You may think napping is just sleeping. But there’s so much more to this afternoon rest! According to Arianna Huffington, in her book, The Sleep Revolution, research shows that napping boosts your learning power and lowers your blood pressure. Huffington also reports that older adults who take a thirty-minute nap and engage in moderate exerciseContinue reading “Rapid Restoration – Napping 101”
Category Archives: Anxiety
Breath-Centered Meditation
Using Your Breath as the Focus of Your Meditation Breath-centered meditation is one of the most common forms of meditation. In this sequence below, I point out aspects of the breath to pay attention to. Focusing on these subtle sensations will pull your attention inward and help to keep you from wandering off. Notice theContinue reading “Breath-Centered Meditation”
Slow down, you move too fast.
One of my yoga class participants recently said that she’s never still – she’s always busy doing something, gardening, cleaning, community projects, etc.. This is all great, but it left me thinking about our cultural programming around stillness and busyness. We’re taught to value constant productivity. It’s not okay to just be still. What IContinue reading “Slow down, you move too fast.”
Sleep is a Beautiful Thing
Sleep is like the secret sauce. It affects everything – mood, focus, mental clarity and your general sense of well-being. So why are so many of us not sleeping well? For many, the culprit is the dreaded BUSY MIND! How do we fix that? It might help to understand some brain science: when your mindContinue reading “Sleep is a Beautiful Thing”
Can You Feel Your Feet? Thinking vs. Feeling
Many people have difficulty quieting the mind when they settle into meditation or savasana, the resting period at the end of yoga class. What do you mean, “watch the breath?” Really the intention is to feel the breath. If you have a mind that is constantly in overdrive, try noticing the difference betweenContinue reading “Can You Feel Your Feet? Thinking vs. Feeling”
For Those with Breathing Challenges
If your lungs have been compromised by treatment or other conditions, here are a few ways I can work with you to improve your ability to breathe. First, work with your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is your main breathing muscle and the first area I check. What you want to notice is whether your belly expandsContinue reading “For Those with Breathing Challenges”
What to do with this Anxiety – Part I
I’ve been thinking about anxiety a lot lately and about how to deal with it – it can be so overpowering at times! The following are my thoughts and suggestions on how to get control of this troubling mental state. Sometimes anxiety is just a big hairy beast that sits on your chest. Nothing willContinue reading “What to do with this Anxiety – Part I”
The Diaphragmatic Breath
Of all the breathing techniques I teach the diaphragmatic breath is the most foundational and useful. I especially recommend it in times of anxiety or crisis since it slows down your breath and helps to relieve tension. Here’s how it goes: place a hand on your belly. As you inhale, gently expand your belly outwardContinue reading “The Diaphragmatic Breath”
Michelle Stortz 