Sneak a peak at our Yantra Mat Diaries

Have you been considering finding a natural way to relieve stress, alleviate your aches and pains and sort out your poor sleeping habits? Our three Yantra Mat testers have, and they've agreed to write about their experiences with the mat.

There's Abbey, who's been suffering from insomnia since the birth of her baby daughter and feels exhausted all the time; Heather, who has recently embarked on a new exercise regime and is fed up of hobbling about with sore muscles the day after a big run; and Sarah, a self-confessed workaholic who has admitted that she tends to internalise stressful situations and spends a lot of time worrying about various aspects of her business.

Keep up with our three lovely Yantra Mat owners to find out how they get on with their acupressure mats over the next few months and let us know on Twitter and Facebook if you want to ask them any questions about using the mat.

What's the biggest cause of stress for men, women?

Women tend to have more stress in their lives, but also have more varied responses to relieving stress than men.

While personal matters such as family problems and living situations might cause the most stress for women, new research shows it's on-the-job issues that cause men the most anxiety.

A study by Polaris Marketing Research regarding sources of stress revealed that men were more likely to say work issues were causing them angst, while women were significantly more likely to cite financial issues, lack of time, family problems, living situation and relationship issues.

 

Read More - http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/whats-the-biggest-cause-of-stress-for-men-women

Science and spirituality work together to cure insomnia

Science and spirituality have always been at loggerheads. However, efforts have been on to make the two work together for the larger good of people. City-based Janardan Swami Yogabhyasi Mandal and Indian Psychiatric Society's Nagpur branch would make one such effort by means of a two month-long camp that aims to heal insomnia through yoga therapy.

The camp that starts off from Sunday would combine the expertise of the eminent yoga gurus from the mandal and some of the eminent psychiatrists of the city. The mental health of those attending the camp would be documented at the beginning and the end to assess the efficiency of the traditional therapy.

"Instead of making tall claims, our mandal believes in proving ourselves. Since the last ten years, we have been conducting annual camps where we call the doctors to evaluate the condition of those attending the camps. Through the camp, we teach them several lifestyle modifications, asanas, kriyas, meditation, pranayaam and tell them about several dos and don'ts depending on their health," said Dr Dinesh Bapat, a physician and a senior teacher in the mandal.

"Sleep is the protective mechanism for the body and sleep disorders can lead to many problems like cardiovascular diseases and depression among others. Yoga has been a very efficient way to deal with such illnesses," believed Dr Kausar Abbasi, chairman of the scientific committee of IPS, Nagpur.

Read more - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-19/nagpur/31076920_1_month-long-camp-yoga-therapy-science-and-spirituality

Acupressure: Art of self-healing

Acupressure, the ancient art of self-healing, was practiced in our country as far back as 5,000 years ago. It later became popular in China and Sri Lanka. Acupressure is the power of “healing in your hands.” With your hands you have the potential to relieve everyday ailments and improve your health and vitality.

With basic training you can master the simple and effective techniques that will enable you to relieve headaches, acidity, cervical, constipation, common colds, insomnia, backaches, depression, and more. By using the skill of your own fingers you can activate your body’s natural self-healing process.

This non-invasive, drugless therapy may be applied on self or others for promoting better health and wellness. The WHO in 1970 had reported that Acupressure helps in curing more than 40 major ailments. Acupressure works on a system of “point stimulation,” where applying of adequate pressure on specific reflex points located along the lines of energies called meridians, ensures free flow of the Prana or the life force.

Read More - http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/lifestyle/health/acupressure-art-self-healing-183

Catching some Zzzs: how to drift off when you're out of the habit

Exercise, TV and late-night snacking can make it harder for us to sleep well.

Despite getting through a busy day at the office or looking after the little ones at home, do you often need help sleeping?

Many of us do, because it seems we can't just switch off as soon as our head hits the pillow - even when we're really tired.

But sometimes we inadvertently sabotage our sleep before we set foot into the bedroom, by making the wrong choices about our diet, state of mind or type of mattress.

According to the Sleep Council, there are a few things we can do to give ourselves the best possible chance of a good night's slumber.

First of all, sort out your sleeping area. It is important to make the bedroom a relaxed place to go to, so invest in some thick curtains and, if possible, take out all the TVs, computers, mobile phones and games consoles that are likely to distract you from falling asleep.

Secondly, make sure you eat your main meal a good few hours before you settle down to sleep. We often feel hungry late at night, but that last-minute snack won't help you catch some Zzzs, so try not to eat anything for two hours before going to bed.

Similarly, doing any form of exercise straight before bedtime could make you feel more alert, so steer clear of the press-ups in the evening. Instead, try burning off that excess energy first thing in the morning or after you get home from work, and use your time in the evening to unwind by having a bath or reading.

The ultimate cure for tiredness seems to be routine, as our body gets used to repeating the same behaviour day after day. If you're constantly waking up tired, try getting up half an hour earlier - you may need to summon all your willpower to start with, but after a few mornings of getting out of bed at the same time, you'll find it easier to fall asleep at night.