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When You Feel Stressed, These 7 Nervous System Regulation Techniques Will Help

2023-12-28T21:46:31Z

If you have ever experienced stress in your life, then you need nervous system regulation. Can you list the four main stress responses? A stress response can be related to physical, chemical and/or emotional stress.

More than likely, you know of at least two types of stress responses: fight and flight. And perhaps you added freeze. Those three responses are somewhat self explanatory.

The fourth main stress response is known as fawn.

The fawn stress response can be explained as someone who, when feeling pressured or attacked, will deflect their own needs in order to take care of another, oftentimes for the person applying the stress. The fawn responder may have difficulty saying no and can be prone to self-sabotage or self-sacrifice in order to keep the peace and deflect a situation that could have escalated.

These self defense reactions – or trauma responses – induce a cascade of physiological processes, including increases in adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones that can tax organs like your adrenals. More on this below, so keep reading!

Stress Responses Start With the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System

As a quick reference, the sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your fight or flight response. The sympathetic nervous system is activated through stress, when you are in danger, or when you’re engaging in physically (or emotionally) demanding activities.

The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is responsible for your “rest and digest” functions of the body. It is responsible for the “life sustaining” functions of your body (such as digestion) and is activated when you feel calm and safe.

For more about the parasympathetic nervous system, read: The Parasympathetic Nervous System: Here’s How It Affects Your Wellbeing

To be in “fight or flight” (and “freeze and fawn”) is synonymous with being in sympathetic nervous system response, or in other words, when your nervous system is “upregulated.” If you practice yoga, you can learn about how your physical yoga practice affects the parasympathetic nervous system.

This Is How Yoga Impacts Your Fight or Flight Response, According to Science

It’s common today to live in a chronically upregulated state. In addition to physical, chemical, and emotional stress, there are also environmental stressors, and even energetic stress that can cause chronic upregulation for the nervous system.

Many people who are stuck in an upregulated or “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system response have disruptions in their digestive processes

We also have additional stressors that are abundant in our tech-addicted society, including overstimulation from blue light, sounds, and images, among others. All of which leave us stuck in the “on” position.

So how and when do you switch “off?” One way is through mindfulness, like meditation, and also movement, such as your yoga practice.

Learn About the Parasympathetic vs. Sympathetic Nervous Systems and How Yoga Affects Each

The flipside of the sympathetic nervous system (upregulation) is the parasympathetic nervous system. As mentioned above, the parasympathetic nervous system controls digestion as well as healing and repair for your cells and your body.

Think of it this way – if you need to fight or run away, blood needs to flow to your arms and legs – which means it flows away from your major organs like the digestive system. If you have decreased blood flow to your digestive organs, you won’t be able to assimilate the nutrients from your food very well.

Think of an upregulated (sympathetic) nervous system as the gas pedal, and a down regulated (parasympathetic) nervous system as the brakes.

Many people who are stuck in an upregulated or “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system response have disruptions in their digestive processes (myself included!).

Follow These 5 Tips for Naturally Better Digestion

What is one of the keys for healing your digestion? Training your nervous system to down regulate! In other words, using nervous system regulation techniques. Keep reading to learn about our favorites!

But first, here’s a bit more context about each of the four main stress responses.

Learn How to Identify Each of the Four Main Stress Responses When You Experience Them

Let’s learn about the four stress responses in greater detail and how to identify if you are stuck in “fight,” “flight,” “freeze,” or “fawn.” I’ll also share some practices for each response to help regulate your nervous system and come back into balance in the next section.

Flight and Fight Stress Responses

From a biological standpoint, flight and fight are the mobilization of energy and resources away from the vital organs and into the muscles and connective tissues responsible for running away from or fighting with whatever is threatening.

In order to flee or fight, a cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters (and other automatic responses occur) – including a rush of adrenaline, circulation to extremities, heightened senses, and an increase in cortisol.

The Freeze Stress Response

The freeze response occurs when it is biologically more productive to freeze “dead in our tracks” in order to ward off a threat.

Someone stuck in the freeze response may feel a physical sense of numbness with stiff and heavy limbs that is immobilizing, despite being acutely aware of their surroundings.

Oftentimes accompanied by a sense of dread, they may hold their breath in the freeze state and feel unable to move or make decisions. Freezing can also be triggered by anxiety and panic attacks, causing them to have “analysis paralysis” and the inability to respond.

The freeze response is also associated with disassociation, creating an environment where they no longer feel safe or grounded in their body. “Freeze” is a trauma response that often requires some physical movement to navigate out of; for example shaking the limbs, bouncing the heels, arm circles, or a walk outside can help mobilize the stuck energy that occurs during freeze.

The Fawn Stress Response

As mentioned above, the fawn trauma response can be thought of as the people-pleasing response, which occurs when the needs and wants of others are placed over our own needs – even at our personal detriment.

If you ignore your needs in order to take care of someone else, especially within a toxic environment or relationship, you may be exhibiting signs of a fawn trauma response which can be a byproduct of and also result in dis-regulation in the nervous system.

Often caused from a lack of healthy personal boundaries, an individual who exhibits the fawn trauma response can benefit from bringing awareness to the tendency to sacrifice themselves for others and learn to care for themselves in the way that they have cared for others in the past (without self-sacrifice).

Even those who have never experienced T/trauma or abuse can experience any or all of the four responses described above.

If you survived the global COVID pandemic, then you have experienced some type of trauma! The inundation of fear, stress, illness, division, isolation, (the list goes on) has been traumatic to varying degrees for all who have navigated through the pandemic.

If we weren’t a chronically up-regulated society prior to the year 2020, we most definitely are now. Which, in my opinion, has sparked this incredible wave of awareness and interest into nervous system techniques and hacks to bring more balance and awareness inwards.

How to Identify When You Have Chronic Upregulation – And the Importance of Nervous System Regulation

If you consider yourself “Type-A” or “go-go-go” or a perfectionist, then your nervous system may be stuck in chronic upregulation.

