Yoga - The Solution for Insomnia

Summary:

If you are continually staying awake over trivial matters, these solutions will aid you to get a good night’s rest. Remember - not every solution will work for everyone, so try the easiest ideas and make them fit into your lifestyle.

Keywords:

health, healthy, fitness, fit, sleep, no, none, dont, don't, insomnia, sleepy, sleeping, yoga

Article Body:

At one time, or another, all of us have experienced insomnia for any type of reason.  There are times when lack of sleep just can’t be helped, such as: the loss a loved one, going through a divorce, and losing your job. 

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These are some of life’s serious crisis situations, where we have to let time heal, and try not to fall apart in the process.  Some of the solutions below will help insomnia, but they will not heal grief. 

However, if you are continually staying awake over trivial matters, these solutions will aid you to get a good night’s rest.  Remember - not every solution will work for everyone, so try the easiest ideas and make them fit into your lifestyle.

Do you have one or more problems, on your mind, that are troubling you at bedtime?  If so, write it down and leave it on the kitchen table where you sit in the morning.  This is a form of compartmentalization, where your subconscious mind works on a solution, and you and your conscious mind get some needed rest.

You will be surprised what happens the following morning.  The problem is much less important or your subconscious found the solution.  This technique is so powerful that many successful people use it, even when they don’t really have a problem.  This keeps you organized, on a daily basis, and you will get more accomplished in life.

That leads into the next idea, which is establishing a daily routine.  Your body has a natural cycle, and most of us ignore it.  Modern humans are more out of tune with their bodies than ever before, so we have to get back to basics and design a schedule for all tasks - including sleep.

You should exercise every day, but your exercise routine should end two hours before bedtime, at the latest.  This allows your body and mind “cool down” time.  If you can exercise earlier in the day, feel free to do so.

Exercise will give you extra energy during the day, and help you get a good night’s sleep, when you need it.  If you don’t exercise, don’t feel alone, but do take action.  Gentle Yoga postures are a great way to start.

If you find the right Yoga teacher, you will learn controlled breathing (pranayama), stage-by-stage relaxation, and meditation.  Each is a powerful technique for winding down before bedtime.  You always practice controlled breathing with either, stage-by-stage relaxation, or meditation. Some people practice stage-by-stage relaxation in bed and fall asleep in the process.  This is not a bad thing, if your ultimate goal is to fall asleep.

Now let’s look at a few other ideas, such as alcohol and hidden caffeine.  Alcohol has a way of getting you to sleep, but sleep is often interrupted during the night.  One suggestion, if you enjoy drinking:  Have one small drink; preferably wine, with your meal.

Caffeine is in coffee, many teas, many sodas, and a variety of other drinks.  Drink water later in the day, and give your body a rest from caffeine.

Here are a few actions to take before bedtime:  Eat very light, read a book about something peaceful, and take a shower or a bath.  You don’t have to do everything, but one of the above-mentioned ideas will work for you. 

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What Makes Ashtanga Yoga Different?

Summary:

Interested in taking up Yoga, but don't know where to start? Michael Hawkins sorts things out with an article series on the various styles of Yoga. This article focuses on Ashtanga Yoga, also known as "Eight-Limb Yoga".

Keywords:

yoga, ashtanga, Pattabhi, Jois, exercise, breathing, fitness, health

Article Body:

The basic idea is that these limbs only can be kept in balance by the appropriate application of the Ashtanga Yoga method.


The first four limbs that symbolize Ashtanga Yoga, and are considered externally correctable are (original names within double quotes):
- Moral codes or "yama"
- Self-purification or "niyama"
- Posture or "asana"
- Breath control or "pranayama"

Then there is the other set of limbs which are the internal practices:
- Sense control or "pratyahara"
- Meditation or "dhyana"
- Concentration or "dharana"
- Contemplation or "samadhi"

K. Pattabhi Jois declared that practicing these Eight Limbs as well as its sub-limbs of the external practices which contain the niyama and yama is impossible. In doing so, the body should be strong so that it can technically perform the methods well enough. If the body is weak, and the sense organs are not functioning well, practicing will never be productive at all.

