Studies on sleep have found that napping has value. Unfortunately, our North American culture has been brought up to believe that napping is closely akin to laziness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Research has shown that not only do nappers show better mental acuity but their sleep is also better for it. We just need to get in synch with other cultures of our world and see the benefits of napping. That means getting away from the notion that napping = sleeping = laziness.

Here are some ways to break this paradigm.

1. See napping as a positive thing that allows us to be more productive which is the opposite of lazy.
2. Stop fighting our bodies need to nap which will improve the effectiveness of napping.
3. Don’t try to schedule naps and grab them when you can. Like when commuting in cars, trains and airplanes.
4. Pay attention to length of nap and time of day. Taking naps that last too long, or too often or at the wrong time of day can work against you. Figure out the balance that works for you.
5. See napping as taking a break. Remember how restorative just doing nothing can be.

I hope you found this article useful and that you will consider exploring the benefits of napping in your day to day life. The cultures around the world that value napping reap the health benefits from it. We in North America should follow their lead.

Do you nap? Leave me a comment and tell me how it has helped you.

Resources

Nap

Napping

Five Reasons To Nap

For everyone, be it seniors or youngsters, life has become fast paced, more stressful and challenging than ever. Because of this, stress and tension have increased and people are inflicted with obesity, back pain, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental problems like depression and more. That is the reason why people have turned to yoga, keeping aside reliance on doctors and medicines.

As seniors the weakness starts with the legs. You’re unable to run or jog as you used to when you were young and hence need an exercise that can help ease the pressure. The benefits of yoga are countless; it starts with the mind, goes on to heal physical problems including backache and revives one’s soul. Here’re some extensive ways yoga can heal us, and few reasons why yoga is referred to as the ‘panacea of all ills’:

1. Stress buster

One the most recognized benefits of yoga is the calming effect on our stress levels. Yoga not only encourages relaxation of the mind and body but each asana (position/posture) brings a control in yourself, which in turn keeps your stress level in check.

2. Pain relief

Daily exercise of yoga can help ease the aches and pains of the body. Many people with severe lower backache have reported less pain after daily exercise like asanas or meditation.

3. Better breathing

No matter how much cardio exercise you do, yoga is by far the easiest and most effective practice to learn better breathing. The deeper, slower breaths that play a key role in every asana in yoga help you increase lung function. Breathing right helps the body to relax and increase its capacity to respond, which are the most potent benefits of yoga.

4. Increased flexibility

Yoga practitioners always tend to notice an unmatched level of flexibility that gets their body into the rhythm for any range of motion. Most of us have serious doubts about even touching one’s toes, but yoga exercises strengthen the muscles and ligaments, hence, giving us back our good old flexible selves.

5. Increased strength

Yoga asanas are a systematic way to make our muscles pull up their socks and boost the body’s strength level. Yoga exercises strengthen muscles around our bones which helps to support our skeletal systems.

6. Manages weight

The reason yoga has endured as an ancient fitness practice is because of the amazing weight management power it gives us. The routine yoga exercises reduce cortisol levels in our body and this helps in losing weight and burning fat.

7. Peace inside and out

The primary reason why yoga is most talked about, apart from its physical benefits, is that it heals from the inside out. Inner peace is not only the most important benefit of yoga but also is the easiest one to attain.

No single exercise can give the many benefits of yoga. If you are skeptical about how a simple routine can change your life, maybe it’s time you tried yoga and experienced it for yourself.

Author bio- Joel Newman is a yoga practitioner who likes to share his experiences with fellow bloggers.  Presently he is into research on human growth hormone.

Most of us have a lifestyle that leaves little room to exercise and weight gain becomes obvious. Most of our work profiles keep us tied to our seats and before we realize back pain becomes the order of the day! Worse, gradually we even give up on our back pain accepting it as a thing to live with.

We all happen to ignore the ancient belief that all kinds of aches and pains in the body are not just physical problems; it is the block in the body’s energy flow that brings in the pain.

