The Art of Living Foundation shares certain yoga practices that can help you get rid of neck pain.

Gone are the days when 'small is good' was the motto. Today we want everything to be better than the rest. Better house, better salary, better grades; even a better world.

The strife for perfection is driving us all crazy. You may say, 'It is all about evolution'! But the pace at which we are evolving is taking a toll on our health: mental, physical and emotional.

Our desires have taken shape of needs and the fulfillment of these needs requires commitment towards work. In due course we overstrain ourselves, converting the body to a factory. Wear and tear follows next. A very common ailment that affects most of us then is neck pain.

Cervicalgia, which is neck pain in medical terms, arises mostly from long, continuous hours of sitting in the same posture or a rough night of sleep and reduced workout.

When the causes of neck pain are so simple, why not the cure?

To do away with the 'pain in the neck', we bring to you seven simple steps (asanas or yoga postures) that are easy-to-do and won't eat into your daily busy schedule.

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Yoga poses to relieve neck pain

Melbourne, Apr. 22 (ANI): People, who practice yoga, have sex and a hot shower give themselves the best chance of having a good night's sleep, a study has claimed.

The ReDormin Sleep Study found that doing yoga can increase a person's sleep by 64 minutes, while making love and a hot shower before going to bed can each give you 6 minutes of extra sleep, the Courier Mail reported.

Janeen Davidson of Beenleigh's Yoga and More Studio said that having a hot shower cooled the body to an optimum temperature and enabled a person to sleep; she also called making love the ultimate relaxation.

She said that the yoga quietens the adrenal responses and cortisol responses and it's a calm practice which brings a person's mind to rest.

Ambarissa Stone of the Australian School of Meditation and Yoga Springwood, said that yoga really has three aspects - a person's physical, mental and spiritual state.

She said that the first one is that yoga helps to ease tight muscles, increase strength mobility and balance the nervous system.

Stone asserted that it also helped mentally, saying that the mind is most often what keeps people awake at night and during yoga it helped them to deepen their breath, which in turn helped them slow down the mind.

She added that yoga also helped spiritually and true yoga practise always included an element of meditation. (ANI)

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Yoga, sex and hot shower help you have a good night sleep

HONG KONG, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hosa International Limited ("Hosa( http://www.hosa.cn/html/index.php )"), one of the largest indoor sportswear brands in China, held the 3rd "Hosa Cup" China International Yoga Fitness Assembly Press Conference in Beijing yesterday. Many yoga fitness professionals, famous yoga instructors, representatives of nearly ten yoga fitness institutions in China and over 50 mainstream media organizations all joined the conference.

Starting from 2011, China International Yoga Fitness Assembly has been held once a year. Currently, it has been the largest Yoga Fitness assembly with the largest number of participants in China. The 3rd "Hosa Cup" China International Yoga Fitness Assembly will be held at China National Convention Center from 10th May to 12th May, 2013. This year's assembly focused on yoga fitness static courses, including Yoga Fitness Peak Forum, Pilates and yoga related products service demonstration, and excellent coach selection. With participation of over 20 well-known fitness clubs and institutions, the assembly also invited 30 best mentors from home and abroad to provide a three-day professional training within 10 courses, attracting thousands of Yoga fitness professionals and enthusiasts to participate in this event.

Hosa is the exclusive sponsor of the China International Yoga Fitness Assembly this year. As the most valuable brand of indoor sportswear and service enterprise, Hosa regards spreading vitality, fashion and health fitness culture as the mission of the company, promoting energetic, fashionable and healthy lifestyle, providing urban white-collar professionals with professional, energetic, stylish indoor sportswear products, equipment and services.

At the press conference, the 3rd "Hosa Cup" China International Yoga Fitness Assembly began with the yoga fitness coaches from Hosa Fitness Club demonstrated professional and elegant yoga show.

