Strategies for Staying Centered, Happy and Healthy

But now as September speeds by and colder weather looms ahead, we must deal with some of the same issues we faced last winter—and more!  Many of us are back at work in the office or have children attending school in person, escalating emotional challenges. The angst, dismay and anxiety this can cause us is palpable. So much so that experts say we have a second pandemic on our hands—a mental health pandemic. Many Americans are stressed and experiencing an elevated risk of pandemic-fueled PTSD, Total Brain’s 2021 Mental Health Index released in August showed.

All this makes it even more important to consciously take care of ourselves—something I’ve always advocated as a wellness consultant. We know all the basics; get enough sleep, avoid substance abuse, exercise and limit your exposure to stressful activities like watching the news (especially before bed); it can raise cortisol levels, cause sleep issues, raise blood pressure and elevate anxiety (who knew!).

If you’re serious about staving off detrimental pandemic-fueled issues, think about building an “arsenal” of mental health-boosting tactics to try when you need them. You can start with a self-checkup using my complimentary “Audit Your Wellness” survey, which assesses your wellness and offers you tips and ideas you can use for personal transformation and growth. Other approaches can help too, so I’ve filled this newsletter with simple strategies to help you stay centered, happy and healthy to get through the next few months and beyond (especially with the holidays coming).

I hope you find as much sustenance and joy in these practices as I do!

With love,

BijaB

Improve Your Health and Happiness by Basking in Nature

Nature’s power to heal sooth and restore physical and mental health is one of the most intriguing areas of current wellness research. Studies show that spending time outside—or even just viewing a beautiful setting from a window—can have a calming effect on our brains, help us recover from depression, increase our ability to pay attention and help us better cope with pain. But there’s more: It can significantly reduce our blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and stress hormones as well. Learn five easy ways to bring nature into your everyday life to significantly improve your health and happiness—in my story in Rolling Stone.

7 Breathing Basics for Increased Focus, Productivity and Overall Health

As a wellness consultant and yoga therapist, the easiest and most effective health-boosting practice I’ve found is something you do all the time without even thinking about it:  Breathing. But it’s essential to do it properly if you hope to reap its many physical and mental benefits, which range from lowering blood pressure, heart rate and tension to improving focus, digestion and lung health. In fact, my own research has shown me that the way we inhale and exhale could be as important to our physical and mental health as what we eat and how much we exercise. My article in Rolling Stone teaches you the best breathing basics to set (or reset) your body and mind.

Tap a 2000-Year-Old Secret to Happiness

Finding happiness in the confusion of our current world order may be easier than you suspect. The world’s longest-running study of happiness, done at Harvard University since 1938, found that “close relationships, more than money or fame…keep people happy throughout their lives.” The relationships can be marriage and family ties, or a community of supportive friends—but they must be based on love, care and equality, rather than abuse and exploitation. “Taking care of your body is important but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the revelation,” said Dr. Robert Waldinger, the study’s current director.

Restorative Solutions to Try Right Now

5-Minute Relaxing Yoga Sequence to Rest Your Body and Mind

Prepare for a restful night’s sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning with this quick and simple relaxation practice; it’s a reset button for your whole life.

Move to Build Energy and Relieve Stress 

Here’s a powerful yoga practice to build energy and emotional strength by calming and supporting your nervous system with carefully adapted movement and breathing exercises.

A Calming Breathing Exercise to Dispel Anxiety

Anytime you feel anxious, fearful or upset, use this sequential combination of conscious breathing, lengthening the inhalation and exhalation and suspending your breath after exhale. Used together, these breathing techniques will help you find inner stillness.