Are you finding yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, unable to stay asleep? Or maybe you’ve always struggled with falling asleep, but now it’s taking hours instead of 30 minutes for shut-eye to kick in.

With a high-stress environment caused by the pandemic, the US presidential election and a world constantly evolving with debates and quarantine rules, it’s no wonder why many people are suffering from insomnia.

The definition of insomnia is “persistent difficulty with sleep initiation, duration, consolidation or quality,” according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. I know this battle all too well. Prior to becoming a certified yoga instructor and health coach, I had my own struggles with insomnia and was on sleep medication.

Determined to change my habits and improve my sleep, I took up a yoga class on a whim after a recommendation from a friend. It was a weekly class that focused on slow, deep breathing; self-acceptance; and connecting breath with movement.

After two months of doing the class, I no longer needed my sleeping medication to fall asleep. It was as if my insomnia was cured, so to speak. It has been almost 20 years since I started my yoga practice. Insomnia, however, has crept its way back at different points in my life. This reminds me to recommit to my yoga practice and deep breathing, as I had experienced its transformative results firsthand.

In fact, a regular yoga routine helps with not only insomnia but also improved total sleep time and sleep efficiency, according to research.

Perhaps you’re a skeptic on yoga, or you don’t know where to begin. I designed this insomnia yoga routine just for you to focus on poses that bring inward calm to your nervous system and allow your body to relax. Whether you do this routine right before bed, during the day or in the morning, a regular practice is what’s most important in order to help with insomnia.

Breathwork and mindfulness is also a major part of this yoga routine. Breathing in through the nose and out through the nose helps calm the nervous system. As you hold each yoga pose, think of breathing in and filling your body up with air, and breathing out to release deeper into the pose. This mindful attention to your body and to your breath, studies have shown, helps improve sleep, too.

Mountain pose

This pose allows you to start by feeling grounded and centered with the breath. It connects you to the Earth, aligns your spine and allows your body to ease into the start of the yoga practice.

Standing with your feet as wide as your hips, press down evenly through all 10 toes and squeeze your quadriceps (the large muscle at the front of each thigh) to engage your legs. Pull your naval in toward your spine. Roll your shoulders back, and allow the arms to dangle down by your sides with the shoulders externally rotated. Open the palms to face forward.

Bring the chin back so that the upper back is straight. Relax the shoulders. Take five slow, deep breaths breathing in through the nose and out through the nose. Fill up the belly and then the chest as you inhale, and release the chest then the belly as you exhale.

Forward fold clasping opposite elbows

This pose has a calming effect on the nervous system because it places your body in a position that is inward-focused. Holding on to opposite elbows also provides traction for your shoulders and neck to help relieve tension in the upper body.

Stand with your feet as wide as your hips, place your hands on your hips and slowly hinge forward at your waist. Allow your arms to dangle down, and then hold on to opposite elbows with your head in the center.

Slowly shake your head yes and no, and press the weight evenly down through both feet. Hold for five deep breaths, and then release the arms down and slowly roll up to standing.

Triangle pose

This pose opens up the inner thighs and groin which can become tight and stiff after working from home in awkward positions. This pose also opens up the side waist and low back. A tight low back and inner thighs contribute to hip and back pain that can cause you to stay up at night.

Step the feet out wider than the shoulders, and turn the left foot in at a 45 degree angle so that the toes are facing toward the front corner of the mat. Turn the right foot so that it points straight to the right edge of the mat with the right heel lined up with the arch of the left foot. Open the arms out to the sides, and turn to look over the right fingertips.

Hinge forward with the right hand, and then lower the right hand down toward the right shin. Feel a stretch on the left side waist. Press down evenly through both feet and open the shoulders so that they are stacked on top of each other. Hold for three breaths, and then come up to the starting position.

Turn the feet to repeat on the left side.

Crescent lunge

Tight hip flexors also contribute to low back pain which can keep you awake at night. By opening up the hips in a low lunge position, your body will feel more relaxed without feeling overly energized. This is a great pose if you’re sedentary or sitting all day as the hip flexors get tight from being in a cramped position throughout the day.

Step your right foot forward and your left food back. Lower the left knee onto the ground underneath the left hip. Bend the right knee over the right ankle. Reach the arms up towards the sky, relax the shoulders, pull the naval in toward the spine, and breathe for five slow breaths.

Release the arms down, and turn around to face the opposite side of the mat and repeat with the left foot forward.

Wide-leg forward fold

This is another inward-facing pose, with your head positioned below your waist and the back of the legs being stretched. This has a soothing effect on the nervous system. Stretching the back of the body also helps relieve tension from the neck all the way down the spine and down the back of the legs.

Open your arms out wide and then step your feet out as wide as your wrists. Be sure to point the toes forward. Hinge forward at your waist and allow your arms to dangle down in front of you and then place the palms of your hands down flat on the mat. Release the chin toward the chest.

Hold this for five deep breaths, and then slowly come up to standing by pressing down through your feet.

Standing pigeon pose

Another forward fold, this pose aids in winding down the mind, body and nervous system and also stretches one of the largest muscles in the body: the glutes.

Standing with your feet as wide as your hips and balance on your left leg as you lift your right leg up and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Bend the left knee and place your hands together at the center of your chest. Relax the shoulders. Flex the right foot and slowly lean forward over the legs only as far as is comfortable for you.

Hold for three deep breaths, and then slowly stand up and release. Repeat on the other side.

Flow through this sequence at any point in the day. While doing yoga before bed can help wind down the nervous system, performing this sequence at any point throughout the day will have a calming effect on the body and aid in your body’s ability to wind down when it’s time for bed.

