How Stress Affects Mental Health

When someone is under chronic stress, it begins to negatively affect his or her physical and mental health. The body’s stress response was not made to be continuously engaged. Many people encounter stress from multiple sources, including work; money, health, and relationship worries; and media overload.
With so many sources of stress, it is difficult to find time to relax and disengage. This is why stress is one of the biggest health problems facing people today.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress increases the risk of developing health problems including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and a weakened immune system. Chronic stress also affects a person’s mental health. Many studies show a correlation between stress and the development of mood disorders such as anxiety disorders and depression.

According to the American Psychological Association’s latest stress survey, 66 percent of people regularly experience physical symptoms of stress, and 63 percent experience psychological symptoms.

Link between Stress & Mental Health

Although many studies have shown a link between stress and mental health problems, the reason behind this connection has remained unclear. Recent research from the University of California, Berkeley, has discovered new insight into why stress can be so detrimental to a person’s psyche.

Previous research has found physical differences in the brains of people with stress disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and those without. One of the main distinctions is that the ratio of the brain’s white matter to gray matter is higher in those with stress-related mental disorders compared to those without.

People who experience chronic stress have more white matter in some areas of the brain. The UC Berkeley study wanted to find out the underlying reason for this alteration in the brain composition.

Gray Matter

Gray matter in the brain is composed mainly of two types of cells: neurons, which process and store information, and glia, cells that support the neurons.
White matter mostly is composed of axons, which form a network of fibers to connect the neurons. It is called white matter because of the white, fatty “sheath” of myelin coating that insulates the nerves and accelerates the transmission of the signals between the cells. 

For this study, the researchers focused on the cells that produce myelin in the brain to see if they could find a connection between stress and the proportion of gray brain matter to white.

Hippocampus The researchers performed a series of experiments on adult rats, focusing on the hippocampus region of the brain (which regulates memory and emotions). During the experiments, they found the neural stem cells behaved differently than expected. Prior to this study, the general belief was that these stem cells would only become neurons or astrocyte cells, a type of glial cell. However, under stress, these cells became another type of glial cells, oligodendrocyte, which are the myelin-producing cells. These cells also help form the synapses, which are the communication tools that allow nerve cells to exchange information. 

Thus, chronic stress causes more myelin-producing cells and fewer neurons. This disrupts the balance in the brain, causing communication in the brain cells to lose its normal timing, which could lead to problems.

  
Stress Disorders & Brain Connectivity
This might mean that people with stress disorders, such as PTSD, have alterations in their brain connectivity. This might lead to a stronger connection between the hippocampus and the amygdala (the area that processes the fight-or-flight response). It might also cause weaker connectivity between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex (the area that moderates the responses).

If the amygdala and hippocampus have a stronger connection, the response to fear is more rapid. If the connection between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus is weaker, then the ability to calm down and shut off the stress response is impaired. Therefore, in a stressful situation, a person with this imbalance will have a stronger response with a limited ability to shut down that response.

Oligodencdrocyte Cells

This study shows that the oligodendrocyte cells might play a key role in long-term changes to the brain that could lead to mental health problems. The researchers also believe that the stem cells which, due to chronic stress, are becoming myelin-producing cells rather than neurons, affect cognitive function, because it is the neurons that process and transmit the electrical information necessary for learning and memory skills.

More research is required to verify these findings, including studying humans rather than rats, which the researchers have planned. However, this study provides important insight into why chronic stress affects the brain and mental health, and how early intervention can help prevent the development of certain mental health problems.

Reference by:  Marissa Maldonado

The most incorrectly gym exercises

Get the most out of your workouts and avoid injury with these tips for the 10 exercises most frequently performed incorrectly.
 
From lifting too much weight to poor technique, an incorrectly performed exercise can mean you're not getting the benefits you're looking for, and can even cause pain and damage.
According to a poll of 942 fitness professionals by sports retailer Sweatband.com, top of the list is the bicep curl, followed by stomach crunches and the chest press.

