The quick and dirty

Since I last posted, we:

• moved to Madison, WI at the end of 2017.
• celebrated 5 years of marriage in 2018.
• welcome bebe no. 3 in March, 2019.

But more on all that another time …

I’m sharing a guest post from FamilyLivingToday.com on managing stress with yoga. During my maternity leave with bebe 3, I did a lot of hot yoga. It allowed me to sweat out the hormones, spend some quiet time on me and allowed my body to gently recover. I’ve also found it to to be a great compliment to CrossFit.

See what you think of our guest post and let us know the benefits of yoga you receive!

Get More Sleep: Manage Your Stress with Yoga

With the advancement of technology, the world seems to be moving at an ever-increasing pace. Unfortunately, for most people the fast pace brings stress and, consequently, sleep deprivation. While you can’t always slow down the pace of your life, you can be proactive about stress management.

Yoga as Stress Management

As an age-old form of exercise, yoga still proves to be effective today. Yoga is also versatile because different methods and pose sequences can do different things for your body. Some poses are meant to invigorate and enliven the senses while others slow the heartbeat and calm turbulent thoughts. No matter the purpose of your yoga, the benefits are hard to ignore.

Studies have shown that yoga reduces the release of the proteins that cause inflammation. It can also improve moods, especially forms that use meditative breathing and focused thought. Improved emotional management helps break the stress-sleep deprivation cycle.

Get the Stress Out

Yoga can be used along with other stress relieving methods to give your body the chance it needs to get a full seven to eight hours of sleep. The body needs the full time to reach the deepest levels of sleep. Methods that work well along with a consistent yoga routine include:

• Journaling: You might not see the connection between journaling and stress management at first, but there is something cathartic about putting your worries down on paper. Journaling lets you see and examine the events of your day as well as your thoughts and feelings about those events. Sometimes the mind needs somewhere to let thoughts rest. You can also use a journal to keep a running list of tasks to complete the next day, relieving yourself of the burden to remember.

• Focus on Gratitude: Gratitude can change the way you look at yourself and your challenges. Taking a moment each day to remember and acknowledge the good in your life helps focus the mind of positive thoughts. You can write the thoughts down in a journal or a daily planner where you can review them often.

• Meditation: While many yoga methods use breathing and focused thought similar to meditation, a consistent meditation regime can have a big impact on your stress levels. Meditation triggers the relaxation response, which causes the heart rate and blood pressure drop. It also improves the connection between the reasoning and emotional centers of the brain.

Sleep Hygiene

Good sleep always starts in a bedroom that’s devoted to creating a relaxing atmosphere. Your bedroom should include a comfy bed; there are many comfortable but budget-friendly mattress options online. The room should be kept dark, quiet, and cool with the temperature between 60-68 degrees.

You can also start thinking about ways to improve your sleep hygiene, which includes all the habits in your life that contribute to the quality of your sleep. After that, it’s about developing the right habits like:

• A consistent bedtime

• Regular bedtime routine

• Regularly spaced and timed meals

• Daily exposure to natural light

• Turning off electronics at least two to three hours before bed

• Stopping your caffeine intake in the early afternoon