Feb. 20, 2020, 4:12 PM UTC

Few things in life are more frustrating than lying awake at night, unable to sleep. Dragging yourself out of bed after a long night of tossing and turning can be demoralizing, to say the least, and nights like this can leave you exhausted.

If you've been spending the night staring at your ceiling instead of snoozing, one potential remedy could be meditation.

But how does it work?

We turned to two meditation specialists, Dr. Darshan Mehta, Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, and Andy Puddicombe, Headspace co-founder and meditation expert, for their insight.

"Top-line, [meditation] is a way of looking after and caring for the mind," says Puddicombe. It isn't about turning off your thoughts entirely, but observing the thoughts you have. You don't have to achieve any particular state of mind to be meditating correctly.

"Our job is to show up and witness the mind as it is, knowing that what we are looking for is already here," says Puddicombe, "not that we need to try and somehow intellectually create that idea of peace in our mind."

Keep in mind that there are lots of different ways to meditate and one doesn't necessarily trump the others.

"Culturally speaking, it has origins in many, many different religious and spiritual traditions around the world," says Mehta. Popular forms of meditation include mindfulness or calming meditation, insight meditation or Vipassana meditation, and transcendental meditation. Mindfulness meditation is intended to create a quieter, more peaceful mind while insight meditation aims to develop particular qualities like wisdom or compassion. Transcendental meditation is a popular branch of meditation founded on the techniques of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

"Weve learned many of these practices do have health benefits associated with them from improving symptoms of anxiety and depression to reducing blood pressure and having better control of other metabolic parameters," Mehta says of the scientifically proven side effects of meditation.

Science has yet to pinpoint which types of meditation can help with which specific issues patients are facing, but Mehta believes this knowledge will be the next frontier in clinical meditation studies.

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"In the next five years, we should be able to 'prescribe' the form or type of meditation that might be best served for that individual, for that symptom," he explains.

When we feel stressed, our bodies go into a physiological response called "fight or flight." In this state of hypervigilance, the body makes you stay awake because it fears danger. If you can release stress in your life and practice a calm mind, you'll find yourself falling asleep much easier.

"A lot of people I know get very anxious and fearful around sleep," says Puddicombe. "All that thinking does is make us feel more stressed and less likely to go to sleep."

Both experts agree meditation can help with sleep, but maybe not in the way you'd imagine it's not like turning on some quiet music or white noise before you tuck yourself in.

"Most people assume mindfulness meditation will be done immediately before sleep," says Puddicombe. In actuality, he notes, "Most of the mindfulness research gets people to meditate first thing in the morning."

Meditation benefits our ability to sleep by setting up a calmer mind, decreasing the stress response, regulating circadian rhythms and allowing us to approach sleep differently.

While traditional meditation should help, Mehta also recommends yoga nidra, or yoga for sleep, as a popular form of meditation for people who struggle to get rest at night.

"It is a series of practices that permit sleep," Mehta explains of the guided practice. "Most of it is intentional relaxation of the muscle groups and ultimately finding a space of equanimity."

Unlike other meditative practices, Mehta advises it's best to practice yoga nidra when you're trying to go to bed: "The best way to describe it is a body scan. You are sort of scanning different parts of the body, but you are really going into intentional relaxation from one point of the body to another."

Early research suggests yoga nidra can help to reduce one's feelings of stress and anxiety and that it may help improve the quality of sleep in those suffering from insomnia.

The Headspace app also has an entire channel dedicated to sleep that includes guided meditation exercises and more immediate sleep aids like calming music.

Long story short, all of the health benefits you receive from meditation will play into your body's ability to get a better night of rest.

"Start small," says Puddicombe, "Its more about frequency than it is duration."

Puddicombe recommends meditating for 10 minutes a day to receive the maximum benefits from the activity, although he says it's best to work your way up to that amount of time. If you are new to meditation, even 3 to 5 minutes a day will make a difference.

In the beginning, Puddicombe suggests connecting meditation to something you do every day.

"Let's say you shower every morning or you have a cup of coffee every morning, tie it to one of those things," says Puddicombe. "Once you tie meditation to it, you are more likely to remember to do it."

Mehta also recommends asking for professional advice if you're having trouble getting started.

"The biggest reason people come to see us is for sleep," he says. "Having some guidance is important and then it can be self-sustainable. You need to talk to your health care provider about this, having open conversations."