Physiotherapist describes the most common exercises done incorrectly and explains how to do them safely and efficiently. 
To maximise the benefits of these exercises, aim to perform them in a slow and controlled manner, going through the full range of motion and lifting within your comfort zone.

Bicep curls
Target: front of the upper arm

The most commonly reported error was people simply trying to lift too much weight, which engages the shoulders and reduces the effort on the biceps. 

If the weight is too heavy, you'll be working the shoulders and not properly targeting your biceps, your shoulders will hunch forward instead of staying back as you lift the weight, which can cause injury.

Leaning backwards when lifting too much weight puts a lot of pressure on the lower back, which can also lead to injury. To maximise the efficiency of the bicep curl, lift within your comfort zone, keep your back still and straight, and focus the effort on the biceps only. If you can't do the exercise with the correct technique, it means the weight may be too heavy.

How to do a bicep curl correctly:

• Stand tall with your shoulder blades back and down, and contract your abs.
• Keep your back, elbows and shoulders still.
• Curl your arms up until they're in front of your shoulders. 

Stomach crunches 

Target: abdominals

Common mistakes that reduce the effectiveness of a stomach crunch are tucking the chin into your chest, jerking up into a crunch, raising yourself too high off the floor, and not keeping your abs contracted throughout the exercise.

All the work should come from the abs, not the neck, If done properly, you should not feel any strain in the neck.While crunches improve posture, stabilise the core muscles and contribute to a healthy back, doing hundreds of them is probably a waste of time. No matter how many crunches you do, you won't get a six-pack if your abs are hidden under layers of fat.
 
How to do a crunch correctly:

• Curl up until your shoulders are about three inches off the floor.
• Don't tuck your neck into your chest as you rise – imagine a tennis ball between your chin and chest.
• Contract your abs throughout the exercise.
• Don't jerk your head off the floor. 

Chest press

Target: chest, shoulders and triceps



Failing to keep the shoulders back and down was the most frequently reported mistake with the chest press.To perform a chest press correctly and reduce your risk of shoulder injury, you should keep your shoulders back and down throughout the entire movement. 

The common mistake is to round the shoulders forward and upward as you press, which not only reduces the work on the chest but also puts the shoulders in a vulnerable position. 
  
There is also a tendency to recruit the legs and buttocks to help with the effort. Don't contort your body in an effort to lift the weight – if you can't maintain proper form, you're lifting too much.
 
How to do a chest press correctly:

• Keep your shoulders back and down.
• Contract your abs throughout the exercise and keep your neck relaxed.
• Maintain a natural arch in your lower back – don't let it arch too much.
• Don't lock your elbows when raising the weight.

Squat lift

Target: thighs, buttocks and lower back

Putting too much pressure on the lower back and not enough leg work were the most commonly observed mistakes with the squat lift. Don't round your back, your spine needs to remain in a neutral position throughout the exercise. All the effort should come from the leg muscles. 
 
To keep your back in the correct position, keep your back straight and contract your core muscles and buttocks. As you lower yourself, imagine sitting back on a chair, and do not let your knees lean over your toes.
Practice correct technique using a weight lifting bar or squat rack without weights in front of a mirror, when you come to using weights, it's advisable to have someone experienced watch you.

How to do a squat lift correctly:

• Feet should be shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out.
• Keep your shoulders back and down and your chest pushed out.
• Shoulders should remain directly above the hips.
• Lower yourself as if you were sitting back on a chair.
• Keep your weight on your heels, not the toes, throughout the movement.
• Don't let your knees lean over your toes as you lower yourself. 

Lat pulldown

Target: back and bicep muscles
 
Pulling the bar down behind the neck was the most commonly reported issue with the lat pulldown. When people perform the lat pulldown behind the neck, they tend to bend their head forward as they bring down the bar, which puts strain on the neck and shoulders, It's safer to bring the bar down in front of your body.  

To perform the lat pulldown correctly, lean a little bit back from your hips, bring the shoulder blades back and down, and pull the bar down towards your chest. Keep your spine in a neutral position and engage your core muscles throughout the exercise to protect your back, If you find you're arching your back as you pull down, it probably means you're lifting too much.

