As summer vacation comes to an end, for many of us, thoughts turn back towards school.  Late August to early September feels as much like a beginning to me as January 1st.  It’s that school year rhythm that’s embedded deep in my psyche.  As I consider the new school year, I ask myself a few questions: “What worked well last year?” “What can I do to make things more manageable?”

If you want to make a new school year resolution, but aren’t sure where to begin, here are some suggestions.  Remember, even adopting just one of the following will yield benefits for all.  Happy New School Year!

1. Invest in a quality backpack: While it’s tempting and easy to buy a low-cost backpack featuring one of your kids’ favorite TV characters at a local big market store, spending more now for a well-made backpack will save you a nice chunk of change over the years.  A friend of mine has a daughter entering the fifth grade, and she’s had the same backpack since kindergarten!  It’s still in great shape — no holes or broken zippers; it’s washable, so it still looks fresh; and its classic styling has made it timeless.

2. Invest in a quality reusable lunch kit: Basically, everything noted about quality backpacks applies here.  A sturdy, well-made lunch bag or box and reusable water bottle, made without bisphenol-A (BPA) or lead, will keep your child’s lunches safe over the years.  There are quite a few options available that include reusable dishes, so that you and the planet can be free from endless plastic baggies.  Lunchsense washable lunch boxes can be purchased alone or with a set of reusable, multi-sized, watertight containers made of food grade plastics, an ice pack and a drink bottle.  The lunchbox itself becomes a placemat for your child’s meal.

3. Prepare more school lunches: Sending your kids to school with lunch from home is the best way to ensure that they have the option to eat the things you think are best for them (though, you can’t totally control lunchroom swaps.)  However, in a crunch or culinary imagination slump, it’s easy to quit preparing lunch and to allow kids to buy whatever the cafeteria has cooked up.  To help make preparing school lunches easier, try planning out your child’s lunch menu earlier than the night before.  Schools often send home the lunch menu for the month.  You can create a similar schedule of meals so that you can shop weekly based on the predetermined menu, and know in advance what you’re packing each day.  Having your child help with the menu selections can help you pick meals that will actually get eaten.  Also, if possible, designate a space in your pantry and fridge as the “school shelves,” so that the family will know not to eat certain items, frustrating your school lunch and snack plans.

4. Simplify your schedules:  Soccer, swim team, gymnastics, dance lessons, book clubs, community theater, birthday parties, playdates… getting overscheduled is so easy to do!  Determine your priorities for the year, and honor them.  Isn’t having a family life that is sane and cohesive more important than having a child trying to excel at everything?  Once you get a grasp on what the school workload is, try to limit extra-curriculars to what brings your child pleasure and growth, but minimal stress.  Down time is vital to health and growth.

5. Have a consistent bedtime:  Kids need to get enough sleep at night, and parents need time to unwind.  Figure out what time your kids need to be in bed each night, then schedule enough time for the evening wind down — clean up, baths, book reading — in order to have lights out by bedtime

6. Prepare a nutritious breakfast: We all know that a good breakfast supports a successful day for both kids and adults, yet the things we often associate with breakfast are not especially nutritious: pancakes, waffles, sugary cereals.  Stock your fridge and pantry with easy to prepare breakfasts — eggs, whole-grain cold and hot cereals, quality bread, low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, nut butters – to make breakfast energizing, healthy and no fuss.  Also, remember that breakfast does not equal sweet.  Consider including savory options such as warmed up beans and brown rice or hummus with whole-grain pita on your breakfast menu.

7. Donate outgrown clothes: Kids grow and grow and grow, making some new school clothes obsolete before they’ve been thoroughly broken in.  Do yourself a favor and immediately donate outgrown clothes to a thrift store or pass them on to someone who can use them instead of cluttering up your home with them.  They will be a treasure to someone and you’ll enjoy not having overstuffed drawers and closets full of clothes no one in your home can wear.

8. Recycle paper: The volumes of paper that kids bring home from school astonishes me.  Newsletters, fundraising material, spelling lists and tests, homework assignments, flyers, doodles.  While some of this material — certain lessons and art projects — are keepers — a lot of it is not.  You know it’s coming, so be prepared.  Make it easy to dump unnecessary papers in a recycling bin or bag in your home, reducing both clutter and landfill trash.