Who wouldn’t want those days back when playing catch ball with kids was not a nightmare or bending over to get files from lower drawers was a thing of youth alone. But, all those issues in the body need proper channelized energy to help you break free. The only kind of medicine that is acknowledged over generations and accepted across cultures is that of energy or Reiki.

Why Reiki?

Our bodies are multilayered, and Reiki healing is a process that allows a practitioner to read the body, mind, emotions and spirit by soothing it and creating a sense of safety.

Reiki for a layman is nothing but a treatment to bring peace, wellbeing and security into every layer of your body. And, it is one of most acknowledged miraculous ways for physical healing.

What is Reiki?

For most of us who are desperate to get rid of back pain, Reiki brings the century old spiritual healing of early 20th century Japan to heal people. It allows the flow of energy all the way from the palms of the practitioner to the one in pain.

The very name Reiki stands for “spiritual energy.” And, practitioners believe this treatment eliminates emotional or spiritual blocks in our body that are the real cause of most illness. Most of the pain in our body tends to trigger when we go through an emotionally challenging phase and for such instances, Reiki comes as the blessing in disguise.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons why Reiki is all we need to heal the back pain:

1. Reiki works on the root causes of the pain, the use of universal life-energy has proven to heal a person.

2. Reiki is intelligent energy; all it does is create a strong sense of good health, wellbeing and safety through which the body heals itself

3. In a Reiki session, a practitioner moves his/her hands around your body, and the flow of energy makes the practitioner’s hands become hot. The practitioner is a channel to heal you with the Universe’s energy.

4. Reiki works on energy alone, and the results are more likely to be subtle. It may differ from person to person but it is believed to work for all, under any condition.

5. Reiki is highly recommended for back pain and such prolonged pain in the body because of its gentleness. It is the most natural, simple, and safe method of spiritual healing that can be used for all.

As a work at home mom, Sandra Wade has suffered with back pain and obesity till she tried reiki healing techniques. She also made use of diet pills to lose weight and get rid of back pain.

How many times do we hear our friends and colleagues say that they wish someone would help them to sleep? Lack of sleep can drain your energy and leave you feeling disorientated and depressed. So how can we help someone to sleep? Well the first steps have to be in understanding what sleep is, being able to appreciate the issues and knowing whether it is a temporary problem or maybe a longer term one requiring professional help and guidance.

Let’s start by trying to define sleep. In Wikipedia it says

What Is Sleep?

“Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles”

Essentially sleep is in your mind. There are, of course, many physical things which can impact on your sleep but bottom line is that when you sleep your conscious  mind closes down and anything which interferes with this will delay your sleep periods.

Your Biological Clock

Your body has a natural biological clock. There are times of the day when you will feel sleepy and others when your energy levels are higher. There is very little that you can do to change this. It is very important that you remember this the next time that you feel tired and drowsy. Ask yourself is this part of my daily rhythm or is it longer term tiredness?

Chemicals and Their Effects

Chemicals will change how you think. Alcohol, caffeine, pain relief pills all these will change the chemical balance in your mind and impact your ability to sleep.

Distractions

Distractions can be both good and bad. Most distractions will keep you awake. Think of the loud music coming from a neighbor. But sometimes they can work the other way. Think of soothing music or the gentle lapping of waves which will calm your thoughts and take your mind away from the day to day problems which plague it so much.

Crafting A Sleep Solution

Solutions which calm the mind

Anything which will stop your mind racing and thinking and worrying. Basically you have to distract your thoughts, for example

1. Listening to gentle music, following the steady beat of a clock or as in meditation following your breath as it enters and leaves your body.

2. Repetition of a simple mental process such as counting sheep, imagining yourself following a familiar journey or gently rocking on a boat.

3. Have you ever fallen asleep whilst listening to a boring talk? Have you ever dozed off whilst listening to an audio book? These are good examples of how you can become calm and ready for sleep through using outside stimuli.

Solutions which calm the body

It is difficult for the mind to be calm and quiet if the body is active and restless. This is where the term “dog tired” comes in. If your energy is spent then it is much easier to relax and to prepare for sleep. There are well proven mental exercises to help you to relax your body and prepare for sleep.