How to do a lat pulldown correctly:

• Keep your shoulders back and down.
• Lean a little bit back from your hips.
• Pull the bar down towards your chest.
• Contract your core muscles. 
• Don't arch your back. 

The plank

Target: Stomach and back muscles
 
The plank is an effective exercise for developing your core strength around the spine, but bad form can hurt your shoulders and back.  The common mistake here is sagging at the hips or raising the bottom too high, raised buttocks or collapsing back are a sign of a weak core, either way, you are reducing the effectiveness of the exercise. 
 
A collapsing back also puts an excessive amount of pressure on your lower back, which can lead to back pain. To get the best results, always maintain perfect form, If you lose form during the exercise, it means your muscles are tiring. Stop and have a rest. You can build up how long you do the plank gradually.

How to do the plank correctly:

• Keep your legs straight and hips raised to create a straight and rigid line from head to toe.
• Your shoulders should be directly above your elbows.
• Keep your abs contracted during the exercise.
• Don't allow your lower back to sink during the exercise.
• Look down at the floor. 

Bent over row

Target: back muscles and biceps
 
A hunched back was the most common error reported among people doing bent over rows.
Having a curved spine when doing this exercise puts a lot of pressure on your back and can cause injury, you should maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.

To correct this mistake, pull in your core muscles, look ahead of you and keep the chest high. Pull the bar up towards the waist, not the chest. Pinch your shoulder blades together as you pull the bar towards your waist, to get the full benefits from this move, pull the bar all the way up to the waist just above the belly button, keeping elbows tucked in, and lower the bar by straightening the arms completely. 

How to do a bent over row correctly:

• Bend forward at the waist, keeping your chest high.
• Bend your knees slightly and keep your back straight.
• Keep your shoulders back and down.
• Pull the bar towards your waist, just above the belly button.   

Leg press

Target: thighs and buttocks
 
Starting with your knees bent right into your chest was the most common mistake with the leg press.
This starting position is often referred to as 'going too deep' and it puts a lot of pressure on your lower back. 

In the starting position, your legs should not be bent more than 90 degrees. When you straighten the legs, push through the heels and not the toes to avoid straining the knees. Don't lock your knees when you straighten the legs. As you straighten your legs, maintain a neutral spine and keep your neck relaxed. Maintain a neutral spine: don't flatten your lower back against your support.

How to do a leg press correctly:

• Start with your knees bent at no more than 90 degrees.
• Straighten your legs by pushing through the heels, not the toes.
• Don't lock your knees at the top of the move.
• Maintain your lower back's natural curve – don't flatten your lower back against the support.
• Keep your neck relaxed and your head pressed against the support. 

Leg lifts

Target: abs, hip flexors
 
The most common mistake observed with leg lifts is allowing the lower back to arch excessively during the lift, which not only strains the back, but makes the move much less effective as an abdominal exercise. 

If you don't keep your back muscles and abs contracted, you're only working your hip flexors, If you're just starting out with this exercise, focus on doing a few while focusing on proper technique, you can increase the number of repetitions gradually. 

To get the most out of this exercise, the physiotherapist advises lowering and lifting the legs slowly while keeping the abs under constant contraction and without letting your heels touch the ground. When you feel your lower back starting to arch, it's time to stop.

How to do leg lifts correctly:

• Don't flatten your lower back against the surface – maintain the lower back's natural curve.
• Keep your head and shoulders pressed against the floor.
• Your neck should be relaxed.
• Keep your abs contracted throughout the exercise. 

Lunges

Target: thighs and buttocks
 
Done properly, lunges are a great exercise to improve your core strength, but all too often people are risking injury because of poor technique.
One of the most commonly reported errors with lunges is stepping into the lunge and allowing the front knee to lean over the toes, this puts a lot of stress on the knee. 

Other common mistakes include leaning the upper body forward or to one side instead of staying upright, and looking down, which can strain the neck,
using improper form not only has less benefit for the thighs and buttocks, but it can result in injury, especially to the knees and back.

