Health Happiness and Holidays

SAD or Sunny Disposition?

SAD or seasonal affective disorder can be treated with Sunlight. All you have to do is make time for that.

Do you have SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder or sunny disposition? Well, you may ask what is the connection? There is a connection, very important connection between sun and SAD. That is what we are going to discuss here. Lets understand what is Seasonal Affective disorder first. You obviously know about sunlight, that we’ll discuss later.

What is SAD

In simple terms, it is a disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder. As the name itself suggests that it is seasonal, which simply means that it changes with season. It is also called winter depression because it is more noticeable in winter than in summer. Starts in early winter and goes away as summer starts or days start to become sunny. From there sunny disposition starts in those suffering from SAD. Well, we’ll come to that point later.

Symptoms of SAD

Low mood and loss of interest in regular activities
Things that were enjoyable in the past are no longer so
Feeling sluggish all day, no energy
Sleeping longer than normal or just its opposite, no sound sleep at all
Feeling depressed and guilty
Life seems worthless with no hope left
Increased irritability
Changed appetite pattern
and more

What causes SAD

There are two hormones, melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin makes you feel sleepy and those suffering from SAD may have higher than normal levels of melatonin.

Serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep. Low level of serotonin causes depression or depression like feeling. And low serotonin is caused by lack of exposure to sunlight. Now it makes sense how sunlight has a strong connection with SAD.

Treat SAD, Gain back Your Sunny Disposition

The treatment of SAD is simple but not easy. Yes, it is simple because all you have to do is sit in sunlight everyday for 15 mins to half an hour at least. Make sure that your skin is as much exposed to sun as possible. I am sure you know how exposed is within acceptable limits, right?

ADHD-Excuses to Avoid Meditation to Manage ADHD?

In recent times, ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has become quite common not only in children but also in adults. Whether you are yourself suffering from this condition or your child or any near or dear one facing this issue, meditation can help.

Symptoms of ADHD

Lack of attention, as the name suggests
Leaving things or tasks incomplete
Not following instructions, making same mistake again and again
Avoiding difficult tasks
Forgetfulness
Self-focused

ADHD in Both Adults and Children

The above mentioned symptoms are quite visible in children. Sometimes, they are normal, but when these behavior patterns become quite frequent, then it could be ADHD. That is when you, as a parent need to seek professional help. ADHD can be managed and mitigated very effectively in early stages. Though medical and dietary guidelines are helpful, you can also consider meditation for your kid suffering from ADHD. The same is true for adults as well. These symptoms in different intensity can be noticed in adults as well.

Are you suffering from ADHD?

The above mentioned symptoms or signs can be noticed in your behavior as well. You could also be suffering from it unknowingly. Do you forget things quite easily ?Are you not able to sit through comparatively short meetings and presentations? Do you have difficulty in learning new things whether professionally or in general life or do you think you do not need anyone in your life? These can be the signs that you need professional help and your issue is nothing but ADHD.

Roadblocks to start meditating

If you have many excuses to delay taking corrective measures to improve your your condition, then chances are high that you are suffering from it. You are avoiding a seemingly difficult task for you. Following is a list of roadblocks that you must overcome to ensure that meditation works for improving your health condition, ADHD or even treating addiction.

You can meditate even in the middle of noisy surroundings. Quiet place helps, but is not necessary. VR meditation is for you.
Sitting straight is recommended but not mandatory, you can meditate even in Savasan (lying posture)
If your mind wanders, then you think of quitting. Relax, mind is supposed to wander. You’ll learn to stabilize it soon.
You can meditate even while walking in a park or anywhere where you walk without any distraction
Deep breathing is the easiest way to start meditation. Anyone can start it without any excuse.
Socializing can help. Not online, but real meetings and physical connects work wonders.

Ebooks or Printed Books for Better Focus and Learning

In the age of electronic and digital information, it may sound outdated to say that print media is better than digital one. However, there are many aspects to this view, and most important one is of course, the cost and time involved in buying printed materials. We’ll take a look the focus and concentration required to absorb the information from printed and electronic media.

Why E-books?

Lets discuss about why to go for printed books when everything is available online and in digital format. It is easy to carry and store. You don’t need huge space to keep and maintain Ebook. You can carry hundreds and even thousands of ebooks with you wherever you go. Also, if you lose any book, you can instantly download a new version. So these are the advantages of E-books or electronic reading materials.

