No time for meditation? Think again.....

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It can even affect our health. With a busy schedule, we feel we have no time for meditation.

Meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.

Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. 

Breathing Meditation

Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed. Turn off any distractions such as mobile phone/computer. You can do this sitting or lying down.

If sitting, sit upright in a chair, feet on the ground and back straight. You can place a cushion in the lower part of your back if it feels  uncomfortable. Close your eyes, or focus on a point in front of you if you wish to keep your eyes open.

Bring your attention to your navel, and breathing through the nose, be aware of the tummy gently moving out as you inhale, and falling back towards your spine as you exhale. Don't force the breath. 

Continue with this rhythm, each time trying to slow the breathing down. In your head count slowly in for 4 and out for 4. If this feels comfortable, count in for 4 and out for 6. If at any time it feels uncomfortable, just return your breathing back to normal pace and try again when you are ready. 

If you mind wanders at any point, acknowledge it and be aware this has happened. It's perfectly natural at first. Once you are aware it has wandered, just come back to focusing on your breathing. Keep this practice up for at least 2 minutes with the counting. Then continue for longer if you can, not counting with the breathes, but simply being aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out of the nostrils. 

Practice this daily. Also throughout the day, have micro moments where you stop for a minute or two, and be aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out. If you are feeling stressed, this will help calm the body and mind. You can also imagine any stress leaving the body as you exhale. Breath in calm, exhale any stress.

How Can Using A Daily Journal Improve Your Life?

Benefits of writing a daily journal.

Journaling can be effective for many different reasons and help you reach a wide range of goals. It can help you clear your head, make important connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and even buffer or reduce the effects of mental illness!

Journaling helps keep your brain in tip-top shape. Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing. Boosts Mood.

Journaling can be a great stress reducer through organizing one's thoughts, clearing one's mind and facilitating problem solving. There are many benefits to keeping a journal. ... Journaling can reduce stress by helping one get rid of negative thoughts.

It's not only true that scientists have found that writing expressively (the way we often do in a journal) improves working memory, it's also a fact that recording the ins and outs of your life in a journal gives more permanence to an often fleeting past.

It's simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. And if you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal is a great idea. It can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.

Begin Your Journal Journey HERE

Get Active For Mental Wellbeing

Being active is great for your physical health and fitness, and evidence shows that it can also improve your mental wellbeing.

We think that the mind and body are separate. But what you do with your body can have a powerful effect on your mental wellbeing.

Mental wellbeing means feeling good – both about yourself and about the world around you. It means being able to get on with life in the way you want.

Evidence shows that there is a link between being physically active and good mental wellbeing.

Being active doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym, if that doesn't appeal to you. Find physical activities that you enjoy and think about how to fit more of them into your daily life.

How exercise helps your mental wellbeing 

Scientists think that physical activity helps maintain and improve wellbeing in a number of ways.

Physical activity can help people with mild depression. Evidence shows that it can also help protect people against anxiety.

Physical activity is thought to cause chemical changes in the brain, which can help to positively change our mood.

Some scientists think that being active can improve wellbeing because it brings about a sense of greater self-esteem, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge.

Source:nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/mental-benefits-of-exercise.aspx

Reasons To Exercise In Winter

Research has shown time and again that regular exercise strengthens your immune system so it can fight off bacterial and viral infections. This becomes particularly important in winter when colds and flu rear their ugly heads.When you exercise and get your blood pumping, immune cells circulate through your body more quickly helping them seek and destroy infections. But this boost only lasts for a few hours, so exercise needs to be regular for long-term effects.

Whether it’s the usual winter blues or the more serious SAD (seasonal affective disorder) putting a gloom over the colder months. A daily workout releases feel-good, de-stress brain chemicals, gives you a break from the daily grind and helps ease depression. Plus, if you combine exercise with the great outdoors you can cheer yourself up even more!

We know that after exercise, the brain releases the “feel-good” chemicals serotonin and dopamine, which can help to reduce anxiety and depression while boosting wellbeing,”45 minutes in the day could change your whole outlook on winter!!

Being cooped up with nothing but heaters to keep the air moving means fresh air is much harder to come by in winter! Generally, the air outside is healthier then that inside so going for a walk or run outside gives your lungs a chance to detox and breathe deeply without concern for breathing in other people’s bugs (at home or from the office!)

In the colder months it is so easy to turn to comfort food, because its so satisfying and it makes us feel good, well for a little anyway, and then we feel guilty. Its so easy to become a hibernating bear! No wonder it’s known as the ‘winter weight gain’ period. The average person puts on up to 4 kg! The only way to make up for those added treats is to increase the amount of exercise you’re doing. Try and balance your energy in and energy out then the shredding of clothes in spring wont be such a shock!