How to do a lunge correctly:

• Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90 degrees.
• Don't let your front knee lean over the toes as you lunge. 
• Keep your upper body upright at all times and look straight ahead.

Yoga poses helping you get better posture

As a yoga teacher I find myself more conscientious about the way I’m sitting or standing.  
Sometimes at my day job I find myself slumping over in my chair and then it suddenly dawns on me how I’m sitting. I have been practicing poor posture for so long that I now have to practice good posture. Especially as a yoga teacher, I should lead by example and should not be sitting hunched over. So, even I have to remind myself about good posture once in a while.

Recent studies have shown yoga to improve posture, and it’s not surprising that this is true. 

In addition to increasing body awareness, yoga strengthens the core and lengthens the spine. The spine is the thing that holds up our body all day long, so it’s important to keep it in tip-top condition. Not to mention it has to support that heavy bowling ball of a head we carry around all day long!

Try these simple poses during your day to improve your posture:

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Yes, this is a yoga pose. It doesn’t feel like it at first, but it’s a very active pose.

Stand tall, feel your feet on the ground, open your chest with arms at your sides, slightly tuck your tailbone, engage your thighs, roll your shoulders back and down to lower your shoulder blades, and bring your chin back so your ears are above your shoulders. It’s all in the chin and you want to align your body from feet to head.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) This is probably one of my favorite poses because I can literally feel my spine lengthen as I fold over towards my feet. 

Just hang there, grab your elbows with your opposite hands, and breathe. After you release your arms, try looking up by opening the chest and flattening your back on an inhale. Then exhale and fold again. 

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This is an ideal pose for strengthening the back and opening the chest. Place your hands on the mat in front of you in a sphinx position and then slowly straighten your arms into your full extension of cobra. Bring your shoulders away from your ears, while keeping your pelvis and toes on the mat. 

Hero Pose (Virasana)

This is a seated yoga pose that makes it difficult to slouch. Sit on your heels and sit up straight with the crown of your head towards the sky. If you have knee issues, this will not be your pose. If you can’t sit on your heels, get an ergonomic chair that mimics this pose or use a pillow for cushion.

Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This is also known as resting pose in yoga. Sit back on your heels and reach your arms out in front of you or bring them alongside the body towards your feet into a tiny little yoga ball.

Locust Pose (Salabhasana)   

This is another great pose for strengthening the back. Open your chest lifting your arms and legs off the mat while keeping the pelvis on the mat. If necessary, you can lift just your chest and aim your arms towards your feet. A more advanced yoga pose would be to go into bow pose, but proceed with caution until you’re ready.

Remember, just like our bad habits developed over time, our good habits take time to build back up as well.  

Try practicing these poses and see which ones resonate with you. Give yourself reminders in your calendar or on your desk to be present to your posture. In the end you will breathe, move, and feel better.

Meniscal Tears

Meniscal tears are among the most common knee injuries. Athletes, particularly those who play contact sports, are at risk for meniscal tears. However, anyone at any age can tear a meniscus. When people talk about torn cartilage in the knee, they are usually referring to a torn meniscus.

Anatomy:

Three bones meet to form your knee joint: your thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella).
 
Two wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage act as "shock absorbers" between your thighbone and shinbone. These are called meniscus. They are tough and rubbery to help cushion the joint and keep it stable.

Menisci tear in different ways. Tears are noted by how they look, as well as where the tear occurs in the meniscus. Common tears include longitudinal, parrot-beak, flap, bucket handle, and mixed/complex.

Sports-related meniscal tears often occur along with other knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament tears.

Cause:

Sudden meniscal tears often happen during sports. Players may squat and twist the knee, causing a tear. Direct contact, like a tackle, is sometimes involved.
Older people are more likely to have degenerative meniscal tears. 

Cartilage weakens and wears thin over time. Aged, worn tissue is more prone to tears. Just an awkward twist when getting up from a chair may be enough to cause a tear, if the menisci have weakened with age.

Symptoms:
You might feel a "pop" when you tear a meniscus. Most people can still walk on their injured knee. 

Many athletes keep playing with a tear. Over 2 to 3 days, your knee will gradually become more stiff and swollen.