About Hosa International Limited

Hosa International designs and produces a wide range of mid-to-high end sportswear products, including swimwear, fitness wear, sports underwear and accessories, which the Group sells under its Hosa(TM) Brand. In terms of 2010 ex-factory sales, Hosa International is the largest indoor sportswear brand in China. The Group has grown rapidly in recent years in terms of sales and sales channels. As of 31 December 2012, the Group mainly sold its products to 31 distributors, who along with their sub-distributors operated 1,330 retail outlets as well as online sales platforms in China. Hosa International promotes its Hosa(TM) Brand as a symbol of active, fashionable and healthy lifestyles. In June 2012, The Hosa(TM) Brand became the only indoor sportswear brand which was recognized as one of the China's 500 Most Valuable Brands by the World Brand Lab for several years and recognized as an exemplary brand in the China's swimwear industry. It has also been chosen to be the exclusive provider of swimwear products at the National Aquatics Centre (Water Cube) during the 2008 Olympics.

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Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

Kelly Fung +852-3150-6763 kelly.fung@pordahavas.com

Angie An +852-3150-6736 angie.an@pordahavas.com

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The 3rd "Hosa Cup" China International Yoga Fitness Assembly to Come Soon

SAN FRANCISCO, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Beginning April 23, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will roll out a convenient new way to help guests feel great on the road. Newly custom-designed Gaiam yoga mats with a playful butterfly motif will now be stocked in every guest-room closet and available for use at no charge whenever the itch for a stretch, pose or plank may strike.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130423/NY99813)

Kimpton also is helping to remove obstacles to getting in a little healthy activity while on the road, with a new complimentary "Roll-Out Service." Upon request of the service, Kimpton will come to the guest's room, meticulously roll out the mat and furnish extra towels, flavored water, an assortment of fresh fruit or an energizing mix of dried fruit and nuts, and set the TV to Kimpton's complimentary on-demand yoga or Pilates channel for inspiration.

"We know that some travel particularly for business can suck the life out of you. Our point of view is that it doesn't have to, so we're making it easy for our guests to work in some restorative activity," said Mike DeFrino, executive vice president of hotel operations at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. "We're not yoga experts. Some of us can't even touch our toes. But we think that incorporating exercise in the form of something like stretches or pushups are a good idea on the road. If a guest rolls out the mat and decides to take a nap or have a glass of wine and watch TV, no judgment from us."

To introduce guests to the new in-room yoga mat offering, Kimpton hotels across the country will invite guests to participate in yoga-centric activities from pose challenges to trivia triumphs during its popular hosted evening Wine Hour, April 23 May 3.

Kimpton will couple these fun activities with a "Strike a Pose" sweepstakes contest on Kimpton's Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Kimpton). From May 1 May 31, guests and fans of Kimpton are invited to snap a picture of them striking a unique or humorous pose that might reflect the ways they like to live life and post it to Kimpton's Facebook page. Those voted as having the best poses will win a relaxing getaway at any Kimpton hotel nationwide among other prizes, including yoga mats.

The in-room mat adds to a long line-up of amenities Kimpton offers to help guests feel their best away from home. Other wellness-minded perks include complimentary 24-hour yoga and Pilates programming on demand, complimentary bikes, weighted work-out hula hoops and jump ropes in Kimpton fitness centers, employee-led runs through town, group exercise classes and more. Kimpton's approach to wellness also extends beyond the physical aspects of fitness to other forms of feel-good activity. The company also encourages guests to socialize at Wine Hour, travel with pets as often as possible or request a goldfish companion during your stay,

To learn more about Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, visit,www.KimptonHotels.com, http://www.LifeisSuite.com, http://www.Facebook.com/Kimpton or http://www.Twitter.com/Kimpton. Additionally, to inspire guests to get to know "Mr. (Yoga) Mat," Kimpton has also launched a playful video: http://youtu.be/XvxoKsicqtg.