If you track your heart rate variability (HRV), this would be indicated by a chronically low HRV. If you struggle with anxiety and/or other mental health challenges, or if you have a history of trauma, then learning about nervous system regulation techniques can be incredibly helpful for you on your healing journey.

Think of the parasympathetic nervous system as your car’s brakes. If you’re always accelerating or speeding, then you never have to take your foot off the gas to hit the brakes. But if you’re driving along at any speed and then need to slow down or stop, your foot goes off the gas and onto the brakes.

Think of an upregulated (sympathetic) nervous system as the gas pedal, and a down regulated (parasympathetic) nervous system as the brakes. You have to slow down sometime and if you don’t choose to, your body will likely force you to. That’s when you may get sick or injured and have no choice but to take it easy so your healing can take place.

The body is a self-healing and self-regulating organism. So, if you remove interferences, then the power that made the body can also heal the body. In order to remove interferences, first we have to slow down, full stop, to relax and rest. The energy of being always on the go, always busy, always moving on to the next thing is in itself an interference that inhibits healing . . .

So what happens when we slow down?

Physiologically speaking, the heart rate slows, breath deepens, blood flows away from muscles / extremities and back to your organs. All kinds of internal physiological processes begin to occur, including cellular repair and assimilation of nutrients.

Think about all the ways your body cleans and heals itself internally when you’re asleep. It’s incredible what goes on to keep you healthy when you sleep, which is one of the reasons we need so much rest when healing from a sickness or recovering from an injury.

There are other times your body should be in a relaxed state that promotes feeling restful, and that’s during and after eating, first thing in the morning when you are getting ready for the day, and in the evening when you are getting ready for bed.

Stimulation from TV’s, computers, tablets, video games, and cell phones all switch us “on” whether we realize it or not.

Addicted to Your Devices? Here’s How to Combat the Negative Effects of Technology

7 Nervous System Regulation Techniques You Can Try Today

Here are seven techniques for nervous system regulation that you can experiment with to see which work for you. Then, you can incorporate them into your day or weekly routine to bring your nervous system back into balance, whether you’re experiencing flight or fight, freeze or fawn stress responses.

1. Morning Oral Hygiene Routine

Tongue scraping is rooted in Ayurvedic health and removes the bacteria on your tongue that causes bad breath. After, rinse your mouth out by gargling with water, and try to vocalize while gargling. (You can also try oil pulling for added hygienic benefits).

5 Accessible Ayurvedic Wellness Rituals for Natural Health and Beauty

This oral hygiene routine stimulates and tones the vagus nerve and helps to regulate the nervous system and is especially good for assisting with digestion.

Learn All About the Vagus Nerve and How It Can Calm Your Anxious Nervous System

2. Cold Therapy

Cold therapy (often referred to as cryotherapy) is a nervous system regulation technique where the body is exposed to cold temperatures. Cold therapy can be used in a variety of ways – including using ice packs and cold compresses, ice baths (also called cold plunges, which are becoming increasingly popular in the wellness space), and cryotherapy chambers (brief exposure to extremely cold temperatures).

So why the cold?

Cold temperature works to constrict the blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the affected area, which can help minimize swelling and numb pain receptors, providing temporary relief. But specifically for the purpose of regulating the nervous system, cold therapy can increase your circulation, reduce stress, boost mental resilience, and potentially even improve your immune function through increasing white blood cell count.

5 Benefits of Cold Plunging That Might Just Motivate You to Try Cold Water Therapy

It’s important to use cold therapy appropriately, since prolonged exposure to extreme cold can lead to tissue damage or frostbite so be sure to follow recommended guidelines and consult with a healthcare professional before using cold therapy for specific conditions or injuries.

For some, myself included, being cold can bring on fight or flight stress response. While this is a part of cold therapy, I’ve made adjustments to make this practice more suitable for me by doing small cold therapy treatments like splashing my face with ice cold water, or putting my feet and ankles in an ice bath.

Instead of full body immersion, I feel more safe using cold therapy on one part of my body at a time and notice a difference! I share this because you might too.

3. Try Humming

Humming, as in the humming sound we can make? Yes! Humming tones the vagus nerve which in turn helps to regulate your nervous system. Ever notice how happy people tend to hum? It is calming and soothing, and hence is an effective self-soothing technique.

Boost the calming effects of humming with Humming Bee Breath. This is a form of breathwork (in Sanskrit, it’s called Bhramari pranayama) that’s simple to do. In a comfortable seated position with your eyes closed or a soft gaze, inhale through your nose and hum through your entire exhale (also through the nose). Do this for five rounds and notice the difference!

It’s not just humming though. Singing, chanting, even praying out loud – all of these use your vocal cords which in turn stimulates and tones the vagus nerve. Driving gives me anxiety, and I feel up-regulated while driving. When this happens, I hum, sing, or pray out loud. Whether you prefer to hum, sing, or chant outloud, try it and see how you feel.

4. Do Restorative Yoga

Gentle movement that mobilizes the body in a safe way will help re-regulate your nervous system and is especially helpful when you’re stuck in the freeze response or sympathetic nervous system (up-regulation).

Restorative Yoga hits the reset button for your nervous system. The gentle, supported postures activate your parasympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the “rest and digest” mode. Restorative Yoga uses props like bolsters or pillows and blankets so your body can fully relax as you sink into those comfy props, and that’s when the magic happens.

In this state of relaxation, the body releases tension, and your nervous system gets a chance to recalibrate. The practice emphasizes deep, diaphragmatic breathing, which signals to your brain that everything is A-OK. This intentional breathwork helps reduce the fight-or-flight response associated with the sympathetic nervous system, fostering a sense of calm.

Take a Restorative Yoga Class Now!

Choose from dozens of Restorative and Yin Yoga classes with knowledgable teachers on YA Classes.

5. Practice Box Breathing

Box breathing, or Sama Vittri Pranayama, uses a set length of equal inhalations, exhalations and breath retentions. Try it! Inhale through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, exhale out your nose for a count of 4, then hold your breath out for a count of 4. This makes one full round. Repeat for 3-5 rounds.

Another breath practice is to extend the exhale for longer than the inhale, which signals the sympathetic nervous system and helps the body to relax. You can also make an audible sigh when you exhale to assist the body in relaxation.

