Tag: yoga

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How To Use Yoga as a Tool to Become More Motivated in Life

How To Use Yoga as a Tool to Become More Motivated in Life

A thought that often crosses our minds in the morning is “I have no motivation to get through the day”. Lack of motivation; an easy thing to explain but a difficult thing to understand and fix. Every person experiences issues throughout life that can cause an impact on them, and this impact can be neglected. We carry all the negativity we acquire during the course of the day without being conscious or aware of it; and the next thing we know, we may become bound to our beds, struggling miserably to get out of it and get some work done.

Why does this happen, though?

Difficult situations are very draining on our energy. Our minds can become full with negative thoughts which can lead to poor self esteem and little self-belief. While for some this can result in one or two low and gloomy days, it can also become a severe and serious thing for others.

People with chronic illnesses can be even more prone to regular levels of low motivation. We should all be aware of different tools that can be used to become as healthy and as happy as you possibly can, even while experiencing a lack of motivation. Now that I have introduced this concept to you, it is time for me to tell you the answer to becoming more motivated; Yoga!

How yoga can help you become more motivated in life

Yoga has a great many benefits and one of the most obvious ones is instilling motivation. Given below are the few ways how yoga becomes the best practice to be motivated in life. 

Yoga lowers stress and anxiety levels

Practicing yoga involves a great deal of stretching your muscles. This, in turn, reduces all the stress and tension accumulated in the muscles and relaxes them significantly. The constant breathing exercises help in energizing your body as it regulates the blood flow. This also helps rich and oxygenated blood to reach your brain.

As the brain receives rich blood and your body starts relaxing, the mind also works towards calming itself down. When this happens, you became aware of all the negative thoughts that have been causing you distress and anxiety and can, therefore, push them out of your head effectively. Once your stress levels are lowered, you feel more energized and motivated to work your way through most days.

How yoga can help lower stress and anxiety levels

Yoga increases your ability to problem solve

When your mood is low, one of the most annoying things that could happen to you is not being able to solve the slightest of the problems that come your way. Since your mind may be filled with negative thoughts, it can be difficult to think straight and therefore it may seem like the easiest thing to do is to give up on that difficult task.

The breathing exercises involved in yoga, as discussed above, help to clear out all the negative thoughts. They also assist in making your mind focus better. This means that when you come across a problem in life, you’d be able to focus on it properly. You will be able to come up with practical solutions faster, and therefore there would be no hindrance in the process of becoming a more motivated and happy self.

Yoga encourages self awareness

To keep yourself motivated, you need to know yourself properly first. You need to understand your behavioural patterns, as well as what makes you happy and what keeps you energized at work. Yoga helps in directing your focus towards your own self. It helps you understand your emotions better and makes you capable of consciously keeping them regulated. It helps you balance out all the negativity with positivity and enables you to make more practical and sensible decisions.

How yoga encourages self awareness

If what I have said above interests you, you can get started on your yoga journey by discovering which style of yoga works best for you.

About the Author:

Manmohan Singh is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveler in India. He organizes Ayurveda Courses in India and Yoga retreat in Nepal . He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature, Himalayas and Trekking Tours in India.

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Why It Is Beneficial To Practice Yoga Whilst Traveling

Why It Is Beneficial To Practice Yoga Whilst Traveling

Yoga can act as a multi-purpose remedy for people of all age groups. It has therapeutic properties within each yogic movement that are good for the mind, body, and soul. 

During your moments of wanderlust and planning your travel, when you have decided your favorite destination to go to, you don’t want any moments of severe symptoms or anxiety to impact your holiday once you’re on your way. It’s good to think positively about your future journey, but it’s wise to also take the necessary precautions. If you have impaired mobility, neurological dysfunction, fatigue, pain, etc., you may end up experiencing anxiety, less social interaction or even depression. In an effort to minimize such experiences, you can calm your symptoms or yourself with Yoga. 

Meditation, Pranayama, or Yoga are exercises that can be performed anywhere. Therefore, while traveling, yoga can help relieve the symptoms of chronic illnesses. It works as a stress-buster as you increase qualities such as compassion, focus, improved memory, and better concentration. It may seem like too much of a challenge to maintain a yoga routine while traveling. What if you have to face uninvited challenges? However, it’s worth it. Yoga works as a booster to elevate your moods. Researchers have found and proven that Meditators are more self-aware and come through the stress-related problems to live a quality life. 

The Benefits Of Practicing Yoga Whilst Travelling

The Benefits Of Practicing Yoga Whilst Travelling

Yoga is extremely beneficial, especially while traveling. Why? Because it promotes better health, allowing you to make the most of your holiday. Yoga, Meditation, Pranayama, and similar yogic practices can also help with clearing brain fog, which many people with chronic illness experience. Meditation also helps in clearing out the clutter that is causing emotional instability. It gives a clear perspective and a focused mindset while the Pranayama also helps in flushing out the toxins to reward you with a refreshed state of mind.

While traveling it is important to maintain healthy habits and to be aware of your surroundings. Create a safe space for yourself! It is important to look after yourself when you are trying to balance work and family life. People often ignore the more subtle elements of their health because they are too focused on dealing with the lives of other people. Yoga makes sure that you take care of your mental and physical health, because only then can you take care of others. 

