When your head hits the pillow at night, do you easily drift into peaceful slumber, or do you find yourself tossing and turning, consumed by worries? How you experience your nights can offer valuable insights into your overall health.

The time it takes for your body to transition into a restful state is known as "sleep latency." While this time frame varies between individuals, sleep experts have established general guidelines for optimal rest.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, it should ideally take around 15 to 20 minutes to fall asleep for a healthy individual. Falling asleep too quickly or too slowly, however, can signal underlying issues.

Kristen Casey, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in insomnia, suggests that while falling asleep within 15-20 minutes is optimal, numerous factors can influence sleep latency. From stress to health issues, many uncontrollable factors may interfere with one's ability to fall asleep.

Why Sleep Hygiene Matters

Maintaining proper sleep hygiene is one of the best ways to ensure a regular, restorative sleep cycle. According to Jeff Kahn, CEO and co-founder of Rise Science, implementing a consistent routine is critical for good sleep. Simple habits such as sticking to a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine 12 hours before bedtime, limiting late-night meals and alcohol consumption, and keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet can all enhance sleep quality.

Engaging in some physical activity before bed has also been found to improve sleep, though it’s important to balance the intensity and timing of your workouts to avoid overstimulation.

Falling Asleep Too Quickly: Causes and Risks

If you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, this might seem ideal, but it could indicate other problems such as exhaustion or "junk sleep."

Dr. Dave Rabin, a neuroscientist, warns that falling asleep too quickly may be a sign of burnout or exhaustion, which could stem from overwork, stress, or an excessive sleep drive (the body's intense need for sleep). While sleep is essential, too much "junk sleep" — sleep that lacks depth or quality — can lead to health issues like obesity, heart disease, and depression. If you find yourself regularly falling asleep too fast, it may be beneficial to consult a healthcare professional to rule out underlying causes.

Struggling to Fall Asleep: Causes and Solutions

On the other hand, if you lie awake for hours, this could be a sign of insomnia, chronic pain, or other psychological or medical conditions. Anxiety, depression, and even irregular schedules can contribute to poor sleep latency.

Catherine “Katie” Yu, a psychiatric mental health nurse, emphasizes the importance of consistency in your sleep routine. If you are dealing with frequent insomnia, experts recommend creating a stable bedtime routine, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and seeking morning sunlight to regulate your circadian rhythms.

Both falling asleep too fast and too slow can disrupt your overall mental health. Difficulty falling asleep has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. In these cases, sleep experts suggest seeking therapy to help identify and address the root cause of sleep issues.

7-Step Nighttime Routine to Induce Relaxing Sleep

A calming pre-sleep routine can work wonders for achieving quality rest. Here are seven steps you can try before bed:

1. Turn off screens 30-60 minutes before bed to help your brain wind down.

2. Lower lighting in your home to signal to your body that it's time to sleep.

3. Engage in calming movements to relax your muscles and mind.

4. Try breathing exercises to reduce stress and calm the nervous system.

5. Write down any lingering thoughts or worries to clear your mind for sleep.

6. A warm cup of caffeine-free tea can soothe your body and mind.

7. Play calming sounds to help your body ease into sleep.

The human heart is a remarkable organ. It beats over 100,000 times a day, pumping blood and oxygen through a vast network of vessels that keep us alive. Scientists are constantly uncovering new insights into its function, and one of the more recent discoveries gaining attention is something called “fatty heart.”

The idea that fat can accumulate around the heart is surprising to many. Most people are familiar with belly fat or the pinchable fat just under the skin. But the fact that fat can wrap itself around the heart, interfere with its rhythm, and silently raise the risk of life-threatening conditions is less widely known. Understanding what fatty heart is, how it develops, and what it means for long-term health is key to prevention and early intervention.

What Is Fatty Heart?

Everyone has some amount of fat around their heart. Known as pericardial fat, this tissue acts as a cushion, a source of energy, and even a thermal insulator. In healthy amounts, it supports the cardiovascular system. The problem begins when this fat becomes excessive.

The fat that sits closest to the heart muscle is called epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). Researchers describe it as both protective and potentially harmful. In newborns and healthy adults, EAT provides energy reserves and shields the coronary arteries. But when too much accumulates, it transforms from a neutral tissue into a biologically active one, releasing inflammatory molecules that can contribute to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup), oxidative stress, and ultimately heart disease.