Try these different variations to see which feels best for you! And remember that you will feel different day to day, so these breathing variations may have different results day to day.

6. Self-Massage

Self-massage can be incredibly therapeutic and is a fantastic, feel-good nervous system regulation technique.

Try this: softly massage your forehead, cheekbones, and jaw using a gentle touch. Then, give some love to your ears, behind your ears, and the sides of your neck. Move your hands in circular motions to gently massage your chest and heart center, and don’t forget underneath your arms. Now, for your abdominal area, move in circles, going up your right side and down your left side – just follow the same direction as your digestion.

Self-massage is more than a luxurious treat; it’s also a direct line to your nervous system’s chill-out zone. The tactile sensation of touch signals to your brain that everything is okay, activating a shift from the stress-inducing sympathetic nervous system to the calming parasympathetic nervous system.

This same tactile sensation is what makes getting a massage so relaxing too. So, the next time you’re feeling a bit frazzled, consider either a DIY self-massage or perhaps treating yourself to receiving one by a massage therapist – your nervous system will welcome the calming vibes.

7 Lesser Known Benefits of Massage Therapy (As If You Needed More Reasons to Get a Massage)

7. Nighttime Sleep Hygiene Routine

The list began with a morning routine and the list ends with a nighttime routine! Getting adequate sleep consistently is paramount for nervous system regulation! Sleep hygiene is so important, and incorporating a routine around your sleep schedule can be immensely beneficial.

What is sleep hygiene? Practices and habits that promote good, quality sleep. These practices create an optimal sleep environment that fosters restful and uninterrupted sleep.

Here are a few ways to create your own sleep hygiene routine:

Create a consistent sleep schedule
Do things that calm you before bed
Optimize your sleeping environment
Limit screen time before sleep
Avoid heavy meals and stimulants close to bedtime

Getting adequate sleep allows your body’s control center to take a breather. During those precious hours, your parasympathetic nervous system, the zen master of the nervous system, gets to shine.

It lowers your heartrate, relaxs your muscles, and promotes an overall sense of calm. Adequate sleep keeps the stress-inducing sympathetic nervous system in check while allowing the rejuvenating parasympathetic side to do its thing.

So the next time you’re debating whether to binge-watch another episode or catch those Zs, remember – your nervous system always votes for the beauty sleep option!

Nervous System Regulation Is Key to Maintaining Peace + Wellbeing

There you have it – 10 tools to incorporate into your daily/weekly practices – most of which are free and can be done with only a few minutes a day!

If you wake up in a panic or feeling rushed or hurried, it may be time to start a morning meditation and/or breathwork practice. These simple yet impactful practices can positively impact your physical, mental, and emotional health and also help regulate your nervous system.

To end, consider this: healing the nervous system is not something that happens over night. Life is constantly changing and incredibly unpredictable. No one is exempt from the highs and lows of life, and therefore these practices are not linear.

Having self-awareness of how you respond to life’s stressors and the ability to self-soothe and incorporate practices that work for you will become lifelong tools to help you ride the roller coaster of life!

All included information is not intended to treat or diagnose. The views expressed are those of the author and should be attributed solely to the author. For medical questions, please consult your healthcare provider.

The post When You Feel Stressed, These 7 Nervous System Regulation Techniques Will Help appeared first on YouAligned™.

31 Self-Reflection Journal Prompts to Start Your New Year With Intention

2023-12-27T19:43:00Z

Self-reflection journaling helps you close out the year and start your new year with intention.

It’s the time of year that we hear a lot about making New Year’s Resolutions. Gyms, dieticians, life coaches and yoga studios offer “New Year, New You” specials.

Most resolutions are hastily made and broken within the first few weeks of January anyway, and journaling is a great way to move into the year ahead.

The Vast Benefits of Self-Reflection Journaling:

If journaling makes you think of your pre-teen years where you confided your darkest secrets and crushes to your diary with a small attached lock, then it might be time to reframe your thinking about what journaling is and the benefits it offers.

Studies have shown that journaling can have a significant positive impact on our mental health. Journaling, or expressive writing, helps to clarify thoughts and feelings, assists in problem solving, helps to reduce anxiety, improves cognitive functioning, counteracts negative effects of stress, and can even strengthen the immune system.

Self-reflection journaling is a great way to launch your year with intention. You’ll process the past year and gain clarity to set goals for the year ahead.

It turns out your mom might have been right when she told you to go write down your feelings when you were overwhelmed.

Why You Need a Mindful Journaling Practice + 6 Tips to Get You Started

31 Self-Reflection Journal Prompts for the New Year:

Use these writing prompts to help you self-reflect, review the past year, and plan for the next.

Past Year Reflection:

What goals did I achieve last year?
What challenges did I face last year?
What skills did I strengthen last year?
What from last year do I need to leave behind?
What were my 3 biggest lessons from last year?
How did my yoga, meditation, and/or breathwork practice grow over this past year?
What caused the most stress and frustration last year?
What provided the most joy or energy last year?
What coping skills worked best for me last year?
What did I use as a coping skill last year that was actually destructive?
What surprised me most about myself last year?
What 3 people could I not have gotten through last year without?
What risks did I take last year?
What risks do I wish I had taken last year but didn’t because I was afraid?
What 5 things did I do this year that I am most proud of?
What can I do today that I couldn’t do a year ago?
What one word summarizes last year best? Why?

General Self-Reflection Prompts:

The 10 things I love most about myself are ________________
What do I need to make space/time for in my life?
What am I allowing to take up too much space/time in my life?
On average, how much time do I spend on social media vs connecting with others in-person? Am I happy with this balance?
What 5 things can I do to maintain my most important friendships?
What quick ritual can I implement throughout the day to help me be more present in the moment?
What self-limiting beliefs are holding me back?

Prompts for the New Year:

What 3 small things am I manifesting for 2024?
What one large thing am I manifesting for 2024?
What can I do to keep the stresses and frustrations felt last year from having such an effect on me this year?
What do I need to change in my daily and weekly schedule to make next year more successful?
What self-care rituals work best for me? How will I continue with these this year?
What risks will I take in 2024?
What is my bucket-list for 2024?

