How can we get to the state of pure consciousness?
In 2004 one scientific study made quite a splash. In this study the scientists had monitored the brain activity of eight Tibetan monks and recorded very high frequency gamma waves[...] The post How can...
View ArticleYoga sutras about dreaming and deep sleep
I am a big fan of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras – I believe that they are full of insights that can help us better understand our experiences on a daily basis[...] The post Yoga sutras about dreaming and...
View ArticleDoes sleep help you to remember or to forget?
When I was in college, my classmates often pulled “all-nighters” in preparation for the exams. Yet, it never worked for me. I found that if I didn’t get enough sleep[...] The post Does sleep help you...
View ArticleDoes early morning yoga practice help or inhibit your muscle memory?
My son is learning to ride a bike and he is not particularly thrilled about it – right now it’s neither easy for him, nor enjoyable. This reminds me of[...] The post Does early morning yoga practice...
View ArticleThe emotional roller coaster of insufficient sleep
Any parent knows that if the child begins to get cranky at the end of the day, she is tired and needs to go to bed. Sometimes we can recognize[...] The post The emotional roller coaster of insufficient...
View ArticleDoes sleep loss lead to weight gain?
Most of us do not practice yoga for the purpose of weight management, but we all know that maintaining healthy weight helps the body function more efficiently. It is common[...] The post Does sleep...
View ArticleSleep for heart health: even one hour makes a difference
Did you know that each year heart attacks spike on Mondays following Daylight Savings time? For example, a study conducted in the state of Michigan demonstrated that “the Monday following[...] The post...
View ArticleIs it easier to catch a cold when you are sleep-deprived?
Oh the things the scientists will do in the name of research! Dr. Aric Prather at the University of California, San Francisco, had set out to investigate the effect of[...] The post Is it easier to...
View ArticleHow dreaming helps us get over traumatic experiences (or not)
Have you ever had this experience when you get worked up about something one day and after a night of good sleep it seems much less dramatic? This happens because[...] The post How dreaming helps us...
View ArticleFive kinds of sleep disturbances and how to identify them
Sleep impacts every aspect of our physiology, so it is not surprising that we always ask our private yoga students about the quality of their sleep, both in the initial[...] The post Five kinds of...
View ArticleExternal factors that are messing up your sleep: Part 1
A decade or so ago I visited a small surfing town in Costa Rica. It was a great adventure, but one thing I found most surprising was that by 9pm[...] The post External factors that are messing up your...
View ArticleExternal factors that are messing up your sleep: Part 2
Last week we discussed two most important factors that can interfere with your sleep quality and quantity – light and temperature. Both of those factors affect the release of melatonin[...] The post...
View ArticlePhysiological reasons of poor sleep and what to do about them: Part 1
When you have trouble sleeping, it is useful to conduct a thorough investigation and try to get to the root of the problem. We often do it by method of[...] The post Physiological reasons of poor sleep...
View ArticlePhysiological reasons of poor sleep and what to do about them: Part 2
Last week we talked about some biological reasons of poor sleep. Today we will cover several others and discuss the strategies for dealing with them. 5. Restless leg syndrome Some[...] The post...
View ArticleWhy your mind races before bed and what you can do about it
In the course of your day, how often do you close your eyes and disconnect from the external bombardment of information to check in on what’s going on inside? If[...] The post Why your mind races...
View Article3 steps to help your yoga students sleep better
Our students choose to do yoga for all sorts of reasons, but in my personal experience they rarely seek advice of a yoga teacher specifically for sleep problems. However, many[...] The post 3 steps to...
View ArticleYoga practice for better sleep
Two years into WWII, the US military realized that due to extraordinarily high levels of stress and lack of sleep many of the combat pilots began to freeze up in[...] The post Yoga practice for better...
View ArticleSleep: what it does for you and how to troubleshoot it
In Macbeth Shakespeare states that sleep is “the chief nourisher in life’s feast.” And modern science proves that is truly is. What other miraculous remedy helps you fight infection and[...] The post...
View ArticleIntroducing new Affiliate Program for yoga schools and yoga organizations
Yesterday I had a chance to reconnect with one of my fellow yoga teachers that I haven’t seen in seven years. It is always remarkable to me that with some[...] The post Introducing new Affiliate...
View ArticleWhy it is important to be specific in your yoga practice design
When I first moved to Michigan about five years ago, I experienced a bit of a yoga shock. I went from having a yoga studio and being surrounded by long-term[...] The post Why it is important to be...
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