Chemical solutions

Make no mistake here. Sleeping pills are not a good long term solution. Caffeine does not help and alcohol is not a way forward. A warm drink of a tea infusion can help but as a general rule you want to try and avoid food and drink prior to sleep.

Repetition and habits

It really does help if you have set procedures preparing you for sleep. Following the same procedures will quieten your mind and help you prepare for sleep.

Recognising the best times to sleep

Not all sleep is equal. There are different phases within your sleep cycle and these will repeat throughout the night. How refreshed you are in the morning is a reflection of how complete your sleep cycles have been. This is why a device such as the Zeo sleep coach is so valuable. It will help you to monitor your sleep patterns.

How should you plan your campaign to sleep better?

Try and decide what is the main problem which is stopping you falling asleep. How can you overcome this problem? You might well be surprised how easy this can be. But do rest assured that sleeping problems are not unusual.If you find that you cannot improve your quality of sleep or that the suggested solutions are too difficult to keep to then there are sleep professionals who can help. You can always check out your local sleep center.

But is massage effective for pain relief? Will massage therapy really provide a solution to long term back pain?

Before those questions can be answered, it’s important to discover the most common causes of back pain that could leave you at risk for long term strain or injury. Back pain is most often caused by:

• Improper/heavy lifting
• A sudden, unnatural movement
• Strained ligaments and muscles over time

In many cases, long term back pain could be the sign of a deeper issue, like a ruptured disc, arthritis, or even sciatica – a condition where a bulging disc presses on the main nerve in your leg to cause sharp pain.

After you have seen your doctor to determine the cause of your back pain, massage therapy may be his number one recommendation to balance and relieve pain in your lower and upper back. Even if you struggle from mild to moderate back pain from time to time caused by sitting at your desk day after day, massage can still be beneficial to relieve pressure on strained muscles that are causing discomfort.

Massage for Back Pain Benefits

Massage isn’t just for pampering. In a recent study conducted on over 400 adults who suffered from moderate to severe lower back pain, researchers explored whether massage therapy really could provide long term relief to these issues.

The participants in the study underwent weekly full body massages for relaxation, weekly massages focused on specific treatment areas, or other treatment methods. Other treatment methods included taking pain medication, undergoing physical therapy, seeing a chiropractor, or doing nothing at all.

After only 10 weeks, the study participants in both massage groups showed the most improvement in mobility and pain relief compared to those using other treatment methods.

It is interesting to note that the type of massage that was administered didn’t affect the results for better or worse. This means that even a basic relaxation massage, normally performed Swedish style, can still be beneficial to relieve long term back pain.

After 10 weeks, up to 39% of the study participants undergoing massage confirmed that their pain was almost completely gone. This was compared to 4% of participants using other treatment methods.

How to Choose a Massage Therapist

Clearly, regular massage therapy has proven benefits to relieve mild to severe back pain. In many cases, if you see a chiropractor for back pain, you will be told that tight muscles are the issue, causing an imbalance in the lower and upper back to create discomfort.

Of course, not all massage therapists are created equal. Some specialize in certain areas of pain relief, and some have more training than others. If you’re on a tight budget, consider visiting a massage therapy school as a cheap alternative. However, if you have serious back pain and are under the care of a physician, it’s best to choose a highly skilled massage therapist trained in back pain relief.

Bethany Ramos is an expert health writer who is passionate about nutrition and fitness. Please visit her HGH website for more information on how to naturally improve your health.

Back pain is an exasperating problem that can disable your day-to-day life. It can be extremely debilitating. There are hundreds of options some even as severe as surgery. However, there are simpler options which are light on the purse and where you don’t have to go under the knife.

Before you decide on the best course of treatment, diagnose the causes of backache. The symptoms may be one but causes many. For instance, the reason could be angina, menstrual problems, pregnancy, the use of epidural, spondilitis, sprain, slip disk, the reasons are endless, but the line of treatment will differ.

There Are Alternatives

Traditional allopathic medicine has always been the easiest and most familiar. The problem with traditional medicine is it often uses drugs and surgery to solve its problems. Some alternative methods have not only been as effective, but also have removed the cause of the problem. Some are simple home-made remedies. Here are a few of them.

