Sign of relief. The signals have been switched off. Finally, you have some time to dedicate to a social detox. Here are 5 simple ways you can find more energy using yoga and well-being techniques to get your body realigned and functioning in a healthy balanced way.
Morning Time
So many of us just roll out of bed and start moving into our day. However, if you offer yourself 1-5 minutes extra in bed and stretch into your day. After only a few weeks you will really feel the difference.
Start by gently moving your joints. They will be stiff because as you have slept the myofascial, the spidery web-like covering, that covers all your muscles has also gone to sleep. By moving slowly in this way, you are encouraging blood to flow into the muscles and help them to be more efficient.
Each day this little routine can be different. You can roll in bed. Bring your knees to your chest. Stretch your arms over your head. Move your head from side to side. There is no wrong or right prescribed way to do this. Just be gentle as you wake up your body in a slow and mind fuelled way.
Mid-Morning
Inject your body with some natural endorphins. Instead of checking your Insta feed or scrolling through Tik Tok swap this habit for a simple breathing technique. When you breathe in a conscious way you are helping the nervous system to move from fight and flight mode into rest and digest mode. Helping you feel calmer and reducing stress and anxiety over time.
My favourite breathing exercise is box breathing:
Inhale for 5 counts
Hold for 5 counts
Exhale for 5 counts
Hold for 5 counts.
Repeat 5 times or for 5 minutes.
Lunch Time
If you really want to boost your body in a natural way repeat the box breathing before you eat. This prepares your gut to digest the food you are about to eat in an effective way by training the nervous system to calm down and digest the food better.
Before you eat your lunch ask yourself how many colours are present on this plate. Eating a plateful of multi-coloured items means you are sure to be getting varied and balanced macronutrients to fuel you for the rest of your day.
Mid-afternoon
Take 1 minute out of your routine to create a gratitude practice. Simply write or say out loud I am grateful for…The attitude of your gratitude will bring you a new sense of appreciation for the little things in your life.
Bedtime – Exchange the tablet and series for a pile of books.
Finally, a list of book recommendations for you to discover more about the benefits of yoga and self-development.
First on the list: The Power of Breath by Saradananda Swari
We all breathe. All the time. Without even thinking about it. But I love this book because it demonstrates, amongst other things, how we can use our breathing to help control stress, boost confidence, revitalize energy levels, and give power to our voice. Take a deep breath and count to ten, we’ve all done that from time to time to help calm us down. What The Power Of Breath does is take that premise and run with it, demonstrating how the way we breathe affects everything we do and how we can use our breathing to improve our health, and our lives generally, in many ways.
Secondly: Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White
Ganga White is one of the most well-known and respected yogis in the world, but he was considered something of a renegade when he was a pioneer of Flow Yoga back in the 1970s. When Yoga Beyond Belief was released in 2007, part of its attraction to people with only a passing, casual interest in yoga, alongside those practicing more regularly, was the fact that its foreword was written by Sting, one of his most famous pupils.
What’s it about? Well, everything really, the history of yoga and its evolution through to the present day, how the various disciplines are just many strands of one integrated whole. And I really like how it encourages and gives directions on how to make yoga an integral part of everything we do, rather than just something to squeeze in for one hour in a weekly class like a trip to the gym.
I hope you have enjoyed learning about my favourite books and sources of inspiration to aid you as you Switch Off Social.
By Natalie Farrell
Natalie is the author of Light The Way, singer, podcaster, and intuitive coach. To find out more about her work or listen to her shows and music visit www.nataliefarrell.co
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