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What is guided sleep meditation? - Today.com

In addition to the work they do in the pool and weight room, Virginia Tech and Coach Sergio Lopez emphasize mental preparation and meditation to swim fast. Current photo via Jack Spitser/Spitser Photography

Virginia Tech junior Joelle Vereb is a versatile sprinter who has so far placed 6th individually in both the 50 freestyle and 7th 100 butterfly. Vereb placed 11th in the prelims of the 100 freestyle Saturday morning, qualifying her for the consolation final Saturday evening, in what will be the final session of the 2020 Womens ACC Championships.

Though she opted to swim the 100 fly over the 100 breast on Friday, Vereb contributed a 1:00.04 100 breaststroke split to VTs 400 medley relay, which placed 8th and a 27.06 50 breaststroke split to VTs 200 medley relay, which also placed 8th.

Vereb will likely cap off her 2020 ACC Championships with a swim on the 400 freestyle relay.

In addition to the work Vereb and teammates do in the pool and weight room, Virginia Tech Head Coach Sergio Lopez emphasizes mental preparation and has the team using meditation in order to prepare for major meets such as ACCs.

Reid Carlsonoriginally hails from Clay Center, Kansas, where he began swimming at age six. At age 14 he began swimming club year-round and later with his high school team, making state all four years. He was fortunate enough to draw the attention of Kalamazoo College where he went on to

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Joelle Vereb and Teammates Used Meditation to Mentally Prepare for ACCs (Video) - SwimSwam

Eventually, he knew he would do this: paint the Stations of the Cross.

After he retired in 2016, at age 65, from the Medical University Hospital as head of plastic surgery, Richard Duke Hagerty dove in, recalling his childhood and conjuring all that he learned in the Far East. It took more than four years to complete the Via Crucis cycle, which hangs inside Circular Congregational Churchs bright Lance Hall through May 12.

Fourteen surrealist images, 3 feet by 2 feet and framed by Robert Newton with wood that mimics the cross, portray the arrest and torture of Jesus, his long plod to Golgotha, his crucifixion and deposition, and his ascension to Heaven. The paintings, a meditation on universal suffering, are arranged so viewers can view them in succession or simply stand contemplatively in the middle of the space.

Hagerty also created a bold Last Supper featuring Apostles with abstracted expressions and the central figure of Jesus, robed, blue-faced, staring out at the viewer.

In his work, one detects elements of Pablo Picasso and Jean Miro, of Hieronymus Bosch, of Salvador Dali. His version of surrealism might be labeled sophisticated Naive art, for Hagerty is entirely self-taught, yet he makes vivid work of intricate detail imbued with symbolism and poetry. It conveys an ever-growing accumulation of experiences and ideas informed by his travels; his interest in Buddhism, mysticism and other forms of spiritual exploration; his active dream life; and a unique view of the world.

Richard Hagerty adds detail to a pointillist painting he's working on at his home studio on Tuesday Feb. 18, 2020, in Charleston. Gavin McIntyre/Staff

In his most fruitful artistic moments, Hagerty thinks of himself as a conduit who paints more with his brain than with his hands.

The secret and the joy of real creativity is learning when and how to get out of the way and let the process take over, he said. Then it becomes bigger than yourself, and then not yourself.

For a while he quit signing his pictures. Too much ego involved, he thought. But his wife, writer and poet Barbara Hagerty, thought that omitting a signature might make selling the paintings a bit troublesome. So Duke figured hed put his dyslexia to good use and sign them backwards.

When he retired from medicine, he was wary of the human tendency to avoid severing all ties to something one loves. Surgery defined him for decades. Hagerty became known for his charitable work around the world fixing cleft palates and other deformities. And his travels introduced him to other cultures. He was fascinated by Southeast Asia and became a student of Buddhism, thanks in part to a beloved interpreter, Mito, with whom he always worked when visiting Vietnam.

So to quash temptation, Hagerty tore up his medical card, like Corts in Mexico burning all the ships so nobody could get back, he said.

The Via Crucis ("Way of the Cross") was his first big project after he retired from his day job.

I have always wanted to do the Stations of the Cross, he said. I was raised Catholic and always intrigued by the pageantry and mysticism.

