Yoga,progressing to pilates....
2007-03-21 12:19:14
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answer #1
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answered by Juliette 6
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Yoga and meditation--and soothing baths with soft music and lit candles.
2007-03-21 19:23:17
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answer #2
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answered by luminous 7
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Life is full of surprises...not all of them good. Life's little events can often cause stress, anxiety and a bad case of the blues. Some of these we expect--the change from Fall to Winter is often a rough transition for many of us and bad weather can make you feel tired and cranky. The holidays are often a rollercoaster of emotions, bringing out our best and, sometimes, our worst. Then there are the unexpected surprises--losing a job, moving to a new city, contracting an illness, fender benders and other events, big and small that test our mental strength.
Unfortunately, we can't predict the future, but we can find ways to relieve stress in healthy ways. One of the best ways to work out the stress and pull yourself out of the dumps is to move your body.
Soothe Yourself with Exercise
When we feel down or depressed, we look for things that make us feel good.
Often, we reach for the wrong things--food, alcohol, sleep or drugs...most of which make us feel worse instead of better. It's important to take care of yourself when your feeling blue and there's nothing wrong with a little indulgence...as long as it's healthy and something that will genuinely make you feel better.
Rather than reach for the chocolate when you're stressed, think of something you enjoy doing...something that feels good to you. It might be working in the garden, taking a slow bike ride or taking a walk with a friend. Think of activities you like but rarely allow yourself time to do then commit to doing them as often as you can. Rhythmic activities like walking, raking leaves or even cleaning can be healing exercises--as your body gets into it's own rhythms, you can let your mind go and work out problems, find solutions or just daydream for awhile.
Try these ideas for a little stress relief:
Take baby steps. Thinking about 30 minutes of an activity may feel overwhelming when your energy is low. Decide you'll just do a few minutes of something. Chances are, you'll start to feel more energetic and will keep going.
Keep it simple. Sometimes the thought of changing into workout clothes can seem like climbing a mountain. Choose activities that require very little preparation like walking, gardening, cleaning the house or some gentle stretching.
Ask for support. It helps to have a workout buddy to keep you honest. Try to get a friend or family member to meet you once a week for a walk in the park or a local fitness class. Knowing someone's waiting for you makes it easier to get going.
Make the transition easier. If you tend to stay more sedentary when you feel blue, going from sitting to something active can seem like a big jump. Give yourself 5 or 10 minutes to get your body moving a bit before exercise. Do a little cleaning or take out the trash. Take some time to stretch or simply walk around the house a bit.
Give yourself extra time to warm up. If you're doing a high intensity activity (like running or aerobics), give yourself more warm up time than usual. If you usually start out jogging, start with a slow walk. Allow your body all the time it needs to get warm and allow your heart rate to climb gently.
Give yourself extra time to cool down. It's always a good idea to end your workout feeling good. Give yourself a good ten minutes to wind down and then spend a few minutes stretching.
Soothe Your Mind
Getting some strength training and cardio into your day can help perk you up, but you're not finished yet. There are other ways to soothe yourself and give your mind time to relax and slow down a bit.
Yoga. This is a great way to quiet your mind and relax your body. There are different ways to practice yoga--some vigorous and others relaxing. Try this Gentle Stretch workout for maximum relaxation.
Pilates. While more vigorous than some types of Yoga, Pilates forces you to concentrate on what your body is doing while helping you work on core strength, stability and flexibility. This Yoga/Pilates Workout combines moves from both disciplines.
Meditation. Finding the time and patience to relax can be tough. But meditation doesn't have to be complicated--simply stopping to breathe for a few minutes can be your own meditation. Or try Guided Meditation if you're like me and need some direction.
Laugh. Experts have long known the benefits of laughing--it helps your body in a multitude of ways but, mostly, it just feels good. Spend some time with our Humor Guide, which should get you going.
Massage. Schedule a massage in the near future so you have something to look forward to. If that isn't an option, indulge at home with a hot bath or lounging around and reading your favorite book or magazine.
When you get down in the dumps, you may be tempted to reach for things that offer instant gratification but long-term guilt. Learning healthy ways to increase your energy and lift your mood can open your eyes to a new ideas for taking care of yourself.
2007-03-21 19:25:43
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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