9. Give yourself enough time in the morning:  Being rushed is anxiety-inducing, stirs up anger and is, overall, a lousy feeling.  If you have found your family consistently experiencing the morning rush, it probably means you or certain members need to get up earlier than is customary.  Sometimes a simple extra fifteen minutes is all it takes to make getting to the bus stop, make sure everything’s in the backpack, and have time for good-bye kisses the new normal.

10. Bless your life: In all of the hustle and bustle of having school-aged children, it’s easy to develop the habit of complaining or operating out of a low-grade negativity.  A definition of “to curse” is “to speak evil of.”  Instead, bless yourself, your family, your life.  These years are a passing season, and while it’s not all bliss, give your family the gift of being grateful for the good, the love, the health, the joy, the humor and the blessedness of the day.

Via Care2

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Starfish? Soldier? Yearner? How do you sleep? I fall firmly into the Fetus category of sleeping positions–curled up on my side–which, according to researchers at the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, suggests that I am a tough cookie with a sensitive heart. (And yes, it’s true…underneath it all I am a big mush.)

Sleep scientists believe the position in which a person sleeps offers important clues about their personality. Director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, Professor Chris Idzikowski, analyzed six common sleeping positions and found that each is associated with particular personality traits.

The Fetus
This is the most common sleeping position, adopted by 41 percent of the 1,000 people who took part in the survey. More than twice as many women as men tend to adopt this position. Those who curl up in the fetus position are described as tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. They may be shy when they first meet somebody, but soon relax.

The Log
Lying on your side with both arms down by your side is the sleep position favored by 14 percent of the people in the study. I’d adopt this position if it guaranteed sleeping like a log, but perhaps not at the risk of being naive. These sleepers are easy going, social people who like being part of the in-crowd, and who are trusting of strangers. However, they may be gullible.

The Yearner
13 percent of people sleep in the pose of the yearner–on their side with both arms out in front are said to have an open nature, but can be suspicious and cynical. They are slow to make up their minds, but once they have taken a decision, they are unlikely to change it.

Soldier
Are you one of the 8 percent who sleep lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides? Well hello, soldier. People who sleep in this position are generally quiet and reserved. They don’t like a fuss, but set high standards for themselves and others. The soldier style is more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep

The Freefaller
If you sleep on your stomach with your hands around the pillow and your head turned to one side, you sleep in the freefall position. You are probably often gregarious and brash, but can be nervy and thin-skinned underneath, and don’t like criticism or extreme situations. Seven percent of sleepers assume this posture, which happens to be good for digestion.

The Starfish
About 5 percent choose to lay on their back with both arms up around the pillow. These sleepers make good friends because they are always ready to listen to others, and offer help when needed. They generally don’t like to be the center of attention. The starfish position is more likely to lead to snoring and a bad night’s sleep

What do you think? Are these researchers on to something?

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By Shannon Sexton, Yoga+

We are a sleep-starved nation. About 60 million Americans suffer from insomnia, and according to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly seven out of ten report frequent sleeping problems–although most remain undiagnosed.

Alarmed? You should be. As Stanford University “sleepdebt” expert William C. Dement, MD, PhD, warns: “Lost sleep accumulates as a debt that must be repaid or health eventually deteriorates.” This year, the Institute of Medicine released a report linking sleep disorders and sleep deprivation to a host of ills, including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.

Scientists are confirming what yogis and ayurvedic physicians have reported for centuries: deep sleep rests the body and the mind. Our daily dose of shut-eye regulates our weight, strengthens our immunity, protects our cardiovascular health, repairs our tissues and cells, and restores our energy. Sleep also allows us to process, consolidate, and retain new memories; it balances our emotions, makes us better problem solvers, and feeds our creativity.

Try these simple 6 bedtime rituals from yoga and ayurveda to help you relax, sleep better, and ultimately, live better.

1. Try Nutmeg

According to The Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley, nutmeg is “one of the best medicines for calming the mind.” This common kitchen spice helps reduce high vata in the colon and nervous system and promotes sound sleep. Here are two treatments–one internal, and one external.

Warm, spiced milk. Add up to 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg to a cup of warm milk (which contains a sleep-inducing amino acid called tryptophan).

Nutmeg facial mask. Mix equal parts of ghee (clarified butter) and nutmeg powder into a paste and smear it around your eyes and across your forehead at bedtime.