Richard Hagerty's paintings depicting Stations of the Cross hang inside Circular Congregational Church's Lance Hall in Charleston. Gavin McIntyre/Staff

Each lifespan includes a certain number of moments impressed so forcefully upon ones consciousness they leave a lasting mark. One such moment for Hagerty was Good Friday at St. Marys Church when he was perhaps 12 years old. Morning light streamed through the windows into the sanctuary, illuminating the smoke from burning incense. The procession featured colorful costumes, capturing the imagination of the young boy.

It was an experience imbued with grace and flair, stimulating Hagertys nascent aesthetic, emotional and spiritual sensibilities. And it represented safety from the difficult world outside, where his severe dyslexia made his school days nearly impossible to endure.

Another moment impressed in his memory: Hagerty was in Vietnam around 1990 to teach local doctors how to perform corrective surgery for cleft palates when Mito took him to visit an old monastery surrounded by a dry moat at the bottom of which lumbered an enormous old tortoise.

The monk accompanying them pointed to Hagerty, then pointed to the tortoise, his gestures clearer than any words could be: You are the tortoise.

Hagerty understood instantly. Like the giant creature below, confined to a mote that limited its view, Hagerty was similarly inexperienced yet able with time to discern that much lay beyond that which his senses could perceive.

And so he studied Buddhism, began practicing meditation, explored the science of the mind, learned about Carl Jung and his theories of synchronicity, universal archetypes and the collective unconscious. He scrutinized figures in mythology and folklore, such as the birdman and bull; he mined the Bible and contemplated its stories; he delved into numerology seeking connections to the divine; and he stared in the face of contemporary crisis environmental degradation, political turmoil so he might find sources of inspiration for his dynamic paintings of the mind.

He was the tortoise, stretching his neck, seeking answers, answers that led to more questions.

When it came time to paint the Stations of the Cross, he began with a storyboard and a color wheel, sketching his compositional and figural ideas across long sheets of paper. And he contemplated the meaning of sacrifice and suffering, the various roles of women, and the ways Eastern and Western thought intersect.

It was so intense! he said. A psychological minefield.

Richard "Duke" Hagerty in his studio explaining how he created an initial storyboard for his Stations of the Cross series. Adam Parker/Staff

To escape the explosive terrain, Hagerty retreated to family and friends. He sought intellectual exercise with Gary Smith, a magazine writer and Charleston resident who, using a different set of tools, delves just as deeply into the human psyche.

They met in 1986, when Smith needed a bit of melanoma removed, discovered they shared an interest in excavating truth, and decided to play tennis together. After a year or two of athletic fraternizing, Smith learned that Hagerty was reading Friedrich Nietzsche.

And I love Nietzsche, he said.

So they started meeting once a week for philosophical conversations. They would read the same book, mark it up, then discuss it and how it related to their lives.

That became a long-time practice together, Smith said.

Then, reading about the workings of the mind, they decided to investigate the impacts of meditation, to turn the lamp inward. One retreat led to another, and another. They talked about how the ideas they explored together found their way into Smiths profiles, and into Hagertys paintings. They deepened their friendship.

Hes a very instinctive person, Smith said. He feels things. Even though we do a lot of intellectual spade work, it doesnt come out the end of the paintbrush in any kind of intellectualized way. It comes out through blood and tissue and the strangeness of human mind.

About a decade ago, the two friends decided they would play music together. They taught themselves how to play guitar. They learned some covers, then started writing songs. They formed a band called Post-Life Crisis. Now and again, they get a gig.

Richard Hagerty keeps a collection of his notebooks inside a drawer at his home studio Tuesday Feb. 18, 2020, in Charleston. Gavin McIntyre/Staff

Jeremy Rutledge, pastor of Circular Church, said he was impressed by Hagertys imaginative work.

I was immediately drawn to the colors, the tone, and the dreamlike effect of the work, he said. Spending more time with it, symbols emerge, as do memories and questions. In this way, walking through the exhibition is a wonderfully contemplative experience.

Though on view during the Christian season of Lent, the work really is universal, Rutledge observed, encouraging people of all faiths and philosophies to visit the exhibition.

Dukes art really resonates in our historic space because the space itself is filled with memories, dreams, and reflections, as Jung said. ... In religion, we use stories and symbols, music, art, and poetry to express what we cannot ever fully say. Im grateful to Duke for what his artwork evokes about the human condition.

Hagertys artwork perhaps is an outward extension of his inward meditation, which requires discipline and concentration, he said.

The subject matter of this series can cause discomfort, but it can also stimulate the imagination, he said.