How to establish your own yoga routine so you can take it with you anywhere

Establish your own yoga routine so you can take it with you anywhere

To start your yoga journey as someone who experiences chronic illness, consider private instructors initially; join gentle and restorative classes; practice Yoga from online sources or digital media. A little bit of stretching and deep breathing can be a benefit to almost anyone. So, travelers must consider this wonderful hack to give priority to their health while still making the most of their adventures. Let Yoga be your travel partner, a guide that can help protect you from all the bad forces of life with the natural power it inherits.

Look at the positive side of the world and appreciate every with grace. Staying positive is a weapon that not many people can fully embrace, but many people chase this state of mind as an infinite goal. So, if practicing yoga interests you, grasp motivation and start your journey. After all, being alive is a gift in itself to cherish! 

Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He organizes 200 hours of yoga teacher training in various cities in India and Nepal. He also conducts AyurvedaCourses in Kerala He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature, Himalayas and Trekking in Nepal .

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How to Keep Moving! (Chronic Illness and Exercise)

How to Keep Moving! (Chronic Illness and Exercise)

Though exercise is an important part of maintaining our health, exercising regularly is more difficult for people living with a chronic illness than it is for many others. However, with a doctor’s approval (of course), regular exercise can become manageable to some extent, while being highly beneficial for many aspects of people’s lives. For people with chronic illness, it can be even more crucial to regularly do some light physical activities, in order to increase their heart rate within safe parameters.

Some of the benefits of exercise for people with chronic illness include bone and muscle strengthening, weight control, improvement in mental health and mood, reduced chances of falls, as well as reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (as well as helping to manage the symptoms of these conditions). As a whole, regular exercise can help preserve your lifestyle.

How to get started:

If you’re a person suffering from some kind of chronic illness, then the topic of chronic illness and exercise is surely familiar to you. The first thing we ask ourselves is how to even begin exercising. The first thing you should do is speak to your doctor. This is very important, as they will give you the best advice that will match your medical condition and capabilities. Your doctor will advise you on how to start, what exercises are best, and what pace to keep.

How to get your exercise routine started when you experience chronic illness

Remember to ask about the exact benefits of taking up some physical activity, the safe exercises you can do, the ideal intensity and duration of these exercises, and the realistic goals that you can set; as well as learning what exercises are definitely off your list that may cause you harm. You can find the right level of activity for yourself and your unique chronic condition only when you have the answers to all the above considerations to act as a basis for your exercise plan. 

Dealing with exercise related fear, grief, and trauma

Exercising with chronic illness can lead to experiencing a turmoil of emotions, including fear, grief, and trauma. Fear can be brought on by worrying about being judged by strangers while exercising, or being scared that we may not be able to keep up or do what we used to. There is also the fear of onset numbness, flares, and possible injury.

Grief can be experienced while exercising with chronic illness because we may not be as fast as we used to be, and the loss of functionality and stamina during our workout routines can be upsetting. We need to acknowledge that our bodies will look and work differently than they did before the onset of our chronic illness symptoms. Even knowing this may not stop us from feeling vulnerable as we see other people doing everything we once could but now can’t. We need to be aware that each person has a different level of activity they are capable of.

People diagnosed with chronic illness experience moments of acute trauma. This can mean that due to pain they feel, they simply disconnect their mind from their body in an attempt to ease the tremendous pain they feel. However, when exercising it’s impossible to disconnect our body from our mind. The sensations that accompany being physically active are discomforting, especially for people with a chronic illness – as they tend to associate the pain from exercise with the pain associated with their illness.

Dealing with fear, grief, and trauma when exercising with chronic illness

These are some reasons many people with chronic illness avoid exercise. We can help ourselves overcome these by thinking encouraging thoughts and assuring ourselves that we are not in danger. The more we are able to deal with these emotions, the stronger and more capable we will become. This kind of practice will make us stronger – both physically and mentally.

Start off slow

It’s important to start off slow. Choose some light, mild activities as you begin your exercise plan. These activities could include taking a short walk, gentle stretching, riding a bike leisurely, or lifting light weights. If you’re a fan of walking, take some walks in nature: go to the park or the countryside. If you prefer cycling, find a perfect bike that fits your personality and needs and cycle leisurely around your neighborhood. Any kind of physical movement, even though it might not seem much to you, is better than no movement at all. 

Choose activities you like

Usually, in life, we persist and continue doing what we enjoy doing. That’s why it’s key to choose the activities we enjoy because in that way we’ll have something that ties us to the activity. Another way to persist in doing physical activities is to find an exercise buddy. That helps you stay motivated and accountable. Everything we do with our friends is easier and more bearable, as we can give each other support during hard times. 

Frequency is more important than duration

This means that you should focus on moving a little every day rather than doing something for two hours once a week. You should try to make the activities a part of your day. Even things such as using the stairs, sweeping and even standing up and sitting down on a chair repetitively are also considered to be light physical activities.