Fomentation: Hot water filled in rubber pouches when placed on the area that hurts causes the blood vessels to expand. Pain is always caused when blood vessels constrict. This is a simple remedy but can ease pain only when it’s due to minor sprain or even back ache during menstruation. If the pain persists, it’s wise to try other remedies.

Massage: This again is a simple remedy. But the masseur should know how to give a massage. Pressing hard or kneading the back area can worsen the problem. Especially if pain is due to slip disk, kneading the area can dislocate the slipped disk further and render the risk of a permanent handicap!

A simple massage, where light techniques are used along with fomentation, should ease pain. However if pain persists, it’s wise to consult the physician. Massaging is a technique which removes excess lymph and inflammation, thereby allowing easy flow of blood.

Among different massages, you have the Swedish, the Thai and the Indian Ayurvedic one. An Ayurvedic doctor will consider your medical history, ascertain causes, offer diet advice and then select the best massage technique meant to relieve backache.

Acupressure: This ancient Chinese technique has a cure for almost every problem including backache. Try this simple step. Apply pressure at the inner folds of knees. Press these points for three minutes. Once you know the causes, trying it at home yourself also is a safe option. This usually never has a side-effect. Nevertheless an expert in acupressure can always be consulted.

Reiki: Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing technique which has gained global prominence. It’s a slightly animistic approach where, everything in the universe, including inanimate objects vibrates with energy. Living beings like animals and humans vibrate and even reflect energy. When there’s an imbalance in this energy, it causes disease and even pain.

But our palms also radiate healing energy. Reikhi masters program practitioners to heal by radiating healing energy. This does not involve direct contact with the skin. The practitioner heals by passing energy from a distance of about few centimeters. All kinds of ache including backache are cured by Reiki.

Distance Reiki is used to heal patients, where the patient and the healer need not even be present in front of each other. Sometimes both are absolute strangers. Reiki is a safe mode, sans any side effects.

Yoga: Yoga undoubtedly is the lubricant that smoothens the wheel of life. From aches and pains to offering psychological comfort, it is the panacea to all conditions. Beware that yoga should not be tried when you’re suffering from severe backache. Once you cure yourself through alternative methods, you should resort to yoga so that the problem does not recur.

Hypnotherapy: If despite trying all alternatives, the pain doesn’t subside or recurs, you still have the option of hypnotherapy. In regression etc, the hypnotherapist takes you to another lifetime, where you learn about the causes of the pain. After re-experiencing the pain, patients have miraculously reported that they’ve been cured!

There’re simpler versions of hypnotherapy which one can try at home. Like the gate-control theory of pain wherein patients command the brain to think there’s no pain. Gradually, the pain either subsides or disappears. This is especially useful when you’re at work and cannot attend to the pain.

About The Author

Joel Newman is a health writer and expert in holistic healing techniques. Presently, he is into research on hgh and GenF20

Let me start out here by telling you a little about how the system works. The Zeo Personal Sleep Coach includes a clock/headband recharging receptacle. The headband has a soft fabric sensor attached to a small transmitter you put on each night before bedtime. The headband is very easy to adjust and very comfortable once adjusted properly. When you are ready to turn the lights off, set your alarm, take the headband off the charger and place it on your head making sure the sensor is on your forehead. You’ll see a little graphic showing it’s connected when you do and the stats will start running. Just fall asleep and Zeo does the rest.

Setting Up The Clock

The clock allows you to set a comforting soundtrack to awaken to ranging from easy music to environmental sounds. The clock took me about 15 minutes to get used to the controls and set everything up using their easy to follow guide. You can also set how bright you want the display. I keep ours at around 2 or 3 because the display can get very bright as you’ll read next. The alarm is very cool because it doesn’t just jar you out of bed. It starts off very quiet and the display stays dim. After the alarm is playing for I think 15 seconds it notches up in volume and brightness and repeats this pattern two more times until it’s at maximum for both. Even at full volume it won’t jar you because it’s not a buzzer or bell. You can hit snooze just like any other clock and it lets you set the snooze interval.