The thing I learned through all of this is that I want a personal experience," Hagerty reflected, citing Nietzsche.

If you want to achieve peace of mind and happiness, have faith, the philosopher wrote. If you want to be a disciple of truth, then search.

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Richard Hagerty's 'Way of the Cross' a meditation on suffering and search for truth - Charleston Post Courier

The benefits of Transcendental Meditation (TM) have long been touted by practitioners and clinicians alike. Research has supported its effectiveness in helping anxiety, depression, brain function, PTSD, and more. But the cause of those benefits hasn't fully been understood.

New research out of IMT Lucca in Italy recently found those benefits exist thanks to certain changes in the brain that occur during and after the practice, bringing us closer to understanding the effects of TM on the brain.

First, TM is different from other forms of meditation or mindfulness in that it seeks to "train the mind to stay in the present moment by paying attention to thoughts and sensations," while TM is "designed to direct your attention inward, beyond thought, and doesn't involve any focus or concentration."

So for this study, researchers had 19 participants begin a TM regimen involving two 20-minute sessions a day for three months, along with a control group who did not change their routines. Participants filled out questionnaires at the beginning, to measure anxiety and stress levels, plus how well they managed stress. They also had functional magnetic resonance imaging tests (fMRI) done, to look at connectivity changes within the brain, and resting brain activity before and after the three months.

Unsurprisingly, the group who had begun practicing TM showed reduced stress and anxiety levels. But what the fMRI scans then revealed was exactly what happened in the brain to cause those changes. Giulia Avvenuti, a Ph.D. student and first author of the study, explains, "the reduction of anxiety levels is associated with specific changes in the connectivity between different cerebral areas, such as precuneus, left parietal lobe and insula, which all have an important role in the modulation of emotions and inner states."

Moving forward, this research gives us a deeper look at the connection between the brain and our emotional and mental states, and further, how brain structures can influence our well-being.

"The fact that TM has measurable effects on the 'dialogue' between brain structures involved in [regulating] affective states opens new perspectives for the understanding of brain-mind relationships," adds Pietro Pietrini, Ph.D., IMT's director and coordinator of the study.

This research shows just a few months of TM is all it takes to result in a positive effect on well-being, plus tangible physical changes within the brain. While the cost of the TM course can be prohibitive, this study points to how the brain can change from meditation.

If you're curious about meditation, there are lots of styles to choose from. Get started with our essential guide to meditation.

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Research Finds This Form Of Meditation Can Positively Change Your Brain - mindbodygreen.com

In 1977, Roald Dahl published a lesser-known collection of short stories called The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More. The titular tale is about a beleaguered British billionaire who finds peace (and eventually, fantastical powers) by learning to calm his brain with a variety of techniques. One such method involves focusing intensely on a single image in the brain for a long period of time.

In the book, Sugar manages to picture an orange for more than 10 minutes. I can remember putting my dog-eared copy down and trying my best to do the same. When that failed after eight or nine hopeless seconds, I thought of apples, blueberries, pears. No luck. Each time, memories from earlier in the week or stresses about the upcoming one managed to invade my brain and tear me from the moment.

Fast-forward a couple decades, and whenever I try to sit down to meditate yoga mat, dimly lit room, relaxing music, a scented candle or two I still think of this failed fourth-grade experiment. Formal attempts at proper, popular meditation often end prematurely for me, with my mind whirring like the wheel of death on an old Dell desktop. I think about interviews I have to schedule, flights I have to book, contact lenses I have to order. Eventually, I call it, thinking Damn, didnt work. After these failures Im less likely to attempt meditation again; ironically, I now associate the practice with stress.

This isnt uncommon. According to a 2016 study, only 12% of American adults practice meditation, a number that nonetheless represents a 50% increase from earlier in the decade. That uptick has coincided with an ever-growing wellness industry that includes functional exercise, apps and products that encourage embracing the present, from mat Pilates to Calm to the Wave meditation system.

Related: Wave Is Reinventing Meditation With Music and Memory Foam

But that numbers still low, and the difficulty surrounding the practice is a prevailing reason why. In order to achieve mindfulness the practice of paying attention to ones thoughts and sensations in a particular moment people assume they need to first create a perfect environment. Noise at a minimum, pleasant scents and legs crossed, with enlightenment just a few deep breaths out of reach. This line of thinking, though, ascribes too much importance to the activity. Its self-defeating, like punching a pillow in anger while trying to fall asleep. Traditional meditation may indeed work well for many, but if it doesnt do it for you, there are other ways to achieve mindfulness.

