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08 Mar

Brain Health and Sleep

Sleep and Brain Health

We all know that sleep is essential for good health. But did you know just how important sleep is for the health of the brain? Even though we may be fast asleep, the brain is still working for us, still functioning, doing its job to keep us healthy. Here are just 3 of the many ways that sleep helps us to keep the brain in tip-top shape:

  • “Housecleaning” The brain is always active with neurons firing. When we are awake, we constantly have jobs for the brain to do; it’s always busy working for us. Then when we go to sleep, the brain has a chance to catch up, to clear out and recycle toxins through a drainage system called the “glymphatic system.” This is vital because scientists say that a build up of waste products in the brain is linked to various brain disorders.

 

  • Sleep improves our learning capability and capacity by helping the brain to create and consolidate memories.

The learning process is made up of the 3 Rs: Reception, Retention, and Recall. Getting a good night’s sleep before we learn something helps the brain to be more receptive; sleep prepares the brain for learning. Good sleep before we learn also helps the brain to retain short-term memory, so we learn more quickly. Then after we have learned something, it is important to get a good night sleep so that we improve our long-term memory, and also our recall. Sleep helps the memories to “stick” so that we can retrieve them when we need them.

 

  • Sleep helps to boost our creativity. During the sleep state our brain can make unexpected connections that might now have been seen in the waking state. How many times have you woken up with that “aha” moment, or been able to solve a problem that has eluded you during the day? Sleep gives the brain a chance to process all the various stimuli that we are exposed to during the day, bringing some order to it all. It helps us to make sense of things, and pick out what is relevant in any given situation.

 

Sleep is also a great tool for helping us to process emotions. It gives us a different perspective on things. So the advice to “sleep on it” before making a big decision is definitely good advice! On the other hand, when someone says “Never go to bed angry,” that is not good advice. Rather than stay up all night fighting and wearing yourselves out, call a time-out and get some sleep. Chances are that you’ll wake up with a new outlook, and the anger will have subsided. Relationship saved!

There are 2 great ways to ensure that you get a good night’s sleep. The first is to have a sleep routine. Get to bed at the same time each night. Turn off all technology one hour before bedtime. Computer screens keep the brain active, so it’s hard to wind down when you go straight from the screen to bed. Instead, use this time to read a relaxing book, listen to some music, do some gentle yoga poses, or take a nice bath. You need that transition time between activity and sleep.

And the second way to get a good night’s sleep is to create for yourself a sleep sanctuary. A mattress is the foundation of a good night’s sleep. Make sure you have the best mattress that you can afford, and check often for signs of wear and tear. If your mattress is older than 5-7 years old, it’s probably time for a new one. Make sure your room is cool, dark, and comfortable. Keep clutter out of the bedroom, and make sure that your bedroom doesn’t look like an office. Your bedroom should be used for sleep and sex only!

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sleep well!

If you’d like more sleep tips, check out the Better Sleep Council’s website: http://www.bettersleep.org

 

 

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12 Feb

The Doshas at Work

In any work environment, whether it’s in an office, a store, a committee or a club, it is best to have all of the doshas represented.  When there is a nice balance of Vata, Pitta and Kapha types working together, then the most amount of work will get done in the shortest period of time.  Vatas are the creative ones, the “idea” people.  They’ll get things started.  Pittas are the leaders, and the organizers.  They’ll come up with a plan to turn the creative idea into something tangible.  Kaphas are the dependable ones.  They’ll make sure the work gets done and that the project comes to completion.  You can imagine how out of balance a committee would be with all of one type of dosha on it.  Vatas would sit around brain-storming all day.  Pittas would argue about who should be the project manager.  And Kaphas would have a nice time socializing.  But in combination, the doshas use their strengths and can end up with some pretty wonderful achievements!


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

Bring the Outdoors In

One of the best ways to make our living environment comfortable is to bring nature into the mix as much as possible.  When we bring the outdoors in, we feel more balanced, and more in harmony with the elements.  Large windows let in sunlight and blue sky, and when opened they allow in fresh air.  Plants freshen the atmosphere and lend life to any space.  We can honor the element of fire with candles, and the element of water with fountains and flower arrangements.  Wood and stone represent earth, and are very grounding.  Pay attention to how you feel in any given space, and make sure each of the elements is represented in some way.


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

The Power of Silence

There are many different types of meditation.  We can be guided by someone’s voice and the words they use to send us on an inner journey.  We can relax to music.  We can soothe our physiology with singing crystal bowls.  But one of the most powerful tools that we can use in meditation is silence.  All the wisdom of the universe is in the silence.  When we can just still ourselves long enough to listen, and merge into that silence, much learning, and much healing, can take place.

