Morning snarls, rush hour traffic, and the pollution can weigh the best of us down, even before reaching the work place, drawing from our productivity. The result is, we reach work half tired, irritated and ready to unleash our wrath on the slightest provocation. But what if there were ways to retain the loss of energy and simple exercises that you can practice while stuck in a thick unrelenting traffic! Here are seven yoga exercises from yoga expert Kamlesh Barwal, author of the book, Log Off To Log In, that you can do right at your steering wheel to relax and find peace in the moment.Seated Head Massage
Keep the spine erect and the head straight
Breathing in, raise the right arm
Place the palm on top of the head
Gently massage the top of the head, in a circular motion, in a clockwise direction
Keep breathing smoothly and deeply throughout the exercise
Feel the tension in the head region easing
Feel more relaxed
Blink, Squeeze, Eyes Open Wide
Keep the spine erect and the head straight
Close your eyes
Blink your eyes rapidly about 10-15 times
Blink your eyes slowly about 10-15 times
Shut your eyes as tightly as possible
Open your eyes as widely as possible
Repeat the action a few more times
Keep breathing smoothly and deeply throughout the exercise
Feel the tension around the eyes being released
Jaw Release
Keep the spine erect and the head straight
Place the tips of your three fingers on the cheekbones
Look for muscles that make knots
Keeping your mouth relaxed, press firmly and massage the knots in a circular motion
Pressing down firmly, run your fingers, down along the jaw line towards your chin
Repeat the action a few more times
Keep breathing smoothly and deeply throughout the exercise
Feel the tightness in the face easing out
Neck Rolls
Keep your spine, neck and head erect
Breathing in, raise your chin up and take the head back
Feel the stretch on your throat and the compression in your neck muscles
Hold the posture for a few seconds
Breathing out, bring your chin towards the chest
Rotate your head slowly a few times in both clockwise and anti-clockwise motion
Feel the relaxation in your neck
Ear to Shoulder Stretch
Keep your spine, neck and head erect
Breathing in, raise your shoulders to your ears
Hold the posture
Breathing out, drop your shoulders
Repeat the action a few times Feel the muscles being squeezed in your upper back
Feel the energy move up as the spine is being stretched
Quick Body Shake
Sit straight and tall
Keep your spine, neck and head in a straight line
Bring your hands near your chest
Relax and loosen your wrists, shoulders, and head
Shake your wrists, body and head together (more like when you dance)
Feel the stiffness leaving your body
Simple Seated Twist
Sit straight
Keep your spine, neck and head in a straight line
Breathe in and twist your body towards the right
Twist your spine as much as you can
Stay in this position for 5 seconds
Breathe out and come back to your previous position
Repeat on the other side
Investing 5-10 minutes in such short Yoga breaks can work wonders for the body and mind, says Kamlesh Barwal also CEO, Sri Sri School of Yoga. So, the next time you are stuck in a jam and find your head blowing a little steam, do these exercises and arrive at your destination with a lighter mind.

Anti-Stress Diet Tips

Dr Nisha Manikantan, Founder Director at Sri Sri Ayurveda and author of Ayurveda Simplified shares some food tips that you can use before you start out, or binge on while stuck on the road!

- Fruits such as strawberries, orange, guava and pineapple have large amounts of Vitamin C and are extremely beneficial against stress. The nutrients present in them help reduce fatigue.

- Beans and peas are good foods to fight against stress because they contain high levels of tryptophan. This amino acid helps in the formation of serotonin, a substance that induces a sense of well-being and happiness.

- Bananas are rich in tryptophan too. They also have a type of protein that is converted to serotonin. In addition, they are loaded with Vitamin B and other nutrients such as potassium that work wonders to combat anxiety levels.

- Cereals such as oats and brown rice are rich in lean protein, vitamin B complex, amino acids and essential vitamins - all of which help combat stress and help stay focused and balanced.

- Milk too has a calming effect on the body. Lactium, a protein found in milk helps reduce levels of cortisol (stress hormone).

- Almonds are known to be a super food for the brain. They are packed with antioxidants and are known to relax the muscles and reduce stress.

The Art of Living's international team of experts has introduced the knowledge and real essence of Yoga and Ayurveda to millions all over the globe, not just as a set of physical exercises and diet regime but as a deeper science that discusses them as a union of the mind, body, and soul.