Think of activities in your life that erase hours from the clock. The ones you look forward to, or perhaps the ones you dont think much about at all. They come, they go, but by the end of it all you feel measurably more relaxed. These activities can be considered backdoors to mindfulness. Theyre inherently meditative, because you derive the same benefits from them that might come from 10 good minutes spent picturing an orange.

Below, weve assembled seven different activities that have been known to universally encourage elements of mindfulness. Importantly, we chose pursuits that an overwhelming majority of human beings can participate in at the drop of a hat. Surfing big waves, practicing magic tricks or playing the French horn may help you achieve mindfulness, and walking a dog may get you there too (assuming youve got one), but these examples are inclusive and easily incorporated into the mornings, afternoons and evenings of just about anyone.

The future of on-demand food ordering is absolutely insane: the industry is projected to rake in a whopping $365 billion in revenue by 2030. Why? Millennials buy fewer groceries than older generations, and devote just 13 minutes a day to meal prep. I can identify. Three nights a week, Ill bring some sort of $13 grab-and-go market bowl back for dinner. I often think of it as a chore handled, and an opportunity to watch TV the second I enter my apartment, fork shoved firmly into my mouth as I do. But Ive noticed that on days I cook up a meal, however simple (Im a big fan of shrimp mixed with rice and veggies), Im able to go on a rare, much-appreciated, end-of-day autopilot. Heat the pan, prepare the rice, wash the veggies, cut and season the shrimp Ill generally perform these tasks with music on, while talking to my roommate or in silence, the only sound the gentle sizzle of the cooking food.

Theres an exact phrase for this experience: behavioral activation. It refers to a positive activity that necessitates presence of mind. Cooking requires decisions from your brain, motor skills from your body and an end goal that can fill your brain with a feeling of accomplishment. Plus, cutting and tearing are proven methods for handling a tough day, while the recipes can be both comforting and expected, or unusual and creative. Either way, they demand your attention, and will keep you looking at the pan, instead of your emails.

The restorative effects of cold-water immersion are well-documented at this point. From ice baths to plunge pools toScottish showers, the practice has near magical benefits for the body. It catalyzes post-workout recovery, staves off injury, lowers blood pressure, increases metabolic rate and stimulates the immune system. But there is mindfulness in freezing your butt off, too, believe it or not. Youre outside in nature, for starters,which we know does wonders for mental health. And cold water encourages the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine, adrenaline, norepinephrine and serotonin, all of which have anti-depressive effects.

I jumped into the North Sea a few days ago, when air temperatures were hovering around 30F, and can assure you that I wasnt thinking about anything but exactly how my body felt in that exact moment. It hijacks your afternoon, in a good way; I took a long, hot shower afterwards, and then felt alert and alive for a good six hours. On the other, less-Bear-Grylls end of the spectrum, lounging into warm water or having a bath at the end of the day are other forms of highly effective water therapy which should march you one step closer to mindfulness.

According to a team of researchers from Princeton University and UCLA, those who take notes on computers are less likely to summarize and retain information than those who take notes with their hands. The study (and others like it) has long been cited as a reason to save handwriting: save a lost art while boosting our memory! But handwritings effectiveness also extends into the realm of another mindful activity: journaling. A nightly commitment to putting pen on paper will add special significance to your days; whats remembered as banal or unspectacular two months later mightve actually been exciting or unusual at the time, and youll have the notes to prove it. On top of making you a better handwriter, it will make you a better writer, period, and it will happen in an arena thats rhythm, old-timey and devoid of stress-inducing blue light. In case you have no desire to catalogue your own life find writing prompts online. Scribble nonsense. Sometimes, when I finish writing for 10 minutes or so, I wake up as if from a drunken trance. Its a lovely feeling.

When youre a kid, there are times that your parents, needing an afternoon to wash dishes, pay bills and do other real-world-things, will order you to go play. Its a typical childhood exultation, and from a young age, we oblige. We pick up branches and have stick fights. We run the bases. We invent games on trampolines and whack each other with styrofoam noodles. But somewhere along the way, play stops. For some medical professionals, the lack of playamong adults is public health issue. Dr. Stuart Brown, who founded theNational Institute for Play, explains that play is instrumental to optimism and self-motivation, while fostering a sense of belonging and community with others.

