Author: Pearl Recovery Retreat

Yoga is not only a great form of workout but also encourages mental and physical relaxation. It helps minimize stress and anxiety while promoting flexibility, strength, and pain relief. There are yoga poses designed to relieve physical blockages such as muscle knots. Believe it or not, it also helps release emotions and tension by injecting a lot of mood-boosting endorphins into your body. All these elements lead to less stress and more peace. Yoga helps you become more aware of the transitory nature of bodily sensations, feelings, and thoughts. As a result, you will become less attached to your ideas and learn to understand your emotions better.

Research-Backed Benefits of Yoga for Stress

There is plenty of scientific evidence that supports the stress-relieving effects of yoga. As per a study done in 2018, women who did Hatha yoga three times a day for four weeks straight noticed a significant reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Yoga is a complementary medication in addition to prescription drugs.

In-depth studies are required to investigate yoga’s long-term role in releasing stress, anxiety, and depression. Similarly, a study done on a small group of adult men in 2020 showed that specific benefits of yoga stretches are highly beneficial in controlling cortisol levels and have a very positive impact on the parasympathetic nerve activity that leads to relaxation.

Similarly, another study done in 2020 showed that individuals who consecutively practiced 11-minute yoga Nidra meditation for 30 days had reduced stress levels, better sleep, and improved overall well-being. It also boosted mindfulness, minimized negative emotions, and the effects lasted even after six weeks.

Use of Yoga Breathing for Stress Alleviating

Breathing exercises in yoga known as pranayama teach you to relax, regulate your breath, and enable you to breathe deeply. It helps minimize stress levels and calms down your body and mind. These techniques can significantly improve your sleep quality and mindfulness. You can do breathing exercises at any point during the day when you feel particularly anxious or uncomfortable. Some of the popular types of pranayama include:

• Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana)
• Ujjayi breathing
• Breath of fire (kapalabhati)
• Lion’s breath (simhasana)
• Sitali breath
• Humming bee breath (bhramari)

Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

Certain poses are highly beneficial for relieving stress:

• Cat-cow pose: This pose will connect your breath to your movement, which helps to calm down your mind and release tension from your body.
• Child’s pose: This is another great post to try. It helps you create an inward focus, restore your energy, and promote mental and physical relaxation.
• Corpse pose: Focus on your breathing as you calm your mind and let go of the stress. This is a beginner-friendly pose and brings immense relaxation.

Yoga Meditation for Stress Relief

You either practice meditation on its own or make it a part of your yoga routine. You can try different meditation poses for comfort and convenience: sitting on the floor, couch, or chair. There are standing up, walking, and lying down meditations as well. It would help if you tried a couple of them to find one that fits you best. If you struggle with yoga meditation, you can find yoga classes or an instructor to help you.

Once you get the hang of it, stick to a particular routine for quite some time before advancing to the next one. Yoga Nidra, known as yogic sleep, is a guided meditation in person or with a teacher. It promotes deep relaxation, alleviates stress levels, and promotes better sleep. It is an excellent option if you are too tired or lazy to perform asanas or do extended seated practices but still want to feel relaxed. This type of yoga uses the help of an audio recording.

Essential Tips to Keep in Mind

Yoga is very effective when trying to calm your mind and body. It is essential to adhere to the following tips to ensure you experience the most serenity:

Release All Kinds of Negative Thoughts

We all think a gazillion thoughts during the day. Unfortunately, most of them are pretty stressful. Yoga is the time when you have to let go of these thoughts. It is the time to practice awareness, detachment, and acceptance. Focus on the present moment, and do not let negativity get in your way. Aim at letting go of all your thoughts. It is pretty hard initially, but once you get the hang of it, you will achieve a calmer, positive, and healthier state of mind.

Employ Stress Relief Techniques

To manage stress, you need to change all areas of your life. Have a look at your schedule. See if it is too packed or not. If you can free up a bit of space for yourself in your day for relaxation, exercises, and yoga, make sure to do that. Practice deep breathing all day long whenever you remember it. If you find yourself intertwined in a thought pattern, call yourself out.

Consistency Is Key

To see yoga’s benefits, you need to be consistent with your practice. Just like anything in life, doing yoga for one day in a week and then forgetting about it won’t make much of a difference. Make sure to schedule time for yoga on a daily or weekly basis. You can start small and gradually build up the duration or number of days.

The Bottom Line

Yoga, meditation, and exercise can work wonders to minimize and manage stress levels. In some parts of the world, yoga and meditation are treatments for various mental health issues combined with meds. The key is to find something that works for you. You must try different yoga and meditation forms to see which suits you best. Once you do find it, the results are simply impeccable.

Health begins at your plate. There is absolutely no doubt about this fact. We all know how we feel post a healthy and nutritious meal and after an overdose of fast food. Experts suggest that if we start our day with a healthy meal, we are more likely to make choices that benefit us throughout the day. That’s where healthy and nutritious morning smoothies come into play.