This is a primary philosophy that K. Pattabhi Jois has applied, it is of prime importance for the Asthanga practitioner to learn and understand this way of thinking. This will make you confident in that the body will significantly improve and become stronger and healthier.

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Vinsaya and Tristhana are performed in Ashtanga Yoga.

The Vinsaya is a style that makes Ashtanga and its fundamental principles different from the others. Vinsaya basically means the movement and breathing which is used effectively  together in order to cleanse the body. Each movement done is accompanied by only one breath. Sweat is the most important product of Vinsaya. When you produce sweat, it only indicates that you are successfully applying the method. When you perform the Asanas, or postures, the body produces heat which causes your blood to "boil" and excrete the toxins outside of your body. The contaminations are found in your sweat. So the more sweat you produce, the more toxins are released. This is the natural way for the body to get rid of unwanted substances.


The poses are used to fully develop the physical strength and health of the body. It is the sequence of practices that make this possible. There are three postures used in Ashtaga Yoga.

The three are grouped on different levels:

- The first is the Primary Series which aims on aligning the body and also detoxifying it.

- The second is the Intermediate Series opening and cleansing the energy channels which comes to the process of purifying the Nervous System.

- The last series would be the Advanced Series from A to D. In this set, the grace and strength are assessed.

The Tristhana is another yoga principle which symbolizes the close union of the three places of action and attention. First is the posture, second is the breathing technique ad last is the Dristhi of the Looking Place. All these three should work altogether to perform a function.

The breathing is always controlled and synchronized with the movements, in such a way that each movement is accompanied by breath. Ujjayi Breathing is the Yoga Breathing Technique used in the implementation of Ashtanga Yoga. Applying this ancient technique is something that you should work on gradually in your daily practise. What you need to master is holding your pose longer at the same time hold your breath. This is an amazing breathing exercise that will intensify your internal fire and will toughen the Nervous System.

Both Ashtanga and Tristhana deal with the series of Dristhi. The Dristhi is defined as the point on which you acquire your focus or concentration while doing the Asana. This allows your mind to be purified and stabilized clearly.

Clearing your mind (that is sometimes compared to an over active monkey) and cleansing it is the ultimate goal in the Eight-Limb Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga.

Using Yoga to Improve Your Health and Well Being

                               

Summary:

There are many things you can do to improve your health. It is a fact that you will need to adopt some sort of exercise program. Although everyone perfers differnet activities for exercise Yoga can by far provide you with so many benefits both physically and psychologically. Find out how Yoga can improve your over all well-being.

Keywords:

yoga,yoga videos,health,healing,cures,exercise,yoga mat,yoga apparel,exercise,low impact exercise

Article Body:

With all the new television infomercials on gadgets and videos on improving one’s health and wellbeing there is one strong hold on low impact exercise that not only improves your body but also improves the psychological state which give your entire being the sense of positive well being.   By being involved in Yoga on a regular basis one can expect to feel better and more alive.  Yoga does promote positive energies within the body which in turn will create positive energy in the mind increasing your total well being.

One of the physical benefits you will experience is increased flexibility.  As most people know Yoga consist on many movements, stretches and poses which act on various joints in your body.  Many of these joints are joints that are rarely used.  So the stretching and use of these joints, ligament and tendons help to increase your flexibility.  These movements also provide flexibility to the supporting joints, ligament and tendons.

Yoga provides massage to all your organs and glands including the prostate which never gets external stimulation.  The gent stretching of your muscles and joints when doing yoga maximizes blood flow in your body enabling your body to flush toxins, provide nourishment to your body and in turn slows aging and increases energy.

By stretching and using muscles to hold many of these positions, Yoga helps to tone the body provide correct posture and keep your body tone and firm.