Unfortunately, its long been difficult for the average individual to find play in the adult world let alone the heaping helping of mindfulness it delivers. Adults are an insular bunch, and those that do join groups often do so for competition. (Think: weekend warriors in intramural leagues.) But in the last few years, more groups have come about that prioritize the relaxation involved with simply running around. From DC to San Francisco to Greensboro, more cities are starting adult recess leagues, where the stakes are low and youre free to think about nothing but throwing or kicking a ball for 90 minutes with drinks often on the docket afterward.

Ive written about my return to running in the last couple months, after a six-year break. For years, I associated the activity with stress, expectation and pre-race nervous pees, but my recent reentry to the tribe has been calm and easy. I feel an appreciation now for the ways in which both pain (mile repeats on a track along Manhattans East River) and wonder (tripping up snow-covered hills on the outskirts of Edinburgh) seem to remove me entirely from the world of 9-5. I dont need a scientific study to confirm the inherent meditative qualities of running, though there are many. Runs with destinations, runs that meander, runs desperate to hit a certain time theyre all about the sweaty, heaving present. That state of being is usually a struggle, but it can be euphoric, and thats why we do it. You should do it, too.

A massive trend in the mindfulness space is the composition of music specifically geared for achieving calm. They can be lovely, and I can mellow into them easily, but theyre often too ethereal and not very sustainable. Who can listen to that stuff for 45 minutes? I contend that mindfulness can also be found in the General Admission section at a concert, or in a booth at an Irish pub that brings some Van Morrison sound-alike out every Tuesday evening. Live music is effortless presence of mind, especially when we leave our phones in our pockets. It represents a deviation from the norm (very few of us experience live music every day), which heightens the importance of the moment and your concentration relative to other earthly concerns. And it often rewards your ossicles with a series of mini-eargasms, which is nice.

One of the surest signs that youve become an adult aside from a strange desire to receive socks over the holidays is that you actually enjoy performing household chores. I get giddy when I have a solid two hours to push my vacuum around, make the kitchen sparkle and point a hose at the gutters. Similar to the behavioral activation associated with cooking, busying about a home or apartment offers tasks and results, concentration and satisfaction. Theyre an exhilarating change of pace from the mind-numbing practices of day-to-day work in a sedentary society. After a week of sitting at a computer, I will gladly Lysol the hell out of a coffee table. And I cant remember ever thinking about much while Im doing it. Not to mention there are endless opportunities to personalize and perfect a space, from DIY projects to caring for plants, that will also transport you to a relaxing place far, far away.

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How to Achieve Mindfulness Without Having to Actually Meditate - InsideHook

Despite the growing popularity of meditation practice around the world to address a number of health issues, there is limited evidence to support its effectiveness.

While stress is common among everyone at some point, persistent stress can eventually contribute to disease and mental illness.

The endocrine system is particularly important in the management of stress, but the functioning of the endocrine system and well-being have been scarcely investigated in relation to meditation.

Researchers at Queens University Belfast in Northern Ireland and Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia reviewed a large number of previous studies and analysed how meditation impacted a number of hormones related to stress.

The study, published in the journal Cell Press, found a connection between meditation, the endocrine system, and health and wellbeing.

Queens School of Nursing and Midwifery Cardiovascular Health Reader and study author Dr Chantal Ski said: Through the comprehensive literature review, we found that there is a clear link between meditation and stress reduction.

We focused on studies that analysed how meditation affected the endocrine system and a number of interconnected systems that regulate stress, such as the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axis and the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone (RAA) system.

Victorias Institute for Health and Sport postdoctoral research fellow and study lead Dr Michaela Pascoe added: This work shows that meditation influences the regulation of the HPA axis, which may reduce stress levels.

Another key finding was linked with the HPT axis, which determines and regulates thyroid hormone production and is particularly associated with depression and anxiety.

The findings indicate that meditation and yoga influenced the HPA axis to a varying degree.

The RAA system regulates blood pressure, electrolytes and fluid balance.

Although the scope of research is currently limited, it seems that meditation may also influence the RAA system, corresponding with improved well-being and changes in hormonal stress.

Meditation is becoming increasingly popular, with over a quarter of British adults practising meditation as a therapy.

A recent study in the United States cited a threefold increase in the practice over the last five years.