Can You Have Fatty Heart If You’re Slim?

A common misconception is that fatty heart only affects people with obesity. That isn’t true. Research shows even lean individuals can have dangerous levels of heart fat.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that about 10% of participants with a BMI under 25 still carried excess pericardial fat. The risk rose sharply with weight, 29% of those overweight and 55% of obese participants had high levels. Importantly, regardless of body size, the more fat wrapped around the heart, the higher the risk of heart failure.

This means someone with a normal BMI can still silently harbor significant cardiovascular risk, which makes regular monitoring and lifestyle habits essential.

What Is The Link Between Heart Fat and Heart Disease?

The connection between fatty heart and cardiovascular disease is now well established. A systematic review published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging examined 29 studies with more than 19,000 participants. It found that increased EAT—whether measured through ultrasound or CT scans—was strongly associated with major heart complications, including heart attacks, ischemic strokes, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation (Afib).

Studies reveal that epicardial fat behaves differently than the fat under your skin. It is biologically active, releasing inflammatory substances and damaging the endothelium (the thin lining of blood vessels). It also generates reactive oxygen molecules, which, if not neutralized by antioxidants, contribute to oxidative stress—a process that damages cells and accelerates cardiovascular decline.

According to a 2022 review in Nature Reviews Cardiology, nearly 2,000 studies over the past two decades have reinforced these findings. The verdict is clear: fatty heart is not just an incidental observation—it’s a critical risk factor.

What Causes Fatty Heart?

Dr. Anil Mishra, a cardiologist at BM Birla Heart Hospital, notes that fatty heart is often the outcome of modern lifestyles combined with underlying health conditions. “While most people are familiar with fatty liver disease, very few realize that fat can also accumulate around the heart. This silent but dangerous problem can increase the risk of heart failure, arrhythmia, and other life-threatening complications,” he explains.

Some of the most significant causes include:

Obesity – Excess body fat is a major driver, triggering inflammation and even fibrosis within the heart muscle. It also disrupts rhythm, frequently causing atrial fibrillation.

Diabetes – Metabolic disturbances in type 2 diabetes accelerate fat deposition around the heart.

High cholesterol – Elevated LDL cholesterol leads to fatty buildup in both arteries and heart tissue.

Excess alcohol consumption – Heavy drinking harms both liver and heart, fueling fatty deposits.

Sedentary lifestyle – Limited activity reduces calorie burning, allowing fat to settle around critical organs.

Genetics – A family history of cardiovascular disease can predispose someone to this condition.

Symptoms of Fatty Liver That Should Not Be Ignored

In its early stages, fatty heart is often silent. Many people discover it only through imaging tests performed for other reasons. But as it advances, symptoms may appear, including:

• Persistent fatigue and weakness due to reduced pumping efficiency.
• Chest discomfort or heaviness as fat presses against heart structures.
• Shortness of breath, even with light exertion like walking upstairs.
• Irregular heartbeat or palpitations, sometimes due to atrial fibrillation.
• Swelling in legs or abdomen, a sign of poor circulation and fluid buildup.
• Difficulty breathing at night while lying flat.

Dr. Mishra emphasizes that ignoring these warning signs can delay diagnosis. “If you notice unexplained fatigue, breathlessness, or palpitations, consult a doctor without delay. Early intervention can make all the difference,” he advises.

How to Stay Protected?

The good news is that fatty heart is not an inevitable condition, and like many cardiovascular risks, it can be reduced through consistent lifestyle choices and timely medical care. Staying physically active is one of the most effective ways to protect the heart, as regular exercise helps burn visceral fat, including epicardial fat. Activities such as walking, swimming, cycling, or strength training for at least 150 minutes a week can make a measurable difference.

A heart-healthy diet is equally important—one that emphasizes whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, while limiting processed foods, added sugars, and saturated fats.

Managing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated cholesterol through medication and lifestyle adjustments is also essential to lower the risk.

Limiting alcohol intake plays a role too, since heavy drinking promotes fat accumulation around both the liver and the heart, making moderation—or abstinence if advised—a key preventive step.

Maintaining a healthy weight can further reduce the burden of fat around the heart; even modest weight loss has been shown to decrease epicardial fat levels.