Frequency is more important than duration when exercising with a chronic illness

Set realistic goals

It’s necessary to be realistic in setting our goals. We should start with simple and easily doable ones such as some yard work and little housework, for those people who don’t suffer from severe chronic conditions. On the other hand, people who suffer from more severe forms of illnesses should maybe start with improving their flexibility in order to start managing some usual daily activities. Setting unrealistic goals can lead to disappointment and lack of motivation.

Don’t give up

Even if sometimes you can’t keep up with a regular activity once or twice in a certain period, don’t let that bother you. Take a break if you need to, but remember to go back to exercising as soon as you can. Go over in your mind what you’ve achieved so far and think about what you can achieve in the future if you keep up the good work. 

Motivation is important

Everybody has a different motivation for making themselves go through something that is extremely difficult for them, such as exercise. Some people want to be in better physical shape in order to keep up with their toddler, while other people want to improve their mood, their quality of life, and their overall health – the reasons are countless. When you have a reason strong enough, you’ll find more time and energy to endure. It’s especially important to remember your motivation on the days you don’t feel like exercising. Motivation is a very powerful tool and it can help you achieve almost anything. 

Remember: Your excercise plan can be adapted to suit you

If there is an exercise that you loved but are no longer able to do, it may be able to be adapted to suit your needs. This means you don’t need to stop doing what you enjoy. For example, yoga can be practiced from a chair and you can receive all the same benefits of improved flexibility, increased strength and reduced stress

You can adapt your exercise plan to suit you (chronic illness and exercise)

Try attending a class

Attending a fitness class has the benefit of being able to consult an instructor, who can help you do the exercises correctly and avoid any mistakes that could lead to an injury. If you worry that a “normal” fitness class may be too hard on you, you may be able to find a special class for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. This means you also get to spend time with people who may have a similar condition as you, allowing you to share your experiences and maybe even hear a few good pieces of advice. 

Learning how to live a to-some-extent-normal life when suffering from a chronic illness is not an easy task. With lots of effort, motivation, will, and support from our dear loved ones, we can try to improve as much as we can and be the best version of ourselves. 

For more information regarding exercising with chronic illness, you can visit: www.gethealthystayhealthy.com

About the author:

Helen Bradford is a journalism student who always seeks new ideas to write about. She enjoys blogging about beauty, health and style trends for women. When she’s not writing, she spends her spare time being active through fitness and traveling.

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How You Can Decide Which Yoga Style Works Best For You: (Comprehensive List)

How to Decide Which Yoga Poses Work Best For You

Yoga is a disciplinary practice that helps us to reshape our unconscious patterns. It disciplines us by reducing the fluctuations of our mind and keeps our mind in harmony with our body. Practicing yoga helps us to build a framework to make conscious choices with clarity, mental peace, and happiness. This unparalleled form of wisdom is the ingredient we need to become spiritually aware and to enlighten our souls.

Yoga and it’s benefits

Practicing yoga mainly consists of Asanas (different body postures), and Meditation Pranayama (meditation while controlling your breathing), making it an efficient way to uplift our physical and mental health. Yoga asanas can improve our physiology by increasing our flexibility, strength, mobility, and balance. Yoga is a great tool to improve one’s physical stature and posture. The physical postures in Yoga allow our body to go through a full range of motion, reducing pain and tension in the muscles.

Modern Yoga has been divided into different forms, each with its own distinctive style and health benefits. It might be a difficult task to choose the one that resonates with us, but we can make an informed decision after evaluating all the styles available.

Styles of yoga:

Hatha Yoga:

This ancient style of Yoga is very common and focuses on asanas and pranayama. The asanas include twisting, reclining, standing and balancing of the body. This form of Yoga is highly practiced in Yoga teacher training in India.

What to expect: The Yoga asanas can be physically challenging and are usually slow and calm.

You should try this if: You need a grounded and pure form of Yoga with standing and sitting poses. It is also great for those who wish to develop awareness through pranayamas.

Benefits: Reduces muscular pain and de-stresses the body.

Making an informed decision about which form of yoga works for you

Viniyoga:

This is a branch of Hatha Yoga that focuses on breathing and meditation with poses. It helps in creating an inward flow of energy.  

What to expect: Focus on breathing, meditation, and chanting.    

You should try this if: You have limited mobility and wish to work from the inside out.    

Benefits: Improved posture, body awareness, and relaxation.

Ashtanga Yoga:

This advanced form of Yoga has a series of poses that require quick transitions from one pose to another. This challenging form of Yoga is also regarded as ‘power yoga.’ Surya Namaskar is a popular form of Ashtanga Yoga with 12 asanas. 

What to expect: Keen concentration on breathing while following a set of sequential poses.  

You should try this if: You need a physically demanding session with fast-paced movements and acrobatic postures. 

Benefits: Strengthened muscles, increased flexibility, and improved stamina.

Bikram Yoga:

This yoga form includes practicing basic asanas with breathing techniques for 90 minutes in a pre-heated room (40 degrees Celsius).

What to expect: Similar asanas as in Hatha Yoga.  

You should try this if: You prefer a repetitive routine, extreme exertion and are okay with heat.  

