The BIÂN Blog

Can you briefly explain how our body is functioning (or functioning less) when we're tired?

Insufficient sleep results naturally in a physiologic drive to sleep that is sometimes beyond the control of the individual. Mental alertness is hindered, resulting in slower response times, poor functionality at work, and risk of injury or accident. Chronic sleep deprivation can additionally impact hormonal levels, causing a rise in cortisol (stress hormone) and a disruption in the balance of leptin & ghrelin (which impact satiety and hunger). Thus, inadequate sleep over the long-term can result in anxiety, depression, irritability, obesity, and metabolic illness.

Why is sleep so important — what does it do/provide to our body?

There are various theories as to the primary role(s) of sleep, and the precise physiology isn’t entirely understood. We know that it is more than just a “sedation” period, and in fact common sedatives like alcohol are well-known to interfere with, rather than enhance, sleep quality. It is believed that during sleep the body is offered a restoration period to repair itself physically and even psychologically. Neurochemical toxins built up during the day are thought to likely be cleared during the sleep state, while new neuron connections are formed within the brain. Memory consolidation, cognitive function, optimized metabolism, emotional health, and normal physiologic organ function are all deemed to be dependent on adequate sleep.

Why do we feel tired in the morning—even if we're well slept?

A sense of next-day rejuvenation is based not only on the duration of sleep, but also on sleep quality (largely related to the amount of uninterrupted time spent in deeper sleep stages). Alcohol, certain medications, and some medical conditions such as sleep apnea can result in poor sleep quality even if sleep duration is perceived to be adequate. In addition, a sense restfulness (or lack thereof) upon awakening is dependent upon the stage of sleep preceding the arousal. If an individual is abruptly awoken during the depths of late-stage, intensive sleep (during deep sleep or REM), they are likely to feel much groggier than if they were to naturally awaken during a lighter stage of sleep. This is why it is typically advised that naps not be longer than about 20-30 minutes (limited to earlier, lighter sleep stages) so as to avoid a hangover effect.

What are 3-5 ways to wake yourself up when you're feeling tired?

Allowing natural light in first thing in the morning is a great way to maintain circadian rhythm patterns that stimulate arousal.

A brief burst of moderate exercise (eg a brisk walk) can frequently shift the body out of its lethargic state. Energy begets energy, they say, and this is most definitely true for humans.

While chronic, habitual overuse of caffeine has multiple adverse consequences, a cup of coffee can indeed counteract some of the impact of a bad night’s sleep. This is not to encourage caffeine dependence, but certainly there is a role for limited use in the context of short-term sleep deprivation (eg to make it through an important meeting after a single night of tossing and turning).

1. What's silent meditation? Are there any other names for it?

In silent meditation there is no immediate outside guidance or music. There are many different types of silent meditation and words to describe them. One common type of silent meditation from India is called Vipassana, which means to see things as they are.

2. If you can, give a bit of background on the history of the practice and its main uses/benefits as traditionally practiced.

There are many types of meditation all which have their own histories and take many years to fully understand. Google is a marvelous thing for this type of knowledge - I can however, comment on how all meditation is incredibly beneficial and how silent meditation in particular has been helpful in my own practice. Meditation has been proven to expand mind capabilities by growing grey matter, also there are many health benefits of meditation because it takes a person from the flight or flight sympathetic nervous system, which we seem to live in most of our waking lives, to the 'rest, digest and repair’ parasympathetic nervous system. Instead of spending your days in a state of worry and concern, flooding your system with corrosive stress hormones, you learn to momentarily put that stress down and allow the system to rest, digest or repair. In my personal journey silent meditation has led to deep introspection in turn allowing me to understand my motives behind my reactions as well as the knowledge I can reset my train of thought in any environment.

3. Can you explain what the name means, for people who might wonder "Isn't all meditation silent?”

Silent Meditation is without any music or guides. It’s all about tuning into the moment of what is. In guided meditations, you are the silent participant while a trained meditation teacher leads you; this can be in person or previously recorded meditations. There are many types of guided meditations, Chakra, Breath, Connecting with Spirit, and Manifesting to name a few. There are also Shamanic Journeys that involve drums, flutes, or rattles that put the meditator in a type of trance through repetitive sound. There are even sound baths that are performed with singing bowls, chimes and gongs to name a few that create a vibration/frequency which the body resonates with.

In silent meditation there is no music to fall into, no voice to tell you what to think about and no sound vibration to zone you out. You are the driver of the experience in silent meditation. The powerful of silent meditation lies in understanding you have control of your perception of any moment.

4. Are there any key differences between this approach and other common meditation approaches?

Yes as mentioned above the biggest difference between silent meditation and others are that you must take ownership of where your thoughts go, the payoff is control of perception in any moment. With practice (mediation is a practice) you control what thought comes to the forefront.

