One season flows into another, and each one brings its own set of changes. A yogi simply looks at the changes and acts accordingly. Here are some best practices and tips to keep your body and mind fit over the summer.
You could choose a favorite tip and practice it regularly, or do all of them.
1. The Secret Is in Your Breath
The next time you have a few minutes before you rush out for the day, try Sitali Pranayama, the body-cooling breath.
- Stick your tongue out and curl the sides of the tongue upward toward the center.
- Breathe in through the mouth, hold the breath, and slowly exhale through the nose.
Repeat 5 to 10 times.
2. Drink Up
The more you hydrate, the better. Your body is about 70 percent water, so make sure there is plenty of liquid coming in.
Besides drinking extra fluids, you could add alternate nostril breathing to your routine. Here is how:
- Close the right nostril with your right thumb.
- Exhale completely through the left nostril, then breathe in through the left nostril.
- Close the left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right.
Repeat 5 to 10 times.
3. Slow Down on Yoga Poses
Yoga poses practiced gently and meditatively balance the mind and body, and are beneficial at any time of year. This gentle, mindful approach is the heart of my Aging with Grace Yoga series, and the seated practices fit beautifully into Chair Yoga series.
Strenuous physical activity or vigorous yoga raises body temperature, which is best avoided in summer and saved for cooler months. Morning and evening are the best times to practice yoga postures during summer. If you like a reset, my Yoga Reboot series is a gentle way to come back to center.
4. Watch What You Consume
Reduce your intake of spicy food, tea, coffee, and sugar. Avoid fatty food, since it puts extra burden on the digestive system and heart. Eat larger quantities of fruit and raw and cooked vegetables. Minimize non-vegetarian food. Increase your water intake, and add an optional squeeze of lemon or lime with a pinch of salt.
For more on what to eat this time of year, see my guide to cooling summer foods.
5. Bonus Tip: Legs Up the Wall
After a long day, do you want to unwind in the evening? Lie down near a wall, with your legs and feet resting comfortably up the wall. Stay for 2 or 3 minutes. Bring the legs down and rest.
These poses are refreshing and restorative. How does this work? When the temperature is high, your heart pumps out more blood. This pose uses gravity to return more blood back to the heart, which gives it some welcome help.
Want gentle, joyful practices like these in your week? Join my live Aging with Grace Yoga Series and grab my free 3 Everyday Happiness Tips video to start each day a little lighter.