My neighbour, an old lady, is quite a busybody. And, like most old ladies, she has a diary of health dos and don’ts handy at all times. She once gave me a long lecture on eating yoghurt at night. “Never ever have yoghurt at night. You’ll fall sick the next morning.” But a doc friend simply laughed it off, saying that eating yoghurt at night actually helps one sleep better. Just like this, there are many health myths that we tend to follow almost religiously. Now’s the time to debunk some!

MYTH:

Backache? Sleeping on a hard surface will cure it.

FACT:

When you sleep on a hard surface, such as the floor or a bed sans mattress, your back doesn’t get any support. The standard recommendation is to opt for a firm mattress, either 2” cotton or 3” coir. You can also go in for spring mattresses as they are comfortable, firm as well as optimised to your body type. Avoid using a very old mattress or even a thick, soft mattress, as it can make your spine sag. Make sure that your bed is made of planks. This prevents it from sagging.

MYTH:

For better sleep, use a BIG pillow.

FACT:

Absolutely wrong. In fact, that could be your ticket to a lifetime of pain, for big pillows can make your neck bend forward leading to cervical spondylosis. The ideal size of your pillow depends on the bulk of your upper body or the roundness of your upperspine. If you’re thin, get a thin pillow.

MYTH:

A hot water bag works wonders to cure pain due to an injury.

FACT:

Not really! While a hot water bag relaxes musclepain using it on an injury can actually increase inflammation. Use an ice pack instead. It cuts down the inflammation and also relieves pain. To make an ice pack, take some ice, crush it and put it in a plastic bag. Wrap it in a towel and keep it on the affected area. Don’t want to go through the drill? Simply keep a pack of frozen peas on the affected area. Repeat twice a day

MYTH:

Drink as much water as you can. It’s healthy.

FACT:

Drinking more than a recommended amount of water can make you sweat and urinate more than normal, leading to the loss of electrolytes from your body. Our kidneys produce 1 ml urine every minute and approx 1,450 ml daily. While the ideal water intake in summer is 2.5–3 litres, in winter it’s 1.5–3 litres. Drinking more than the prescribed amount can lead to water intoxication aka hyper-hydration. And you thought dehydration was an issue!