FitSugar

Wanna Sleep at Night? Stop Counting Sheep

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:00:25 -0800

Every few weeks I'm hit with a bad case of insomnia, and it's beyond frustrating. I've tried every trick in the book to deal with it, but I usually end up lying in bed for an hour before giving up and getting up again. One thing I've tried to lull me to sleep is the old wives tale of counting sheep. I haven't had much success with it and it looks like I am not alone. According to a sleep study, counting livestock is not an insomnia cure and it may even be keeping you up longer.

To see what methods were best when it came to falling asleep, researchers in Oxford monitored the sleep habits of insomniacs. On the nights the participants were told to count sheep (or do nothing at all), it actually took them longer to fall asleep in comparison to other methods. What did help the insomniacs was to visualize a relaxing scene. On average, the participants fell asleep 20 minutes sooner when they used this visualization technique. Researchers believe that counting sheep is ineffective because it's too boring and participants stop counting. In comparison, imagining yourself on a tropical island is engaging enough to concentrate on until we tire ourselves out.

The reason positive visualization may work on insomniacs is related to another Oxford sleep study that compared the pre-sleep thoughts of insomniacs and sound sleepers. Researchers found that insomniacs don't usually picture relaxing images before bed and instead focus on worries, things they did during the day, and environmental noises. It looks like having less stress is the key to a good night's sleep - unfortunately, the stress of not sleeping is enough to keep anyone up! Next time I have this problem, I'll be taking a few minutes to meditate all the day's worries away.

Meditate Your Way to Good Health

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:00:02 -0800

This year Gwyneth Paltrow is going to clear her mind and give meditation a try. Before you write this off as another one of Gwyneth's questionable health practices or categorize meditation as something hippies, Buddhists, and the new agey do in incense filled rooms, hear me out. Meditation is an easy way to alleviate stress and anxiety and it doesn't cost a dime. Also, it can be done anywhere in as little as five minutes.

In her latest GOOP newsletter, Gwyneth writes that she's not exactly sure how to meditate but she hears it's "freakin' brilliant." Well, she's right to say that - it is brilliant and it's so easy to do. Whenever I meditate, I always feel refreshed, energized, and less anxious. While there are many different types of meditation, here are some basic guidelines if you'd like to give meditation a try.

First find a quiet place to relax, and then put your body into a comfortable position - I usually lie down in my room with the lights dimmed. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath going in and out of your body. The action of concentrating on your breath is what helps you let go of worries and stress. Instead of focusing on life's little problems, you clear your mind and instead focus on the present moment.

At first go, some people might have a hard time letting go to just be in the moment. If that's the case, try and do it for only a few minutes the first couple of times. As you become more comfortable with the practice give yourself 20 minutes of escape time. And don't worry if your mind starts to wander, just refocus on your breath. It always comes back to the breath.

Class Act: Vajra Yoga

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:00:22 -0800

The yoga studio where I teach just started offering Vajra yoga classes, so I decided to try something new and took a class last week. The only thing I knew before heading into the studio was that this was a more meditative kind of yoga. Since the class began at noon, it was small: only four other students. The small group made for a calm and peaceful environment, and the teacher had a single candle lit in the front of the room, which added to the quiet ambiance.

This 90-minute class began as I thought, seated in a comfortable position, as we were instructed to focus on our breath and quiet our minds. We only sat for about five minutes or so, which seemed like the perfect amount of time. To be honest, I have a hard time sitting and being still (it's something I need to work on), but this didn't seem too long at all. I actually enjoyed just experiencing the moment and following my breath.

To hear about the rest of the class read more.

After the short meditation, we began with small movements to awaken and warm up the muscles. We did some Cat Cow back stretches on our hands and knees, and some Cobra to Child's Pose. Then we eased into opening our hips with Pigeon, and some standing poses like Warrior 3 and Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend to open our hamstrings.

Although the poses were familiar, the way we did them was different than I am used to. There were no vinyasas, and we didn't flow from pose to pose to pose. Each asana was carried out on its own, and to be honest, it didn't work for my body. My muscles never really had the chance to warm up since I felt like my body was just being thrown into poses. That's just me though. I prefer fast-paced flowing styles of yoga such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti, where there's a lot more movement. Slower forms such as Kripalu and Iyengar always leave me feeling unsatisfied and antsy to move.

If you're new to yoga or prefer to move slowly, then Vajra yoga may be right up your alley, so see if a studio near you offers this type of yoga. As for me, I'll stick to my Vinyasa class most of the time and head to a Vajra class if my energy level is low or I need some quiet time to de-stress.

