Yoga Nidra takes you to the space between wakefulness and sleep -- and it can galvanize and relax you at the very same time.
If eight hours of slumber sounds like a dream to you and counting sheep just doesn’t do the trick, ASMR might be your ticket to a good night’s sleep. Described as a tingling sensation that starts in the head or neck and travels down the body, this practice uses an assortment of sounds, referred to as ‘triggers.’ These can be anything from talking softly, whispering, tapping or the sound of someone brushing their hair. The...
When it comes to the health, fitness and wellness industry there are certainly some unusual concepts out there. From cupping to tuning forks, you probably thought you’d heard it all. But have you heard of ‘ASMR’? For years now, people have been taking to the internet to produce Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response — aka ASMR — to relax perfect strangers and lull them to sleep. ASMR is said to be the sense of euphoria that starts...
The environment has many layers - home, workplace, community and planet - and all of them affect our immune system in both positive and negative ways. Even small changes, like choosing the right paint, can help against damaging our health and immunity.
My parents tried to limit the time I spent watching TV when I was young. It wasn’t easy for them. Now screens are everywhere and the battle to minimize time spent on them has become even more difficult. We can’t control the fact that screens are here to stay, but we can help our children better navigate a screen-filled world. The most important thing to remember is the importance to children of face-to-face interaction, which...
We live in a world where we’re constantly told that we cannot accept ourselves as we are and at the same preaches superficial forms of self-love that are sentimental and self-indulgent. In the name of ‘self-love’ and ‘body positivity,’ people create a facade of loving and accepting themselves, while their sense of self remains fragile as they drown in confusion, self-doubt and self-criticism. Who can blame them? From media messages to competitive comparisons, we are...
I’m lying on my stomach on the floor of a treatment room at Seven Wellness, a yoga and wellbeing center on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. Vera Kamaeva has just placed a Tibetan singing bowl on the upturned arch of my right foot. She is tapping it with a felted tool and, as a result, the sound waves are reverberating somewhere up into the middle of my calf. As I often do when I’m at...
Thanks to the valiant efforts of teachers and parents alike, virtual learning has kept school afloat for many during the initial lockdown and as the pandemic continues. But it has not been easy for anyone, however, and for many children, adjusting to new ways of learning via Zoom or other tele-conferencing platforms can exacerbate anxiety and amplify existing mental health issues. “For some students it can feel like a daily form of torture, significantly increasing...
When to give a child their first “connected device” — aka a smartphone or any gadget that connects to the internet — has become one of the biggest decisions any parent will make. Even if it’s a gaming console, e-reader or smartwatch, parents are aware that all of these devices are capable of connecting their child to a world of people and information at all times. Any misstep might end with information about your child...
It’s World Cancer Day and someone you know has had a cancer diagnosis. Not only are you shaken, but this is all new, and you want to be sure to support them in the right way. It’s hard to know what to say to someone who has been diagnosed, which is why so many of us struggle with how to be there for them, talk to them and provide the right kind of care without...
Social anxiety is the persistent fear of behaving in a way perceived would be embarrassing or humiliating. It is especially common in teenagers and young adults and can affect personal, social and professional life.