In The Morning

When you finally wake up, all you have to do is replace the headband into its cradle on top of the clock and make sure you see the charging graphic start. Then, Zeo will ask you to rate how you slept which you can do easily with the directional controls on the top of the clock. Once you’ve done that you’re ready to get on with your day. The system uses a SD memory card where it stores all of your sleep data. You need to upload that data to the MyZeo site either daily or weekly to get the sleep coaching which is the heart of the Zeo system in my opinion.

Getting A MyZeo Account

Getting a MyZeo account is easy. Just go to the MyZeo site at: http://mysleep.myzeo.com/ and sign up for an account. There is no cost to Zeo owners for this service and I think this is by far the best value point of the entire system. Yes, we haven’t even scratched the surface of the things the clock can show you at the touch of a button and it is very sophisticated. I just think all of that technology would go to waste without the top-flight coaching program to go along with it. All you need to set up a MyZeo account is the clock’s serial number. After that’s verified, you’re asked a few health questions and you’re ready to start uploading data to the system.

MyZeo Coaching

After you sign up you’ll start receiving emails telling you what to expect next and marking your progress. For me, this has been the most impressive part of this whole system. The sleep coaching emails help keep you on task and give you complete control over the plan. If you don’t have time to get your data uploaded you can pause the coaching. If you don’t complete steps in the time they’ve given you, the system will pause itself. All you then have to do is restart when you’re ready inside your MyZeo account. This way, you’re not being bombarded with emails that get out of synch with where you are or nag you incessantly. Very cool.

Coming Up Next

This series will follow me throughout the seven step coaching program. I’ll give you updates for each step of the program. The first step will be gathering the data for week one. The program uses weeks as a reference but that’s just for convention. The seven step program has no time limits. I’ll also be doing spotlight articles on areas of the system I think need more explanation. Like the controls on the clock, for instance.

Author’s Note

I would like to reiterate the Zeo Sleep system is not intended to replace a medical screening or device. Before you begin any program you should check with your doctor. If you feel you have a sleeping disorder, make sure to inform your doctor so you can get checked out by a professional.

I am using the Zeo system to tweak my sleep habits and increase the quantity and quality of the sleep I get each night. I do not have a sleep disorder and have had a recent physical examination.

I remember that when I started treatment using the Alexander technique two problems were highlighted time and again.

1. The problems caused by having to sit at a desk

and

2. The impact on the lower back and our posture.

Why It Happens

When we are seated at our desks or driving our car the part of the spine which takes the most strain is usually the lower back. How many times have you seen people where they have a pronounced forward curve in their lower spine, their hips tilt forward, their belt will be slanted down and very often their stomachs will hang forward over their belt?

You should really do this test on yourself. Measure the curve of your lower spine by standing flat against a wall and feeling the gap between the wall and your lower spine. Or lie on the floor with your head on a couple of books. Then try and run your hand under your lower back and check out that gap. It shouldn’t really be there and you are using your muscles to maintain an unnatural posture.

There is actually a medical name for this type of posture, look up Hyperlordosis on the internet and check out some of the images. Sometimes you will hear the term “swayback” used and often this will be a problem for professional dancers who continually have to ark their backs.

A Picture Is Worth..

Often a picture can help to illustrate the concept and this one from wikicommons. It shows the type of pronounced curve in the lower back which can come from a sitting job. It also shows the two points A and B which would be on a vertical line if the back was healthy.

We think that sometimes a video can be the best way to explain what we mean and this one,by Jeff Gordon Parker, on Youtube does just that. It is a good introduction to these two problems and will hopefully help you to become more aware of the problems caused by sitting at a desk all day long.

There are a lot of tips and tricks you can employ. Let’s look at some of them.

