Perk up your life

SINGAPORE — These days, technology is such that there is a gadget or machine for just about every thing we need to make life easier for us.

Yet, despite these technological advances, we still grapple with a variety of modern physical ills.

Here are three common modern-day health maladies, and tips on how you can cope.

Problem: Your peepers don’t work the way they should. You have difficulty focusing properly, and your eyes feel dry and sensitive after staring at the computer. You also understand what it feels to be “as blind as a bat” without your spectacles.

Possible reasons: If you’ve been up all day and night on social media, you might experience eye-strain symptoms. You generally blink less when you are staring at a computer screen, which causes moisture on the outer layer of your eyeball to evaporate more quickly. If you’re constantly checking social media updates on your phone, the smaller screen size could exacerbate your dry eyes woes.

Blurred vision is also a classic sign of myopia. Statistically, Singapore has one of the highest myopia rates in the world. Eye experts put it down to a combination of bad genes and the modern environment of too much near work and indoor activity.

Try this: Give your eyes a break — by looking away from your screen and then focusing on an object further away every half an hour after doing computer work. Keep your monitor about an arm’s length away from you, adjust brightness and glare levels, and make sure that the monitor is slightly below eye level to reduce eye strain.

In most cases, myopia starts and progresses during childhood. If you are already suffering from myopia, there isn’t much you can do to reverse the condition. What you can do is to take note of changes in your vision or symptoms. The more severe your myopia is, the higher your risk of developing eye complications such as retinal detachment or cataract at an earlier age. Seek medical help immediately if you experience an increase or changes in floaters, or flashes of light, specks, sparks or black dots across your vision.

Problem: You’re dog-tired but have problems falling asleep at night.

Possible reasons: Like other health woes, insomnia can be caused by a combination of factors. Stress, anxiety and bad sleep habits can wreak havoc on our sleep patterns. In addition, allergies like eczema and allergic rhinitis, which are becoming increasingly common in developed nations, can keep you up all night.

Try this: You need about seven to eight hours of sleep every day for optimal health. Steer clear of typical sleep snatchers such as caffeinated beverages and overeating before bedtime. Unplug from social media and keep gadgets out of your bedroom several hours before bedtime. Too much exposure to artificial light from TV, gadgets and computers in the late afternoons and evenings trick the brain into thinking it is still daytime, hence affecting sleep. Consider having soft, yellow light in your bedroom to aid sleep.

Problem: Your washing machine and dryer take care of your laundry needs. The taxi drops you off at your doorstep. An elevator takes you straight from the lobby to the office. You literally need to lift only a finger to get things done. So why are you still so tired all the time?

Possible reasons: If you are not suffering from any underlying medical conditions, chronic fatigue is a common negative “sub-health” effect from the modern, hectic lifestyle, said registered Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) physician Lin Jiayi from Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinics. From a TCM perspective, Lin said, a person who is in a state of “sub-health” generally has a weaker immunity and is prone to falling ill. This in turns tires him out, leading to a vicious cycle.

Try this: Get off your couch and start moving in small doses, even if you don’t feel like it. The lack of activity can, ironically, make you feel more tired. Studies suggest that regular, low-intensity exercise — like riding a bicycle or brisk walking — can help lift energy levels in people suffering from fatigue. The Health Promotion Board recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week.

Eating well and keeping yourself well-hydrated through the day can also help fight fatigue, advised Lin. Food is your body’s fuel, so skipping breakfast might cause you to feel sluggish. Research has shown that this first meal of the day improves concentration and alertness. Instead of junk foods, opt for a wholesome breakfast of complex carbohydrates (think whole meal bread, oats or wholegrain cereal) with some lean protein (like an egg or yoghurt perhaps?).

While getting your vitamins and nutrients from whole foods is always a good move, there are times when you might need a supplement boost to fill in nutritional gaps. Your mother certainly knows best when she prepares tonic soup and throws in some cordyceps to perk you up. A medicinal fungus originally found in mountainous regions of China, cordyceps has been used to support the immune system, fight fatigue and boost energy levels.

There are many variants of cordyceps and they’re sold in various forms, including capsules. The main ingredient in Eu Yan Sang Pure Cordyceps, for example, is Hirsutella Sinensis, a strain of cordyceps that is proven to be 99.645 per cent genetically identical to rare wild cordyceps (it’s also officially recognised in The Chinese Pharmacopeia as a true cordyceps species).

As always, check the package label before making a purchase and remember to check with your doctor or dietitian before consuming any herbs or supplements. This is especially important if you have any medical conditions.