Need Ideas for Self-Care? Create a Realistic Self-Care Routine From These 17 Simple Practices

Here’s How to Self-Reflection Journal (It’s Simple!)

There aren’t any rules when it comes to self-reflection journaling. You can respond to one journal prompt a day for each day in January, or sit down and answer a few together if you’re in the zone.

It’s helpful to not get lost in the details with expressive writing. You don’t have to worry about grammar or punctuation, or if one sentence flows to the next. Concentrate instead on expressing your thoughts and feelings and reflecting on those.

It is helpful to set yourself up to journal when you have at least fifteen minutes of uninterrupted time. Grab a glass of your favorite tea or drink, set your phone to do-not-disturb, and turn on some music that helps you concentrate.

The choice of paper or electronic writing is up to you, and there are merits to both. Start with what seems most natural.

Enter Your New Year With Self-Reflection Journaling

If New Year’s reflection journaling still seems a bit daunting, start with a simple gratitude list.

For tips on how to make your gratitude list impactful read Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes When You Write a Gratitude List

Self-reflection journaling is a great way to launch your new year with intention. You’ll tap into a range of emotions, process the past year and gain clarity to set goals for the next year ahead.

The post 31 Self-Reflection Journal Prompts to Start Your New Year With Intention appeared first on YouAligned™.

10 Mantras Yoga Teachers Should Use to Inspire Their Students

2023-12-19T19:52:20Z

Mantras for yoga teachers are designed to empower and inspire you throughout your entire teaching journey. If you’re a teacher, have you worked with mantras for your instructing? Have you used mantras as a teacher to boost your self-confidence, keep yourself motivated, or to inspire your next class?

Mantras are a great tool for you to enjoy before you teach a yoga class. They are a way to spread mindfulness to your students, but they also deeply ground you as the instructor. Mantras for yoga teachers allow us to slow down and enjoy the moment with our students, no matter what any of us are facing in their daily lives.

Most yoga teachers carry a wide range of responsibilities. For many, it’s not their full-time career, meaning you have more going on outside of your teaching. For other teachers, they are also studio managers or owners, or running their own online offerings.

Know that you shining your light brightly gives others permission to do the same.

Regardless what your specific circumstances are as a yoga teacher, mantras can boost your focus and concentration, they can ground and comfort, empower and inspire – truly, there is a yoga teacher mantra for just about any purpose! Why? Because these mantras for yoga teachers can be entirely customizable!

Ready to Deep Dive Mantras for Your Mindset?

Press play on this one-of-a-kind Mantra Mindset program with the incredible Youmie Jean Francois on YA Classes!

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Keep reading to see our 10 powerful mantras, and as you read, look for opportunities to customize them to fit your specific needs and vision as a yoga instructor.

Here Are 10 Powerful Mantras For Yoga Teachers

Use these powerful mantras in your everyday practice or silently repeat them to yourself before or as you teach. However you choose to incorporate these mantras for yoga teachers into your teaching, their positive effects will immediately shine through!

1. What You Seek Is Seeking You

We can’t take credit for this mantra for yoga teachers. Rumi is the original author!

Every yoga teacher remembers the moment when they knew they wanted to become an instructor. It’s at this moment when you realize what you desire or seek to accomplish is your ultimate purpose in life.

Being a yoga teacher is more than just instructing people on how to practice a particular pose or meditation technique – it’s about sharing your passion with the world so others are able to tap into their passionate purpose also.

2. Inhale Confidence, Exhale Doubt

When you first become a yoga teacher, there might be a lack of confidence in your teaching. And regardless of how long you’ve been teaching or how experienced you are, there will always be days or situations that test our confidence or that bring about self-doubt.

What better mantra for yoga teachers than one that incorporates the breath?! And if you do want to customize this one a bit, how about making it more of an I Am statement: “I inhale self-confidence and I exhale self-doubt.” Don’t like using the breath? How about: “In all of my self-confidence, there is no room for self-doubt.”

When you do start to doubt yourself, just remember that you are unique and having confidence is the key to your success.

3. Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul

Remember to leave your ego at the door. There is nothing worse than a yoga teacher who thinks everything they do is wildly important, that they know all, or that they are better than others. There’s actually a term for this, and it’s called guru ego. It’s when an individual only presents themselves as perfect, hiding any flaws, in an attempt to claim that they are superior.

As a yoga teacher, you should be seeking out knowledge in order to get better at anything and everything that you do. And you should be seeking out that which feeds the very essence of your soul to keep the burning fire of your passion aglow.

4. I am Learning, Growing, Evolving, and Expanding

It’s so important as a yoga teacher to maintain a student’s mind. An endless desire to learn, grow, and expand your own mind and practice is key to informing your work as a yoga instructor and in maximizing the impact you create.

By doing this, you can easily inspire your students who, in return, will inspire the world around them. This domino effect is all because of your work as a teacher.

5. I Am a Leader and I Do Not Dim My Light

As a yoga teacher, it is your time to shine! You are a leader for your community – remember that! At times you might be tempted to play small or dim your light. Resist. Know that you shining your light brightly gives others permission to do the same.

Show up strongly for your students, your teaching, and yourself. Your students will definitely appreciate this. Don’t be afraid to shine your light brightly for all to see.

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6. Purpose and Progress Over Perfection

As a yoga teacher, it’s so important to understand that you don’t have to be perfect. If you always strive to learn and become better than you were yesterday, you can accomplish so much more.

Remember, you have already found your purpose. Now run with it and follow a mission to make yourself better. Just like in your yoga journey, strive to practice rather than perfect! Your purpose and your progress as a teacher is the journey. Perfection is not the destination. Authenticity is.

7. Find Your Fire, Feed Your Flame

Have you ever had someone tell you to do something that sets your soul on fire? By setting out into the world to become a yoga teacher, you have already begun to set your soul on fire. Now, it’s time for you to find the fire within you to keep going, keep refining, keep exploring.