Source:livelifegetactive.com/blog/exercise-in-winter/

Beating the Winter Blues

It's thought the winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects around 2 million people in the UK and more than 12 million people across northern Europe. It can affect people of any age, including children.

According to Sue Pavlovich of the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA), these 10 tips could help. "Everyone's affected differently by SAD, so what works for one person won't for another," she says. "But there's usually something that will help, so don't give up if the first remedy you try doesn't work. Just keep trying."

1. Keep active

Research has shown that a daily one-hour walk in the middle of the day could be as helpful as light treatment for coping with the winter blues. 

2. Get outside

Go outdoors in natural daylight as much as possible, especially at midday and on brighter days. Inside your home, choose pale colours that reflect light from outside, and sit near windows whenever you can.

3. Keep warm

If your symptoms are so bad that you can't live a normal life, see your GP for medical help. Being cold makes you more depressed. It's also been shown that staying warm can reduce the winter blues by half.

Keep warm with hot drinks and hot food. Wear warm clothes and shoes, and aim to keep your home between 18C and 21C (or 64F and 70F degrees).

4. Eat healthily

A healthy diet will boost your mood, give you more energy and stop you putting on weight over winter. Balance your craving for carbohydrates, such as pasta and potatoes, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

5. See the light

Some people find light therapy effective for seasonal depression. One way to get light therapy at home in winter is to sit in front of a light box for up to two hours a day.

Light boxes give out very bright light at least 10 times stronger than ordinary home and office lighting. They're not available on the NHS and cost around £100 or more.

"Some people find that using a dawn simulator [a bedside light, connected to an alarm clock, that mimics a sunrise and wakes you up gradually] as well as a light box can enhance the beneficial effect," says Pavlovich.

6. Take up a new hobby

Keeping your mind active with a new interest seems to ward off symptoms of SAD, says Pavlovich. "It could be anything, such as playing bridge, singing, knitting, joining a gym, keeping a journal, or writing a blog. The important thing is that you have something to look forward to and concentrate on," she adds.

7. See your friends and family

It's been shown that socialising is good for your mental health and helps ward off the winter blues. Make an effort to keep in touch with people you care about and accept any invitations you get to social events, even if you only go for a little while.

8. Talk it through

Talking treatments such as counselling, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you cope with symptoms. See your GP for information on what's available locally on the NHS and privately.

9. Join a support group

Think about joining a support group. Sharing your experience with others who know what it's like to have SAD is very therapeutic and can make your symptoms more bearable.

SADA is the UK's only registered charity dedicated to SAD. It costs £20 (£10 for concessions) to join, and you'll receive an information pack, regular newsletters, discounts on products such as light boxes, and contacts for telephone support.

10. Seek help

If your symptoms are so bad that you can't live a normal life, see your GP for medical help. 

Source: nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/dealing-with-winter-blues-sad.aspx

Reduce Stress With Positive Thinking

Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Practice overcoming negative self-talk with examples provided.

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic — and it may even affect your health.

Indeed, some studies show that personality traits like optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that typically comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills.

Understanding positive thinking and self-talk

Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.

If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.

The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess.

Source:mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

How I Meditate For 5 Minutes

Due to certain things going on in my life, I felt the need to clear my mind of all of the thoughts going around in my head to help me focus on the important stuff.

Coming from a Yoga teaching back ground, meditating seemed the most logical thing to do for me yet I rarely did it.

I have found that if I do just a 5-10 minute slot before I get up or at some point later in the day then it fits in nicely to my routine. Here is how I do it:

I get myself somewhere comfortable (usually laid on the bed), lay on my back, close my eyes and become aware of making sure that my body is relaxed with no tension or tighness, by quickly scanning over the whole area. If there is any tension, then I focus my breath to that area and relax it as I breathe out.

Next to keep my mind clear of any thoughts (this is often the tricky bit), I bring my attention to my breathing. Tummy rising as I inhale and falling back towards my spine as I exhale.

I keep this momentum going. If my mind wanders - which sometimes it does - then I bring my focus back to my breathing. I work in this way for the next 5 minutes at the very least.

When I have finished I stretch and slowly get up. I feel more refreshed and able to focus on the rest of my day.

However, sometimes it doesn't go like that and instead I fall asleep, especially if it is later in the day.

When this happens, my mediatation goes something like this:

I do all of the above, relax onto my bed and focus on my breathing. Then I feel myself going into sleep and I sometimes have quick various dreams. After usually about 10-15 minutes I wake myself up, usually snoring!! (and I'm not your typical snorer - it's laying on my back that does it for me).

Whichever way it turns out is absolutely fine. They both have the same effect in that I get up feeling more focused and my mind and body have had a break :)

So give it a go. It may take a few attempts to 'switch off' your mind but it will get easier and over the long term is worth a little bit of effort.

Meditate First Thing In The Morning

For the best results, meditate every day, first thing in the morning. And you can start with just five minutes.