Dr Ski added: Increased know-ledge of the interrelationships between the endocrine system and meditation will lead to identification of specific meditation practices that are of most benefit to the health and wellbeing of various populations.

Given the multitude and severity of health issues related to persistent stress, it is paramount that more research is carried out in this area to help inform effective future healthcare policies among different groups, as this could only lead to huge health benefits, as well as financial benefits with more effective treatments in place.

Dr Pascoe concluded: Most studies to date have explored the effect of meditation practice on the HPA axis and much more research is needed to examine other aspects of the endocrine system.

Whilst it is intriguing that various meditation practices appear to induce changes in endocrine function, and consequently, be associated with improvements in mental health, the underlying associations and mechanisms that might operate are unclear, though likely involve psychological, physiological and neurological processes.

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Meditation is proven to reduce stress - The Star Online

Katy Perry also opened up about the most valuable lessons shes learned in the music industry, and how shes passing those onto the contestants on American Idol!

Katy Perry, 35, may be one of the most successful pop artist of all time but she still deals with haters and internet trolls. I believe in therapy. I believe in meditation. I believe in self care. I believe in taking the stillness, the time, just being able to assess whats real, she shared at the American Idol Premiere event at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Feb. 12 about how she manages negative comments. Something someone told me that changed my life was nobody can ever make you believe something about yourself that you dont already believe about yourself. So if someone says youre a fat, ugly b***h, and it affects you, do you think about yourself that way? So get to the bottom of that. There you go, she also shared. Sound advice.

As a judge and mentor, those lessons are just some of what shes tried to impart on the contestants competing on this season ofIdol. I think really authenticity is the golden rule, staying true to yourself, having a great support systemIf you dont have family, make it your friends. Create a team of people that play both the devils advocate and also are supportive, the Teenage Dream singer revealed, also acknowledging how different fame is now versus a decade ago thanks to social media. The crazy thing about now versus 10 years ago is the access that the trolls have to our head, and you have to really be mentally prepared for this time more than anything because you can look put together and beautiful and be crumbling on the inside.

Katy joined the long running reality series back in season 16 alongside Lionel Richie, 70, and Luke Bryan, 43 and has become known for her off-beat sense of humor. [Im going to be] similar to the last two seasons. I think theres always going to be me taking risks, Katy laughed. Humor-wise, some people are like, Oh, my god. Shes just so weird and bizarre.'

While the show has been fun for Katy and the judges, at the end of the day, it all comes down to business. Im a lot more streamlined in knowing what the world needs, what it wants. We have 30,000 songs that come out a day, Katy who has sold over 100 million singles globally also shared. We are overfed as far as entertainment goes, so you got to really cut through, and we represent really the business part of it. Well be there to help you and support you and hold your hand, but we are kind of like the template of what it is in the outside world.

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Katy Perry Reveals Why She Believes In Therapy & Meditation To Deal With Haters - HollywoodLife

In January, Oprah Winfrey launched her nine-city tour called "Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus" as a way to motivate and inspire fans to live their healthiest and most fulfilled lives.

"How do you take this energy of inspiration and people feeling triumphant in their lives? How do you use that to something that's a greater good than just my front porch?" Oprah asked guests at her first tour stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Entertainment Tonight reported. "And that's how this idea came about. I'll try to spread that word around the country."

The tour, which is in partnership with weight-loss program Weight Watchers (now known as WW), will also run in cities like Dallas, Texas; San Francisco, California; and Los Angeles, California, with guests including Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Gayle King, and Tina Fey.

Oprah's mission to teach people how to live their best and healthiest lives is at the core of both her tour and personal brand, but this is hardly her first foray into the topic. The former talk show host has interviewed celebrities on everything from vaccines to youth-enhancing remedies, and discussed her own health practices like meditation and healthy eating.

Here are the best and worst health tips Oprah has talked about over the years.

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Oprah's best and worst health advice from almost 5 decades as a talk show host and trend-setter - Insider - INSIDER

There are few better ways to take your countrys first ICC Womens T20 World Cup wicket than Naruemol Chaiwais sensational throw against the West Indies.

Thailand may not have ended their 2020 debut with a win, but its safe to say they turned plenty of heads with their frightening fielding against the 2016 champions.

A 78 for nine batting innings perhaps matched the worlds expectations of the debutants, but when Chaiwai fired that bullseye direct hit at the bowlers end to see off opener Lee-Ann Kirby, any misconceptions were blown out of the water.