Yoga is an excellent exercise which helps with all aspects of your life both mentally and physically.  Yoga has been used to improve sleep, decrease pain in joints, increase energy,  range of motion and also has many psychological benefits.

An exercise like Yoga through the bending and stretching of the spine builds strength, endurance and lowering the stress hormone that cause aging.  The reduction of stress will reduce the acid conditions within the body and enabling your body to intake more oxygen.  It also balances the nervous system helping to reduce depression and anxiety and increases your concentration and enhances your mood.

Yoga when practiced regularly puts your body in a positive healthy state.  This in turn puts you mind in a positive healthy state which helps to keep your body looking and felling good.  Yoga provides a continuous loop of positive well being and continual rejuvenation.  The stretching also contribute to improving your posture allowing you to stand straighter with your back erect and your hamstrings fully stretched and flexible leaving you  in a alert and confident state.

Yes it is true that people are living longer today but the real question is what is their quality of life?  If you have the option to start now and exercise your body using a low impact stretching and toning exercise, enabling your body and mind to get into a place of optimal health and well being or to have to rely on doctors to poke and prod at you and prescribe medications after medication what would your choice be?

Hopefully as yoga grows in popularity citizens of the world will enjoy the benefits of this low impact exercise and increase the positive energy in their mind and bodies enabling them to live longer and healthier lives.

Though the practice of Yoga is closely associated to ancient texts, beliefs, and values, it also yields benefits useful for people's practical daily lives. Here are some reasons why more and more people are practicing Yoga:

1. Yoga relaxes the body and the mind. Even in the midst of stressful environments, Yoga helps control breathing and clears the mind of cluttered thoughts, leaving only deep physical and mental refreshment.

2. Yoga can help normalize body weight. For people who are either overweight or underweight, Yoga Exercises can help achieve the desired weight. The principles of balance and moderation in physical activity and diet under Yoga can also lead to a healthier lifestyle.

3. Yoga improves your resistance to disease. The postures and movements in Yoga massage the internal organs, enhancing blood circulation and functionality, thus, lessening the risk of illness.

4. Yoga increases your energy level and productivity. For as quick as 20 minutes, Yoga can replenish the mind and body with precious energy needed to respond to daily tasks and challenges.

5. Yoga leads to genuine inner contentment and self-actualization. Meditation -one of the aspects of Yoga- focuses the mind, taking it away from the distractions of the highly-materialistic world and leading it to genuine happiness.

Yoga is a method of learning that aims to attain the unity of mind, body, and spirit through these three main Yoga structures: Exercise, Breathing, and Meditation. The exercises of Yoga are designed to put pressure on the Glandular Systems of the body, thereby increasing its efficiency and total health. The body is looked upon as the primary instrument that enables us to work and evolve in the world, a Yoga student; therefore, treats it with great care and respect. The Breathing Techniques are based on the concept that breath is the source of life in the body. Yoga students gently increase their breath control to improve the health and the function of both body and mind. These two systems prepare the body and mind for Meditation, making it easier for students to achieve a quiet mind and be free from everyday stress. Regular daily practice of all three parts of this structure of Yoga produce a clear, bright mind and a strong, capable body.

Discover Yoga's Healing Power

Summary:

Yoga has mutliple benefits for your health.  Yoga exercises and meditation make you more physically and mentally capable of dealing with life's everyday stressors.

Article Body:

There are several medical conditions that can be improved by practicing yoga. It can be used to lessen the negative effects of infertility, lung disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, cancer, high blood pressure, and joint pain. The beneficial effects of yoga practices are well recognized not only by the yoga community but also by medical doctors.

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      One of the main elements that lead to an illness is stress. Being responsible for a huge number of sicknesses, this item, which we develop in our minds, can be reduced through a good usage of yoga techniques. Here are just some of the problems that are related to an over active stress response: depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, some types of diabetes mellitus, cardio-vascular disease, several autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, reproductive problems, and an aggravated suppression of the immune system.