Why Printed Book?

Did you ever think why printed books are still recommended and mandatory in schools, especially in elementary schools? It is the traditional way of learning new things. In ancient times when there was no print media, there were very few copies of whatever were written either on stones, wood or later on specific leaves. Basically, when you write something, u write it in your mind. It gets inscribed or embedded somewhere in your mind. That is the reason kids in schools are asked to write with pen and paper. That way, whatever is written gets saved in the long term memory of mind, when done repetitively.

The same is true for reading in printed form. Many studies have been conducted on readers of both printed and electronic media. Some of the common observations are.

Printed materials are preferred because

It is more satisfying that electronic media
It gives the feel of a book, that avid readers love
Less eye strain than when reading a similar E-book
Information lasts longer in the memory
Develops the habit of reading
Less distraction and more focus
No worries about charging the device

Concentration and Focus

The last point in the above list is about developing better focus when you read printed materials. Whatever you read, gets embedded in your memory and you enjoy the experience. Also, some people read in different postures, sitting or lying on the bed, which is not possible in electronic media.

The intention of this post is to not promote printed media, but to stress on the point that focus is important in everything. That is the reason, printed books and writing on paper is the most popular mode of teaching in schools even today.

Meditation and Focus

I am pretty sure that you are aware of the fact that meditation helps in improving focus. But focus on what? That is the question, you must try to answer before you try to focus on something. Though meditation practice itself is about improving focus, its advantages can be seen and felt in all spheres and activities of your life.

How long can you focus on anything?

As the story goes, that once Andrew Carnegie was suspected to have done something wrong to become rich quickly. American government wanted to know how he amassed huge wealth in such a short time. He was called and asked the same question because nothing was found illegal or wrong in whatever he did. His answer was simple that he could focus on anything for 5 minutes without any distraction. The questioning team said what was so special about it, anybody could do that. An experiment was set-up to check focus span of those questioning him. Let alone 5 minutes, nobody was able to focus for more than few seconds. So, that was his secret of success.

Your ability to focus can help you succeed

Coming back to the purpose of this post, I must say that regular meditation can help you improve your focus immensely. It will reflect in your action and results that you get from improved focus. Whether in academics, profession, sports or whatever you do, improved focus will work wonders for you. You can also use meditation accessories to start your sessions.

Sun Salutation to start your day with

Though yoga in any form is good for mental and physical health, you need a starting point to incorporate it in your daily life. Starting your day with Sun Salutation of Surya Namaskar can help you set your pace for better focus and high energy throughout the day. Basically, when you focus on your breathing along with 12 poses of Sun Salutation, you are in sync with the nature. That is what is needed for overall health.

Declutter your mind

In the age of internet and cell phones, we are bombarded with a lot of unnecessary information, which pass through our mind and disrupts our mind. Though using digital media is a necessity, make sure that you do not focus too much on information that is neither useful or relevant for you. Instead, read some spiritual books or texts. This will declutter your mind and help you focus better on things that are important for you.

Your food can also be the culprit

In many northern parts of India, especially in Punjab and Haryana, it is said, Jaisa Ann waisa Mann. It simply means that the type of food you eat moulds your mind or mood. In other words, if you eat a lot of junk or unhealthy food then your mind will also be full of junk. Obviously, you’ll not be able to focus properly. Its opposite is also true, i.e. if you eat healthy, nutritious and balanced food, then your focus will also be good.

So, what you must do is think what is required for you to improve focus. Start with breathing exercise first and then give meditation a try. You can also start with VR meditation.

Little Known Facts to Minimize Your Lower Back Pain

There are times when you start believing myths and results are the same as myths suggest. Lets take a quick look on lower back pain related myths that often aggravate the problem instead of solving it.

Resting Helps in Curbing Back Pain

I does, but only to a certain extent. You cannot expect to be free of pain if you keep resting the whole day. For one, it is not possible and practical to rest for whole day. Secondly, even if you manage to rest longer than required, you’ll actually aggravate your lower back pain, unless it is caused by some injury. In fact, being active and doing exercise that move the lower back will help.

