Participating in yoga and mindfulness activities at school helps relieve stress and anxiety in young children, improving their wellbeing and emotional health, a study has found.
Researchers from Tulane University in the US worked with a public school to add mindfulness and yoga to the school’s existing empathy-based programming for students needing supplementary support.
Third graders who were screened for symptoms of anxiety at the beginning of the school year were randomly assigned to two groups. A control group of 32 students received care as usual, which included counselling and other activities led by a school social worker. The intervention group of 20 students participated in small group yoga/mindfulness activities for eight weeks using a Yoga Ed curriculum.
Students attended the small group activities at the beginning of the school day. The sessions included breathing exercises, guided relaxation and several traditional yoga poses appropriate for children. The study, published in the journal Psychology Research and Behavior Management, evaluated each group’s health related quality of life before and after the intervention, using two widely recognised research tools.
“The intervention improved psychosocial and emotional quality of life scores for students, as compared to their peers who received standard care,” said Alessandra Bazzano, associate professor at Tulane University.
“We also heard from teachers about the benefits of using yoga in the classroom, and they reported using yoga more often each week, and throughout each day in class, following the professional development component of intervention,” Bazzano said. Researchers targeted third grade because it is a crucial time of transition for elementary students, when academic expectations increase.
“Our initial work found that many kids expressed anxious feelings in third grade as the classroom work becomes more developmentally complex,” Bazzano said. “Even younger children are experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety, especially around test time,” she said.
Ear problems such as ear pain, ear infection, tinnitus and dizziness related to ear infections are very common problems all around the world. If untreated most of these problems can result in partial or complete hearing loss in persons suffering from these symptoms. It is very important to address these problems and find a cure for them.
Here are some yoga poses to help you cure your hearing problems.
1) Tadasana for hearing problems
Tadasana or the mountain pose improves blood circulation and gives you a boost of energy. It is also known to ease pains throughout the body if done regularly and can help if you have an ear pain which has been bugging you for long.
2) Adho Mukha svan asana for hearing problems
This pose, also known as downward dog pose is great for curing tinnitus or that persistent ringing sound in your ear
Viparita Karan for hearing problems
3) Viparita Karan or legs up the wall pose is a very effective pose for all your ENT troubles. It increases blood flow to the head helping with ear troubles.
Thousands of scientific studies have been done around the benefits of meditation. They have all confirmed what Indians have always known - that meditation is a holistic approach to a happy body and mind.
1. A healthier body
2. Improved breathing
3. Increases energy levels and helps improve immunity
4. Helps control and regularise heart rate and blood pressure.
5. Regulates production of stress-hormones like Cortisol by soothing the Sympathetic Nervous System.
6. Helps focus and concentrate better
7. Reduces anxiety and stress
8. A greater ability to face tough situations
Here are 5 simple steps to start meditation:
1. Where? Any part of your home works as long it is quiet and there is no hustle-bustle around. Make sure the place you pick is also well-ventilated.
2. When? Mornings are suggested by most experts simply because meditation allows you to start off your day on a good note. Having said that, meditation can be done anytime of the day! Don’t go by what others tell you – if middle of the day works for you then go for it. Find a routine that works for you but be regular. A few minutes every day will go a long way in your efforts to master this art.
3. Don’t meditate on a heavy stomach. You don’t want to put yourself to sleep or feel drowsy. At the same time, avoid doing it just before meal-times. The idea is to find a spot in your daily schedule when you are relaxed and not distracted.
4. Close your eyes. Try to ‘collect’ your thoughts and put them away for a little while. Consciously tell yourself that for this short period of time you will not think about anything else. Take a few minutes and normalize breathing and don’t rush into things.
5.Start by focusing on your breath. Breathe normally for a few times. If it helps count the number of breaths you take, to begin with. Mediation starts first by controlling your mind to ‘concentrate’ on one thing and not wander off.
Here are some of the tips to keep from falling sick this summer:-
- Ayurveda recommends that you should wake up during the Brahma Muhurat and after attending to nature's call, do Surya Namaskara and take a light and fresh breakfast.
- Stay hydrated throughout the day by drinking water. You can also add a dash of lime and mint in water and drink every day. Make sure you do not drink chilled water as it will make you sick.
- Consume foods that have more water content. Choose to eat sweet fruits like melons, pears and grapes. Vegetables like cucumber and zucchini and dairy products such as milk and ghee should be present in your diet.
- Do not forget to add herbs in your diet. Amla, brahmi, neem and gudduchi are known to be the best cooling herbs that will keep the pitta dosha in balance.
- Avoid sour foods that may include cream and vinegar. Spicy dishes should also be avoided as they can heat up your body causing various health problems, especially digestive issues.
- Cook with cooling spices like fennel seeds, mint, anise and cardamom. Make sure you add them in your daily diet to keep the pitta dosh in balance.
- As per Ayurveda, rose water is a magic potion that has innumerable healing powers and cooling effect on the body. You can apply rose water on your skin after being exposed to sun in order to get relief from excessive heat.
- Taking a 10-15 minute walk at sunrise will help stimulate your mood and body's production of vitamin D.
- Maintaining a healthy weight: It helps promote good circulation. If a person is overweight, it may negatively affect their circulation. Losing weight improved circulation for women who were overweight. The participants increased their levels of a protein called adiponectin that is associated with vascular function.
- Practicing yoga: Yoga is a low-impact exercise that is easy to modify for beginners. It involves bending, stretching, and twisting. These movements can help to compress and decompress a person's veins, which may improve circulation. Yoga is beneficial for the cardiovascular system and a person's metabolism. A simple yoga position for beginners to try is the downward-facing dog. This helps improve circulation as it puts the hips and heart above the head, allowing gravity to increase blood flow towards the head.
- Jogging: It improves the body's ability to take in and use oxygen. It also improves the capacity of blood vessels to dilate, which helps them work more efficiently, allowing the muscles to receive oxygen more easily.
- Keeping iron levels balanced: Iron is an essential mineral for the circulatory system. It is required to make hemoglobin, one of the major components of red blood cells, which is needed to carry oxygen. Eating foods rich in iron, such as red meat or spinach, helps the body maintain this essential mineral. However, maintaining a healthful balance is necessary as well.
- Eating oily fish: The omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish promote cardiovascular health and improve circulation. Oily fish include: salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna.
For those who are vegetarian or vegan, kale contains a small amount of omega-3 fatty acid. Supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids are another option for people who do not eat fish.