HOT TRX TRAINING

‘TRX training is a form of suspension training, with its name standing for Total Resistance Body workout,’ says. ‘The position in which you stand will either make the TRX exercises more challenging or easier, but they always use body weight only. TRX straps are adjustable, and how the straps are lengthened will give the support or toughness that you need. At Hot Yoga Stavanger we have created a perfect hot environment with infrared heaters to boost the TRX training and reduce the chance of injuries and increase the condition to burn more calories. Hot Yoga Stavanger offers a safe and exiting sequence for TRX training, it is a full body workout in a short period of time.

The Benefits of Sound Healing

Sound healing has emerged as an alternative therapy people seek in the case of stress, anxiety, or to deal with pain. Some benefits of sound healing are:

Relaxation

One of the most important and universal advantages of sound therapy is deep relaxation. The sounds pervade our system, restoring equilibrium. As calming as a spa, sound healing helps you find your harmony.

Improves Energy

As the sound vibrations open, clear, and balance their chakras and release blocked energy, some patients experience deep healing during sound therapy. It makes you feel refreshed and balanced.

Health Benefits

Improved sleep, less chronic pain and blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and a lower risk of heart disease are all advantages of sound healing.

Mental Health Benefits

Stress, anxiety, and depression can all be reduced with sound healing. Sound healing restores mental balance and clarity, resulting in a revitalized sense of purpose, well-being, peace, and enjoyment. (Estrada, 2020)

Meditation and healing have long been linked to sound. Sound healing has long been practiced in civilizations around the world, from Australian aboriginal tribes that have been using the didgeridoo as a sound healing instrument for over 40,000 years to Tibetan or Himalayan singing bowl spiritual rites.

Sound meditation is a sort of meditation that focuses on concentrated awareness. An analysis of 400 published scientific studies on music as medicine showed substantial evidence that music improves mood and reduces stress in both mental and physical health. In fact, rhythm (as opposed to melody) can help to relieve physical pain. One hour of sound meditation, according to one study, reduces stress, anger, weariness, anxiety, and sadness while also enhancing spiritual well-being. (Psychology Today, 2019)

Sound Heals

Sound healing is an effective and natural way to heal the body, mind, and spirit. It can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, both physical and mental. If you are looking for an alternative therapy to help you relax, reduce stress, or improve your overall health, sound healing may be right for you. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether sound healing is a good option for you.

Hot Yoga Stavanger offers sound healing sessions on the weekly bases.

The Positive Impacts Of Offering Corporate Yoga Classes

Keep employees motivated & healthy with the simple introduction of company-sponsored yoga classes. Despite the deep history of yoga spanning over 5,000 years, it hasn’t been until recently that businesses are normalizing corporate yoga classes for employees. We’re glad to see this program finally have a seat at the table of workplace benefits – and that it is one of the many stress management plans brands like Apple, Google, and Adobe are seeing major ROI with. But why yoga? How can a single program have such a positive impact on company culture? Let’s get into it.

People Want To Work For Companies That Care

The way we work has completely changed. People are struggling to disconnect from the burdens they carry on the job when packing up to go home for the day. This can cause resentment and  eventually lead to the loss of otherwise great employees. In order to avoid worst case scenarios employers are tasked with finding solutions that contribute to both the mental and physical wellbeing of their staff. What most fail to recognize is that people need  to feel valued by the companies they work for. When HR managers and decision makers come to this realization, they take a giant step in the right direction towards creating a culture that attracts – and retains – the best talent in their respective industries.

Why Yoga At Work… Works!

No matter if it’s a few desk yoga poses or corporate fitness programs featuring in-office yoga, there’s a reason more and more brands are implementing yoga classes into their company-sponsored benefits.

Hybrid or Remote Working Employees Feel Included

Feeling connected to the businesses we work for is a core factor when it comes to job performance. Ensuring in-office, hybrid, and fully remote employees are included in company culture will have lasting effects on team chemistry. The secret to creating a full proof wellness program is to have options people can access no matter where they are. Partnering with a company that specializes in both in-person and online  is what you want to look for here.

Lower Stress-Related Healthcare Costs

We’ve most likely all experienced the fallout that comes with unhealthy stress levels at work. Offering employees an outlet where they can forget the outside world for an hour or so will help them mentally reset – which reduces the chances of detrimental burnout. Creating an opportunity for people to develop tools to help regulate stress levels through meditation and breathwork does wonders for the body, mind, and spirit.  So much, in fact, that 54% of people who practiced yogic breathing exercises reduced their blood pressure by at least five points!