If you have days when you’re not in the mood to unroll your yoga mat, switch things up with our five-minute yoga routine that can be done in bed! Both of these routines will go a long way toward helping you wind down for more peaceful slumber.

The post Yoga for stress-related insomnia appeared first on MyMedicPlus.

A dermatologist has revealed her top tips to protecting your skin from damaging city pollution, which can reduce antioxidants in skin and disrupt collagen production, aging skin as a result.

Shocking statistics released by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs recently revealed that city pollution increases by a staggering 20 per cent on weekdays compared to weekends.

And now a skin expert has told FEMAIL that as well serious environmental implications and health consequences, pollution can have an ageing impact on our skin.

According to leading skincare clinic group sknclinics.co.uk only 23 per cent of Brits know how to protect their skin from harm, while 75 per cent of Londoners feel their commute has a negative impact on the condition of their skin.

Consultant Jinah Yoo revealed that deep cleansing at night to rid the pores of deep-set grime, as well as using SPF on a daily basis – even in the winter – and drinking eight glasses of water by 8pm, are all ways to keep your skin looking youthful.

Explaining how pollution can affect the skin, Jinah Yoo said: ‘There are several mechanisms by which air pollution can affect the skin.

‘Ozone, which is one of the major air pollutants, generates free radicals which leads to a reduction in the antioxidants in our skin, as well as disrupting collagen production and destroying the skin’s barrier. As a result, it promotes skin ageing.

‘With long-term exposure to air pollutants, you may see the signs of skin ageing which will appear as wrinkles, brown spots, uneven skin tone, dehydration and loosing elasticity of the skin.

‘Air pollutants also cause skin inflammation and increased pigment production.

‘What’s more, some of the air pollutants are small enough to penetrate into pores which can be trapped and cause acne-like spots.’

Advising how the ideal daily skincare routine should look, she continued: ‘There are four important daily skincare steps you should consider: deep cleansing, antioxidant application, moisturiser and sunscreen.

‘Firstly, deep cleansing at night will help to remove pollutants accumulated on the surface of the skin during the daytime.

‘After cleansing, application of an antioxidant cream containing vitamin C and E, which inhibit free radical formation, will help to delay the skin ageing process caused by extrinsic factors such as air pollution or UV.

‘However, choosing the right antioxidant and using it correctly is important. Vitamin C cream comes in various concentrations (5-20 per cent), it is best to start with a low concentration, then gradually increase the concentration as starting with high strength can occasionally cause skin irritation’.

Medical Director and specialist in Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology, at sk:n, Dr Hussein, shared his top daily skincare tips for keeping your face clean and clear in the city.

Keep an eye on the pollution forecast and air quality which will have a colour-coded map to show the areas of the UK worst effected by pollution.

Avoid spending unnecessary time near busy roads and traffic ingested areas when the map is coded in red, which is a ‘high’ air pollution banding, or purple, which signifies very high.

If you do find yourself unavoidable in a pollution hotspot, try to avoid touching your face during the day, and wash your face as soon as you get home.

Thoroughly cleansing your skin at night will help to remove pollutants accumulated on the surface of it during the daytime.

Exfoliating is a great way to remove the top layer of mostly dead, epidermal cells on the outer surface of the skin to expose fresher brighter skin.

Try an exfoliating cleanser that contains glycolic acid and glycerine to remove dead skin cells, clear pores, moisturise and rejuvenate the skin.

After a busy day avoid the temptation to use make-up wipes to cleanse your skin – they’re not a viable alternative to a proper cleanse and you could be doing more harm than good.

Make-up wipes can simply spread make-up, dirt and skin over your face, leaving irritated skin in their wake, and often contain ingredients such as alcohol or certain preservatives that will irritate more delicate skin types.

The scrubbing action that is often accompanied with their use can cause inflammation that, over time, can promote skin pigmentation.

After cleansing, application of an antioxidant cream containing vitamin C and E, which inhibit free radical formation, will help to delay the skin ageing process caused by extrinsic factors such as air pollution or UV.

Vitamin C cream comes in various concentrations (5-20 per cent), and it is best to start with a low concentration, then gradually increase the concentration as starting with high strength can occasionally cause skin irritation.

Keeping your skin well-moisturised will help to maintain an intact skin barrier, vital for protection against pollution.

Apply moisturiser morning and night after cleansing your face. You may wish to use a heavier moisturiser in the evening and a lighter one in the day.

Air pollution can affect everyone, however patients with underlying skin conditions with a broken skin barrier, such as eczema, may experience worsening of their eczema with exposure to air pollution.

Sun cream should be a key element of everyone’s daily skin routine, and not just in the summer.

Using sun cream which contains UV and visible light block will help to reduce signs of skin ageing.

It’s tempting to use more cosmetics to cover up any skin imperfections, however, by doing this it clogs your pores even more and triggers further outbreaks or can be what caused one in the first place.

Going cold turkey isn’t always a realistic option more some people so instead why try going one day a week with no make-up or using mineral cosmetics instead.

The worst culprits for causing breakouts are heavy use of foundation – look for products that are non-comedogenic, sheer, and fragrance-free.

When skin is dehydrated, it will be dull, lack moisture and therefore lustre.

The phrase ‘8 by 8’ is useful at keeping track of how many glasses of water you consume before the end of the day; simply drink eight glasses of water by 8pm, a minimum of 2 litres, and you’ll have had your fill for the day.

Whilst maintaining a good daily skincare routine will help protect your skin from damage, there are a variety of treatments that can help improve skin pigmentation and tone whilst rejuvenating the skin – including hydrofacials and laser treatments.

The post How to stop city pollution from aging your skin appeared first on MyMedicPlus.