ABOUT KIMPTON HOTELS & RESTAURANTSSan Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. In 1981 Bill Kimpton founded the company that today is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through authentic and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and embodying a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Adjacent to the hotels are locally-loved, top-rated, Kimpton restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants. Market Metrix, a recognized authority and leader in feedback solutions, consistently ranks Kimpton above other hotel companies in luxury and upper upscale segments for customer satisfaction. Privately held Kimpton has been recognized by Fortune Magazine as a Best Company to Work four times. The company operates 58 hotels and 67 restaurants, bars and lounges in 24 cities. For more information visit http://www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.

Media Contacts:Baltz & Company for KimptonChloe Mata Crane / 212-982-8300 x104 / cmcrane@baltzco.com Susannah Gregory Whitehead / 212-982-8300 x112 / sgregorywhitehead@baltzco.com

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Kimpton Hotels Rolls Out New Yoga Amenities

Yoga these days has a lot of layers added to the classic hatha and vinyasa. Multi-certified instructors are combining it with martial arts, dance, swimming and moreplus, many formerly specialized yoga types are finding a new user base as people look to stretch their bodies and psyche. To borrow a great phrase (and workshop name) from Exhale Spa: Yogis, it's time to Shake Your Chakra!

Kickboxing combined with yoga brings two seemingly opposite exercises togetherand then, you see how many overlaps exist between the two. This hybrid combines plyometric and isometric movements, music and meditation. It was invented by certified trainer Jon Koga, a fitness industry professional for nearly three decades.

With standup paddle-boarding (SUP) being so popular, it makes sense that ocean lovers would want to take their yoga onto the water. The width and stability of the boards makes them viable "floating yoga mats," though just like working out on the BOSU, the ever-moving surface makes you engage many tiny muscles that never get used in most regular workouts.

If you prefer to be in the water rather than floating on it, aqua yoga is a low-impact, more body-balancing alternative to land-based versions. It's a favorite of pregnant women, disabled persons, and others with limited mobility.

Gillian and Teigh, the partners behind this fun, sexy, high-results program, have starred in several YBB videos over the years, bringing dance-cardio workouts like Cardio Cabaret to people's TV screens long before the advent of Wii Fit. The program originated at Swerve Studios in Los Angeles, but has spread to other cities via the videos and a teacher training program.

Work on flexibility, challenge your circulation, and pretend you're a Cirque du Soleil performer by taking your poses aerial. This new yoga type puts people in a cloth sling that supports the core but gives greater freedom of movement to limbs, shoulders and trunk. It's offered at various studios and also some hotel spas including the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess.

Rope yoga has a similar principal to aerial, but suspends people from ropes affixed to a rope wall rather than the ceiling. Different areas of the body can be supported by the ropes depending on their placement. Also, the lower ropes are placed in a way that allows for floor work. Ropes are most commonly incorporated into Iyengar yoga, but can be used in various types and all levels.

It's not a pairing for purists, maybe, but for people who want to incorporate more of the five senses into their experience, this is a delicious way to do it. The main guru behind the yoga/chocolate combo is David Romanelli, who goes by "Yeah-Dave" and whose philosophy is based on living and enjoying life in each moment.

Requiring incredible core strength and flexibility, the Brazilian fight-dancing discipline Capoeira is one martial art that seems to have natural crossover with yoga. But there are few Capoeira masters in the States thus, you don't see too many places offering this hybrid. Probably the best-known is Carlos Rodriguez's Caponyasa program, based out of New York City since 2011.

And if you're still skeptical of yoga, or haven't found the type that's right for you? Exhale Spa has the solution, and it's equal parts Zen, spa weekend and party. Shake Your Chakra workshops are held throughout the year at various Exhale hotel spas the next one being at Revel in Atlantic City June 7-9 and feature beauty bonanzas, trunk shows and live DJs in addition to more traditional offerings like sunrise yoga.

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9 Hottest Yoga Trends Springing Up Around the Globe