A Beginner’s Guide to Yoga

In our last issue we looked at stress and how it can slowly degenerate your bodily systems by shutting them down in preparation for a fight or flight response. If you haven’t read it yet, then click here to learn more. Yoga is a method we use at Mount Sinai’s Department of Rehabilitative Health, to help patients alleviate stress and tackle long term health problems. It also focuses on preparing patients to develop mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. We have set up some basic yoga tips so that even if you don’t pop in to see us – you can participate.

 

Firstly, you need to ensure you are in the right environment. Practicing yoga in your office isn’t going to be beneficial if you are constantly interrupted by impromptu meetings and telephone calls. Our first tip is to practice in a quiet environment where you are unlikely to be disturbed by others.

 

As we are trying to disengage from the world, it is important ensure that there is nothing that could possibly interrupt you. Our specialists frequently report people struggling to maintain a good temperature. If you are too cold or too hot and the environment is a distraction, then it would be wise to adjust it. This will make the session more effective than otherwise.

 

One of the easiest positions for beginners is the corpse position (otherwise known as the dead pose). This will give you a great entry into yoga that you can try this afternoon – or whenever you can gift yourself the time.

 

• Lie flat on your back. Stretch your arms out, spelling out the letter T. We recommend, for comfort reasons, that you place a suitable pillow under your head and/or knees.
• Close your eyes and begin to enter a relaxed state of mind. The essential part here is to form a clear intention to yourself that you intend to relax. Begin breathing deeply and exhale at a rate of 1:2 (e.g. 1 second inhale 2 second exhale).
• Lightly contract muscles and relax them. This can begin with whichever muscle group you desire. A great focus is on muscles that are particularly tight or stressed – only you can really know that. For example, you tighten your shoulders periodically and then release them. Tighten your quadriceps, then release them. Your buttocks… Continue going through all your muscles periodically from your feet to your head.
• You will at this stage begin to defuse bodily tension. After you have completed these fairly simple exercises, you can happily remain lying in a state of relaxation for as long as you desire. We recommend practicing between 10 to 30 minutes for practical reasons – if you can do longer then great.
   
  If you are considering yoga classes Mount Sinai offers classes with certified yoga teachers (CYTs). Please contact us on (212) 241-6321) to see if we can further help.
   

 

What Is Stress? And How Can Yoga Help You Cope?

We realize that sometimes we need to think outside the realms of the norm when dealing with stress and relaxation. If there were a safe long-term prescription to tackle stress – then everyone would take it. Unfortunately, there is not – and part of our bespoke patient diagnosis often includes taking up yoga. This is a practice that refers to loosening ourselves of bodily and mental tension while learning to consciously disengage our stress and muscles systems when they are not needed.

 

One of the most basic organic response systems is famously called the “fight or flight response”. It symbolically refers to the wild, cliched scenario in which the burly caveman, equipped with nothing more than a spear is being confronted by the sabretooth tiger. The body’s system engages – the heart accelerates, and he begins to perspire. The body has entered into a state where it is ready for a physical challenge.

 

There aren’t many sabre tooth tigers in rural, suburban, or city centres. So, what happens? Our bodies still have the fight or flight response when challenged by an obstacle (think of it as a mini sabre tooth) but we do not get the opportunity to fight or run. This means that our stress levels remain at a state of anxiety. We don’t have short term problems like the cave man, we have long term problems. If our bodies do not learn how to switch off, then our bodies remain in a state of preparation for something which never comes. This is why stress “runs us down” and we are more prone to illness and fatigue. Your body wants to run, but it can’t due to the environment we live in.

 

Yoga Can Teach You to Switch Off

 

Yoga is an interesting practice as it locates a space between effort and non-effort. You consciously engage in an activity that requires you to not engage in anything. Once we pass this somewhat paradoxical conundrum – you’ll find that yoga is simply switching off in an organized and methodological manner. Yoga is the practice of conscious relaxation. It is a way in which you can turn off your fight or flight response which will in turn increase your overall health. Conscious relaxation encourages you to release the grip of your muscles when you don’t need them – and allows you to switch off your high corticosteroid level.

 

Click here to read about how you can practice yoga and follow our series on stress related issues.

 

If you are considering yoga classes Mount Sinai offers classes with certified yoga teachers (CYTs). Please contact us on (212) 241-6321) to see if we can further help.

 

 

 

 

Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

There is nothing better than having a good night's sleep at the end of a long work day. However, in the US, 30% of the population suffers from insomnia, with this rising to between 40% and 60% among those above 60. Often it is caused by stress or anxiety, and may be fixed as this stress is removed. However, for those suffering more long-term sleep loss other measures must be taken to improve the situation.

Developing a Sleep Schedule

One important action to take is to implement a sleep schedule. By making sure you go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning your body will get into a cycle, helping you to wake up feeling more rested. While regular sleep patterns are important, they will not be as effective if other factors are not taken into account. Midday naps can actually leave you feeling more tired, as they adjust the body's internal clock. If you must have a nap it should be kept to 10-30 minutes and should be had during mid-afternoon. Similarly, using electronic devices before bedtime can upset rest as the light from them resets the body's circadian rhythm by imitating daylight. In order to get the best sleep possible, all electronics should be turned off an hour before sleep. Furthermore, lights should be dimmed 2-3 hours before bed, as this will stimulate the brain to produce melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.

Regulating Food Intake and Exercise

It is essential to cut out substances such as nicotine and caffeine before bed, as both are stimulants that will keep you awake. It is also best to avoid having a nightcap as, while alcohol will initially make you fall into a deep sleep, as it wears off you will spend less time in this deep sleep and more in the lighter REM stage of sleep resulting in waking up feeling lethargic.

While it may be a myth that eating cheese before bedtime will give you nightmares, it will definitely make it more difficult to get a good night's rest. Eating just before dinner will cause the body to release cortisol, a hormone involved in the metabolism of food, which decreases secretion of melatonin, thus making you more likely to wake up in the middle of the night. Likewise, it is best to keep late-night exercise to a minimum. Working out in the middle of the day can help to tire you out, and thus help encourage sleep. However, exercising releases energy which, if done just before bed, will keep delay sleep. Light exercise, such as stretching or yoga can be beneficial, as it relaxes the body.

See a Doctor

Often the measures mentioned above are sufficient to restore good sleep, however, occasionally symptoms can persist. If sleeplessness lasts a month or longer it may be necessary to see a doctor, who can ascertain if the cause is related to another health condition, such as acid reflux or asthma. Alternatively it could be an adverse effect of medication you are taking.