What better way to start your day than a healthy, nutritious, quick, and yummy breakfast? Most of us aren’t that hungry in the morning or don’t have enough time. That doesn’t mean we should skip the most important meal of the day. In this article, we will share our favorite morning smoothies with you. All you need is a few ingredients probably already in your kitchen and a blender. Without further ado, let’s get started:

1: Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Smoothies

This one is a true classic and will satisfy your sweet tooth. It contains fiber, vitamins, and all the essential elements. You need one cup of oat milk, a handful of strawberries, a large banana (preferably frozen), 3/4th cup of rolled oats (soaked overnight), one teaspoon of vanilla essence, and raw honey. Pop all these ingredients in a blender and blend away.

2: High Protein Smoothies

This smoothie is one of the best for breakfast and is also great to drink after a workout. It is a perfect breakfast choice for people who like to drink something immediately after working out. In a blender, you will need peanut butter, rice protein powder, banana, soy milk, and hemp seeds. One of the numerous benefits of high protein shakes and smoothies like this one is that they can boost your energy to start the day.

3: Kale Pineapple Healthy Morning Smoothies

If you are not a kale fan, try this smoothie, and you will not even taste it. Adding more kale to your diet is a great way to improve overall health. The pineapple alongside a bit of honey adds a hint of sweetness and balances out the taste of kale. You will need a cup of lightly packed kale leaves, 3/4th cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, one frozen banana, 1/4th cup non-fat Greek yogurt, 1/4th cup frozen pineapples, two tablespoons peanut butter, and honey to taste. It almost tastes like a refreshing fruit cocktail. It is a great way to add a punch of greens to your breakfast without tasting them. Try it, and you are surely going to love it.

4: Coconut Water, Berries, and Spinach Smoothies

This superfood smoothie is loaded with antioxidants and has many health benefits. There are no specific measurements for ingredients. Eyeball them, and you will be good to go. For this smoothie, you will need coconut water, cranberries, blueberries, spinach, banana, chia seeds, and a few drops of ginger juice. Blend them all and drink them up in the morning for a refreshing feel.

5: Loaded Coffee Morning Smoothies

Do you want to switch to a healthy breakfast smoothie but can’t let go of the kick of coffee in the morning? This smoothie is perfect for you. You will get something beneficial for your system and a caffeine kick for your brain. You will need one frozen banana, ½ cup brewed coffee (make it the night before and let it sit in the fridge), ½ cup of milk, 1/4th cup of rolled oats, and a spoonful of peanut butter. As usual, blend all the ingredients, and you will end up with yummy goodness that will spice up your morning smoothies.

6: Piña Colada Smoothies

What better way to start your day than drinking your pina colada in the form of a smoothie? I guess nothing. It will surely get you excited in the morning. It is simple to make and contains only three ingredients: 1 cup frozen pineapple, one frozen banana, 1 cup of coconut milk, and 1 tbsp. shredded coconut (optional). Blend it, and you will have your pina colada.

7: Pumpkin Pie Protein Smoothies

The smoothies are ideal for sweet tooth individuals without compromising your health. It tastes indeed like its name. To make this smoothie, you will need one frozen banana, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1/4th teaspoon powdered cinnamon, 1/4th teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ cup skim milk, two tablespoons maple syrup, 2/3rd cup pumpkin puree, and a cup of ice cubes. Blend them, and you have got yourself a healthy version of a pumpkin pie. This is just one of the healthier ways you can fight your sugar craving. 

8: Persimmon and Tangerine Morning Smoothies

This recipe offers a perfect balance of healthy spices and the sweetness of vanilla bean and citrus. The best part, it is super creamy and rich in texture. Add the following to the blender and blend away: 2 cups cashew almond milk, one ripe banana, two soft dates, 1 1/4 cups frozen Fuyu persimmon slices, 1 1/4 cups frozen seeded tangerine segments, 1/2 teaspoon packed finely grated fresh turmeric root, one teaspoon packed finely grated fresh ginger, a splash of vanilla extract, and two cups of cashew almond milk.

9: Banana Mango Avocado Green Smoothies

Don’t believe in the concept of green smoothies? Try this one, and you’ll surely convert. Blend the following to get a rich, green, and yummy green smoothie: 1 banana, 1 cup mango chunks, frozen, 1 cup spinach, 1/2 avocado, 1 cup almond milk, a splash of vanilla extract, and a sweetener of your choice. Studies have shown avocados benefit heart health, making them an excellent source of nutrition and great for smoothies. These ingredients will give you one green smoothie that not only tastes great but will also eliminate all the laziness that comes with early mornings.