2. Give Yourself a 5-Minute Massage

According to Lad, a scalp and foot massage is a shortcut to full-body relaxation. Why? Because all meridians, or nadis (subtle channels of energy), begin in the scalp and end in the soles of the feet. Plus, many neural endings, receptors, and marmas (pressure points) are clustered in the head and feet. By giving yourself the following mini-massage, Lad says, “You will get the benefits of an entire body massage.” Here’s how:

– Sitting on a chair or bed, rub your hands with comfortably warm sesame, brahmi, or jatamansi oil. Alternately using the flat of your hand and your fingertips, make small, circular motions along the surface of your scalp for two minutes. Then switch to your feet.

– Put more oil on your hands and in small, circular motions, rub the top of your right foot from the ankle to the toes; from the ankle to the heel; and on the soles.

– Press your thumb on the top of the foot at the base of the shin. Gently and slowly drag your thumb toward the big toe.

– Return to the base of the shin and drag your thumb toward the second toe. Repeat this motion to the third, fourth, and fifth toes.

– Cross your right ankle over your left knee, place your right hand on the top of the right foot, lace your fingers between your toes, and push the foot inward, outward, and in a circular motion.

– Unlace your fingers and, using your right thumb, apply pressure along the inner border of the sole from the big toe to the heel.

– Drag your thumb along the outer border of the sole, from the root of the fifth toe to the heel.

– Make a fist and massage the sole of the foot in little circles. Slowly pull each toe away from the foot as though you are “popping” the joint.
– Repeat the entire process on your left foot.

When you’ve massaged both feet, soak them for five minutes in a bucket of warm saltwater to draw out the dislodged stress and toxins. Put on cotton socks, place a towel on your pillow, and settle into sleep. (In the morning, leave time for a longer shower; it will take a few shampoos to remove the oil from your hair.)

3. Make Time for Yoga

A regular, balanced hatha yoga practice circulates the lymph and blood, tones the channels of elimination, and balances both the endocrine and nervous systems, calming vata and helping the body and mind digest the events of the day. Whether you practice in the morning, afternoon, or at bedtime, yoga paves the way to a good night’s sleep.

4. Take a Hot Bath

It removes the day’s residue, relaxes the muscles, soothes vata, and induces sleep. (Try soaking in a magnesium-rich epsom salt bath)

5. Take an Herbal Sedative

Mix equal parts of powdered tagara, valerian, and chamomile. Put 1/4 teaspoon of the mixture into a little warm water and drink just before bed. Tagara (valeriana wallichi) and valerian (valeriana officinalis) are vata-pacifying sedatives, and chamomile balances the emotions.

6. Do a Relaxation Practice

Yogic relaxation techniques train the body and mind to relax completely while remaining in a waking state. They also help you let go of sleep-disturbing stress and emotions. If you’re new to relaxation practices, try this tension-relaxation exercise:

Lie in shavasana (corpse pose) with a cushion under your neck and your legs spread three feet apart. As you inhale, scrunch up the muscles in your face and pull them toward the nose. Hold for two seconds, then exhale and completely relax. Next, clench your right shoulder, arm, and hand on an inhale. Hold for two seconds, then exhale and let your muscles melt into the floor. Repeat on the left side. Now tense your right leg from the buttock to the toes; hold briefly; exhale and release. Repeat on the left side.

Next, inhale and tense your entire body. Hold for two seconds, deepen the contraction, then exhale and surrender into the floor. Repeat this contraction two more times. Then surrender into shavasana. You can follow this practice with a systematic relaxation or simply lie resting, breathing as if the whole body breathes. As you exhale, let the breath release tension and wastes from the entire body. As you inhale, let the breath nourish every cell and tissue. Continue for five to ten breaths.

As you become more advanced, there are a number of other systematic relaxation practices that train the mind to focus on and relax different parts of the physical body and, later, the more subtle energetic body. You can find some of these exercises outlined in yoga manuals. You can also try guided relaxation CDs such as Relax into Greatness by Rod Stryker or Guided Yoga Relaxations and Advanced Yoga Relaxations, both by Rolf Sovik.

Shannon Sexton is the editor at large for Yoga+.

Yoga+ is an award-winning, independent magazine that contemplates the deeper dimensions of spiritual life--exploring the power of yoga practice and philosophy to not only transform our bodies and minds, but inspire meaningful engagement in our society, environment, and the global community.