      The response of the sympathetic nervous system can trigger stress in our metabolism. The reaction to various outside stimuli is also known as the “fight or flight” response – the mind and body, faced with an endangering or disturbing element, prepare for one of the two options. Physically, this is manifested through an instantaneous heart rate increase, together with a high ascent of blood pressure. Breathing gets shallow and the muscles tense in anticipation to the following action. Internally, this response reduces the blood flow to internal organs and processes that are not essential in that particular moment (such as digestion and elimination) are shut down. This state of increased awareness and readiness is beneficial on a short term, preparing our body to react to the outside interventions and stimuli. Both in a “fight” and in a “flight” situation, the body is physically and mentally prepared to act. The problem arises when long-term exposure to similar stress takes place. This “fight or flight” response is only meant to help on short periods of time – the longer it is activated the less resources will the body have to function normally.  

      There is a natural countermeasure for the “fight or flight” response. It is called the parasympathetic nervous system or the “relaxation response.” It is automatically activated when the elements that caused the stress are gone but it is also possible to increase its effects by breathing deeply and relaxing your muscles. By increasing the length of this process we allow our body to recover faster, enabling it to eliminate the harmful effects of stress in a prompt and efficient manner.

      Yoga highlights the idea that by using breathing and relaxation techniques you can reduce the harmful effects of stress factors on your body. A lessened “fight or flight” response can also be achieved by looking at adverse factors as challenges rather than threats. This approach allows your mind to focus on finding a solution, rather than creating an abrupt response. Another concept employed by this technique is that of acting versus reacting, of taking initiative versus responding to outside factors.

      The positive effects of yoga during a healing process are undeniable. However, these techniques should only be used as a form of support and the healing shouldn’t rely solely on them. The best results are achieved by combining yoga with traditional and modern medicine and by addressing a problem both from a mental and physical point of view.

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Discover How Yoga Will Help You Reach Your Goals – Part 2

Summary:

At this point, let’s break down the major components of a typical Hatha Yoga session, and see how each one will enable you to reach your goals.

Article Body:

At this point, let’s break down the major components of a typical Hatha Yoga session, and see how each one will enable you to reach your goals. There are nine main styles of Yoga in India, but most of the popular styles, outside of India, are variations of Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga classes tend, among other things, to emphasize physical mastery.

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Asanas are the physical postures, but depending upon the class, the postures may be held for different durations, such as: A half breath (an exhale or inhale), a few breaths, or a few minutes. Some classes are very active, with flowing movement, heated studios up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and others are tranquil at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, all year long.

So there is a style of Yoga for every person, and you should be aware of what you are getting into before you start. You should also be aware that the doors are not locked, and if 105 degrees is too much heat, it is your call.

This past summer, in Arizona, a number of people died, due to excessive heat. If your body temperature reaches 105 degrees, you could possibly have heat stroke. What is your natural climate like? Please know your temperature tolerance and know that people are different.

The Yoga postures release tension throughout your body, regardless of which style you choose. The added surge of endorphins, as a result of this exercise, is another benefit.

Pranayama, sometimes called the Yogic science of breathing, is cultivation of air - our most vital resource. Therefore, you can increase the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream without classic calisthenics, but when you combine it with the postures; you have a very powerful combination for stress relief.

Meditation is known for its stress management, focused concentration, and conscious relaxation benefits. In fact, there are so many meditation benefits, that after more than 2,000 studies, scientists still research for more.

How will all this help you achieve your goals? Simple: Once you are armed with the ability to relieve yourself from the burdens of stress, negative obstacles, and needless worrying, you then have the ability to prioritize and learn from your mistakes.

If you make a mistake, so does everyone else. Nobody is keeping track of your mistakes, except you. Everyone wants to be recognized, so grab every opportunity you can. Make sure you don’t forget to write your goals down and review them often. You will see them come to pass.

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