What is your specific passion within teaching yoga? Is it connecting with your students? Is it teaching a particular modality? Deepening your knowledge? Honoring the ancient teachings? Being of service and helping people?

This mantra for yoga teachers is asking you to reflect on and answer these questions for yourself.

8. Rule Your Mind Or It Will Rule You

The next time you feel like you can’t control your thoughts and you feel as if you are losing confidence in your abilities to be an awesome yoga teacher, remember that you are in charge of your life.

You are the writer of your own story. Don’t doubt yourself or your teaching abilities! Stay strong and know that you are unique and worthy.

This also is not meant to diminish your feelings if you are experiencing self-doubt. If you truly feel a bit insecure about your teaching, seek out some continuing education or immerse yourself in being a student again to find fuel and inspiration.

9. I Show Up Authentically

This mantra for yoga teachers is a big one. Leading a yoga class and being a leader in the yoga community requires authenticity and vulnerability. You don’t have to pretend to be perfect (see #6) and furthermore, it’s important to lead with the authentic y.o.u. which requires a level of vulnerability.

Don’t let your own stresses lead you to bring negativity upon your students. They look up to you for encouragement when they are experiencing difficulties in their daily lives. We all have bad days and challenges that come up. That’s ok! But to show up with compassion and vulnerability despite these things will make your students relate to you and love you that much more.

10. I Remain Open to Change

There is no doubt that, as a yoga teacher, you will experience a significant amount of change in your life. Not just in your personal life, but also your professional life.

There will be times when you will have to change the way you teach and even where you teach. Remember to be flexible and open to any change that comes your way. This will allow you to grow and expand no matter what.

Change comes in so many forms. Anything from being asked to sub a class last minute, to the stereo breaking mid-class, or the heat not turning before your Hot Yoga class. Change can be your yoga studio closing, or you moving away and having to build community all over again.

Change can mean that what you were once so passionate about teaching is no longer what you feel called to do. When you can remain open to change, you’re better able to recognize the signs that change is coming and not resist. Being able to pivot, try something new, and remain flexible is key to any successful yoga teacher.

These Powerful Mantras For Yoga Teachers Can Shift Your Entire Mindset

It’s no secret that mantras are powerful tools. They allow you to focus your energy on what matters most – which, in return, will allow you to become a better teacher.

So – which mantras from this list were your favorite as a yoga teacher? Did you customize any to make them your own and fit your specific needs and desires? Perhaps you can write your favorite mantras down and leave them somewhere you’ll see regularly, like a mirror, in your car, or keep them with your yoga mat.

By reciting your favorite mantras for yoga teachers throughout the day, you can easily reap the benefits in no time and spread positivity to all those around you, particularly your beloved students!

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The post 10 Mantras Yoga Teachers Should Use to Inspire Their Students appeared first on YouAligned™.

Interested In Mindfulness Meditation? Here’s How to Get Started (From a Meditation Coach)

2023-12-19T20:15:11Z

Mindfulness meditation is present moment awareness with non-attachment. It is the basic premise of meditation, but with the added practice of mindfulness, which helps keep the mind focused and calm.

Mindfulness meditation for beginners is a wonderful topic, because it means that you are interested in exploring or starting a meditation practice for yourself. This journey brings with it an immense and vast array of benefits for your mind. Your emotional and mental health will benefit, as will your ability to concentrate and stay focused.

Mindfulness meditation also activates your parasympathetic nervous system, so you can find a sense of calm and peace throughout your day regardless of what’s going on around you (sounds pretty nice, right?).

The Parasympathetic Nervous System: Here’s How It Affects Your Wellbeing

Scientifically studied benefits of mindfulness meditation include stress reduction, reduction of depression and anxiety, increased brain function, an immune system boost, and much more.

Yet the real reason to practice meditation is to discover your highest, truest self. You know – the part of you that lies underneath the confusion and endless thoughts . . . your pure limitless potential.

Why Is Mindfulness Meditation So Important?

Like anything else in holistic wellness, you likely know what to do. Want a healthier mind or less stress? Try therapy, take a walk in the woods, or meditate. There’s no lack in the information age of knowing what to do to make a positive change in our lives.

There’s also no limit of information on how to go about it. Self-help books, gyms, workshops, websites, yoga classes, and places to practice are unlimited. So, we can all agree we generally know what to do and how to do it (or we can at least figure it out easily).

What’s missing is a solid why. Why should we take time out of our busy day to meditate? Why not just sleep in and skip that morning session? Why not give into the thought I don’t have time to practice today?

There are tons of excuses we use to justify. “Maybe when the kids grow up, I’ll have more time to practice.” Or maybe, “If my job wasn’t so demanding, I’d have time to meditate.” Or the classic American badge of honor, “I’m just too busy.”

Having a compelling why is a crucial start to get – and stay – committed to a daily meditation practice.

Here Are 5 Motivating Reasons to Meditate Every Day:

1. Start the Day Grounded and Conscious

Starting the morning with meditation is a wonderful addition to your regular routine. It is just as important as brushing your teeth – and just as appreciated by everyone you encounter throughout the day.

A calm, settled, clear, and intentional mindset will help you have better interactions with others and yourself, and it will also help you combat being reactive or impulsive in difficult or emotionally-charged situations.

2. Form Positive Habits and Strengthen Willpower

Without a daily meditation practice, it is much more likely that you will fall back into old habits that do not serve you and aren’t in alignment with your purpose and authenticity. Unconscious, repetitive thoughts can drastically affect your mental health.

A regular meditation practice will reinforce your willpower and help you form positive and productive new habits so you can let go of what no longer serves you.

3. Establish Loving and Healthy Relationships

Ever get triggered by something your spouse, child or co-worker says? Can you remember the last time you reacted versus responded to a challenging situation?

Daily meditation gives you the ability to pause when feeling triggered. You’ll be able to tune into that tightness in your chest, gut and jaw. You’ll feel the heat in your face when anger arises. Through mindfulness meditation, you will cultivate the ability to pause, breathe and respond skillfully versus react unconsciously.