Sitting Straight is the Key

It can help to some extent, but again maintaining the balance is the key. If you keep sitting straight for prolonged hours, the results may be opposite to your expectations. Keep changing your position every 90 minutes, can help. Stretching every ninety minutes and make your spine flexible and keep your pain-free instead of just sitting straight. Of course, right posture should be maintained but maintaining the balance is more important. Your also try various back pain reducing products at Amazon

Fat Wallet Can also Cause Back Pain

You probably got it wrong. I means that if your wallet is fat, and you sit on it without adjusting it, it will actually press on your nerves that cause sciatica and back pain in the long run. Simply put aside your wallet or keep it in your bag if it is pinching in your hips.

I am Thin- Back Pain is not Possible?

Who said that back pain is only for fat people. Thin people are as likely to develop lower back pain as fat people. Usually, it is due to nutrient deficiency and other reasons such as bad posture that generally cause back pain. Do not assume that your being thin is enough to keep you from back pain.

Soft Mattress can help all

Does soft mattress really work for you? Do you feel that your pain has reduced after sleeping on a soft mattress for say, 8 hours. Does hard mattress suit you better? Only you can say which mattress suits you. Go for the one that works for you. Advertisement are made to make you believe that you need the product being advertised.

Thoughts can Increase or Decrease your pain

Yes, thoughts are very powerful. A lot has been written on the power of thoughts or mind in general. If you think that your back pain is aggravating, it will aggravate. Its opposite is also true. If you think that you pain has minimized, it will minimize and vanish soon. You can train your mind on that. Meditation can work wonders for you.

Daily Dose of 5 Elements- Panchtatva

The importance of 5 elements or Panchbootha or Panchtatva have been described in ancient texts and philosophies. The universe is made of 5 elements and human body is in sync with those 5 elements. If the balance of these 5 elements get disrupted, then our body suffers from various ailments. Sounds simple, but keeping the balance is not easy.

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Air- The Element You Cannot Live Without

It goes without saying that air is one of the most important elements of the Panchtavta, because we cannot live without it for more than a few minutes. However, the question is are we taking in this element in right quantity and of good quality. That is what we cannot work on and improve our health miraculously. You got it right, simply breathing properly or deep breathing every day in the morning in natural environment or open area, will work wonders for your health.

Earth- One of The Neglected Elements

When was the last time you stepped on natural soil without your shoes or barefoot? Yes, we have lost touch with earth, the soil which is an element, deficiency of which can cause loss of calcium from bones, general weakness and a host of other ailments. If possible, makes sure that you touch soil with hands or barefoot for a few minutes daily. I know it is difficult for those who do not have garden or open area with some soil. Touch the soil in any form, at least once a week if it is not possible to do so daily.

Fire-Are You Taking Enough of It?

This element maintains the balance of heat in your body and keeps various functions of your body working as naturally as possible. When you do not take in enough fire element, the imbalance causes a lot health issues such as slow digestion, acidity, diabetes and toxin formation and more. Taking some fire element every day. Soak in sunlight for at least 15 – 20 minutes every day from the front side of your body as well as from back so that your spine can absorb some sunlight.

Water- This element is the key

72% of our body is water, is well known. So, drinking enough water is recommended by every nutritionist, health practitioner and health conscious people. For every 20 kg of weight, you must drink a liter of water, if you are 60 kg, you must drink 3 liters of this element every day without fail. If you do not drink the recommended quantity of water, then sinusitis, blood clotting or thinning, constipation, cold and many other health issues occur. So, maintain a balance of this element.

Space- The Spiritual Element

Our body has ether or space in the hollow cavities of our body in the form of cosmic rays, light radiations and radio frequencies through which we can connect to the universe or God. Imbalance of this element causes speech problems, mental diseases, epilepsy, thyroid and throat problems.

Yoga and meditation can of course bring the balance of these 5 elements back to their natural form. All you need to do is try practicing it regularly and systematically, apart from the ways mentioned above that can help a lot.

Meditation Sounds Difficult -Start with 4-7-8 Breathing

Meditation can be started from 4-7-8 breathing practice, which works wonders for wandering minds, and in stabilizing them.

So much has been said, written and popularized about meditation that it seems that meditation is a kind of one solution for all your anxiety, stress and related issues. Though it is not a one sure-shot formula, it works wonders for those who have faith and who can devote time to achieve the level of perfection to notice the results.

Wandering Mind during Meditation

Yes, this the number-one problem for beginners to stop their mind from wandering before they can focus on something. The purpose is not achieved if your mind does not stay focused. I talked about VR meditation in my previous post, which works wonders for many of the current generation of people. However, there are many who still find it difficult to stabilize their mind, and they quit after some time.

