Are you feeling exhausted, grumpy or spacey lately? Do you lack energy? As midlife mothers and mothers to be, our energy levels can sometimes be compromised. As our hormones shift so does our energy. Some of us need to slow down and others need to speed things up. Perhaps you need more hours of sleep, or you may find yourself feeling tired around 3 or 4 PM (in the afternoon) or maybe you don’t have the same overall zest you used to have. I have certainly felt a need for more hours of sleep since I turned forty and I have learned to slow down a little more so that I pace myself for the day. As a yoga teacher I have learned some helpful things to keep my prana, or life force, humming along beautifully throughout the day.
Although I teach yoga, I also like to learn from similar healing practices like Tai Chi. I was just taking a Tai Chi class where the instructor shared the importance of checking in with our energy, or “chi,” first thing in the morning. He suggested asking ourselves if we’re feeling too much yin or yang each day. An overdose of yin feels sluggish, weepy, or overall malaise. Too much yang presents itself with hyperactivity, aggressiveness and anxiety.
If one morning you wake up feeling more yang energy, then perhaps tai chi, yoga or meditation can help soothe your nerves. If you’re feeling really haggard and too yin, take a dance class, listen to an upbeat song and sing with your child, or just running around the house a little which may do the trick. I know first-hand that it can be a challenge to dance, when you feel like sleeping a little longer, but it might be just what your body needs.
Checking in with whether you’re feeling yin or yang is a helpful practice, but what if you’re experiencing yin energy and tired every day and for most of the day? First, ask yourself if you need more sleep. If you answered yes, then what activities can you release so that you can make more time for rest? It might mean reducing your time on Facebook, Pinterest or TV and hitting the sack a little earlier. There are so many soft addictions that we all take part in to escape or go numb for awhile and although in moderation they aren’t hurtful, if we lean on them too heavily they cause more harm then good.
Try putting on an alarm while you’re online and stop surfing the net when the alarm goes off. Fill your day with more prana or life giving activities like; spending time in nature, reading, being with your children or others you love or hand writing a letter to a friend.
A second place to look is your eating habits. Are you eating energy-draining or energy-gaining foods? The ones that drain our energy are sugar, fried foods and snacks filled with additives. An easy way to remember which foods create energy is the ones closest to their original form in nature such as eating whole grains, like brown rice, instead of a piece of toast, even if it is whole wheat.
Other prana enhancing foods are: vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds instead of chewing gum, candy bars or soda. Once in a while these are fun treats, but listen to your body. Are you grabbing that Snicker’s Bar because you need a pick me up or because you’re having a treat?
Moving the body is my final tip for creating more prana (energy) in your body. A more restorative one is to take twenty minutes with your legs up the wall while your child naps or at your office if you have a private space. Twenty minutes in a restorative pose equals two hours of sleep and cell rejuvenation.
For those of us running low on our evening sleep or are jet lagged, this is one way that your body can catch up with itself. Play some soft relaxing music and find a warm spot, lie on the ground and swing your legs up the wall. You may even place your legs up on the sofa. Place one hand on your belly and the other one on your heart. Focus on a few breaths and then let go of focusing on your breath and just be. If you’re having difficulty relaxing your mind or body, go through your body and focus on relaxing each body part. See how you feel after 20 minutes. Do you feel more energized? If yes, then this may be something to try to do on a daily basis, instead of checking your email. If you feel more sleepy after your restorative practice, then try an energizing activity like a vigorous walk instead tomorrow or practice Breath of Joy, which I describe below.
Breath of Joy is a great prana builder. Start by standing with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart. You’re going to inhale in three parts. First sniff your arms up over head, second sniff some more with your arms out to the side then third sniff your arms parallel to the ground and straight out in front of you. Quickly bend over into a forward fold and exhale it all out with the sound “ha.” Inhale arms straight up overhead and start all over again. The entire time keep a slight smile on your face. Try this for 10 repetitions and end by placing your hands in prayer pose at your heart center. You can follow along with me on a video I created on my blog, at Breath of Joy.
Finally, if all else fails, play some fun music and dance like a wild woman. If you’re up for it, play 3-5 songs in a row and then a slow song where you walk around the room to cool down. There are so many ways to increase your energy. If these things don’t work, it may be time to visit your doctor, acupuncturist or naturopath. It’s possible that your body needs a tweak; your vitamin D levels may be down, you may be experiencing some depression, you could have adrenal fatigue or a chronic yeast infection (which sometimes masks itself only with fatigue). Take care of your energy so that you can be the best Mama or Mama-to-be.