And the excitement didnt stop at one wicket. That sensational run-out sparked what at one point looked like a potential upset from the debutants in the opening game at the WACA.

From there, Thailands bowling and fielding was a joy to watch. Having struggled to build with bat, they knew they had to use their strength as a lifeline.

They took to the field without fear, quickly sneaking a second wicket when Soraya Lateh bowled Hayley Matthews for her first international victim before Suleeporn Laomi was quick on her toes to run out the dangerous Deandra Dottin just after the Powerplay.

But for a DRS reprieve for Shemaine Campbelle, West Indies were briefly 27 for four at the WACA and well in danger of being on the wrong end of an upset.

We think our performance will make people take us more seriously, said opener Nattaya Boochatham.

We have an aggressive mentality and we know it only takes ten bowls to create wickets. Thats the plan we stick to.

We trust our fielding a lot to get us far in the competition. It has given us motivation to do better and show we can compte on the global stage.

With many of the Thailand team, including captain Sornnarin Tippoch, originally crafting their sporting trade as university softball players, fielding was always going to be their strongpoint.

They could have given West Indies more of a scare had they been more effective with the bat, but that doesnt mean they wont be finetuning their fielding - even when its done in a less conventional way.

We did a lot of meditation the night before our opening game, added Boochatham.

I practice that a lot, thinking about the lines I am going to hit with the bat and ball.

We like to visualise the positive mindset and cricket we wanted to show, and reinforce the positive thought pattern to start the day in a good way.

A debut win may have eluded them in Perth, but Thailands fielding exploits will have sent a serious statement to the world of cricket.

Tippoch had spoken before the game about their understanding of the magnitude a T20 World Cup brings, wanting to take cricket beyond the traditional roots from which it was born.

So while they may be here enjoying every moment, theres more to this Thailand side than smiles theyre in Australia with a point to prove, and theyre already making it.

Note: This article was first published on ICCs official website.

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Softball skills and meditation: How Thailand impressed with their fielding on T20 World Cup debut - Scroll.in

By: Lubaba Mahmud, Staff Writer

SFU Recreation offers a wide variety of yoga classes to members of the SFU community through its Mind Body Spirit pass. Though many of the different offerings were tempting, I was especially intrigued by the description of the Yin/Yang Yoga class on the SFU Recreation website, which states that the goal of the class is to allow you to feel present in the moment, to connect mind and body and soul, and deliver skills to help accept the yin and yang of daily life. Since, like many of us struggling through another semester at SFU, my mind, body, and soul could use some reconnecting, I decided to give it a shot.

I participated in the Wednesday offering of the class, which is taught by Bryony Ollier. Bryony created a very warm and welcoming environment for all participants. As explained by Bryony, Yin/Yang Yoga is based on a Chinese concept which combines and draws upon two types of energy the softer Yin energy and the dynamic Yang energy. It is a restorative practice that focuses mostly on gentle breathing exercises. This form of yoga helps participants let go of stress through meditation and a touch of somatic therapy. Since Yin/Yang Yoga focuses more on holding poses for breathing exercises rather than putting participants through rigorous movements requiring extreme flexibility, the instructor explained that it is an especially good class for those that are new to yoga.

At the start of the class, Bryony noted that her specific goal for the class was for participants to loosen up and connect with the earth through therapeutic exercises such as guided, rhythmic breathing. She gave the class instructions that were meant to release bodily tensions that resist the earth. The soft and melodious background music created a soothing atmosphere that complemented the class well. However, since the class took place in the Education Building gym, it was a little hard to ignore the loud crowd noises from the bustling AQ above us. Because of this, I would recommend arriving early and reserving a spot near the front to make sure that you can hear Bryonys instructions clearly.

She also mentioned that each class is slightly different to cater to the varying needs of participants. Overall, it was a very relaxing experience for me to attend Yin/Yang Yoga, so I would recommend this class as a simple way to relieve stress.

If youre interested, Yin/Yang Yoga classes usually take place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. on Tuesdays in the West Gyms VIP Room and on Wednesdays in the Education Building gym. However, please check the website for possible location and/or date changes. Each class costs about $8 for drop-in, but if you have the Mind Body Spirit Pass, which costs $114.25 for students and is valid for the whole semester, you get unlimited access to any yoga and stretch classes offered by SFU Recreation.

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Yin/Yang Yoga offers a relaxing experience through meditation - The Peak