Is yoga one of your favorite things to talk about? Then check out the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

Meditate For a Healthy Heart

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:00:31 -0800

My father introduced TM (transcendental meditation) to me my senior year of high school as a way to unwind, relax, and fight stress as I headed off to college. Since then, I've always felt lucky to know a kind of secret way to recharge my batteries, without needing a nap. But I was surprised to learn that practicing meditation has another heath benefit for your heart.

It turns out regular practice of TM doesn't just help your psychological well-being; it has also been shown to have significant therapeutic effects on people at high risk for heart attacks. A recent study, which followed 200 patients for five years, reveals that "the high-risk patients who meditated cut their risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from all causes roughly in half compared with a group of similar patients who were given more conventional education about healthy diet and lifestyle."

According to Dr. Robert Schneider, director of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention, who presented the study's findings, TM's ability to help reduce blood pressure is essential to helping prevent heart attacks and heart complications, “We found reduced blood pressure that was significant – that was probably one important mediator," claims Schneider.

TM is also easy to learn and practice - it doesn't require specific education, and from my own experience, I totally agree with Dr. Schneider - "it's a straightforward technique for getting deep rest to the mind and body."

Give the Gift of Relaxation

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:50:59 -0800

Here at Sugar, holiday season is already in full swing - you better believe I've been making my list for who's been naughty and nice! To make gift shopping a breeze for you, we'll be offering up a bevy of gift ideas in the coming weeks for all the special fit folk in your life.

Whether you have a zen mama in your life or know someone who needs to take a moment for themselves, we've got you covered. Take a look at our picks that will help anyone unwind from the day, breathe, and find calm in the chaos.

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Relax Already: Chill Out Like Heather Graham

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0700

Feeling stressed and frazzled can take a toll on your happiness and overall well-being. Heather Graham makes time in her busy schedule to reconnect with her center every day through transcendental meditation. Director David Lynch turned her on to the technique, which involves repeating a mantra to quiet the mind.

The Hangover star practices this type of meditation because, "It balances you out – it makes you feel a lot less stressed." She complements her daily meditative sessions with yoga, and says that she's "really obsessed" with it for its ability to affect the mental and physical.

Although meditation is a one-woman activity, it can be difficult to get started. If you need a little help getting into the art of quieting your mind, check out my tips on where to begin. Do you meditate?

5 Recession-Proof Ways to Relax

FitSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Spa treatments and therapeutic massages are great ways to relax, but sometimes, the high price tag can work against the benefits. A lot of us need stress relief now more than ever, and thankfully there are plenty of cheap and easy ways to relax and relieve the tension. Here are five of my favorite recession-proof relaxation techniques.
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Think of Your Workout as Active Meditation

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:30:00 -0700

There's more to working out than improving your physical fitness since moving your body can also benefit your mind. Many of you are not that into types of exercise that typically lend themselves to sharpening mental awareness, but in no way does that mean you're unable to develop a mind/body connection through other forms of exercise.

Goddess on the sand, Gabrielle Reece, calls her beach volleyball workouts "active meditation." I love this phrase and what it suggests. While most of us don't have access to a beach as our fitness playground, choosing to be present during every workout can positively affect your senses of overall well-being and awareness. Begin making your workouts active meditation by creating intentions each time.

It looks like Gabby and the master of meditation, the Dalai Lama, have something in common. To see how the "world's most important Buddhist monk" incorporates meditation into his fitness life read more.

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Meditate With Soft Buns

FitSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:30:00 -0700

If you're into meditation to relieve stress, lower your blood pressure, and improve your posture, then your buns are going to love this. Since it's difficult to sit on a hard surface for an extended period of time without your back aching and your cheeks going numb, you need to sit on something that offers a little support. The bun-shaped Soft Buns cushion ($34) cradles each cheek so you can sit comfortably for longer. It also helps to align your shoulders with your hips to help restore the natural lumbar curve in your spine, which will help to prevent back pain.

Not only does this firm cushion have a convenient handle for easy carrying, but it also comes with a free 60-minute Yoga For Back Care DVD with Rodney Yee. Order this kit through Gaiam.

10 Ways to Never Get Sick Again

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:05:00 -0700

Sick of getting sick? Join the club. I will do anything and everything it takes to avoid getting sick this winter, and so I was thrilled to find this list of 10 practices that will help you stay away from hospitals, feel healthier, and live longer.

See a Chiropractor
Laugh hard
Scatter your workouts
Sleep at least seven hours a night
See an acupuncturist
Meditate
Perform cardiovascular exercise at least four times a week
Stretch
Eat organic food
Be wary of medications

I regularly do almost everything on the list aside from meditate and see an acupuncturist. What about you guys - how many things on the list do you do?

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