1. Stick to the same sleep time or ritual. Try and make sure that you go to bed at the same time and get into the ritual of preparing for sleep. It is better to avoid different sleep times at the weekend.
2. Wake up at the same time each day. If you are tired then try and avoid sleeping in. You can always have a power nap later to refresh yourself.
3. Napping is best done in the early afternoon when your body energy is at its lowest. If you have severe insomnia problems then try to avoid napping at all.
4. Leave at least 2 hours between your last meal and preparing for sleep. This will help to ensure that your body is in a more relaxed state.
5. A hot shower or bath can help to relax your muscles in preparation for sleep.
6. Avoid alcohol before sleeping. Although it might well help you to get to sleep quicker there will be a negative effect later. As the effect of alcohol wears off, your body will experience withdrawal symptoms and you will probably start to wake during the night.
7. Try to limit any day time sleeping to just cat or power naps of maybe 20 minutes.
8. Most people will find it easier to sleep in silence. Background music might help you to relax but it doesn’t really work if left on all night.
9. Exercise during the day will help to tire your body.Try to leave at least 4 hours between the last exercise and sleep.
10. Avoid caffeine. It isn’t just coffee either. Tea can also have high caffeine content.Remember that there are natural alternatives to help you sleep.
11. Let your bedroom become cooler than the rest of the house. Snuggle under the sheets.
12. Keep your bedroom dark and quiet. It sounds idyllic to be awoken by the birds but a 4 am start is not ideal for most people.
13. Bedrooms are not for working in and they are not somewhere to play with your pets. they are for sleeping and sex so don’t allow the boundaries between the different parts of your day to blur together.
14. Experiment with the best bed. The firmness of the mattress as well as that of the  pillows is really important and everyone has their own preferences.
15. Think carefully about what to wear in bed.Everyone has their favourite night clothing and sometimes people prefer to not wear anything at all.
16. Choose clean and cool linen bed sheets can. A small luxury which can repay you very quickly.
17. Read a good book or even better listen to an audio book or radio program as a way to distract your mind from the endless daily chores.
18. Remember that your body has its own internal clock which is also referred to as a circadian rythmn.Your body temperature is at its highest at 7 p.m. and after this it starts to cool down in preparation for sleep. By 10.30 p.m. your bowel has quietened and by 2 a.m. you are at the deepest point of your sleep. By 4.30 a.m. your body has reached its coolest point and at 6.45 a.m. your blood pressure starts to increase as you begin to awaken. Be sensitive to this internal clock and monitor your daily energy levels.
19. Chose a preferred sleeping position and try to keep to this when preparing for sleep. It is all down to routine.
20. If you are still having trouble then look at keeping a sleep journal. Writing down your night time routines and what you have done can be a good way to understanding your requirements.

In later articles we will tackle other questions such as

1. How to get back to sleep if you wake during the night
2. How to keep a sleep journal
3. How to relax your mind and body and  the benefits of visualisation and meditation
4. What is the best way to wake up

About Me

I’m a 50 year old male in good but not great physical condition. I watch what I eat and workout fairly regularly. I don’t have problems with my weight,cholesterol or my heart. I have regular physical exams and a clean bill of health. I am actually slightly underweight for my height. Because of my stubborness to admit I’m not 20 anymore, I’ve developed a bad habit of wanting to stay up too late but still get up with the birds. This has led to an erratic sleep pattern. Before you say “just go to bed earlier”, I’ll tell you it’s not that easy. I’m literally not sleepy until too late and rarely can stay in bed much after sunrise. The erratic sleep pattern has led to everything from irritability to an inability to focus to complete daily work routines. Being self-employed, this can be a heavy disadvantage.

For this reason I’ve started researching sleep and what makes a good and bad night’s sleep. I first saw the Zeo system about a year ago but still wasn’t able to admit I had a problem that needed serious attention. I’ve completed an online sleep survey or two and, with my physical exam results, was reasonably confident I didn’t have a major health issue that was causing my sleep problems.

This leads me to a point I want to underscore here-the Zeo system is not a substitute for a medical exam or sleep study. If you are having problems sleeping on a consistent basis, make sure you talk to your doctor before taking any course of action.

Because I didn’t believe I had a serious health issue, I wanted to find out more about how I was sleeping and see if I could take steps to improve my sleep. I’ve read good things about the system and decided I would give it a try. This article series will follow me on that quest.

First up…I’ll be completing the Zeo Sleep Questionnaire and collecting the first 6 days sleep data in order to get my first sleep assessment.