Focus on the process not the result

Why it happens that you are not able to meditate is because you focus too much on the result. You cannot feel the result unless you go through the process, such as you cannot feel the thrill of swimming, skydiving, paragliding or anything similar unless you go through the process. If you do not focus on learning how to move your body in certain pattern to swim properly, how’ll you enjoy the thrill or swimming. Once you learn to swim, it comes naturally and you start enjoying. The same is true for meditation. If you do not focus on the process first, result will not be felt.

What to Do to Control Wandering Mind

The most natural and spontaneous bodily function that can be felt is breathing. Why not start from controlling and focusing on breathing first. Yes, that is the way to start. Simply start taking deep breaths while focusing your mind on your breathing pattern. At this stage do nothing extra, just focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale. Do if for a few days, and see the difference. You’ll start achieving some focus easily.

4-7-8 Breathing next step

Let me briefly tell you what this technique is all about. It is self-explanatory, but what does 4-7-8 mean. Basically, you sit straight, exhale completely. Start breathing from your nose. Take deep breath or inhale for 4 seconds. Feel the air going inside your lungs. Hold the breath for 7 seconds, feel the air inside your lungs. Exhale in the next 8 seconds. This a complete sequence of 4-7-8 breathing. Repeat this for 4-5 times, I mean 4-5 sequences, and you’ll feel relaxed and ready for meditation.

4-7-8 Method Reduces Anxiety

Yes, it works wonders for reducing anxiety and enhancing your focus level. The moment you start breathing on this pattern for a few times every day, you’ll notice the overall improvement in your stress and anxiety level. Nothing can be easier than this method to start your meditation sessions. In fact, there are many apps available to help you master this technique of breathing. There is no harm in using Apps, if they work for you.

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Virtual Reality Meditation- A quick and Go-to Solution

Virtual Reality Meditation or VR meditation is your go-to solution to achieve the benefits of meditation at any location in the world. Feeling to be in the mountain ranges of Switzerland or Himalayas is great an make meditation easy.

Virtual reality or VR as you know is mainly and most popularly known for gaming. Of course there are various uses of VR, but have you thought about using it for meditation? Yes, sitting in lush green environment or somewhere in the the mountains of Switzerland without leaving your house, is a great feeling. When you meditate, you are asked to imagine yourself being in serene, calm and natural environment that soothes your mind. VR can make that easier for those trying to meditate.

VR works wonders for beginners

Those who find it difficult to focus or introspect, virtual reality headset can work wonders for them. Depending on your preferences, you can climb mountains or even explore space and solar system by using VR, and get the feeling of actually visiting or exploring that place . This will help you channelize and focus your energy on exploring your inner self. Once you start using a VR system for meditation, your mind will be trained to awaken and focus on its own.

VR mediation- Feeling to be in the mountains while at home

Change Your Environment Instantly

It is obvious that it is not so easy and practical to travel to far places just for meditation. Of course, you can do that and attend a few sessions, but can you go anywhere anytime like? That is what technology or VR makes possible. One day you can feel like sitting in the Himalayan mountains, the next day you want to meditate on the banks of any river, mountain side or just amidst the lush greenery of some remote and natural location. With VR it is possible within seconds. No matter how busy you are, you can feel being in any location in the world instantly and start meditating

What you need for VR meditation

The first and foremost you need is a VR headset of course. Secondly and the most importantly you need to devote some time every day to achieve the real results. Virtual really makes your meditation practice easier, but it is not any type of magic. Dedication is required from your end. If you want to gain from it, you must spare some time every day. Thirdly, you need a place where nobody is going to distract or interrupt you. It can be any place in your house, such as your bedroom or any corner where you have least disruption. At workplace, it can be an empty conference room or maybe a corner in the open area where you can sit comfortably.

Benefits of Virtual Reality meditation

You can escape from your immediate environment instantly
Use it as a stress buster, even if you don’t want to actually meditate
You can choose your location anywhere in the world
Closing your eyes in not necessary, in fact, have to meditate with open eyes
Good and easy for beginners
Anyone can do it, and depending on your needs, you can have it customized with various apps.

Who is VR mediation for?

Beginners
Those who cannot do traditional meditation or have tried it with no results
Those with certain health conditions that don’t allow them to sit cross-legged
Those looking to reduce their anxiety
Those who are too busy to spare time for traditional meditation

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Worship and Meditation-Practical Approach

Meditation and worship have many similarities, but they are different.