5. Will this approach to meditation be a good fit for everyone? Or are there potential downsides?

Meditation is a practice that most can benefit from but, there as with everything there are no cure-alls.  Silent meditation is not hard and anyone can try it. It is most effective when one has basic knowledge in types of breath, body scanning meditations and or the practice of Vipassana to be able to anchor the mind when it wanders. These things do not take long to understand, if you’re interested in silent meditation first go do a guided meditation that focuses breath, then one that focuses on scanning of body parts and then try to incorporate this knowledge on your own.

The potential downside of trying this type of meditation without prior guidance or study is that you’ll end up more stressed than when you started.

7. How can you tell if it's not working for you?

Meditation is a practice. Some days you will be able to quiet the mind and disconnect from all the chatter, other times you mind may be more active, and others you may drift into sleep, all are correct. If you give yourself the time and intention to meditate - you’re doing it.

8. Offer step-by-step guidance for how to try silent meditation. Include things like length of time, breath count, etc. where applicable.

When starting out with silent meditation set your timer to 5 min and as you continue your practice you can increase your meditation time.  

The most important phrase in silent meditation is “Isn’t that Interesting.” With this phrase the wandering mind acknowledges you heard it and you go back to the focus you were working on. Noticing thought can also be the practice in itself.

Here are some more great tools to focus the mind:

Breath, (this is not about watching the breath go in and out) Breath is about practicing different types of breath and how long can you sustain controlling the breath. - the mind will wander. Without judgement you say to your mind “Isn’t that interesting.” And then continue on focusing on the type of breath you’re working on.

Here are some types of breath you can try at home:

Box Breath (4 part breath)

Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count 4. Exhale for a count of 4. Hold nothing for a count of 4. Repeat at least 3 times. You can start to increase the count if 4 counts seems too small.

Purpose/Impact - Bringing body from a sympathetic state (fight or flight) into a parasympathetic state (rest, digest and repair)

Hara (Basic Belly Breathing)

Inhale - belly expands, Exhale – belly relaxes.

Purpose/Impact  – Focus in the mind

Digra (3 part breath)

Start with inhaling into the belly, then the rib cage, then the collar bones and reverse on the exhale

Purpose/Impact  – Calms the mind, releases muscle tension, reduces stress/anxiety, increases oxygen supply and keeps lungs healthy

Sitali (Cooling Breath)

Start with mouth slightly open and if able to curl the tongue into a U shape. Inhale as if through a straw, close mouth to exhale through nose.

Purpose/Impact  – Cools the body and the mind

Body Scanning -  To imagine without judgement the space in specific parts of your body.

Start with the space in between your eyes and work your way down. Many times body parts will ‘call’ to you to give them attention, follow this impulse - there is no right way to scan. For example as you’re imagining the space in your nose, the crown of your head may tingle - just follow these cues naturally and make your way throughout the body.

If nothing is calling to you just make your way down systematically. Say you’re at your nose, then move to your lips then to your chin, your neck and so on -  there is no right way. This is about focusing your mind and giving your body attention.

Here’s an easy list (don’t worry about getting it right)

Focus on the space in between your eyes

The crown of your head

The back of your head

Your neck, Shoulders, Arms, Hands, Chest, Belly, Pelvis, Thighs, Shins, Ankles, Feet

As you can see from above, you can be as specific as you’d like (nose, lips, etc) or as general as you’d like.

Putting it all together - As you increase your timer, you can incorporate all three; breath, scanning, and “Isn’t that Interesting.” Start with breath and give yourself a certain amount of rounds of breath you’ll go through (5 is a great option), then move to body scanning, then move to simply noticing what arises - maybe you start to explore where you hold tension, can you release it? Etc. - Be curious about yourself, but never judgmental - the response is always, “Isn’t that Interesting."

Purpose/Impact  – Calms the body and the mind; refocuses; setup for sleep

9. Can a meditation coach/teacher help you practice this, or other meditation approaches?

Yes definitely. A couch/teacher can help by giving instructions beforehand on what to think about and tools for when the mind wanders (ps. all minds wander)  Together you can work in 5 min increments and build all the way up to 30 minutes and maybe beyond. In other meditation approaches your teacher/guide not only tells you before on what to expect but is also a voice throughout the meditation for your mind to grab hold of and bring it back from wandering thoughts.

10. Can you offer any tips on finding someone? (A few links to helpful meditation resources or ways to find a teacher)

• My teacher is wonderful who also offers certification in meditation - Rajni Tripathi - https://www.ttinst.co/aboutrajni
• There are great talks and how to’s on Silent Meditation in the Insight Timer App.
• Lastly, I offer private meditation over zoom or FaceTime or in person at BIAN Chicago.

