6 morning clues about your health

Ayurvedic expert Dr Manisha Mishra recently highlighted six potential indicators that may suggest an individual's body is in optimal condition. In a video, she pointed to a clean tongue upon waking, minimal or no morning phlegm, forehead and underarm sweating during physical activity, a pleasant feeling of hunger without acidity or mental fog, feeling refreshed upon awakening, and clear eyes without excessive redness or dryness. However, these signs should not be considered as definitive proof of overall health.

Dr Honey Savla, an Internal Medicine Consultant at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai Central, cautions that while a clean tongue upon waking may suggest good health, it does not necessarily provide a comprehensive picture. Good oral hygiene could be the reason for a clean tongue, which tells us little about the person's overall health.

Similarly, Dr Savla notes that the amount of morning phlegm can vary due to factors like allergies, a blocked nose, pollution, smoking, infections, and post-nasal drip. Thus, having little or no morning phlegm does not guarantee healthy lungs.

Feeling refreshed after waking is a more meaningful sign, as it suggests restorative sleep, which contributes to both physical and mental well-being. However, one should not rely solely on how refreshed they feel. Sleep duration and quality are equally important, with most adults requiring at least seven hours of restful sleep. If someone regularly wakes up feeling drained despite adequate sleep or experiences excessive daytime sleepiness or frequent sleep interruptions, they should consult a healthcare professional.

Regarding hunger, acidity, and brain fog, Dr Manisha Mishra describes "clean" hunger as an absence of acidity, cravings, or mental fog. However, various factors such as diet, sleep, stress, hydration, medications, and underlying health conditions can influence these experiences. The lack of these symptoms should not be taken as a guarantee of overall health. Persistent or worsening symptoms should be evaluated in context.

Sweating patterns during physical exertion, as pointed out by Dr Manisha Mishra, can also provide some insight into one's health. However, individual sweating patterns can vary based on factors such as exercise intensity, temperature, humidity, fitness level, hydration, medications, and individual physiology. Therefore, observing sweaty palms or an excessive amount of sweat during workouts does not definitively indicate good health.

Lastly, Dr Manisha Mishra mentions clear eyes as another potential sign. While clear whites, a lack of prominent red blood vessels, or reduced dryness might seem reassuring, various factors like sleep deprivation, prolonged screen exposure, allergies, environmental irritants, and underlying eye conditions can affect eye appearance. Hence, it is essential not to dismiss persistent redness, dryness, pain, or changes in vision as simply being tired, as these could potentially indicate more serious eye health issues.