Mood Boosters this Winter – Stretching it out

November 10, 2010 2:31 pm Published by

More ‘Healthy Treats‘ …

Let yoga help you feel great this winter (its proven by scientists and everything!) and if its not your thing, just get moving!

I first started Bikram (hot) Yoga in the winter months (as a substitute to being on the beach) and even though the room you practise in is deliberately heated, I think the overall benefit that the 90 minute class had over my body inside and out was clear to see.

Stretch it out

  • Just an hour of  yoga a week can make a difference in improving feelings of energy, confidence, calm and clear mindedness
  • Take time for proper breathing! Perfect to practise in your yoga class, it will unite the body with the mind and balance your emotions, ridding you of negative thoughts
  • Yoga keeps you moving, and allows the Prana (life force) to flow round your body, helping circulation, releasing endorphins in your body and alleviating aches and pains
  • Perform simple inversions –  such as a headstand in the morning or a shoulder stand (you can simplify these positions, forward bending through the spine will have the same effect), you can release stress and tension across the upper back (built up from sitting at a desk) and stimulate your thyroid and parathyroid glands
  • Keep correct posture – to help with feelings of positivity
  • Get a bit of a sweat on – in whatever form of physical activity you choose, you are ridding your body of all the toxins that have built up, especially all the mulled wine and cheese that comes with this time of year
  • Revitalise with lavender oil or eucalyptus – By burning some incense in your bedroom and taking just a few minutes to stretch on the floor (go with what bits of your body feel tight) any spine twisting stretches are great, on your back, knees bent to the hip and dropped to the left and the right, keeping the body still really twisting and rinsing your spine
  • Take some nice walks, out in the winter sunshine, any bit of vitamin D your body can get and fresh air will make those winter blues blow away, literally!
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Categorised in: ,

This post was written by Laura Avery