10: Carrot Cake Smoothies

We all love a good old carrot cake. Don’t we? But it isn’t healthy for you. What if I told you that you could have it every morning? Try this carrot cake smoothie, and you will thank me later. You will need one medium-sized frozen banana, 1 cup diced carrots, 2/3 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup of vanilla Greek yogurt, two maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of ground ginger, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Blend them in a good quality blender, and you can enjoy your favorite dessert daily without feeling guilty.

I am sure you have got enough inspiration for your healthy morning smoothies. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen or eat foods that taste bad to be healthy. Try these, and you will be on the right track.

Zen meditation is a meditation technique that is deeply rooted in Buddhist psychology. The goal is to regulate attention and is a practice that revolves around “thinking about not thinking.” It involves sitting in a lotus position with your legs crossed and focusing your attention inwards. Some experts suggest that it consists of counting breaths from 1 to 10. Others suggest that there isn’t any counting involved.

What Happens During Zen Meditation?

Open-monitoring meditation is the main form of mediation used in Zen Meditation. The meditation revolves around transforming the monitoring skills into a state of reflexive awareness with a broad scope of attention. Zen meditation is focused on the mind’s presence and involves increased awareness of the ongoing physical and self-referential process. It attempts to expand the attentional scope to incorporate the flow of perceptions, emotions, thoughts, and subjective understanding.

Over time, you’ll learn the technique of keeping your mind from wandering and will be able to tap into the power of your unconscious mind. During the process, you need to keep your eyes in a semi-open state that is different from other forms of meditation. The goal is to dismiss all the thoughts in your head and think about nothing. The goal is to become aware of the preconceived notions and gain self-insight.

Benefits of Meditation

Research suggests that zen meditation has various physical-spiritual, social, cognitive, and emotional benefits. Moreover, it is a great stress reliever. Hence, a lot of people turn towards it. Different forms of meditation will impact your brain in a slightly different manner. However, the overall effects are almost similar.

Impact on the Brain

In a study done in 2008, researchers compared how zen meditation impacted the brain. They reached 12 people who practiced Zen meditation for three years, with 12 of those novices who didn’t practice the meditation ever. Each participant received a brain scan while focusing on their breathing. Afterward, they had to try to distinguish the natural world from an imaginary world on the computer screen. Then, they concentrated on breathing again. The authors concluded that meditation enhanced the capacity to stay focused, limited distractions, and improved the attention span.

Access to the Unconscious

Zen meditation allows practitioners to improve their minds. A conscious mind can focus on one thing at a time: a grocery list or a book. As per experts, your conscious mind is vast, and researchers believe that learning to tap into your unconscious mind can open your brain’s capability.

Unconscious minds possess the ability to foster great creativity, accomplish goals, and have improved relationships. A study conducted in 2012 showed that individuals who practiced Zen meditation could access their unconscious minds effectively. The majority of participants in this study had experience with zen meditation.

One group meditated for 20 minutes, while the other relaxed for the same time. All the participants sat in a cubicle with a computer. They had to link three words that appeared on the screen along with an associated comment. Then, they had to type the answer as quickly as possible. The individuals who meditated before the test completed the task more effectively and demonstrated better success accessing their unconscious minds.

In another study group, students had to meditate for 20 minutes while the control group relaxed. All the volunteers were asked 20 questions with three to four correct answers. Before the screening began, a potential solution flashed on the screen for nearly 16 milliseconds. The meditation group gave 6.8 answers that matched the subliminal. On the other hand, the control group only reached an average of 4.9 words.

Hence, researchers concluded that meditators could access their minds better than non-meditators. They further added that Zen meditation gives better insight into the brain’s background. Zen meditation helps you understand your feelings in a better manner and enable you to make better decisions. You can also know how the environment influences you, which can significantly impact your life.

Drug Abuse Treatment

Zen meditation is also a drug abuse treatment program in certain parts of the world. It is supposed to slow down the heart rate and respiration along with improving the function of the autonomous nervous system. The authors of a 2018 study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine found that zen meditation will impact your brain-heart interactions. According to the authors, zen practitioners devote their practice to disclosing the spiritual heart inside the organ. They added:

Through years of Zen meditation practice, practitioners have their brain functions reformed into a so-called detached brain dominated by the spiritual heart.

When done regularly, a 20-minute Zen meditation session significantly improves patients’ autonomous nervous system function. Not only that, but it also dramatically improves an individual’s mood, which helps prevent drug usage. In addition to other treatments, zen meditation will enhance the efficacy of the brain, which will help patients successfully go through detox and recovery.

Practicing Zen Meditation

Not every individual can learn the same way. Some individuals can learn while others prefer to learn from a good old book. Similarly, some prefer to learn from an instructor. Based on what suits you, you can select a choice of medium for yourself. You can find plenty of audio, videos, tutorials, training programs, and books on the subject. You can also find plenty of meditation retreats.