Low Hammock Restorative

Restorative classes in low hammocks are so relaxing indeed restorative aerial yoga is related to the healing and gentle side of yoga.
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When performing restorative aerial yoga, the aim is not to get into difficult or challenging poses and work up a sweat but to gently guide the body into positions that can bring different benefits.
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Restorative yoga can be heavily focused on the mind and often includes visualizations or meditations to further connect with your inner self, your healing and your spiritual side.
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Additionally, the practice allows you to achieve opening of the hips, spine and other connective tissues bringing about better flexibility and relief from tension in the muscles.
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In reality, restorative yoga is accessible and beneficial to anyone who wants to take part, however, there are certain groups of people who may find this type of practice preferable.
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People recovering from an injury will benefit from being closer to the ground, having more support and from the gentler movements involved in restorative aerial yoga.
Older people who have limited mobility but still want to reap the many benefits yoga has to offer.
People of all age groups who struggle with physical limitations or restrictions and who are unable to take part in more intense yoga sessions.
Anyone who is new to yoga and wants to get into the practice more gently.
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Stress relief is one of the biggest reasons that a lot of people include a restorative practice in their yoga arsenal. The slow nature of this type of yoga allows you to connect with your inner self and focus on breathing. Breathing exercises are well known for their ability to lower the heart rate and blood pressure, which in turn, have a positive impact on stress.
Greater body awareness is brought about during a restorative yoga class and this is also thanks to the slower pace of the workout. As you move through the poses and rest in them, your awareness is brought to the various body parts that are being engaged, further connecting the mind and body.
Tension relief is another reason that restorative aerial yoga can be beneficial. Quite often, tension builds up in the joints and muscles and, until it is released, can create physical stress and discomfort.

This type of yoga also allows you to experiment with meditation by practicing it in varying poses, allowing you to find which suits you best.

It is widely believed that restorative yoga also has a very positive effect on the immune system and the central nervous system boosting their health and improving their function.

In this busy world, it is easy to get lost in ourselves but aerial restorative yoga can allow you to recenter yourself and become more grounded.

This type of yoga is excellent for relaxation and is ideal for times when you need to wind down.

If you suffer from lower back pain restorative aerial yoga can provide excellent pain relief from this as well as bringing pain relief to the hips and spine.

HOT CIRCUIT

Hot Circuit gets your heart rate up and strengthens your muscles at the same time.
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You’ll move quickly through 8-10 exercise stations to work different muscle groups with little to no rest between stations. Each station has a different exercise.
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If you’re looking for a full-body workout in 30 minutes or less, hot circuit training does the trick. You get the benefits of muscle building and toning along with an intense cardio workout.
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Hot Circuit training is an excellent option to help you lose weight along with a healthy diet. So if you need to lose weight because you have a condition like diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, this may be a good choice for you.
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It's intense, so check with your doctor first. You might be better off starting with something easier, especially if you have any heart problems.
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If you have diabetes, make sure you know what to do if your blood sugar goes too low when exercising.
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If you have arthritis, choose low-impact exercises. Don't do any moves that put pounding pressure on painful joints, like jumping jacks.
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If you have a knee or back injury, circuit training isn’t for you. Once you’re recovered, it could be an option. Ask your doctor if you're ready for it. You may want to work with a physical therapist or certified trainer who can help you get the benefits while minimizing the risk of reinjury.
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If you're taking a class, let your instructor know about your injuries.
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If you have other physical limitations, you can likely find something that works for you. An instructor or trainer can work with you to find moves that will still get your heart pumping and tone your muscles.
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If you're pregnant and you did circuit training before getting pregnant, you can keep doing it if your doctor says it's OK.
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Drink water while you exercise, and don't do any exercises that could make you fall or get overheated.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is the habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.

The popularity of meditation is increasing as more people discover its many health benefits.

You can use it to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Many people think of it as a way to reduce stress and develop concentration.

People also use the practice to develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns, and even increased pain tolerance.

1. Reduces stress

Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons people try meditation.

One review concluded that meditation lives up to its reputation for stress reduction.

Normally, mental and physical stress cause increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.

These effects can disrupt sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure, and contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking.

In an 8-week study, a meditation style called “mindfulness meditation” reduced the inflammation response caused by stress.

Furthermore, research has shown that meditation may also improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, and fibromyalgia.