Benefits: Removal of toxins, as well as improved circulation of blood and oxygen.

Iyenger Yoga:

This form of Yoga works so that the body and mind can function in equilibrium. It has strict poses which focus on posture and proper alignment. The good breathwork helps you to hold poses for a longer time. 

What to expect: Using Yoga props for standing and seated postures with good breathing techniques. 

You should try this if: You want to work on correcting your posture and alignment.   

Benefits: Increases range of motion, muscle tone and reduces anxiety.

Using yoga as an exercise when dealing with chronic illness

Vinyasa Yoga:

This is a dynamic and flowing form of yoga. It includes quick transitions with a rhythmic background. This is a cardiovascular exercise and is very popular in the US. 

What to expect: Freeform and a dynamic exercise usually guided by an instructor. 

You should try this if: You want an athletic kind of feeling with minimum restrictions in forms. 

Benefits: Reduces body fat, increases flexibility and builds lean muscle.

Jivamukti Yoga:

This is a Vinyasa based style that includes chanting, meditation, and listening to the spiritual and ancient teachings of Yoga. This form of Yoga is good for the mind and helps widen our intellect.  

What to expect: Sequences of meditation, deep listening, and chanting. 

You should try this if: You want to experience the spiritual and ancient teachings of Yoga and its philosophies. 

Benefits: Body awareness, widened mind and wisdom.

Kundalini Yoga:

This yoga form balances the energies of the body through mindful activities like meditation, chanting mantras, and pranayamas. It directs the flow of energy from the bottom of our spine to the seven chakras that revive the soul.

What to expect: Chanting mantra, deep meditation, and repeated movements.  

You should try this if: You’re looking to deepen your spiritual practice.

Benefits: Deep spiritual awakening, corrects our energy channels, and you can feel the energy at the base of the spine.

Yin Yoga:

This is a slow-paced form of yoga where the positions are usually held for a longer period of time. The asanas are usually performed in a seated or lying position. The longer duration of each position releases tension in muscles by giving them a uniform level of stress.  

What to expect: A slow style of yoga where poses are held from 1-5 minutes. 

You should try this if: You deal with chronic muscular pain, stress or stiffness.   

Benefits: Repairs connective tissues, releases tension and stress, and revives the range of motion of the muscles.

Using yoga for restorative and relaxing purposes when dealing with chronic illness

Restorative Yoga:

This form of Yoga is best suited for the purpose of resting and relaxation. This involves only five or six poses with minimum movement and passive stretching. Props are also used for better support and balance. 

What to expect: Gentle and slow poses that are to be held for more than 10 minutes using props. 

You should try this if: You’re suffering from chronic pain and stress.  

Benefits: Stimulates the nervous system by aligning physical and mental aspects by practicing still movements.

Though all the yoga styles have different benefits to offer, Yoga has a consistent theme of synchronizing the body and mind so that people can reach their highest potential.

About The Author

Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He organizes 200 hours of yoga teacher training in various cities in India and Nepal. He also conducts AyurvedaCourses in Kerala He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature, Himalayas and Trekking in Nepal .

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The Benefits of Meditation (How to Relax Your Body and Mind)

The Benefits of Meditation (How to Relax Your Body and Mind)

If you find yourself feeling anxious and stressed more frequently than usual, it’s time to take a break before you find your bucket overflowed with stress. You can achieve this by pampering your mind and body with meditation. Meditation is one of the best ways to cope with stress as it releases tension from our muscles and encourages the supply of oxygenated blood to our brain. It gives us a moment for self-reflection and helps in finding the answers to our problems within. It is also very relaxing.

How I Like to Meditate:

Focusing attention to the different parts of the body through meditation is a good way to quiet the mind. You may start practicing meditation by sitting comfortably while closing your eyes. Relax your shoulders by placing your hands on your lap. Take a few slow and deep breaths and exhale the stress from your body with each exhale. After that, start focusing on the different parts of your body starting from the toes, legs, and hips with each breath. Picture yourself sending vibrations of relaxation to each body part and release your tension as you do so.

You can practice this for five to ten minutes before you go back to your regular tasks. Here are some of the benefits of meditation:

Using Meditation to Calm The Mind

It Reduces Stress Levels Within Your Body and Can Lessen Inflammation

Stress causes the release of hormones such as Cortisol. It produces harmful effects on your body and releases cytokines, which is an inflammation-promoting chemical. These hormones and chemicals can promote disturbed sleep, anxiety, and depression. It also leads to cloudy thinking and fatigue. People often use meditation for stress reduction. A study shows that if you do mindfulness meditation for more than eight weeks, it can lower the harmful effects of inflammatory hormones on our body. Meditation can also improve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, bowel syndrome, and fibromyalgia.  

Helps Control Inflammation

If you feel less stressed, this can lead to you feeling less anxious. If you start practicing meditation you could experience a reduction in your anxiety. Along with that, it also reduces the symptoms of anxiety such as paranoid thoughts, phobias, social anxiety, panic attacks, and obsessive-compulsive behavior. Meditation can not only reduces the symptoms of anxiety but can also help you cope up with the stress related to the high-pressure working environment.