More info about meditation: http://www.psmeditation.com


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

Ayurveda and Depression

According to Ayurveda, depression is generally a Kapha imbalance.  Too much Kapha in our systems causes us to feel sluggish and slow.  We lack motivation and that get-up-and-go feeling.  Springtime is Kapha season, so we are all a little more prone to excess Kapha at this time of year.  Kapha also brings with it more congestion, and environmental sensitivity like allergies.  To help balance Kapha, exercise more vigorously.  Avoid oily, heavy foods, dairy, nuts and sweets.  Add more spices to your diet and favor foods that have the taste of bitter, pungent or astringent.  Balance Ayurvedic makes an herbal formula called AyurRenew which is helpful in relieving depression.

Ayur Renew – Balance Ayurvedic


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

OM

The mantra OM is significant in Vedic culture in many ways.  It is the most sacred symbol there is, representing the Universal, the All, the One.  The sound OM, or Aum, contains all of the vowel sounds.  Om is pronounced as if it rhymes with “home.” In Sanskrit, OM is written with 3 strokes, one semi-circle and a dot.  The 3 curved strokes represent the waking state, the sleeping state and the dreaming state.  The dot represents the Absolute, or the Truth, which illuminates the other three states.  The semi-circle separates the dot from the other three curves, it represents Maya, or illusion.  It is illusion that keeps us from seeing the Truth.  The semi-circle is open on the top, illustrating that the Truth is not affected by illusion.  If you’d like to see the OM symbol written out in Sanskrit, check out the drawing we have up in The Sanskrit Store.


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

Yoga Mamas

Newday magazine ran an article in their October issue that stated that Soccer Moms are passe, and Yoga Mamas are hot!  What does this mean?  A new trend is forming.  This trend shows that people are becoming more interested in all things spiritual.  We’re not only taking care of ourselves, we’re taking care of each other.  Ayurveda is a huge part of this.  Yoga, Ayurveda and meditation are all sister sciences.  In India you wouldn’t think of practicing one without the other.  The growing interest in yoga has helped us to see other ways that we can learn and grow and experience more of ourselves.  Wonderful!  To celebrate this trend I’ve come up with Yoga Mama gift items in the Dosha Yoga Store.  Check it out for yourself, or the Yoga Mama in your life!


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

Chakra Meditation

Meditation is very important in the Ayurvedic lifestyle. Ayurveda is all about balance, and meditation helps us to balance silence with activity. The chakras, the discovery of which dates back to the origins of Ayurveda, are energy centers in our spiritual body. The seven main chakras are located approximately from the base of our spine to the top of our head. Each center corresponds with different energies that influence our organs and emotions. There are Sanskrit names for each of the seven chakras, and I have illustrated these both in the “What’s Your Dosha, Baby?” book and on my psmeditation.com site. On the website you’ll find a chakra meditation – it’s really nice because you can see the location of the chakras, the colors associated with each, and the Sanskrit names of each. I encourage you to try this meditation. It’s relaxing, and it’s healing at the same time.

Interactive Chakra meditation at: http://www.psmeditation.com


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

Romio, Romio!

I love Indian artwork, and they have some beautiful pieces at The Chopra Center at La Costa.  Deepak knows an amazing artist named Romio Shrestha, and some of his paintings are hanging at the Center.  I fell in love with Romio’s work the minute I saw it.  His paintings are mesmerizing, so filled with detail and meaning.  Each one tells a story, and I can just look at them for hours taking it all in.  I went to one of Romio’s exhibits in Los Angeles recently and it felt great to be surrounded by all of the deities that he had painted.  It is very expensive to purchase one of the original paintings, but Romio has a collection of some of his work, in book form, for sale at a reasonable price.  Deepak Chopra wrote the foreword to the book, and Robert Thurman, another collector, wrote the afterword.  The book, called “Celestial Gallery” is oversized, so the pictures in size are large, too, though not nearly as large as the original paintings!  I got the book and framed one of the pages that is now hanging in my living room.  Romio’s mandalas, painted in the ancient Tibetan tradition, are meant to inspire heightened states of intention and clarity.  When I look at this book I can see why.


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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12 Feb

Indigestion

I see ads on TV every day for all kinds of over the counter medications for hyperacidity and indigestion.  This has to be a big problem for Americans, and given the typical American diet, I’m not surprised.  It’s not just what we eat, but the way we eat it.  Ayurveda explains that we all have an internal digestive fire, agni, and when that is in balance then we can digest, assimilate, and eliminate our food with ease.  When agni is out of balance, the result can be heartburn, reflux, indigestion, hyperacidity, or even ulcers.  Besides eating healthy meals, and following the recommendations for eating the ayurvedic way (take time to eat, largest meal at lunch, etc), there are ayurvedic herbs which call help relieve stomach problems.  Ayur-Relief, from Balance Ayurvedic, is a dietary supplement that acts as a kind of herbal antacid.  It reduces inflammation of the stomach’s mucous membrane, and relieves the pain of indigestion.

Ayur Relief – Balance Ayurvedic


Lissa Coffey’s online newsletters and article content may be reprinted provided the following credit line is included:

Lissa Coffey is an author, media personality, and the founder of CoffeyTalk.com (Reprinted with permission Copyright © Bamboo Entertainment, Inc.)

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