The most common symptoms of meniscal tear are:

• Pain
• Stiffness and swelling
• Catching or locking of your knee
• The sensation of your knee "giving way"
• You are not able to move your knee through its full range of motion

Without treatment, a piece of meniscus may come loose and drift into the joint. This can cause your knee to slip, pop or lock.

Examination:
Physical Examination and Patient History

After discussing your symptoms and medical history, your doctor or therapist will examine your knee. He or she will check for tenderness along the joint line where the meniscus sits. This often signals a tear.

One of the main tests for meniscal tears is the McMurray test. Your doctor will bend your knee, then straighten and rotate it. This puts tension on a torn meniscus. If you have a meniscal tear, this movement will cause a clicking sound. Your knee will click each time your doctor or therapist does the test.

Imaging Tests

Because other knee problems cause similar symptoms, your doctor may order imaging tests to help confirm the diagnosis.

X-rays: 
Although X-rays do not show meniscal tears, they may show other causes of knee pain, such as osteoarthritis.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI):
This study can create better images of the soft tissues of your knee joint.

Treatment:

How your orthopaedic surgeon treats your tear will depend on the type of tear you have, its size, and location.
The outside one-third of the meniscus has a rich blood supply. A tear in this "red" zone may heal on its own, or can often be repaired with surgery. A longitudinal tear is an example of this kind of tear.
In contrast, the inner two-thirds of the meniscus lacks a blood supply. Without nutrients from blood, tears in this "white" zone cannot heal. These complex tears are often in thin, worn cartilage. Because the pieces cannot grow back together, tears in this zone are usually surgically trimmed away.
Along with the type of tear you have, your age, activity level, and any related injuries will factor into your treatment plan.

Nonsurgical Treatment

If your tear is small and on the outer edge of the meniscus, it may not require surgical repair. As long as your symptoms do not persist and your knee is stable, nonsurgical treatment may be all you need.

RICE. 

The RICE protocol is effective for most sports-related injuries. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

• Rest. Take a break from the activity that caused the injury. Your doctor may recommend that you use crutches to avoid putting weight on your leg.
• Ice. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
• Compression. To prevent additional swelling and blood loss, wear an elastic compression bandage.
• Elevation. To reduce swelling, recline when you rest, and put your leg up higher than your heart.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. Drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen reduce pain and swelling.

Surgical Treatment:

If your symptoms persist with nonsurgical treatment, your doctor may suggest arthroscopic surgery.

Procedure. Knee arthroscopy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures. In it, a miniature camera is inserted through a small incision. This provides a clear view of the inside of the knee. Your orthopaedic surgeon inserts miniature surgical instruments through other small incisions to trim or repair the tear.
 

Rehabilitation:
After surgery, your doctor may put your knee in a cast or brace to keep it from moving.

Once the initial healing is complete, your doctor will prescribe rehabilitation exercises. Regular exercise to restore your knee mobility and strength is necessary.

You will start with exercises to improve your range of motion. Strengthening exercises will gradually be added to your rehabilitation plan.
For the most part, rehabilitation can be carried out at home, although your doctor may recommend physical therapy.

Learn Control....build Core Strength!

Rolling Like a Ball is a move borrowed from Pilates that helps us transition from reclining to sitting. Beyond this practical application, the move teaches lessons about momentum and control that apply to other dynamic transitions, like the kick up to Handstand, as well as to control of the body in space, whether that’s on the field, the road, or the trail. 
Include this exercise in your practice to develop the ability to right yourself in shifting situations.

Start on your back, knees hugged in. Tuck your chin toward your chest and curl your spine into a C curve. Try a few gentle rocks forward and back. If this is tough on your back from the outside, add padding under your spine. If, instead, it feels like too much pressure on a particular part of the spine, don’t work any further into this exercise. When you do roll back, go only as far as your shoulders to protect your neck.
Use a breath pattern that works for you—this could mean inhale back, exhale up, or the reverse. When you are comfortable rolling forward and back, try these steps.