Finally, scheduling regular medical checkups is crucial, as imaging techniques like CT scans or echocardiography can detect excess heart fat early, well before noticeable symptoms begin. Together, these steps can significantly improve long-term heart health and reduce the risks associated with fatty heart.

Fatty heart is a silent but serious condition that challenges the traditional way we think about fat and cardiovascular risk. It can strike lean or overweight individuals alike, and it is strongly tied to heart disease, arrhythmia, and failure.

What this really means is that taking care of your heart requires more than watching the scale. It requires attention to lifestyle, awareness of symptoms, and proactive medical care. With exercise, a balanced diet, and timely screenings, you can protect your heart from this hidden risk and give it the resilience it needs to keep beating strong for years to come.

When it comes to fertility, the spotlight usually falls on what is not working. The hush-hush conversations in hushed living rooms, the stress-filled fertility clinic visits, and the endless googling of “why is it not happening yet?” But not every conversation about reproductive health has to be doom and gloom.

As Gynaecologist Dr. Kirti Priya points out, “Not every woman struggling with hormones is dealing with an imbalance. In fact, some signs your body gives you might actually mean the opposite, that your reproductive health is on point.”

In other words, your body may already be handing you little green flags that you are more fertile than you realise. Even if you are not actively trying to conceive, these signals are worth celebrating, because fertility is not just about babies. It is also a surprisingly good indicator of your overall health and hormonal balance.

Here are five subtle signs that say yes.

1. Your periods are like clockwork

2. Mid-cycle magic: the egg-white effect

3. That tiny twinge of ovulation pain

It may sound counterintuitive, but a small, short-lived cramp mid-cycle can actually be a good thing. Known as mittelschmerz (German for “middle pain”), this ovulation cramp signals that eggs have been released. While not every woman feels it, for those who do, it is one of nature’s simplest fertility check-ins. Think of it as a monthly high-five from your reproductive system.

4. Energy in the AM and a healthy libido

5. Skin that glows mid-cycle

Fertility as a health compass

As Dr. Priya reminds us, “These are small cues your body gives when things are working well, not something we talk about enough. Fertility is not just about trying to conceive; it is also a powerful indicator of overall health.”

Most of us have our little rituals before sleep. Whether it is applying a face mask, scrolling through Instagram, or reading a book we have been engrossed in for a while, we all have our rituals before bedtime. But there is one version of bedtime reading that could be quietly affecting your brain’s long-term health.

The Tablet Trap

Science Has Receipts

Another study clocked that just two hours of evening screen reading significantly delayed melatonin release, with higher brightness levels making things worse. The everyday “normal” routine of winding down with a glowing screen may be programming you for long-term trouble.

From Poor Sleep to Dementia Risk

Long-term disruption to this process has dire consequences. The Whitehall II study, which followed nearly 8,000 adults over three decades, found that middle-aged people consistently sleeping six hours or less had about a 30 per cent higher chance of developing dementia later in life.

In other words, if you are routinely cheating your brain of quality sleep, you are upping the odds that cognitive decline will come knocking sooner than you would like. Add to that the fact that tablet use specifically causes fragmented REM sleep, and suddenly your bedtime routine doesn’t look so relaxing after all.

Better Bedtime Habits

• Paper is your friend: Old-fashioned paperbacks and hardcovers don’t emit brain-confusing light. Your book might weigh more than a Kindle, but your neurons will thank you.
• Audiobooks to the rescue: Prefer tech? Use it wisely. Download an audiobook or switch on a podcast with your device’s screen turned off.
• Declare a screen curfew: If you must use a tablet, dim the brightness, enable night mode, hold it farther from your face, and put it down at least an hour before bed.
• Light it right: A soft bedside lamp behind your shoulder beats the harsh glare of a backlit screen. Go for warm, amber-toned bulbs.
• Make your room a cave: Blackout curtains, eye masks, and hiding any blinking chargers will help keep your sleep sanctuary truly dark.

It is not about what you are reading, whether it is the latest bestseller, a dusty classic, or guilty-pleasure fan fiction. The problem lies in how you are reading it. Backlit tablets may feel modern and convenient, but the long-term cost of disrupted sleep could be a sharper risk of dementia.