By Janice Taylor, Intent.com

As a Weight Loss Coach and a 50 pound big-time-loser, I fully understand that sleep plays a crucial role in our obtaining and maintaining our healthy weight and on our general well-being.

A recent study conducted by the Harvard Women’s Health Watch reports that sleep difficulties visit 75 percent of us at least a few nights per week. A short-lived bout of insomnia is nothing to worry about. However, the bigger concern is for those who suffer from chronic sleep loss, because they are likely to be affected in numerous areas:

1. Sleep helps the brain commit new information into memory; therefore lack of sleep can impair learning and memory.

2. Chronic sleep deprivation affects the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and alters the levels of hormones that affect our appetite: leptin (an appetite regulating hormone), and higher levels of ghrelin (a hormone produced by the stomach that sends the ‘I’m hungry, feed me’ signal to the brain.) (leptin and ghrelin)

3. Those who are sleep deprived are more likely to be irritable, cranky, impatient, and are all in all moodier than those who sleep!

4. Sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone level and irregular heartbeats.

Now that we know how important it is to get the proper amount of sleep, here are 25 tips that can help you to get a good night’s rest!

25 Bite-Sized and Delicious Tips to Better Sleep from the Our Lady of Weight Loss Snooze Factory

1. Relieve Stress Daily. People who are stressed-out are more likely to suffer from insomnia. It’s important to explore various types of exercise, meditation, and/ or yoga so that you find the one that best helps you to relax. Have fun exploring.

2. Exercise. Follow a consistent exercise (or movement) program. It will increase your energy levels during the day, improve your mood and help to regulate your sleeping patterns at night. Remember – even 10 minutes here and there throughout the day adds up to a restful night’s sleep.

3. Exercise in the morning or afternoon. For many, working out within 3 or 4 hours of sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.

4. Light snacks. Eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep. Instead, if you are hungry, have a light snack but avoid protein-rich and caffeine containing foods and beverages.

5. Stop eating all together at least three hours before sleep. This will prevent heartburn, indigestion and energy boosts from the food. A good weight loss rule as well. You’ve got to stop at some point, no?

6. Natural Root. Valerian root and Melatonin seem to be the most effective supplemental sleep aids. ALWAYS discuss dosage, risk and effectiveness with your doctor before taking.

7. Aromatherapy. Lavender and chamomile scents can be soothing and relaxing. Perhaps use in spray form, or scented candle. Also, vanilla ’kills’ appetite.

8. Eat at regular intervals during the day. This will keep your blood sugar levels even, thus keeping you alert all day and ready to sleep at night. And bonus, it will keep your ‘hunger’ in check, so that you don’t go off the deep end, into that vat of chocolate that’s calling your name!

9. Write it out. Before bed write down all your thoughts in a journal without judgment. Stream of consciousness. Let it rip and roll. It will help clear your mind, as you can close the book on the day. It works!

10. Turn off the lights. It can be difficult to sleep with the lights on. You might even want to wear a sleep mask (I have a leopard one!). Be sure to close the blinds, shades, and drapes!

11. Sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Your body will get into its automatic rhythm.

12. Put the clock where you cannot see it. Clock watching can create anxiety.

13. For a light late night snack, try dairy products. Milk contains the sleep inducing amino acid, tryptophan. (Go organic, please! The milk should come from a healthy cow … Eat Healthy: Be Political!)

14. Avoid tobacco. Tobacco products contain nicotine, a stimulant. You shouldn’t be smoking anyway (sorry, but for goodness sake!).

15. Don’t oversleep. Too much of a good thing can actually make you more tired.

16. Think positive. People who focus on the positive tend to sleep better and experience better health in general. Remember: thoughts are like the clouds; they float in and out – you don’t have to attach to them!

17. Do not hit the snooze button. Simply get up. Get up! GET UP!

18. Plan for a healthy 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Set your mind as you climb into your comfy bed.

19. Nap wisely. No more than 20 minutes. But do nap if you can!

20. Limit caffeine during the day. Try for less than one to two cups of caffeinated beverages during the day.

21. Schedule some down time every day. Stretch, take a hot bath, read. Stare into space!

22. Add white noise and/or wear ear plugs. Most people can’t fall asleep when things are too loud. Sometimes even the crickets are screaming.

23. Drink in moderation. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it will likely wake you in the middle of the night.

24. Rule out medications. If you are taking medication, ask your doctor about its side effects.

Intent.com provides content and community for who you aspire to be--personally, socially and globally.

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