Tag Archives: de-stress

Yoga Legend Offers 7 Ways To Make Morning Time Your Favorite

Most people dread the moment the alarm clock goes off having to fight their way out of bed to start the day.  But what if you could turn morning time into your favorite time of the day, where waking up is actually easy and more enjoyable?

Aadil Palkhivala
Aadil Palkhivala

Yoga legend Aadil Palkhivala, known across the world as the “Godfather of yoga in the west,” and author of Fire of Love: For Students of Life and Teachers of Yoga, offers these tips that will make it easier to get going in the morning:

1. Wake up to something pleasant: The very first thing most people think about when they wake up are all the things they have to get done that day.  It quickly makes them feel overwhelmed, frustrated and stressed out. Instead, start your day thinking about the things you are grateful for, and focus on the fun activities you have planned for the day. Do some Heartfull TM Meditation that focuses on deep breathing that will wake you up peacefully and put you in the mood to create throughout the day.

  1. Lose the traditional alarm clock: Jarring the body from a deep sleep is unhealthy for the nervous system. Waking up to a softer noise that gradually increases in volume is a much better choice. Sounds from nature are soothing and naturally awake the body.

  1. Drink a glass of warm water right away: Before you head for the coffee, drink a glass of warm water. Warm water will open up the circulation in the throat and stomach. It helps the body naturally hydrate and feel awake and alive.  It also helps enhance circulation and removes toxins from the night and day before.  People who drink water right before bed and when waking up are also less prone to heart attacks.
  1. Have an organic smoothie: They say garbage in equals garbage out, so start your day with a powerful organic smoothie.  Anything that contains green fruits/veggies is a good choice, along with plant-based proteins. Avoid animal-based proteins which are more difficult to digest.
  1. Stretches: Just like you would warmup your car on a cold winter day, you need to break up the tension from the night before and get the body ready for action.  Do some simple stretches that focus on the neck, shoulders, hips and spine.

Warm Shower6. Take a warm shower: It’s as common as the chicken and egg debate: should you shower in the morning or at night?  The answer is actually both, but especially in the morning because a warm to hot shower will increase circulation in the skin, and help awake the nervous system.

  1. Clean air: When you sleep in a room that has clean air, you’re going to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.  Use an air ionizer and purifier with HEPA filter that removes odors and fumes from cleaners, aerosols, carpet and paint. HEPA filters remove more than 99 percent of airborne irritants.

For nearly thirty years, Aadil has been regarded as a “teacher of teachers,” and many of the world’s top yoga instructors have studied with him. He has a unique teaching style, mixing melodious instructions with recitations of poetry, philosophical insights, and in-the-moment humor.

Alive and Shine Center LogoAadil and his wife, Savitri, are the founders of Purna Yoga, a holistic synthesis of yogic traditions based on the work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Discover more about Aadil  and the Alive and Shine Center.  For the Silo, Alex Smith.

Supplemental- A short history of Yoga http://swamij.com/history-yoga.htm

Sony’s Nature Sounds Alarm Clock- now discontinued but still available via Amazon and Ebay.

Fight Stress With Shinrin Yoku Forest Bathing

Forest bathing= "serenity now." image:homeremediesmd.com
Forest bathing= “serenity now.” image:homeremediesmd.com

Stress is ever present in current society, both personal stress and workplace stress contribute to the well documented link, between stress and chronic conditions.   The most recent data available from Statistic Canada’s – National Population Health Survey, demonstrates that personal stress is predictive of the development of a chronic health condition over the next four years (Statistics Canada, 2003).  The long term impact of these chronic health conditions can result in significant activity limitation from heart attack, diabetes, migraine, or arthritis or back problems.  Even more daunting is the higher predictive value of death for individuals suffering from cancer, bronchitis/emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.

The practice of forest bathing itself is not a new concept.  Prior to the industrial revolution being “in nature” was part of everyday life.   The Japanese term Shinrin-yoku  meaning “taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing” was officially coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982. (Park et al. 2010)

This novel practice of being in nature, demonstrates a wide variety of health benefits from which individuals in modern society can stand to gain.  With the increasing amount of individuals living in urban settings the exposure to nature is diminishing.

Field studies performed in Japan measured salivary cortisol levels (more commonly known as “stress hormone”) in university individuals.  The students were divided into two groups, one to spend a day in a forest setting, the other in a city setting.   Lower levels of stress hormone, as well as lower blood pressure and pulse rate was found in individuals in forest location. (Park et al. 2010)

Not feeling ready to take the plunge into full force bathing? Forest sitting and contemplation of bathing can calm you.

Further evidence has been documented  to the demonstrate  the reduction of stress resulting from forest bathing, through the improvement immune function with exposure to the natural environment.  Given that immune function is key in the prevention of chronic diseases this evidence is exciting.   Natural killer cells as they are ingeniously named are cells within the immune system which kill tumours or virus infected cells, through the release of enzymes which break down the cells.   In research studies natural killer cells have been found to be elevated for seven days after the forest bathing trip (Qing, 2010).  This seven day window of improved immune function is great news for the weekend warrior in all of us.

Many of us who live in Brant-Halidmand-Norfolk are blessed with exposure to forest just outside our doorsteps.  This being said it doesn’t mean we always take advantage of it, between commuting to work, family and social commitments,  going from the house to the car may be the norm.  For the Silo, Ashley Beeton. 

Ashley Beeton

 

 

 

 

References

Park, B.J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010) The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan.  Environ Health Prev Med,  15,18–26.

Statistics Canada. (2003) Stress and Well-being (No 82-003). Retrieved from http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/access_acces/alternative_alternatif.action?l=eng&loc=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2000003/article/5626-eng.pdf&t=Stress%20and%20well-being

Qing, Li. (2010) Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function.  Environ Health Prev Med, 15,9–17.