6 morning clues about your health

Ayurvedic expert Dr Manisha Mishra recently shared six signs that, according to Ayurveda, may indicate that the body is in good shape. In a video, she pointed to a clean tongue on waking, little or no morning phlegm, sweating on the forehead and underarms during exertion, a comfortable sense of hunger without acidity or brain fog, waking up feeling refreshed, and clear eyes without excessive redness or dryness.

While these may seem reassuring, they should not be treated as a complete measure of a person’s health. Dr Honey Savla, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, explains that overall health involves far more than what we can observe in the morning.

A clean tongue does not necessarily mean you’re healthy

Dr Mishra considers a clean tongue with little or no coating after waking as one possible sign of good health. However, Dr Savla says this tells us relatively little about a person’s overall health.

“Good oral hygiene may simply be the reason for a clean tongue, and it tells us little about a person’s general health,” she explains.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

A coated tongue can have several causes, including oral hygiene, dehydration, diet and certain infections. Therefore, a clean tongue should not be taken as proof that everything is functioning normally inside the body.

What about morning phlegm?

Another sign Dr Mishra mentions is waking up without needing to clear phlegm from the throat.

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According to Dr Savla, however, the amount of phlegm a person produces in the morning can vary for several reasons. “The quantity of phlegm produced in the morning can be influenced by allergies, a blocked nose, pollution, smoking, infections and post-nasal drip,” she says.

So, having little or no morning phlegm does not necessarily mean that a person’s lungs are healthy. On the other hand, persistent phlegm may warrant attention, particularly when accompanied by other respiratory symptoms.

“It is more clinically significant if phlegm is persistent, especially when it is accompanied by a cough, wheezing or shortness of breath,” Dr Savla says.

Waking up refreshed is a more meaningful sign

“Feeling refreshed after waking is a more significant indication since restorative sleep is associated with both physical and mental well-being,” Dr Savla explains.

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However, she adds that you shouldn’t consider how refreshed you feel in isolation. Sleep duration and quality matter too, with most adults requiring at least seven hours of sleep.

If you regularly wake up exhausted despite getting enough time in bed, experience excessive daytime sleepiness, or notice repeated interruptions in sleep, it may be worth discussing with a doctor.

What about hunger, acidity and brain fog?

Dr Mishra also describes “clean” hunger — without acidity, cravings or brain fog — as a possible sign of good health. However, several factors can influence these experiences, including diet, sleep, stress, hydration, medications, and underlying health conditions. The absence of these symptoms may be reassuring, but it does not rule out health problems.

Similarly, brain fog or frequent acidity does not automatically point to one specific condition. Persistent or worsening symptoms should be evaluated in context.

Can sweating patterns tell you anything?

The Ayurvedic expert also points to sweating on both the forehead and underarms during physical exertion. Sweating is a normal mechanism the body uses to regulate temperature, but individual sweating patterns can vary. Factors such as exercise intensity, temperature, humidity, fitness level, hydration, medications and individual physiology can influence how much and where a person sweats, says Dr Savla.

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Clear eyes are not a health test

Dr Mishra also lists calm-looking eyes, clear whites, and the absence of prominent red blood vessels or excessive dryness as signs.

However, eye appearance can be affected by factors ranging from lack of sleep and prolonged screen exposure to allergies, environmental irritants and underlying eye conditions. Persistent redness, dryness, pain or changes in vision should not be dismissed as simply a sign of being tired.

“These signs may provide a few helpful indications, but one should not regard them as a full health examination or as evidence that a person is entirely healthy,” Dr Savla says.

She points out that a proper assessment also considers blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, weight, physical fitness, mental well-being, sleep quality and the presence or absence of persistent symptoms.

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DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.