Time

 Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. ~William Penn


Are you suffering from a Daylight Savings Time hangover today? While we appreciate the extra sunlight, losing that hour of sleep can be painful for those of us who already operate on less sleep than we need. No matter how tired you feel, avoid taking a nap and instead plan to power down all your screens at least thirty minutes before your usual bedtime. Research shows that the light from our devices can interfere with melatonin levels, disrupting our sleep cycles. Here's a quick article with more info: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/really-using-a-computer-before-bed-can-disrupt-sleep/

Another way to recover from "Spring ahead" weekend is to simply spend some time in the sun. Vitamin D helps regulate melatonin release. Read more here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/432327-vitamin-d-deficiency-sleep/

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1. Become aware of your breath by placing one hand on your lower belly and the other hand on your chest. Just notice the rise and fall: where do you sense the beginning of the inhale and what changes come with the exhale? Stay here and pay attention for the next 5 breaths until you feel calm and focused.

2. Use your left hand to slowly massage your right forearm, moving the thumb in wide circles with gentle pressure. Continue to massage the wrist then the palm of the hand and finally each individual fingers. Take your time, breathing calmly as you feel the tension melt away. Repeat with left forearm and hand. 

3. Sit up straight with shoulders relaxed back. Bring your forearms across your chest so that you can use your hands to clasp the opposite elbow. Still holding your elbows, lift the arms to shoulder height and tuck in the lower belly. Taking a deep inhale, fold at the hips and bring the forearms down to rest on the thighs, still hand-to-elbow. Tuck your chin to your chest and keep your back flat, belly tucked in. Breathe here for 5 full breaths.

4. Come back to sitting upright, sitting tall with belly tight, straighten one leg with the foot flexed, toes pointing up. See if you can lift your thigh off the chair seat, just an inch or two. Slowly pulse the leg up and down with your breath: lift on an inhale and lower thigh to the chair on an exhale. Leg stays straight the whole time. Lower the foot back to the floor after 5 lifts then repeat with your other leg.

5. Warrior 2: Move to the edge of the seat and open with legs wide, with left knee turned out to the left side and right leg straight out to the right with foot flat on the floor. Torso, with belly tightened, stays facing forward toward your PC monitor. Use an inhale to lift both arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Turn your head to look out over your left hand. Take 5 full breaths here then repeat on right side.

6. Settle back comfortably in your chair and repeat #1 for 10 breaths before returning to your day.