2. Controls anxiety

Meditation can reduce stress levels, which translates to less anxiety.

A meta-analysis including nearly 1,300 adults found that meditation may decrease anxiety. Notably, this effect was strongest in those with the highest levels of anxiety.

Also, one study found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder, along with increasing positive self-statements and improving stress reactivity and coping.

Another study in 47 people with chronic pain found that completing an 8-week meditation program led to noticeable improvements in depression, anxiety, and pain over 1 year.

What’s more, some research suggests that a variety of mindfulness and meditation exercises may reduce anxiety levels.

For example, yoga has been shown to help people reduce anxiety. This is likely due to benefits from both meditative practice and physical activity .

Meditation may also help control job-related anxiety. One study found that employees who used a mindfulness meditation app for 8 weeks experienced improved feelings of well-being and decreased distress and job strain, compared with those in a control group.

3. Promotes emotional health

Some forms of meditation can lead to improved self-image and a more positive outlook on life.

For example, one review of treatments given to more than 3,500 adults found that mindfulness meditation improved symptoms of depression.

Similarly, a review of 18 studies showed that people receiving meditation therapies experienced reduced symptoms of depression, compared with those in a control group.

Another study found that people who completed a meditation exercise experienced fewer negative thoughts in response to viewing negative images, compared with those in a control group.

Furthermore, inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which are released in response to stress, can affect mood, leading to depression. A review of several studies suggests meditation may also reduce depression by decreasing levels of these inflammatory chemicals.

4. Enhances self-awareness

Some forms of meditation may help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself, helping you grow into your best self.

For example, self-inquiry meditation explicitly aims to help you develop a greater understanding of yourself and how you relate to those around you.

Other forms teach you to recognize thoughts that may be harmful or self-defeating. The idea is that as you gain greater awareness of your thought habits, you can steer them toward more constructive patterns.

One review of 27 studies showed that practicing tai chi may be associated with improved self-efficacy, which is a term used to describe a person’s belief in their own capacity or ability to overcome challenges.

In another study, 153 adults who used a mindfulness meditation app for 2 weeks experienced reduced feelings of loneliness and increased social contact compared with those in a control group.

Additionally, experience in meditation may cultivate more creative problem-solving skills.

5. Lengthens attention span

Focused-attention meditation is like weight lifting for your attention span. It helps increase the strength and endurance of your attention.

For example, one study found that people who listened to a meditation tape experienced improved attention and accuracy while completing a task, compared with those in a control group.

A similar study showed that people who regularly practiced meditation performed better on a visual task and had a greater attention span than those without any meditation experience.

Moreover, one review concluded that meditation may even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying, and poor attention.

Even meditating for a short period each day may benefit you. One study found that meditating for just 13 minutes daily enhanced attention and memory after 8 weeks.

6. May reduce age-related memory loss

Improvements in attention and clarity of thinking may help keep your mind young.

Kirtan Kriya is a method of meditation that combines a mantra or chant with repetitive motion of the fingers to focus your thoughts. Studies in people with age-related memory loss have shown it improves performance on neuropsychological tests.

Furthermore, a review found preliminary evidence that multiple meditation styles can increase attention, memory, and mental quickness in older volunteers.

In addition to fighting normal age-related memory loss, meditation can at least partially improve memory in patients with dementia. It can likewise help control stress and improve coping in those caring for family members with dementia.

7. Can generate kindness

Some types of meditation may particularly increase positive feelings and actions toward yourself and others.

Metta, a type of meditation also known as loving-kindness meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings toward yourself.

Through practice, people learn to extend this kindness and forgiveness externally, first to friends, then acquaintances, and ultimately enemies.

A meta-analysis of 22 studies on this form of meditation demonstrated its ability to increase peoples’ compassion toward themselves and others.

One study in 100 adults randomly assigned to a program that included loving-kindness meditation found that these benefits were dose-dependent.

In other words, the more time people spent in weekly metta meditation practice, the more positive feelings they experienced.

Another study in 50 college students showed that practicing metta meditation 3 times per week improved positive emotions, interpersonal interactions, and understanding of others after 4 weeks.

These benefits also appear to accumulate over time with the practice of loving-kindness meditation.

8. May help fight addictions

The mental discipline you can develop through meditation may help you break dependencies by increasing your self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviors.

Research has shown that meditation may help people learn to redirect their attention, manage their emotions and impulses, and increase their understanding of the causes behind their.