Helps in Decreasing Blood Pressure

Meditation helps in reducing the strain on your heart. High blood pressure creates pressure on the heart, and it has to work harder to pump the blood, which leads to poor heart function. With time, high blood pressure contributes to narrowing the heart arteries, and atherosclerosis, which can be the main cause of heart stroke and attack. When you practice meditation and chant non-vocalized words, it can help in reducing high blood pressure. This can lead to a controlled nervous system and coordinated heart signal.

Using Meditation to Help Decrease Blood Pressure

Helps You to Bear Pain

Your mind plays an important role in perceiving pain, and it can pain levels can increase if you’re in a stressful condition. A study shows that if you practice yoga on a regular basis, it helps you make less sensitive towards pain and decrease in chronic pain. Meditation helps in diminishing the perception of the pain in your brain. This process can help you cope with intermittent pain. 

Can Improve Your Sleep Pattern

Half of the population of the world struggles with insomnia at some point in their lives. If you practice mindfulness meditation techniques regularly, you’ll notice an improvement in your sleep. Meditation not only helps you sleep easily but also makes sleep more satisfying. Our racing thoughts, stress, and anxiety don’t let our brain relax, and that leads to insomnia. Meditation calms these thoughts and helps in relaxing our brain, releasing tension and putting you in a peaceful state. 

Aids Addiction Recovery

Meditation helps in increasing self-control, which can help you to get rid of any kind of dependencies and increase awareness for triggers towards addictive behavior. A study shows that regular practice of meditation helps people to increase their willpower, redirect their attention, control impulses, and more. For people who are taking medication and treatment for drugs or alcohol addiction, meditation can serve as the perfect aid for controlling your cravings. Meditation also helps in controlling food-related cravings and is helpful for disorders like obesity.

Using Meditation to Help Control Addictive Behavior

Can Also Increase Positive Feelings Such As Generocity

Regular practice of meditation helps in increasing positivity towards yourself and others. Love kindness meditation is a technique that helps you to develop kind thoughts towards yourself and others. You start developing mercy and forgiveness, first to yourself then gradually towards an acquaintance and finally towards your enemies. Not only does this encourage love and kindness, but also it helps in reducing marriage conflicts, social anxiety, and aids anger management. This meditation technique is an excellent way to learn compassion and empathy towards others and to look upon life with positive feelings.

Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He organizes 200 hours of yoga teacher training in various cities in India and Nepal. He also conducts AyurvedaCourses in Kerala He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature, Himalayas and Trekking in Nepal .

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A Guide to Coping With Shoulder Pain

Coping with Shoulder Pain

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body. This leaves our shoulders vulnerable to injury through the actions we carry out in our everyday lives. Waking up with shoulder pain and tension can be very disturbing to your daily routine. It can become a struggle to complete daily household work and chores. Shoulder pain can have many causes, from injury to tension, to having slept in an uncomfortable position the night before. Shoulder pain can also be triggered by sports, gym exercises, or lifting heavy items. Pain medication can help, however, the relief may only last a few hours and may not be enough on its own to adequately manage the pain. Here are some home remedies that can help lessen shoulder pain:

Cold compress:

Applying ice to the sore area can both numb the area and reduce inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, and cramps. Ice is also great for use after exercise or after prolonged, painful activity.

Microwaveable heat pack: 

The warmth from these heat packs can help reduce the pain, muscle stiffness, and muscle spasms that may be the cause of your shoulder pain. These are little fabric cases that are often filled with wheat that you can stick in the microwave and put on your shoulder or any other sore spot.

Anti-inflammatory medication:

Anti-inflammatory medication: In the case of injury, arthritis, or tendonitis, anti-inflammatory medication can help reduce inflammation and therefore reduce pain. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories you can purchase include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen

Anti-inflammatories can help reduce shoulder pain

These home remedies for shoulder pain are especially great for when you experience shoulder pain at night and have no access to a medical professional’s help. If your shoulder pain is ongoing and is becoming bothersome it is advisable that you consult a doctor to ensure there is nothing seriously wrong. This can sometimes result in an X-ray in order to attempt to identify the source of your pain.

Yoga

Once the cause of your shoulder pain has been discovered and your doctor has given you the all clear, yoga can be incredibly helpful with relieving pain, bringing back strength, and increasing mobility. Yoga can also help with inflammation in other areas of the body. Studies have been done that show that people who do yoga regularly experience less inflammation overall than those who don’t. Yoga poses that work well for shoulder pain include shoulder roles, neck role, and the downward-facing-dog against the wall. If while you’re doing yoga you experience sharp or stabbing pain, tingling, or numbness, it may be wise to avoid that pose for a week or two.

Stretches

Stiffness or tightness in the shoulders can limit movement; and if it goes untreated, it can cause tension headaches. If yoga isn’t your thing, then simple stretches are an easy way to relieve shoulder pain and tightness. Stretches that work well for shoulder pain include the cross-body-shoulder-stretch, cross body arm swings, and a stretch called the cow-face pose. Stretching can also help improve posture, which is important for preventing back and shoulder pain.