Is your life dull and boring? Are you unhappy with the way you are leading your everyday life? Laughter is very important for living and is a vital part of healthy living. It helps in relieving tension, reducing stress, making you relax, and increases your happiness. Here are some ways following which you can bring more laughter in your life:

#Connect with an old friend
1. Connecting with a friend from the past is ideal for bringing up topics and memories which are sure to make you laugh.

2. Remembering funny incidents, stories, and hilarious moments can make you revisit old days and laugh.

#Humour in your everyday life
1. Laughter and fun can be found in all places. You need to find them out.

2. There can be a lot of common, ordinary things which are ironically or sarcastically funny. Observe humorous moments from everything around you and share them with your people.

#Watch your favourite television shows
1.Watching your favourite comedy shows and programs on the tv will bound to loosen you up.

2.Instead of watching deep movies that are thought to provoke, something light and capable of making you laugh is also important.

# Spend time with children
1. Kids are uninhabited, simple and happy beings. You will be able to recall your childhood by talking to children. This is a great way to make you laugh.

#Have sleepovers
1.Sleepovers may be old fashioned, but they are a source of unadulterated laughter.

2.Inviting friends over for movies and makeovers paves the way for unlimited laughter all night long.

#Visit amusement parks
1. Amusement parks are a great way of having fun and also realising how you can laugh at simple things.

2. Visit amusement parks with your friends or family and have a great time laughing.

#Listen to funny songs from your childhood
1. Listening to your favourite funny songs from childhood is a nice way for you to loosen up.

2. It will remind you of your memories with that song, which is bound to make you recapitulate and laugh.

#Play in bouncy houses
1.You should hop in bouncy houses that are meant for children.

2.You can come across these at birthday parties, community events, and play centres. Jumping and laughing are sure to give you a good time.

You should also try to make the people around you laugh. Hearing the laughter of others will surely make you laugh as well as it is very much contagious. Tell ridiculous jokes and rhymes to make your friends and close ones burst out in laughter, which will be a matter to laugh about for you as well.

In today’s busy world where life is catching us by the neck, vacation is a word that is slowly getting out of our lexicon. While for many, travelling is a passion, for few others, travelling means a bag full of woes-spending money, getting exhausted or may be falling sick. But it is very important for you to take short breaks from your busy schedules and go on a vacation, where you will travel, not for work, but for your own tranquility. The reason why travelling for yourself is important is that, travel can surprisingly help you to stay healthier and happier.

Below mentioned are five surprising ways travel can help you to stay much healthier:

It is an effective way of reducing stress. Physical and emotional stress can deteriorate your health. Travelling can help you to drift away from your worries for some time and can thus, reduce your stress.


Travelling can also help you to rework on your sleep schedules. It can allow you to get adequate sleep that your body and mind require. Sleeping well does improve your health conditions.
Researches show that travelling can lower your chances of developing heart diseases or heart attacks. Thus, it can help you maintain a strong and healthy heart and you stay away from a host of cardiovascular diseases.

Travelling involves a lot of body activity as well as joint and muscle movements. Thus, it can help you to get rid of your sedentary lifestyle (like sitting in front of computers and working for long hours at a stretch) and improve your flexibility.
The different people and the different cultures you get to come across while you travel can really lift your spirits up and ebb all negative energies away. Thus, not only can travelling help you to maintain a healthy body, but it can also help you to maintain good mental health too.


Remember, taking some time out from the humdrum of your city and spending time out there in the world outside might just help you cope with a problem which has been giving you a niggle for quite sometime now.

बदलती लाईफस्टाईल आणि स्पर्धेच्या युगात स्वत: ला टिकवून ठेवण्यासाठी खूप धावपळ करावी लागते. धावपळीदरम्यान वेगवेगळ्या कारणांमुळे स्ट्रेस येतो. अनेकदा आपण आरोग्याकडे दुर्लक्ष करतो. मात्र अशा प्रकारे दुर्लक्ष करणं हे महागात पडू शकतं. त्यामुळे स्टेस फ्री राहायचं असेल तर काही टिप्स आवश्यक आहेत. त्या टिप्स जाणून घेऊया.