4. Cultivate More Joy and Eradicate Stress

We’ve heard of “Fight or Flight”. For thousands of years, we’ve survived using this tool. When presented with a life or death situation, your heart races, adrenaline and stress-hormones flood your body, and you either FIGHT or RUN. That same response is happening in modern times when you get a stressful email from your boss or experience road rage.

A daily meditation practice gives you the superpower of being able to better manage and recover from “flight or flight” response faster – taking you into the restorative “rest and digest” state more quickly and avoiding adrenal fatigue that many of us suffer from.

Interested in learning more about the Fight or Flight response and how to control it? Read This Is How Yoga Impacts Your Fight or Flight Response, According to Science

5. Live with Passion + Renew Your Vigor for Life

Most of us have had a glimpse into our true nature. Maybe it was the moment you saw your child being born or kissing your dying mother goodbye. Perhaps it was a deep stillness on a hike in nature or gazing into a loved one’s eyes.

You know there’s so much more to your life than busy-ness. You can just feel it. Your mindfulness meditation practice helps you transcend that unceasing mind to uncover your true peaceful nature. Meditating every day – and hopefully “taking it off the cushion” – helps you live in this unlimited potential 24/7.

The Italians say “If you can’t live longer, live deeper.” With your daily meditation practice, you can live your life fully in the present without missing a moment.

Here’s What You Need For a Daily Meditation Practice:

Quiet Location

Choose a quiet space where no one will interfere with your practice. Use a cushion and create a sacred space by placing a few meaningful objects on a table in front of you (i.e. picture of someone who inspires you, a statue, candle, crystals, herbs, etc).

Dedicated Time

You are encouraged to meditate whenever and as often as you can! Many find that first thing in the morning is the best time to meditate. After a trip to the restroom, get to your meditation cushion right away before your day gets going. You can also meditate in the middle of the day and before bed to quiet the mind and release built-up stress.

Set Duration

Many want to know a specific length of time to sit in meditation each day. The correct amount of time is 24/7 because you bring your mindfulness practice into every moment of your life. But for starters, 10-20 minutes is perfect. Set a timer and place it behind you so you aren’t tempted to look at it during your meditation session.

Mindfulness Meditation for Beginners: How to Find a Supportive Posture

Sit on a cushion with your legs crossed and spine straight, shoulders stacked above hips. Use a chair if that’s more comfortable for you, but ensure that your spine is straight, don’t rest against the back of the chair, and keep your feet planted on the ground
Rest your hands on your thighs or rest the back of one hand in the palm of the other and let your thumbs touch lightly
Straighten your spine like a stack of golden coins
Relax your shoulders down and away from your ears and allow the arms to relax down by your sides
Gently tuck the chin and keep your lips slightly parted
Gently close your eyes or keep them slightly open and gaze  down about 3-4 feet in front of you

Use These 10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Meditation Practice

When you first start your daily meditation practice, everything might seem a bit intimidating. How long do you sit for? What was that noise? Did you remember to turn off your curling iron? All those buzzing thoughts will immediately jump into your mind as soon as you sit down for a moment of stillness.

With practice, you’ll find that your time on your meditation cushion gets a bit easier and feels a bit more natural. These 10 meditation tips will teach you how to cultivate your daily meditation practice.

1. Choose a practice and stick with it

There are endless types of meditation practices. Mindfulness meditation, which is present moment awareness with non-attachment, is the perfect foundational practice to start with.

2. Make your plan

You don’t have to dive right in with super long meditations. Research finds that just 20 minutes of meditation per day shows better results than inconsistently meditating for longer amounts of time. Commit to 30 days of 10 minute meditations to start building your new habit.

3. Commit to a friend

An accountability partner drastically increases regularity around your practice. Commit to sending a daily accountability text to a friend who also wants to learn how to meditate daily. You’ll be amazed how often that text will inspire you (or your friend) to hit the meditation cushion.

4. Meditate first thing in the morning

You’re busy. We get it. So, meditate before your day gets rolling. It’ll give your day a positivity boost, and you’ll be thankful that you started your day with some self-love.

5. Don’t expect it to go well

Don’t expect to sit in pure bliss and stillness your first few sessions. Instead, try and be cool with whatever thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise. They will come and go. Don’t attach to them. This is called equanimity, and it’s a far more attainable goal than perfect stillness and bliss.

It’s important to remember when starting a mindfulness meditation practice that it’s a journey! Enjoy – and trust – the process.

6. Find a quiet spot to practice

It’s time to put Roger out in the yard (and perhaps your dog too!), so you can have some peace and quiet. Try to burn a candle or put a picture of someone who inspires you on a table. Make your practice sacred. This is your time – honor it by creating the space.

Hint: Don’t use your bed . . . you might fall asleep!

7. Assume the position

Find a firm cushion and sit your booty down. It’s important that your cushion is high enough so that, when sitting cross-legged, the bottom of your knees rest on the floor and your hips are elevated above your knees.

Keep your spine straight. Your chin is tucked. Gently rest your tongue on the roof of your mouth and allow your lips to be slightly parted. Rest your hands on your thighs, palms down. Allow your eyes to close gently, or keep a soft gaze 3-5 feet in front of you. Mindfully breathe in and out through your nose.

8. Set a timer

Turn your phone to silent and use it as a timer, but avoid the temptation to check your phone! Put your phone behind you where you won’t look at it.

There are also some great apps you can download while you learn how to meditate. Consider downloading the Welzen App or Insight Timer.

9. Don’t get discouraged

When you quiet down each day, you’ll likely be amazed by the craziness of your chattering monkey mind! Be kind to yourself. The point of meditation is not to stop thinking, but to learn how to observe thoughts without attachment.

When you do the practice below, you may have to come back to your breath 100 times in a session. That’s OK! Just like in the gym, when you learn how to meditate you’re exercising a new muscle. The muscle of mindfulness.

10. Do it for yourself and others

In the Buddhist tradition, this is called Loving Kindness and Dedicating the Merit. Know that, when you meditate, you are practicing self-healing. And through healing yourself, you’re healing this world.

What you’re doing matters. Your state of mind has an impact. At the end of your meditation, bow forward with your hands at your chest, and send out the wish that all beings find peace.