Yoga can reduce shoulder pain

If the pain still persists after a few weeks, it may be beneficial to look into consulting a Physical therapist.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is often recommended for treatment of an injury or rehab after surgery. Physical therapy treatment often starts off with an initial evaluation where you are asked about your pain and what triggers it. The strength and movement in your shoulder may also be tested. After this assessment, the treatment can begin. You may receive massages and be given a home-exercise-program specifically tailored to you to help the strength and mobility of your shoulder. You should be able to notice an improvement in your shoulder within a few weeks. If your shoulder pain still continues to persist, you may need to see a specialist.

Shoulder pain and tension is a common, yet often treatable affliction. These treatments for shoulder pain can help keep your shoulder mobile and strong. In the case of severe pain, consult your doctor or physiotherapist before doing any exercises such as stretches or yoga

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How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night’s Sleep

How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night's Sleep

Yoga has different faces. On one hand, it is vibrant in the form of poses and asanas while on the other, it depicts the mindfulness of Meditation. Yoga is a breathing practice in Pranayama while it becomes ethics and principles in Karma Yoga. Some say Yoga helps them stay fit while others argue it is about mental tranquility.

Different people take the ancient science of Yoga differently. Its applications get altered according to circumstances. Yet, none of these definitions is entirely correct. Looking at the traditional Yoga texts, one can decipher the meaning of Yoga as a way of life very easily. Everything that Yoga does directly or indirectly has some relation to the betterment of human life. The science of Yoga is a reflection of what a body is capable of, how fit the mind is, and how composed the soul is.

There is another way of looking at the fitness of the body and mind. Many health experts argue that the intensity of one’s sleep shows his/her health level. The better rest an individual enjoys the more activeness is expected to be shown. By taking both these matters into account, it can be tracked with utmost ease that Yoga is so much about sleeping and vice-versa. Let’s discuss a deeper relationship between Yoga and sleeping.

The Beauty Of Sleeping Yoga

Since Yoga touches every aspect of human life, one cannot refrain from the fact that it is very much a tranquillizing exercise. Let’s take the example of Savasana, which is all but about taking rest. This asana is called the Corpse Pose, thanks to the position of the body in deep stillness or like a corpse.

It is recommended to be practised between two intensive Yoga sessions or poses to bring the body and mind to rest. This helps in refreshing and recharging the body for another session. Although the roots of this astonishing exercise lie in a beautiful practice of Yoga, its applicability is well embedded in the health and wellness of the human body.

Corpse Pose - How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night's Sleep

Savasana is practised while lying on the Yoga mat with complete freedom of the mind and body. The hands and legs are relaxed. When one closes the eyes in Savasana, the body, mind, and soul cut themselves out from the rest of the world. Only these three elements of life interact with each other in silence, which is what happens while sleeping.

Practising the delight of Savasana every day can improve the beauty of your sleep. Two of the major reasons people do not get a substantial amount of good sleep, nowadays, are the workload and poor living style. When you relish the peaceful aroma of Savasana, all those stressful moments will be wiped out of the mind and refresh your brain.

Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is defined as a state of consciousness – between awakeness and sleep. ‘Nidra’ stands for sleep (yogic sleep). In this stage, the body is completely relaxed. One can feel the inner body with enhanced awareness about various internal organs and metabolism. The practice is all about inner conscious.

Yoga Nidra is referred to as the deepest possible relaxation position. Although this form of Yoga is not a part of the daily practice for many, Yoga teacher training in India includes this practice in the program curriculum. Almost all Yoga schools in the Indian subcontinent give great emphasis to Yoga Nidra as they believe this is the best way to keep one connected to the yogic path with complete awareness and relaxation.

A number of Yoga teachers from all over the globe are of the opinion that the practice of Yoga Nidra is a huge contributor to better sleeping. 

Meditation And Sleeping

The power of Meditation in bringing the mind and body to the zone of utmost silence is quite unparalleled. Meditation is about concentration, tremendous focus on a single object. It is a practice of thought absorption and mental nurturing. An anxiety-full mind cannot enjoy the bliss of sleeping since it is full of many negative thoughts. These negativities haunt you in the form of deviation.

A number of people complain of unpleasant dreams at night. This is what happens when you don’t spend your days in peace. In order to maintain a balance in the lifestyle of an individual, Meditation is one of the best exercises. Begin your day with at least 5-10 minutes of Meditation in a serene atmosphere to feel the calmness of nature.

Sunrise Before Yoga - How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night's Sleep

Early morning is considered the ideal time for Meditation and almost all forms of yogic practices. During the dawn, not many people are awake and you get a peaceful and quiet environment. Early morning Meditation prepares you in an awesome way to deal with all the daily stuff with patience. When your days are gratifying, nights are more likely to be pleasant.

You can experience the beauty of Meditation in the evening as well. Since the lunar energy is active during the evening time, you can embrace the feminine power and feel soulful stability with this practice of mindfulness. Many Yoga and health experts suggest enjoying Meditation before going to bed. If you end your day in the vicinity of spiritual energy all you experience is the seventh heaven’s seat.

