Winter is a wonderful time to reset and add wellness practices to our daily routines. From yoga to meditation and reiki to overall fitness, creating a space in your home for healthy habits makes it much easier to have a daily space to enjoy them.
Yoga
Evidence shows that people have been practicing yoga since 2700 B.C., and its devotees continue incorporating it into their routine because of its advantages for the mind and body.
According to Johns Hopkins, yoga has tremendous health benefits. Yoga can assist in overall heart health since it reduces stress and inflammation. Yoga can also increase flexibility, which is especially helpful as a recovery for athletes who run, ski, and lift weights.
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A yoga studio can be set up in your home in any area, from a quiet corner in a guest suite to a flex space or even a quiet hallway.
If you don’t have a dedicated studio space, you can position your mat in a well-lit space at home, ideally near a window for natural light. In the winter, set up in a room with a fireplace for added warmth.
A few poses such as downward dog and cat-cow can help you begin your morning with stretching. Relax after a busy day with child’s pose, savasana, or legs on the wall to wind down before sleep.
Whether you are practicing yoga for overall fitness and flexibility or to manage stress and improve health, there are many different types of yoga to help you reach your goals.
Meditation
Meditation can enhance mindfulness by working on your focus and awareness. Begin with 3-5 minutes, being aware of your surroundings, and focusing on your breath. Numerous apps offer various styles of guided meditation as well.
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You can also incorporate moving meditation when you’re hiking or walking the dog. Zone in on the sensations around you, such as the sound of snow under your boots, the feeling of the sun on your face, or the wind moving tree branches.
Any quiet area can be utilized for a meditation space at home. Simply add some large floor pillows, a comfortable chair or sofa, or bolsters for a cozy seating spot. Make sure you’re warm by adding blankets or sitting near a window or the fireplace.
Water is calming and conducive to meditation, so set up a comfortable seating area near a pool, fountain, or babbling creek and let the relaxing sounds quiet your mind.
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Breathwork
Conscious breathing techniques can also help focus, calm anxious thoughts, or energize your body each morning.
Some techniques include box breathing, which can be inhaling for four counts, holding for four counts, exhaling for four counts, and resting for four counts. This can be repeated several times.
Kapalabhati breath is short, exaggerated, forceful exhales followed by calming inhales, repeated for several minutes as a way to feel invigorated.
Evening breathing to calm down can use the 4-7-8 technique. Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, and exhale for 8 counts.
Breathwork can truly be done anywhere: at your office, on the ski lift, or even at a red light in traffic. At home, find a soothing place where you can focus on your breath. This could be a bedroom, a living room, a patio or deck under the sunshine, or sitting in the hot tun.
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Enjoy the benefits of yoga, meditation, and breathwork to enhance your overall well-being, and make them a regular part of your day by dedicating a space in your home to mindfulness.