Start Meditating Now! Here’s How to Practice a Mindfulness Meditation for Beginners Anytime, Anywhere

Check out the steps below as a refresher, and then dive in!

Sit straight and enjoy a few deep, full breaths (all breathing is done through nose)
Let the breath return to normal and practice loving kindness for yourself and all beings by thinking May all beings be well, happy, peaceful and at ease
Tune into the sensation of the breath in the body
To help settle in, practice 4-3-5 breathing (breathe in for a count of 4. Hold for 3. Exhale for 5)
Allow the breath to return to normal
Do a body scan. While staying partially aware of your breath, bring your remaining awareness to your toes and slowly move up, tuning into each part of the body up through the crown of your head
Return to simply being aware of the breath and feel it moving in and out of the body
It’s normal to have thoughts that arise. Simply notice the thoughts, and note to yourself gently thinking, thinking or perhaps not now, not now and return to awareness of the breath
Simply enjoy being with the breath and the body until your timer rings. Place your palms together in front of your chest, gently bow forward and think once more, May I and all beings be happy, peaceful and at ease

With This Mindfulness Meditation Guide, You Can Make It a Part of Your Daily Life

Forming a dedicated meditation practice is like giving your soul a hug every day. As a mindfulness meditation beginner, it is important to practice compassion towards yourself as you get into a groove. Every day won’t be easy and it definitely won’t be the same.

With these mindfulness meditation tips for beginners (and reminders for any experience level), forming a daily meditation habit becomes just a bit easier. I hope you enjoy your time on your cushion, and that you find everything you’re seeking!

Remember – no two meditation practices will be the same, and some days will be better than others. Trust the process and enjoy the journey down the path of mindfulness.

With time and commitment, you’ll come to discover that you crave sitting in meditation. You’ll start to notice small changes in your mentality and approach to yourself and others. Mindfulness meditation is the gateway to presence, compassion, peace, and grounding. Dig in.

Try One of These Guided Mindfulness Meditations

Guided Grounding Meditation
Ashton August
13-Minute Class
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RISE Morning Meditation
Pardis
10-Minute Class
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Loving Kindness Meditation
Ashley Limehouse
13-Minute Class
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Gratitude Meditation
Jess Rose
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The post Interested In Mindfulness Meditation? Here’s How to Get Started (From a Meditation Coach) appeared first on YouAligned™.

5 Benefits of Cold Plunging That Might Just Motivate You to Try Cold Water Therapy

2023-11-29T19:52:17Z

To cold plunge or not to cold plunge – that is the question!

First of all, let’s quickly define cold plunging: the act of immersing your body in water that is below 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).

Cold plunging (also referred to as an ice bath or cold water immersion) is just one type of cold therapy. There is also whole-body cold therapy (typically cold air therapy in a clinical setting) and cryotherapy (which includes several other forms of cold therapies).

If you’re already a fan of cold plunging, this article will validate your admiration with all the of health benefits we’ll share. And if you haven’t yet experienced a cold plunge, then read on to learn more about this unique wellness trend.

Ready to take the [cold] plunge? In this article, you will learn:

A brief introduction to cold water therapy
An explanation of what a cold plunge is
The main health benefits and science behind cold plunging
Safety precautions and important details to know
Pro tips and advice to get the most of out it

Read on to learn all about the very popular cold plunge trend and it’s long list of benefits (AKA all the reasons you may want to brave the cold and take the literal plunge).

A Quick Dive Into Cold Water Therapy

Cold water therapy, which cold plunging falls under, refers to receiving the therapeutic benefits of cold water – such as natural pain management, reducing inflammation, post-workout recovery, and a healthier mental state to name a few.

The process involves immersing your body in water that is below 59 degrees Fahrenheit.

From ice baths to cold showers and from plunge pools to dips in rivers and oceans – the healing power of cold water has been used for centuries. Even so, many people still wonder today: “Is cold water therapy just a splash in the wellness trends, or can researchers back up the scientific benefits?”

Top 5 Science-Backed Benefits of Cold Plunges

According to new research, “Cold therapy provides systemic anti-inflammatory relief, increases positive immune response, and parasympathetic nervous system stimulation.”

These studies are showing positive results for reducing inflammation, improved athletic performance and recovery, supporting mood and mental wellbeing, and more. Read on for the main science-backed benefits of cold plunging.

1. Improved Athletic Performance and Recovery

When you work out, your muscles are being stretched and pulled, which can make them feel tender and inflamed after the workout is over.

Cold water is a great way to cool down after exercising because it has regenerative properties that help muscles relax and repair themselves. Cold plunging initiates what’s called the “vasoconstriction” (constriction of the blood vessels) in the skin and extremities. This can in turn help reduce muscle pain and swelling.

In an article on ScienceAlert.com, Johanna Lanner, an expert in muscle physiology from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, explains how cold water therapy relieves soreness.

She says, “Cooling reduces nerve impulse transmission and thus reduces the level of pain perception. It also induces constriction of blood vessels in peripheral tissues (e.g., muscle) which results in reduced fluid diffusion that may assist in reducing exercise-induced acute inflammation.”

In short, the consensus is that cold plunging post-workout is a great way to help improve athletic performance and recovery.

You can also supplement your post-exercise plunging practice with these 7 Tips to Maximize Recovery After Your Workout

2. Reduce Inflammation

As the previous point mentioned, cold plunges can reduce the inflammation throughout the body in muscles caused from rigorous exercise.

Beyond exercise-related inflammation, cold plunging can reduce other forms of inflammation within the body, whether it’s injury-related or systemic. It boosts the immune system through stimulation of the Vagus nerve, which in turns creates hormonal changes in the body that reduce inflammation. Cold therapy also reduces edema, which is when excess fluid collects in tissues or other areas of the body.

Learn All About the Vagus Nerve and How It Can Calm Your Anxious Nervous System

Cold water therapy has been shown to activate hormonal responses in people suffering from chronic diseases that are associated with inflammation such as depression, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Image: icebarrel.com

3. Improved Pain Management and Stress Response

The physical exertion from exercise and life stressors both elicit comparable hormonal responses that impact heart rate and variability. As mentioned above, cold plunging activates the Vagus nerve, which in turn decreases heart rate and promotes a state of relaxation.

