encourages parents to talk about caffeine products with their teens and learn why they might want to use them. 'I think as adults, we are always inclined to provide a solution, but I think there's a lot of value in listening,' he said.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Cereal bars might seem healthy - but they contain additives linked to weight gain
A groundbreaking clinical trial has revealed how ultra processed foods (UPFs) can harm the body even when not high in salt, sugar or fat - suggesting the way food is made might affect our health Martin is responsible for the health and science beat at the Mirror. He has experience reporting over a decade including medical advances in everything from cancer to dementia and obesity around the world, as well as breakthroughs in the UK. Martin covered the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to scrutinise the state of the NHS. Martin runs a number of Mirror campaigns including; Dentists for All, Give a Pint Save a Life, Fair Care for All and Change the Law for Life. UPFs have been the subject of some debate in Britain ever since TV doctor Chris van Tulleken's blockbuster book Ultra-Processed People. Many suspect the additives packed into everything from cereal bars to pastries, pies, wraps and ready meals - to make them taste nice and last longer - could actually be harming us. But this is very difficult to prove because until now, observational studies have just shown that people who eat more UPFs are more likely to be ill and overweight. This is complicated by the fact that UPFs are also more likely to be high in calories, fat, sugar and salt. And people who eat a lot of UPFs are also more likely to smoke and do less exercise. So Professor van Tulleken and his colleagues at University College London have run a clinical trial to to tease out the impact of these multiple industrial processes and the addition of ingredients not typically found in home cooking. The trial involved 55 people each given eight weeks trying two diets matched exactly for levels of fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, salt and fibre. The only difference was that one diet was made up of only UPFs, and the second a diet included only minimally processed foods such as porridge oats and home cooked spaghetti bolognese. Participants lost twice as much weight on the non-UPF diet - proving for the first time there is something going on in the processing. Professor van Tulleken, of University College London, said: "The global food system at the moment drives diet-related poor health and obesity, particularly because of the wide availability of cheap, unhealthy food. This study highlights the importance of ultra-processing in driving health outcomes in addition to the role of nutrients like fat, salt and sugar." Tracy Parker, nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'These findings support what we have long suspected – that the way food is made might affect our health, not just the nutrients it contains.' Chris van Tulleken's book Ultra-Processed People was adapted into a BBC Two documentary called Irresistible: Why We Can't Stop Eating. They explore the addictive nature of UPFs and their impact on our health and society. UPFs typically contain preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial colours and flavours which are used to enhance taste, texture and prolong shelf life. They are hard to avoid. Most supermarket sliced bread is a UPF as well as shop-bought sandwiches, wraps, pastries, instant noodles, crisps, some breakfast cereals and ice cream. The new trial ensured both UPF and non-UPF diet options met criteria using the NHS-backed Eatwell Guide, which outlines recommendations on how to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Despite this, after eight weeks on the non-UPF diet participants lost 2% of their body weight, compared to 1% after eight weeks on the only-UPFs diet. Scaled up over a year it suggests a 13% weight reduction in men and a 9% reduction in women on the minimally processed diet, but only a 4% weight reduction in men and 5% in women after the ultra-processed diet. Those on the trial were also asked to complete questionnaires on food cravings before and after starting the diets. Those eating minimally processed foods had less cravings and were able to resist them better. The UPF diet also did not result in significant fat loss. Tracy Parker, nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation, added: 'Completely cutting UPFs out of our diets isn't realistic for most of us. But including more minimally processed foods – like fresh or home cooked meals – alongside a balanced diet could offer added benefits too. Mediterranean-style diets, which include plenty of minimally or unprocessed foods such as fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils and whole grains, have consistently been shown to reduce our risk of heart attacks and strokes.' The Eatwell Guide recommends the average woman should consume around 2,000 calories a day, while an average man should consume 2,500. Participants were generally consuming more than this before they started the trial. Senior author Professor Rachel Batterham said: "The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake, limiting intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat, and prioritising high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, pulses and nuts. "Choosing less processed options such as whole foods and cooking from scratch, rather than ultra-processed, packaged foods or ready meals, is likely to offer additional benefits in terms of body weight, body composition and overall health." UPFs have artificial additives to boost flavour and shelf life including emulsifiers, sweeteners, stabilising gums, flavour compounds and colouring agents. These are typically not used in home cooking but can be cheaper in mass produced food than natural ingredients. The findings are published in Nature Medicine.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