11. If meditation isn't helping with mental health issues, might it be better to reach out to a therapist?

Absolutely! Always explore your options if you feel like you’re still in need of relief. Many times, meditation is used in conjunction with therapy. No 'one way' is right for everyone, and more often that not practices are combined to create an ecosystem of personal wellness - the keys are: open-mindedness, listening to intuition and understanding that wellness is a journey that last your entire lifetime.

Members can join Dominica at the club regularly with an array of silent meditation classes that she holds.

Between the lingering after-effects of the COVID pandemic, economic turmoil, and everything else people have been dealing with over the past 2.5 years, it can sometimes feel like we’re operating in survival mode. Can you please explain what that means—the concept of operating in "survival mode"? When we are operating in survival mode we are in a state of fight, flight or freeze response. Think of an animal in the wild. If they are in survival mode all their energy and resources physically and psychologically are geared toward surviving. All the other systems can shut down when they (or when we as humans) are just trying to stay alive. Unfortunately, our primitive brains have not evolved to keep up with the current stressors of daily life, meaning that we often believe that certain situations are more threatening than they actually are because our systems are wired to perceive any stress as a life-or-death situation. However, in more modern times, while it might feel like a serious threat is what is at stake, that is not usually the situation. The primitive parts of our brain (the hypothalamus, amygdala, and other structures) simply cannot differentiate the severity of the threat; therefore our brain sends a message to our body that we need to be in this this state of survival.

What could cause someone to be in this mode (i.e. a trauma? A big life change like a new job or baby? etc.) Any perceived threat or stressful situation can trigger the brain to “switch” into survival mode.

Are certain people more prone to operating in survival mode than others? Please explain. Anyone that has experienced trauma, including inter-generational trauma and systemic racism, is likely in a state of more hyper-arousal. For example, if you have the experience of being discriminated against, you are already in a state of feeling like you need to be more alert and aware. If you have experienced physical or verbal abuse, then you are also likely to be more aware of your surroundings, operating from a sense of self-protection even if you are not imminently threatened. Your body is used to being in this state, and it is an active practice to down-regulate your nervous system.

Statistics show that burnout and stress are at an all-time high. Can you please share your thoughts as to why that is? Because we are unable to differentiate between real and perceived threats, all threats seem real. The 24-hour news cycle with a mantra of “If it bleeds, it leads” contributes to the general feeling that we are “less safe” now than we have ever been before.

Why can it be difficult to acknowledge when you're operating in survival mode? If you are trying to survive, then all you can think about is living or dying. Survival mode is a protective, evolutionary mechanism. It is like the system override on your computer. When we are in survival mode, our computers (AKA our brains) are not meant to be reasonable and thoughtful about the situation. They are there solely to keep us alive, and we can’t think of anything but that.

What are 3-4 signs that someone might be operating on survival mode? The body will give us signs that we are in survival mode. Symptoms of anxiety might be one sign. But also, if you find yourself repeatedly getting sick, this is another sign you are functioning in survival mode. When you are in this state, your body cannot do anything else but survive, so the other systems in the body don’t work as efficiently.  You might also have difficulty sleeping, or your appetite might be affected. From an evolutionary perspective, it makes logical sense: if all my energy is going towards staying alive, then what do I expect will happen to the rest of my body?

What are 3-4 tips for how to get out of survival mode? First, you have to recognize that you are in survival mode before you can do anything about it. Once you have recognized that you are in a state of survival, deep breathing can be very helpful. We are always trying to down-regulate the sympathetic nervous system so we can function and be in a parasympathetic state of “rest.” Play can be a great way to help get out of survival mode. As adults, we forget how play allows us to engage our bodies and get out of our minds; it is such an important part of childhood, and for good reason. We need to find a way to return to that state of playfulness.  Turn off the news. This seems like a simple one, but so many of us are addicted to “bad news.” We have to be able control what we are feeding our brains, and the news is toxic for us. The scarier it is, the more people watch it but the worse it is for our brains.

Common complaints involve lower back pain. Yoga is beneficial in helping lower back pain as it opens the parts of the body that are holding extra tension and increases mobility to rest of spine to help distribute the work of the back more effectively. Poses that tend to be effective in managing lower back pain focus on hip and leg flexibility and spinal mobility. Addressing low back pain is unique to every person - important to be aware of how each pose feels in your body and avoid any poses that aggravate. A bit of trial and error may be needed and be sure to back off if anything hurts. While practicing these poses be sure to breathe slowly and deeply.

• Cat Cow: Cat-Cow moves the spine through flexion and extension - increasing overall spinal mobility. Engage your abdominals and lengthen your tail bone down as you move into spinal flexion (Cat Pose).

• Child’s Pose: Child’s poses open low back and stretches outer hips. Inhale into your low back.