Is Zen Meditation Right for You?

Regarding meditation, there is no one size fits all approach. You have to figure out which one will suit you best. Research shows that Zen meditation is not suitable for everyone and is certainly not a favorite. The key to reaping the benefits is to be consistent with Zen meditation. You have to try it to see whether it works for you or not. It is important to explore different meditation types to find the one that will work best for you.

What are people constantly looking for in their lives? Happiness. We are looking to find a perfect partner, attend music concerts and festivals, and crave love and all other things in life because, ultimately, we are seeking happiness. Wellness/well-being and happiness are directly correlated with each other. Well-being and happiness coexist. One influences the other and cannot expect to find one or the other.

How Can Wellbeing Influence Happiness?

When you research the definition of wellbeing, it essentially redirects you to the meaning of happiness. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, well-being is a state of being happy and healthy. Both happiness and well-being cannot exist without one another. Let’s see how wellbeing can bump up your happiness levels:

Yoga, Fitness, and WorkOut

Any form of physical activity part of your everyday life will bump up happiness and wellbeing. Many individuals associate physical wellness with yoga, jogging, fitness, working out, and being in great shape. Research states that a little bit of physical activity will increase the feel-good hormones in your body and make you feel great.

You don’t have to get started on a full-blown exercise routine. Any form of physical activity will do the job. Look at your lifestyle and see where you can incorporate some activity. Take the stairs instead of an elevator, park the car a little further, walk to the destination, and carry your grocery bags by hand instead of taking every little step in the proper direction. You don’t have to be ripped to be happy. You need to be active.

Sport and Passion

Sports bring a lot of fun and joy to a lot of people. Most individuals are keen on buying many memberships, purchasing new costumes, meeting friends, starting a trendy diet, and setting hard-to-achieve goals for themselves. However, indulging in a happy and healthy sport is very effective. You can choose any game that you are passionate about.

It will bring you many psychological, physical, and health benefits. Sports instill in you many good qualities that come in handy during different phases of your life: athlete’s spirit, sense of victory, self-confidence, learning to lose gracefully, harmony, team building, wellness, and happiness.

Nutrition

You are what you eat. Most people associate this saying with only looking a certain way. However, the benefits of nutrition go beyond that. When a person comes home post an exhausting day of work, all they want to do is take out the frozen pizza or order something quick. It feels easy and convenient but won’t bring you joy in the long run. Over time, you tend to feel lethargic, tired, and ultimately unhappy.

The goal isn’t to lose weight or look a certain way. The goal is to nourish your body correctly to meet essential requirements. When your body is thoroughly nourished from within, you get the energy to do all the vital things and feel happy from within. You can visit a nutritionist to get a plan that fits your unique requirements. It isn’t necessary to obsess over clean eating. It is recommended to treat yourself once in a while. Indulging within parameters is always healthy.

Work and Self-Development

Professional development is an integral part of personal growth and plays a critical role in happiness and wellbeing. Self-fulfillment calls for self-actualization. As per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, self-fulfillment is certainly placed at the top of the pyramid. It is essentially icing on the cake.

If you aren’t fulfilled with your current job, it might be the time to take another course of action. Maybe you would like to switch jobs, work on your hobby on the side, and start working on your dream business. Whatever it takes you to be fulfilled in your career, do that, and you will see a significant improvement in your contentment and happiness levels.

Relationships

Most people assume that well-being is limited to physical activity and nutrition. However, it is not the case. True well-being comprises physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. Relationships are an essential part of your happiness. And I am not only talking about romantic relationships. If you have fulfilling and meaningful relationships surrounding you, you will be happier.

If you are surrounded by many toxic people, such as negative friends, colleagues, and family members, it is time to explore new relationships. Surround yourself with people who offer you a lot of support, harmony, love, respect, fun, joy, and many different emotions. The proper support from the people you love will significantly improve the quality of your life and play a vital role in your happiness levels.

Mental Wellbeing

You need to invest in your mental health as well. In modern times, many of us struggle with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Investing a little bit of time and money in therapy will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. Even if you aren’t struggling with specific health conditions, you can also benefit from therapy.

It will help you understand a lot of your traumas and problems, help you feel better, and tackle everyday problems effectively. Try this to see a difference. You can also try meditation regularly. Start from 5 minutes a day and gradually build up the time duration. Spend some time in nature. Combining all these activities will bring about a positive change in your mental health and overall wellbeing.

Final Takeaway

Wellness and happiness are interconnected with each other and coexist. A lot of people associate wellness with physical fitness only. However, it isn’t the case. Wellness is an all-rounded concept covering your mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health. Being conscious of this aspect of your life will surely bump your happiness levels. We hope you found our post informative and helpful. What are your thoughts regarding wellness and happiness? What do you do to keep your happiness levels in check? We would love to know.