A&E doctor shares trick that helps him fall asleep 'in minutes' on night shifts
If you're struggling to sleep, you might want to give this trick a go - it's worked wonders for an NHS doctor who often works night shifts and needs to get as much rest as possible Many of us grapple with falling asleep at night, particularly when we're aware that we have to rise early for work the next day and end up lying awake in a panic because we're concerned we'll be fatigued the following day. There are countless tips and tricks out there to help you drift off, but many of them aren't always helpful when you're still awake at 3 am and need to sleep quickly. However, there is one hack out there that could assist you. According to an NHS doctor who works in A&E, one trick helps him fall asleep "in a matter of minutes", which is particularly useful when he's working night shifts and needs to maximise his sleep as much as possible. Dr Arthur said in a TikTok video that the trick is known as "cognitive shuffling", and it's designed to "distract" your brain so that you don't lie in bed thinking about what you have to do tomorrow or something embarrassing you might have done 10 years ago. He stated: "To do cognitive shuffling, all you have to do is think of a completely random word, and then visualise the thing that that word represents. From there, pick a second word, and a third, and a fourth, that are all completely unrelated. "The aim here is to give random thoughts to your brain to stop it from being anxious and allow you to get off to sleep." "An easier way that I've found [to do this] is to visualise a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word. So if I start with elephant, that ends with a 'T', so then I go to tree, that ends in an 'E', so then I go to engine, and so on. "Keep going until you fall asleep. It will take you a matter of minutes, and I promise you will be surprised just how easy this technique is to do and how well it works." Viewers of the medic's clip expressed gratitude for his guidance. Fellow healthcare workers even supported his approach, revealing they use comparable methods during night shifts. One individual commented: "I'm a nurse who works lots of nights and do something very similar. I make myself lay there with my eyes closed, even when I don't want to. I then choose a letter of the alphabet and mentally list every word I can think of that starts with it. Takes minutes." Another wrote: "Oh I'd do anything for a good nights sleep. So exhausted with not having a decent night." How to achieve better quality rest The NHS' Every Mind Matters campaign has outlined various measures that can assist you in nodding off quickly and experiencing superior sleep quality once you do drop off. Their suggestions include:. 1. Establish a solid bedtime routine Maintaining a consistent pattern helps enhance sleep quality. This is occasionally referred to as sleep hygiene. An effective bedtime routine should involve setting a specific time to begin unwinding and retiring to bed, plus rising at regular times. 2. Unwind and attempt meditation to aid your slumber Avoid using electronic devices at least an hour before bed, as mobiles, tablets and computers all emit blue light that hinders sleep. If you struggle with sleep, reading, listening to gentle music or a podcast, or practising sleep meditation can all be beneficial. 3. Try mindfulness for sleep Anxiety, worry and stress can impact how well we sleep. Fortunately, there are daily activities you can do to help manage your worries, such as confiding in someone you trust or jotting down your concerns in a notebook. If you frequently find yourself lying awake with worries, allocate time before bed to create a to-do list for the following day. This can be an effective way to ease your mind. 4. Create the right sleep environment Generally, it's easier to fall asleep when the environment is quiet, dark, and cool, although the ideal sleep environment varies from person to person. So, experiment with different things and see what suits you best. You might find that wearing earplugs and silencing your phone can help you eliminate distractions and fall asleep quickly. Good curtains or blinds can help keep a room dark and prevent unwanted light by keeping clocks out of sight and phones face down. Some people also find it helpful to play sleep-inducing music, such as ambient sounds like rainfall, soft music, or white noise. 5. Do not force sleep If you're tossing and turning, unable to drift off, don't force it. If you're weary and relishing the sensation of rest, sleep may naturally ensue. However, if slumber eludes you, rise and settle in a cosy spot to engage in a calming activity, such as reading a book or listening to soothing music. 6. Enhance sleep through diet and exercise A balanced diet and consistent physical activity can aid relaxation and improve sleep quality. Steer clear of hefty meals before hitting the hay, and aim to cut out caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine prior to bedtime. The general guidance is to dodge stimulants 1 to 2 hours before bed. Regular physical activity promotes better sleep, but refrain from overly vigorous exercises in the 90 minutes leading up to bedtime if it hinders your ability to sleep.
