Weighing in on weighted vests
You can’t fail to have spotted them around- seems the whole world is wearing one these days. But are they any good for you or are they just a fad?
You can’t fail to have spotted them around- seems the whole world is wearing one these days. And full disclosure- I do own one (though it’s gathering dust in the garage). But are they any good for you or are they just a fad?
I can only speak from a Yoga point of view. I’m all for building strength and stamina. It’s important to work on retaining muscle. After age 30 we all start to lose muscle mass - as much as 3-5% per decade. Social media and health and wellness influencers seem to be touting weighted vests as a short cut to muscle building. But like most get rich quick schemes it’s just not that straightforward. Building and maintaining muscle takes consistent effort, not just a quick dog walk around the block in your weighted vest.
More importantly there are some serious downsides to wearing a weighted vest. Your joints might not share your excitement; adding extra load shifts the way you move. For example- if you’re already showing a tendency towards “text neck” (and who isn’t these days?!) then a weighted vest is going to put an extra load on your thoracic spine and shoulders, pulling everything further forward. It’s a recipe for more neck pain and tension. There are also some underlying conditions- for example osteopenia or osteoporosis where wearing a weighted vest is not a great idea at all.
So. Obviously I’m going to advocate for Yoga here but in all seriousness there is evidence that a regular practice can help with conditions like osteoporosis, cardiovascular health, balance and coordination. Some kinds of Yoga (especially Iyengar) work on isometric strength by holding poses for a long time which can help maintain muscle mass.
But the best answer? Moderation (something else Yoga philosophy teaches!). Do all of the things some of the time. Strength training, Yoga, cardio. Yes, even the weighted vest in moderation.
Meh…
Feeling a bit down in the mouth? There are some yoga tools you can use to help…
Bounce, shake or sigh it out- soft knees, gentle bouncing. Maybe make your movements bigger and swing your arms from side to side like empty sleeves so they softly hit your body while you turn. My favorite is the “HA”- breath in and lift your arms and then breath out and bend forward and sigh “ha” loudly on your way down.
Simple metta meditation- sit quietly and comfortably. Start by sending yourself compassionate thoughts like “May I be safe, may I be happy, may I live with ease”. When you’ve repeated it a few times send the same wishes to someone you love. Follow up with sending them to someone you struggle with or don’t like (this is the challenging one!) and lastly send them out into the Universe to all beings. Research has shown metta meditation increases feelings of wellbeing and decreases self-criticism.
Sit with it! Not everything needs to or can be solved. Sometimes it’s enough to sit with your feelings in curiosity. Writing them down can help you process them. It can be helpful just to look your feelings in the face even as a first step.
Quick yoga hacks for anxiety
Anxiety can feel overwhelming and lead to getting stuck in a loop of worry and stress. There are several yoga techniques you can use if you feel yourself becoming anxious and overwhelmed…
Flip yourself upside down! Either sit on a chair with your head between your knees, fold forward at your hips maybe using a wall for support or lie on the ground and put your legs up on a chair or against a wall. All of these activate a reflex in the body which helps the heart and breathing rates slow down.
Breathe! But do it mindfully. Take longer exhales than inhales- perhaps count in to 4 and out to 6. If you can manage to hold your breath at the bottom of your exhale for 2 seconds even better. Ideally your out breath will be twice as long as your in breath.
Feel your feet- send all your attention to the soles of the feet. Feel them on the ground and notice the temperature or texture of whatever you are standing on (or the feel of your socks or shoes). Spend a moment with all your focus there- and maybe even use the breathing technique above while you do it.
Use a mantra. A mantra is a repeated phrase that you say over and over to yourself in your head or out loud. This can be anything but a good one to use for anxiety is “I am anxious, this will pass”. You can say the first part whilst you are breathing in and the second on your exhale, combining two techniques at once.
Anxiety is on the rise for all people- but if you are hitting perimenopause or menopause it’s likely you’ll experience it to some degree. For more tools and techniques to help manage symptoms subscribe below.
Yoga therapy & perimenopause
A regular yoga practice can help support you through the ups and downs of perimenopause…
Necessity being the mother of invention led me to use my yoga therapy background to navigate perimenopause. I was having a rough ride with insomnia, anxiety, hot flashes, hair loss and more. I knew that many of the women I was working with were experiencing similarly difficult situations even though our symptoms were wildly varied and different. I was also struggling to find good care at the time- Doctors experienced in menopause care are incredibly rare beasts. Elektra Health estimates that there is 1 menopause specialist for every 32,556 US women aged 35-64.
Knowing that there is good scientific evidence to support the fact that yoga can help support good mental and physical health I designed a course of lessons to help myself and other women manage their own perimenopausal symptoms. It includes movement, breathing and meditation to help with a range of issues women commonly face at this transitional time of life. Although yoga isn’t a magic wand and can’t replace other treatments it can help you befriend the array of feelings that you might experience at what can be a tumultuous time for many.
Want to learn more? Listen to the podcasts below for more information or, better still, get in touch for 1-1 yoga therapy and start owning your menopause journey today.
https://heatherhirschmd.com/podcast/216-yoga-therapy-for-midlife-and-menopause-with-fiona-jalinoos/