It is recommended to everyone, who does not enjoy better sleep, to get into the zone of Meditation. The best part about this exercise is that it can be practiced anywhere. Whether you are in the office or waiting for the train at a railway station, just close your eyes and recite a couple of mantras.

How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night's Sleep

Yoga Asanas For Superior Sleeping

While there is no doubt in the fact that relaxing yogic practices are better sponsors of amazing sleep, Yoga poses have also been practiced by many people to enjoy the warmth of their beds. If you are interested in following a proper asanas routine, there are many Yoga poses you can enjoy to get a finer sleep at night.

How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night's Sleep

Adho Mukha Svanasana, also known as Downward Facing Dog, is among the finest Yoga exercises that promote a fine circulation of blood, making the body ready for experiencing the love that your bed gives. Blood flow promotes harmony in the body and mind which is the best way to have an awesome sleep. There is one very amazing Yoga pose, Paschimottanasana that is extremely effective when it comes to giving joy to the body parts.

When you attend a Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, they focus more on these Hatha Yoga poses. These exercises are of immense importance in achieving complete balance and stability. One amazing facet of yogic practices – breathing, tells a lot about how the body itself is engaged in making it good for sleeping.

How Yoga Can Help You Get A Better Night's Sleep

Pranayama is known as breath-based Yoga. It is all about the regulation of the air and blood to provide stability to the body and mind. Constant breathing activates the body’s metabolism and a better form of sleeping can be enjoyed by you. As long as you are healthy, your body is fit, no force in the world is going to give you a better and enjoyable sleep.

Thus, it is very important to embrace the delight of Yoga and its practices in the best way possible to lead an astonishing life on the planet with amiable nights of sleep.

About The Author

Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He organizes 200 hours of yoga teacher training in various cities in India and Nepal. He also conducts AyurvedaCourses in Kerala He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature, Himalayas and Trekking in Nepal .

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How to Reduce Stress through Yoga

How To Reduce Stress Through Yoga

Disability or chronic illnesses are perhaps not the things one can ever completely overcome. Does this also mean there is no way around being plagued with acute stress and anxiety emerging out of illness situations for the rest of life?

Yoga reliefs stress and anxiety

The mind-body technique of yoga suggests, one can discipline herself past stress and anxiety, and culture more calmness, acceptance and gratitude. The thousand-year old practice is known to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system– the section that initiates restfulness and subsequent healing functions in the body. Also, yoga is observed to increase the GABA or gamma-amino butyric acid levels in the body. This neurotransmitter is responsible for making you feel oodles of tranquility.

The benefit of yoga for the chronically ill or specially-abled may actually have nothing to do with treating symptoms. What yoga therapy majorly addresses is the baggage of emotional turmoil that comes with a difficult diagnosis. While you would most definitely need to gather up all your will and execute your problem-solving attitude and positive intuition to live with disability or illness, yoga can help you feel calm and grounded.

Here is why you should consider adding yoga to your self-care for mitigating stress.

To Develop an Innate Coping Technique

Chronic illnesses have a way of fluctuating in the magnitude of their effects on the body. One day it’s just dull, ignorable and the day next it gets absolutely insufferable. While medication, seasonal change or appropriate lifestyle can provide some relief here and there, there is no guarantee that there isn’t a particularly bad phase lurking in the corners.

While coping mechanism is something every individual should work on to make getting by smoother, for the chronically ill or specially-abled, it’s especially necessary. Yoga sequences, both in restorative styles and high-energy rigorous flow styles, lay out an adaptive exercise pattern. Yoga practitioners systematically internalize rhythmically pacing and adapting to intensive phases.

Once you are on top of your down-dog, you probably won’t get so rattled with suddenly coming on intensive phases of your illness!

Manage chronic illness with Yoga

To Help Boost Cognition and Memory

Dealing with chronic illness or disability often takes a toll in the form of cognitive dysfunction. Often there is confusion in conducting day to day affairs, failing memory and lack of focus. The feeling is much like not being able to sleep for days and then sitting down to understand quadratic equations. The mind being an inseparable extension of the physical body is naturally prone to getting affected by the tribulations of the body.

The innate breath-centered focusing exercise in yogic discipline provides great improvement in this regard. Mindfulness becomes a second nature the more and more one gives in to the practice. Subsequently memory and relative cognitive capacities improve to.

Time you stay sharp with yoga!

To Deal With Your Emotional Excesses Healthily

The emotional backlash of coming to terms with a difficult diagnosis can be immense. To stay strong and develop a positive problem-solving attitude in these times is a severe challenge. It is natural to experience extreme trepidation and lack of self-reliance, pushing one to the brink of a breakdown, and that is when yoga can become a tool for healthily channelizing these emotional upheavals.

The practice of yoga reflects restoration, you learn not to be too hard on yourself. Yoga is about turning the gaze inwards, you learn to accept. Yoga exemplifies how simple discipline and practice can expand perceived boundaries. It’s the beginning of the realization that you are infinite. Incapacities are suddenly less magnified and you can win back your self-reliance.