This study investigates whether or not the human immune system can be activated by a noninfectious stimulus (aka, cold water), thereby improving the physiological status of the individual.

It concluded that immune health improved when athletic young men were immersed in cold water three times a week for six weeks.

In another study, researchers found that people who took a cold shower were less likely to miss work due to sickness than those taking warm ones – even if the participant was alternating from warm to cold water.

One explanation for that result is responses induced by cold are mainly due to increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system – our fight or flight mechanism that keeps us alive – specifically the hormone noradrenaline.

This is what most likely causes the increased heart rate and blood pressure observed when people are immersed in cold water.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick has shown in her report that noradrenaline levels are five times higher in people who regularly cold plunge.

This article summarized it perfectly with this sentence, “While we don’t want to spend our entire lives in a stressed-out, sympathetic mode, brief and repeated exposure to physical stress (like from cold plunges) may actually improve our overall stress response and immunity.”

Want more ways to boost your immunity? Read 6 Simple, Science-Backed Ways to Strengthen Your Immune System

4. Support Mood, Brain Function, and Mental Health

Cold sea swimmers report improved feelings of wellbeing and similarly, cold water immersion has been found to produce short-term improvement in mindset. One study noted an increase in positive mindset and a decrease in negative mood.

Interestingly enough, people who suffer from depression tend to have certain inflammatory markers, and the benefits of cold water therapy include reducing this specific inflammation while also reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

This is why cold plunging is being referred to as a “non-pharmaceutical supporting therapy.” So while a cold plunge is certainly not a replacement to treating mental health issues, it can be a supportive modality to explore.

There’s also something to be said for the mindset challenge of exposing your body to discomfort and sitting in that discomfort. While you’re in the cold plunge, the goal is to maintain deep, steady breathing despite the sensation of the extreme cold. Over time, this practice fortifies your mindset and ability to tolerate other forms of mental and physical discomfort.

This cold plunge benefit also ties back to athletic performance – the endurance athlete must cultivate and maintain a strong mindset regardless of the challenge or discomfort they face in their training.

5. Can Increase Metabolism

Dr. Paul Lee, an endocrinologist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research found cold temperature soaking helps with weight loss as it affects the fat tissues in our bodies.

When you cold plunge, your body has to burn fat and sugar to increase its core body temperature.

According to this article, “Cold water therapy forces stem cells in the body to create brown fat cells instead of white. You want this to happen because brown fat cells are metabolically active and can burn or oxidize the white fat tissues in the body.”

It goes on to say, “Taking a cold plunge in an ice barrel can activate the brown adipose and muscles in your body. Once activated, Irisin and FGF will be released. These two hormones burn up the white fat tissues resulting in weight loss. Ten to fifteen minutes of shivering increased the release of this hormone to a level identical to what you would get from an hour of moderate exercise.”

How to Cold Plunge + Potential Risks and Safety Details to Know Before

How can you prepare for a cold plunge? How long should you cold plunge for?

While some sources suggest that 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius) is the optimal range, there is not a standard temperature for cold plunging, so the temperature can vary based on the individual. Most water temperatures range from 38-60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cold plunging can be done in any cold body of water. While some sources suggest that 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15 degrees Celsius) is the optimal range, there is not a standard temperature for cold plunging, so the temperature can vary based on the individual. Most water temperatures range from 38-60 degrees Fahrenheit.

This article is a great resource filled with everything a first-time plunger needs to know, summarized below:

Warming up for your cold plunge with five minute cold showers will help you understand your body’s responses so you feel more prepared
Activate your parasympathetic nervous system with deep breathing prior to and during your cold water immersion
A target plunge time of two to three minutes will maximize benefits, up to 10 minutes

If you are new to cold plunging, start off with higher water temperatures and less time in the water. You can build up gradually as you continue getting acclimated to the experience.

In the market for your own cold plunge?

There are a bunch of options out there these days for having a cold plunge at your house. From DIY horse troughs to expensive modern tubs. A great in-between is the Ice Barrel 300. The Ice Barrel 300 is the latest product from IceBarrel.com. The 300 is a sleek, fully insulated cold plunge tool that makes it easy to bring ice baths to your routine. Just add ice or a chiller to keep the water cold 24/7. Use code: SIMPLY100 for 100$ off the purchase of a IceBarrel 300. Get one here.

Cold Water Therapy and the Benefits of Cold Plunging: The Takeaway

From better circulation to improved digestion, we hope you’ve soaked in all the amazing health benefits of cold plunging and cold water therapy provided in this article.

Depending on where you live, many cities now have cold plunge or cold water therapy facilities. You can purchase a day pass to try it out with a specialist on site. If you want to try it at home, start with a cold shower! If you’re ready to take the plunge and get one for yourself, the Ice Barrel 300 is currently the most popular cold plunge on the market.

Potential Risks of Cold Plunging

As much as they can have positive effects, the shock to your body from cold plunging can also have negative effects. Therefore, cold water therapy is not recommended for everybody.

It’s important to be aware of your health and any medical conditions before trying any form of cold water therapy for the first time.

It is especially not recommended for people who have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or are pregnant. Additionally, cold water therapy may not be the right choice if you are elderly or have pain from an underlying condition such as a torn tendon.

With cold plunging comes the risk of hypothermia, an increased risk of arrhythmias or heart attack, hyperventilation or even drowning. These risks are heightened for those with any of the above medical conditions or when done in a river or large body of water.

Due to these risks, it is recommended to cold plunge with a professional and/or with other people around.

Finally, less is more. There is debate in the science world about the optimal frequency for cold plunging. While there is no definitive answer, the majority seems to point to taking days off and limiting the amount of time you cold plunge each session to avoid overexposure.

Always be sure to consult with your doctor before trying any new wellness modality.

The post 5 Benefits of Cold Plunging That Might Just Motivate You to Try Cold Water Therapy appeared first on YouAligned™.