It is often asked and talked about that worship and meditation have many similarities, but are they same? Let’s take a practical look at both meditation and worship. We’ll also discuss the physical effect of both worshipping and meditation, which have many variations. Depending on your preferences, devotion and faith, you can customize your way of meditation.

Worship-Communicating with the Almighty

When you worship, you try to communicate with God by following rituals and methods depending on your religion and faith. The purpose or the objective of worship is the same, to connect to or communicate with the almighty. More often than not, worship is about praying to God to ensure that your life remains full of happiness, abundance, health, wealth and well-being of your near and dear ones. It a kind of one way communication to convey your wishes to the God and asking Him to fulfil them. Well, there can be some exceptions, but in most cases this is the purpose of worship.

Meditation- Focusing on Your Inner Self

When you meditate, there is no deity, object or anything external to focus on. You essentially communicate to yourself and try to focus on your deep inner thoughts as they come and go. This helps in raising your consciousness, and makes you good at focusing better on anything that you do in your daily life. By meditation, you can reach your higher sense of awakening and your outlook towards the world changes a lot in a positive way. The effect is noticeable in whatever you do. Whether you are trying to achieve professional goals, academic excellence or materialistic gains, mediation helps you clear your thoughts. This results in better focus, right decisions and actions. Obviously you achieve more when you reach this phase.

BioEnergy Code can help you practice meditation in a better and practical way. You reach the phase that optimizes your energy for practical purposes, and of course, materialistic gains.

Physical Postures in Both Worship and Meditation

Though not necessary, mediation is often recommended in sitting postures by many practitioners. The same is true for worship as well, especially in eastern cultures. In fact, Indian way of worship is to do so while sitting on the ground. Sitting cross-legged or in lotus posture is the most common way of worshiping across India. There is a reason behind it. As mentioned in my previous post that sitting cross-legged helps you clear negative thoughts, it also helps in focusing better. Whether you are focusing on God or yourself, sitting cross-legged is highly effective.

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Sitting Cross-legged-Natural Meditation Pose

Sitting crossed legged, the easiest way to meditate.

When was the last time you sat cross-legged on the floor or ground. Maybe you cannot remember, and that could be one of the reasons behind many of your health issues. In fact, simply sitting cross-legged every day for some time can give you many health benefits. Whether your digestion system needs a boost or your backache needs a natural remedy, sitting cross-legged or this natural meditation pose can work wonders.

Is Sitting on Floor Better than Sitting in Chair?

That depends on many factors, you health condition and the type of activity you are going to do while sitting cross-legged. Western people call it Indian sitting style or posture, but the fact is that this is popular in many cultures. Some people also call it Turkish sitting style. In Japan, China, Korea and many other countries, they have their own variations of sitting on the floor, but the purpose is the same. To keep your spine in upright position and balance your overall weight on your hip joints and muscles. In addition too that, sitting cross-legged gives ample supply of blood to not just pelvic region but also to heart, brain and your overall body.

Watching TV – The easiest way to try it

So, the question is whether sitting on the floor is better than sitting in a chair or sofa. The answer is that you have to check whether it works for you or not. I have seen people working on laptops and PCs while sitting on the floor, during lockdowns and work from home periods. Though it may seem impractical to recommend sitting on the floor while working on a laptop, it is not impossible or harmful at all. If you can sit for long hours it this position, it may work for you. For others, they can try sitting on the floor while doing other activities, such as watching TV. Simply sitting on the floor for half an hour to one hour every cay can work wonders for your physical and mental health.

Benefits if sitting Cross-legged

It improves your digestion. If you have your meal sitting cross-legged, then it boosts your digestion
It straightens and strengthens your spine and overall posterior.
Improves flexibility by stretching your hips, thighs and pelvic region
Stabilizes your lower back and balances your overall body
It increases your life expectancy, and it has been proven and observed
Relaxes your mind

Natural posture of meditation

Though various postures can be used for meditation, Padmasana or Sukhasana ( cross-legged) are the most preferred and recommended postures for meditation. While meditating, you should be completely relaxed to get the maximum possible effect, which is possible and easy to achieve in this position. It relieves stress and increases oxygen supply to blood which helps in boosting your overall mental health, spiritual well-being, clarity of thought and better focus.

If you have not started sitting on the floor every day, you can try now and notice the impact in just a week or 15 days.

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