To Find Quality Self-Time

Diagnosis of chronic illness and disability is many times comprehended tragically as end of self-sufficiency. One is made to revise life’s priorities and forced to deal with a sea change in working systems of life. A person diagnosed chronically ill can be prohibited to drive on her own on medical counsel, for example. Changed circumstances can be harrowing and exhaustive for both the patient and those around her. The essentiality of some quality me-time yet remains and yoga can be an effective way to find that space.

The more you learn to delve inwards, unknot your worries as you do your body joints and muscles, more would you learn to see your way around the challenges of illness and disability.

To Learn Acceptance

To be in denial or wishing away the hardship is perhaps the faultiest mechanisms to deal with health handicaps. On the same note, you cannot let your illness or disability magnify into something bigger than it is and get the better of you. To have an objective take on the subject is ideal and also perhaps the hardest task. To accept life as it is and making the best of situation is the kind of wiring that let us succeed in the battle and yoga s a discipline is full of this perspective.

As you employ your body and mind to task in the meditative asanas, take measure of the infinite possibilities that you hold, despite the illness and despite the perceived disability. Thrive!

Utilizing yoga as therapy to deal with the stress of special conditions can be a huge basis for chronic illness and disability support.

Take the path.

Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He provides Yoga Teacher Training In India. He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature and the Himalayas. 

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5 Healthy Habits for Persons with Chronic Diseases

Fruits for healthy habits

Lifestyle issues cause some chronic diseases.

There is a high tendency for people not to exercise as much, paving the way to obesity, due to unhealthy food consuming that lead to illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, strokes, and much more that we are not even aware they exist. Ever heard of Chiari Malformation, Ehler Danlos Syndrome, and Myasthenia Gravis? These are chronic diseases, fancy, right? Mine is Mitral Valve Regurgitation and Stage 2 Hypertension (severe hypertension). Consider a lifestyle modification. Only 5 Healthy Habits to follow.

What if you are diagnosed with a chronic illness?

The issue with lifestyle is that they are difficult to turn into action. Many people attempt a change in their lifestyle all at once, which is tough to accomplish. The result? Often, they give up all of the right paths and resort to the usual negative health habits that they had been doing long before they have even tasted a healthy lifestyle.

Often, it just takes a few days or a few lucky weeks of trying to be healthy before the individual becomes overwhelmed and stops living healthy. Exercising stops and back they go to eating processed foods and junk foods; these are the very reasons to change your health habits one habit at a time so that you don’t become overwhelmed and stop trying to be healthy altogether, after all, a person with a chronic illness can only do so much.

Most weight loss programs available today only work if they are done carefully and don’t deprive the individual too much. The same goes for exercise programs. If you choose an exercise that you will likely enjoy or increase your physical activity more gradually, do stick to it so that you don’t become discouraged and quit using altogether. The trick to healthy living is to begin slowly.

If you try any modern diet or fitness fad with gusto, your body will likely respond negatively, sticking with these programs will be tough. There are a few simple things you can do to live a happier and healthier life.

fruits for healthy habits

Try these five changes to winning healthy habits a la Chronic Illness Warrior:

1. A must: eat one healthy meal daily.

Even if you are a fan of processed foods, do not deprive yourself of a healthy food each day. Feed your body with proper nutrition and healthy proteins. Healthy meals consist of mainly fruits and vegetables, supplemented with whole grain products, and lean meats. It doesn’t matter how much you eat, if the food is healthy for you, it won’t usually contain a lot of calories and won’t cause weight gain as can be evident when you eat junk foods or highly processed foods. Even so, you should try to watch your portion sizes.

2. Drink up: take one glass of water before each meal.

Water is by far the best liquid to drink. When you decide to drink a glass of water before meals, (an 8-ounce glass is enough), you will feel fuller before eating, and you won’t eat as much at the meal that follows a drink of water.

3. Have some activity at lunch.

Given you have 30minutes of Lunch Break, it usually doesn’t take that long to eat your meals. Eat your meals, and have the time to exercise. An extreme workout is not necessary, especially for a Spoonie; a simple walk will do. Being active will not only give you a boost, but it is also an aid to burning off the calories you just ate and will help in the digestive process. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you want to do as long as you choose reasonable one without overdoing it. A Spoonie may be unchargeable, but inactivity weakens a person even more.

4. Have a replacement bar for a meal.

This step will include eating a protein bar as a snack instead of junk foods. Most meal replacement bars are healthy enough; they contain proper nutrition and lots of fiber, and they are also not calorie-rich as you think. They help stave off hunger pangs in a typical mid-afternoon time. Keep a stash of these protein bars wherever you are, in your desk at work or in your purse or briefcase easily available when hunger strikes you. It will help you from spending on poor food choices found in vending machines. Try a meal replacement bar that is high in fiber, and that has at least 10 to 15 grams of protein per bar.

5. Exercise, always.

Yoga for healthy habits

With or without an illness, exercise at least 3-4 times per week. Choose activities you will enjoy while keeping it at a minimum; doing so will help energize you, build muscle mass, and help you lose weight by burning off excess calories. Yoga, perhaps (the perfect Spoonie exercise)?

So, what am I, er, what are you waiting for!? Let’s do this!