दिवसाची सुरुवात प्रसन्न करा


स्ट्रेस फ्री जगायचं असेल तर सर्वात महत्त्वाचं म्हणजे दिवसाची सुरुवात प्रसन्नतेने करा. सकाळी लवकर उठा. मोकळ्या वातावरणात जाऊन मूड फ्रेश करा. आरोग्यासाठी व्यायाम आणि नाश्ता महत्त्वाचा असल्याने तो वेळेत करा. सकाळी उठल्या उठल्या कामाचा ताण घेऊ नका. चांगली गाणी ऐका यामुळे शरिरात उत्साह येईल.

वेळेचे आणि कामाचे नियोजन करा

ऑफिसमध्ये खूप काम असल्याने त्याचा स्ट्रेस हा हमखास येतो. अनेकदा घरच्या काही समस्या देखील स्ट्रेससाठी कारणीभूत ठरतात. त्यामुळे वेळेचे आणि कामाचे नियोजन करा. असं केल्यास कामे वेळेत पूर्ण होण्यास मदत होईल.

Ten minutes of office exercise will save you from body stiffness | फक्त दहा मिनिटांच्या

प्रामाणिक राहा

काही जणांना खोटं बोलण्याची सवय असते. मात्र अनेकदा एक खोटं लपवायला खूप वेळा खोटं बोलावं लागतं. त्यातून पुढे काही न हाताळता येणाऱ्या समस्या देखील निर्माण होतात. तसेच स्ट्रेस निर्माण होतो. त्यामुळे खोटं बोलू नका. प्रामाणिक राहा. म्हणजेच कोणत्याही गोष्टीची भीती वाटणार नाही.


स्वत:साठी वेळ काढा

कामाच्या धावपळीत आपण स्वत: साठी वेळ काढायलाच विसरतो. आराम शरिरासाठी गरजेचा असतो. तुमच्या आवडी-निवडीसाठी वेळ काढायला हवा. सुट्ट्यांमध्ये कुठेतरी फिरायला जा. यामुळे स्ट्रेस कमी होण्यास नक्की मदत होईल.


पोषक आहार

कामात कितीही व्यस्त असलात तरी जेवण कधीच टाळू नका. जेवणाने आपल्याला पोषण मिळतं. पौष्टीक आहाराने मानसिक आणि शारीरिक रूपाने तुम्ही फिट राहता येतं. स्ट्रेस कमी होतो.संतुलित आहाराचं सेवन करा. नाश्ता आणि जेवण टाळून कोणतही काम करू नका. कारण यानेच तुम्हाला काम करण्यासाठी शक्ती मिळेल.


एकाच वेळी खूप काम करू नका

अनेकांना एकाच वेळी खूप कामं करण्याची सवय असते. मात्र असं करू नका कारण यामुळे एकही काम नीट होत नाही. शरीर आणि मन यामुळे एकाच ठिकाणी फोकस करत नाही त्यातूनच पुढे स्ट्रेस निर्माण होतो. हातातलं एक काम पूर्ण झाल्यावरचं दुसऱ्या गोष्टी पूर्ण करा. यामुळे स्ट्रेस येणार नाही.

अभ्यास, ऑफिसचे काम, कौटुंबिक समस्या, आरोग्याची समस्या यांसारख्या अनेक कारणांमुळे ताण येतो. तणाव हा जीवनाचा एक भाग झाला आहे, असे म्हटले तरी वावगे ठरणार नाही. काहीही असो तणावाला आपण बळी पडतोच. पण या तणावामुळे शारीरिक-मानसिक आरोग्याच्या अनेक समस्यांना सामोरे जावे लागते. आजारांचा धोका वाढतो. पण काही साध्या सोप्या उपयांनी तुम्ही तणावापासून दूर राहु शकता. पाहुया कोणते आहेत ते उपाय...

# बाहेर फिरायला जा. मोकळ्या हवेत काही काळ चालल्याने नकारात्मकता दूर होईल. मित्रपरिवार किंवा कुटुंबियांसोबत पिकनिकला जावू शकता.

# एक सुगंधी मेणबत्ती लावा. मंद सुवास आणि प्रकाश तुमचा मूड नक्की चांगला करेल.


# फुगे फुगवा. काही रंगीबेरंगी फुगे फुगवा आणि ते तुमच्या आसपास ठेवा. पाहा तुम्हाला किती छान वाटेल.

# गाणे गा. तुमच्या आवडीचे गाणे गा.

# संत्र्याचा ज्युस घ्या. तणाव वाढवणारे कॉर्टिसोल हार्मोन संत्र्याचा ज्युस प्यायल्याने कमी होतात.