Research has yet to pinpoint the magic time requirement to see these brain changes and improve mental health outcomes. But Ward says ideally you should try to do it every day for 10-12 minutes. Four to fives times per week is great too, if you really can’t get to seven. The key is to be consistent.

“A lot of my clients are athletes, so I equate it with going to the gym,” she explains. “You’re not going to get fit working out one day a week; it needs to be several times a week. We’re changing mental muscles in your brain, and it takes repetition and consistency for those changes to occur.” If you’ve never meditated before, start with just five minutes. “For many people, that’s going to seem like an eternity,” she says. Get used to concentrating on your breath and stopping your mind when it wanders, and once that five minutes is flying by, increase your time.

“There’s big power in a group practice,” Richmond notes, which is why they offer Surdashan Kriya classes in most major cities around the country. But if you prefer doing it on your own most days, that’s fine too. You have to find what works best for you.

If you want a little more guidance or structure, try a mindfulness app. You can also meditate in some less traditional ways: Take a meditative yoga class, or spend time digging in your garden. Whatever lets you focus, breathe, and be present in the moment. “But definitely not TV,” Ward warns.

Finally, for best results, Ward recommends a morning meditation. “Sleep is a very different brain pattern than meditation,” she explains. “So you want to do it first thing when you wake up.” You can even practice while you’re still lying in bed. It’s the best way to start your day with a peaceful, centered mindset—a mental state we should all strive to be in.

Here is my previous post on how to meditate See It Here

Source:self.com/wellness/2016/03/heres-why-meditation-is-so-amazing-for-your-mental-health/

10 Foods To Boost Your Brain Power

Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. The brain requires nutrients just like your heart, lungs or muscles do. But which foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy?

1. Opt for wholegrains

Like everything else in your body, the brain cannot work without energy. The ability to concentrate and focus comes from the adequate, steady supply of energy - in the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing wholegrains with a low-GI, which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day. Opt for 'brown' cereals, wheatbran, granary bread and brown pasta.

2. Eat oily fish

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through diet. The most effective omega-3 fats occur naturally in oily fish as EPA and DHA. Good sources include linseed (flaxseed) oil, soya bean oil, pumpkin seeds, walnut oil and soya beans. They are good for healthy brain function, the heart, joints and general wellbeing. Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

3. Binge on blueberries

Evidence accumulated at Tufts University in the United States suggests that the consumption of blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short term memory loss. Widely available, so there's no excuse.

4. Eat more tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.

5. Add vitality with vitamins

Certain B vitamins - B6, B12 and folic acid - are known to reduce levels of homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risk of stroke, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. A study of a group of elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment found that after two years of intervention with high doses of B6, B12 and folic acid there was significantly less brain shrinkage compared to a subset given placebo treatment.

6. Get a blackcurrant boost

Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin are blackcurrants.

7. Pick up pumpkin seeds

Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.

8. Bet on broccoli

A great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.

9. Sprinkle on sage

Sage has long had a reputation for improving memory and although most studies focus on sage as an essential oil, it could be worth adding fresh sage to your diet too.

10. Go nuts

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs, brown rice and wholegrains.

Source:bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower

Why fat people have a worse memory than thin people

Fat people have a worse memory than thin people, experts have found.

In a small study, tests showed being overweight was linked to worse “episodic memory” or the ability to recall past experiences.

Ann the research published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology says a less vivid memory of recent meals may lead to overeating.

However, other aspects of memory like general knowledge were unaffected by weight.

Fifty people with a Body Mass Index ranging from 18 (healthy) to 51 (very obese) took part in a memory test where they had to “hide” objects at different times and on different scenes displayed on a computer screen.

They were later asked to recall what they had hidden, when and where. The results revealed obese people’s scores were 15% lower than thinner people.

Dr Lucy Cheke, of the University of Cambridge , said: “The suggestion we’re making is that a higher BMI is having some reduction on the vividness of memory, but they’re not drawing blanks and having amnesia.

“But if they have a less strong memory of a recent meal, with a less strong impact in the mind, then they may have less ability to regulate how much they eat later on.”

Hunger hormones play a huge role in how much we eat, but it is believed our minds play a role too.

People watching TV while they have their dinner have been shown to eat more or feel hungrier sooner. And those with amnesia will have repeated meals in a short period of time.

Two in three adults in the UK are overweight or obese.

Dr Cheke added: “It is too early to talk in terms of advice, but we are certainly beginning to observe the mechanisms that obesity perpetuates itself.

“Concentrating on your food has been a message for a long time, but that may be a bit harder if you’re overweight. Hopefully knowing what’s going on will help us to develop ways of helping people.”

Source:msn.com/en-gb/health/fitness/why-fat-people-have-a-worse-memory-than-thin-people/ar-BBq4OdM