• Downward Dog: Downdog lengthens the spine which helps alleviate back discomfort. If hamstrings are tight, bend knees as much as needed so you can focus on lengthening your spine, creating a long line from the crown of your head to your tail.

• Low Lunge: Low Lunge stretches the muscles on the front of the hip, your hip flexors. These muscles tend to be very tight as a result of the amount of time we spend sitting. Lengthening and opening all of the hip muscles is important with lower back pain to create space so the pelvis can be in proper alignment. Keep body more vertical and lifted - be mindful to not “drop" into hips and overextend the lower back. Engage your abdominals.

• Bridge Pose: Bridge Pose moves the spine into extension, strengthening the muscles of the posterior side of the body - including glutes, hamstrings and spinal extensors. It is important to lift the pelvis from the strength of your legs, pressing deeply into your feet.

• (Side note: I don’t think Bridge Pose is one of the best poses for someone with low back pain - there are a lot of variables to be mindful of and the default tends to be to press up from low back and compress lower back further. I would put a student in sphinx or another belly back before choosing this. Just wanted to share).

3 Essential Poses

• Reclined Hand to Big Toe Pose I, II & III - This sequence of poses addresses opening the hamstrings, inner leg (adductors) and outer hip. The lower back and pelvis stay stationary in these poses with the leg moving. Use a strap around the foot and maintain natural curves of spine.

• Reclined Pigeon - Reclined Pigeon opens up the outer hips while keeping the pelvis and lower back stationary. Be mindful to keep pelvis grounded and both sides of waistline equally long. Practicing this at a wall is helpful for those with very tight hips - set up shin’s distance from wall and place the uncrossed foot on wall. Press foot into wall while you gently press the crossed leg away from your body towards the wall. Maintain the natural curves of your spine.

• Supine Twist - A gentle spine twist to create more mobility in your thoracic spine. Do this with both knees bent.

Members, view Kelly’s classes schedule or private yoga availability on the app!

How Long should your workout be?

Well, my question will always be, what is your goal? What are you willing to change in your life to achieve said goal, and can you handle what change this may bring to your daily/weekly ritual to accomplish this. Everything is a balance and we need to find what works for us.

How many days per week should you work out?

The time devoted to doing cardio, weight lifting, or body weight workouts, should be designed around your goals. If you are looking to build muscle and strength specifically, spend 45 minutes 3-4 days per week lifting weights and doing bodyweight drills that push yourself to fatigue on your last sets. Complete this type of training before your cardio work to ensure you are using your energy stores efficiently.

How long should you rest between workouts?

If you are looking for more cardio vascular endurance, say if you are competing in a triathlon, running a race, or just enjoy cardio more, spend 3-4 days per week on cardiovascular exercises that are more specific to your competition or what you like. There is no magic bullet. One thing that is important however if you want to progress is finding your baselines with any exercise program you start, this will allow you to increase the intensity, duration, type, or time of a workout progressively in order to see adaptation. A general guideline is to not exceed 5-10% increases in any given exercise week over week. The goal of your program is not to base progress or success on soreness. If you are new to training, give yourself 24-48 hours between moderately intense sessions and continuing moving on your off days. Recovery can be anything from long walks, bike rides, to sauna, and cold plunge activities. In the end solidify what you are trying to accomplish and listen to how your body responds to the demands you impose.

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda in Sanskrit means “the science & knowledge of life”. The essence of Ayurveda is that when we live in harmony with the rhythms of Nature on both a macro and micro level, we will have optimal heath and a vibrant life. It quite literally is a manual for living.

What does a modern panchakarma cleanse involve? Please explain the different elements/steps and explain the purpose/process of each.

Panchakarma means “five actions” which refers to five procedures for removal of toxins from the human system. A “modern” adaptation of panchakarma ranges in treatment steps dependent upon the training of the provider - but is most highly dictated by the specific needs of the client depending on their current state of imbalance (vikruti) and their unique mind-body constitution (prakriti). The first step is for a trained Ayurvedic provider to assess the client. After this, the specific treatments for detoxification are prescribed. (I’ll assume you’ve researched the five actions and various specific treatments involved.)

How long does it take?

The length of treatment varies according to the client’s needs and severity of imbalance but typically is in the range of 7-21 days.

What are the benefits of a panchakarma cleanse? How might you feel afterward?

The benefit of a panchakarma is to give the body, mind and spirit rest and to re-align the digestive fire, which is both physiological digestion and the metaphorical ability to process and digest all things coming into the human system- energetically, emotionally and spiritually.

Who might benefit most from doing a panchakarma cleanse? Do you recommend it?

Anyone who is seeking greater well-being and optimal health. I recommend it- but it must be done with a well-trained and qualified Ayurvedic provider.

Are there any potential negative side effects to be aware of?

One must be prepared for the effects of toxin removal which can be physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.