1. Balance on your sitting bones
Rocking up, find a still point where you are still in a tight ball, but can pause for a breath or two balanced on the spot between your sitting bones and tailbone. You’ll have to negotiate between using enough momentum to lift you up and enough control to slow you down.

2. Rolling like a Happy Baby
Bend your knees and spread them to shoulder distance, then try rolling back and up to balance again. With this new distribution of weight, you’ll need to work again to find the right balance between momentum and control.

3. Rolling straddle
If your back and hamstrings allow, try straightening your legs into a V straddle, then rolling again. Keep your knees a little bent, so you aren’t too deep into a hamstring stretch, and find the balance point here.
In any of these variations, you’ll be strengthening your core, challenging your balance, and developing the ability to adapt to a change in the placement of your body in space by coming back to a still center point.

Yoga for Insomnia

One of the most common complaints that my yoga students and patients share with me is their inability to get a good night’s sleep.  Almost everyone will have an occasional bout of sleeplessness, but for some, insomnia can linger for days or weeks, or even become a chronic situation. 
 
How much sleep a person needs is somewhat subjective. I’m a solid 7-hour a night person. That’s what it takes for me to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go. My grandmother, on the other hand, used to say she only needed 5-6 hours a night in her later years to feel her best, and she lived to 93!

The symptoms of insomnia are at minimum troublesome, and at worst, debilitating: daytime fatigue or sleepiness, irritability, depression, anxiety, tension headaches, GI symptoms, ongoing worry about sleep, trouble with mental focus and attention. Beyond inconvenience, insomnia’s effects can be much more serious: it’s  implicated in car accidents, medical and work errors, and linked to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and obesity, and even cancer.

The potential causes of insomnia vary, but at the top of the list is stress, followed by anxiety and depression. Other causes may include  prescription and over the counter medications, caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, medical conditions such as chronic pain, breathing difficulties or frequent urination (just to name a few), changes in your environment or work schedule, poor sleep habits, eating too late in day and too much, and “learned” insomnia linked to excessive worry about falling asleep.

And as we age, the chances of developing insomnia go up due to the following age related changes: changes in sleep pattern; a decrease in activity levels, both social and physical; changes in health status; and increase use of medications.

Can yoga help?  Research indicates yes......We already know that the three most common reasons for insomnia—stress, anxiety, depression—are diminished greatly with regular yoga practice. 

In addition, one study found that yoga also helped with increased cognitive arousal, or when the mind wakes up and is very busy right when you try to fall asleep or wake in the middle of the night. Another study found that insomnia among menopausal women was decreased through an evening yoga practice.
 
When my students ask me what yoga pose is good for insomnia, I have them immediately expand their view of sleeplessness.  I do that by suggesting that addressing insomnia with yoga starts first thing in the morning and lasts all day!  

What am I talking about?  I recommend doing a more active yoga practice early in the day if your energy level permits it.  This melds more naturally with the hormones in the body that, if balanced correctly, will support a better night’s sleep.  

And if you are too tired for a vigorous asana practice, even a gentle one to get you moving a bit and loosen up the physical tension that often accompanies a poor night’s sleep, is beneficial.

From there, being mindful of what you are taking in during the day that could have negative affects on sleep is really important.  You might set the intention at the end of your morning practice to pause during the day before consuming things like food and drink, that could keep you up at night, specifically caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, and medications that are stimulating.  

I recommend trying to take at least 10-15 minutes of time out in nature during the day to reconnect to a quieter, more peaceful reality. And in the evening, an earlier dinner-time, followed an hour or so later with a gentle yoga practice is good preparation for sleep time.  Include poses you find quieting to your individual system, as well as breathing practices that are calming, like ones that gradually lengthen the exhalation part of the breath cycle, as one example.

A recorded guided visualization, body scan, or meditation, or yoga nidra can all help to shift your nervous system for arousal to calm in preparation for bed. And if you still find you are having trouble falling asleep or you awaken in the middle of the night, doing breath awareness and body scan practices in bed often will get you back to sleep faster than doing nothing at all. With yoga, done daily, may you have sweet, uninterrupted, dreams!