One study in 60 people receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder found that practicing transcendental meditation was associated with lower levels of stress, psychological distress, alcohol cravings, and alcohol use after 3 months.

Meditation may also help you control food cravings. A review of 14 studies found mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce emotional and binge eating.

9. Improves sleep

Nearly half of the population will struggle with insomnia at some point.

One study compared mindfulness-based meditation programs and found that people who meditated stayed asleep longer and had improved insomnia severity, compared with those who had an unmedicated control condition.

Becoming skilled in meditation may help you control or redirect the racing or runaway thoughts that often lead to insomnia.

Additionally, it can help relax your body, releasing tension and placing you in a peaceful state in which you’re more likely to fall asleep.

10. Helps control pain

Your perception of pain is connected to your state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions.

Some research suggests that incorporating meditation into your routine could be beneficial for controlling pain.

For example, one review of 38 studies concluded that mindfulness meditation could reduce pain, improve quality of life, and decrease symptoms of depression in people with chronic pain.

A large meta-analysis of studies enrolling nearly 3,500 participants concluded that meditation was associated with decreased pain.

Meditators and non-meditators experienced the same causes of pain, but meditators showed a greater ability to cope with pain and even experienced a reduced sensation of pain.

11. Can decrease blood pressure

Meditation can also improve physical health by reducing strain on the heart.

Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to poor heart function.

High blood pressure also contributes to atherosclerosis, or a narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.

A meta-analysis of 12 studies enrolling nearly 1000 participants found that meditation helped reduce blood pressure. This was more effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure prior to the study.

One review concluded that several types of meditation produced similar improvements in blood pressure.

In part, meditation appears to control blood pressure by relaxing the nerve signals that coordinate heart function, blood vessel tension, and the “fight-or-flight” response that increases alertness in stressful situations.

12. Accessible anywhere

People practice many different forms of meditation, most of which don’t require specialized equipment or space. You can practice with just a few minutes daily.

If you want to start meditating, try choosing a form of meditation based on what you want to get out of it.

There are two major styles of meditation:

• Focused-attention meditation. This style concentrates attention on a single object, thought, sound, or visualization. It emphasizes ridding your mind of distractions. Meditation may focus on breathing, a mantra, or calming sound.

• Open-monitoring meditation. This style encourages broadened awareness of all aspects of your environment, train of thought, and sense of self. It may include becoming aware of suppressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses.

To find out which styles you like best, check out the variety of free, guided meditation exercises offered by the University of California Los Angeles. It’s an excellent way to try different styles and find one that suits you.

If your regular work and home environments do not allow for consistent, quiet alone time, consider participating in a class. This can also improve your chances of success by providing a supportive community.

Alternatively, consider setting your alarm a few minutes early to take advantage of quiet time in the morning. This may help you develop a consistent habit and allow you to start the day positively.

GONG BATH

What is a gong bath?
Gong meditation could be thought of as just another fad activity but it is not. Gongs have been used as shamanic healing tools, celebratory instruments and a method of communication for thousands of years, and are undoubtedly part of the tradition that is sound healing, which uses techniques such as chanting, drums and Tibetan bowls to name few. A gong bath is a form of sound healing meditation growing in popularity as a modern healing technique. It is referred to as a bath due to participants being immersed in the vibrations of the instruments during a session. No knowledge or experience is required and it can be viewed as a form of meditation accessible to everyone, rather than a chore or another item on your to-do list.

Participants lay down comfortably under a blanket and the gong session is often preceded by breathing exercises or mantra chanting to relax and prepare you for the experience. The gongs are then gradually introduced and the vibrations of the gongs are absorbed throughout the entire body, which can help shift stagnant energies. Other sound healing tools such as crystal bowls, chimes, drums, and rattles may also be used to create a diverse soundscape. Gong baths are often described as having transformational effects on body, mind, and spirit. The best way to understand is to experience it.

What are the benefits of a gong bath?
When something within us is out of tune it can cause dis-ease to arise in our bodies. Factors such as stress, anger, trauma and environment in our daily lives may negatively impact us which can then manifest on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. The vibrations produced in a gong bath help to “tune” your body and therefore aid in restoring harmony and resonance throughout.

Another process that takes place is entrainment – the synchronisation of our fluctuating brainwaves with the stable frequency of the gong, which our brains acclimate to and unify with. This can also help create overall harmony within our bodies.

The sound of a gong helps the brain reach deep relaxation – specifically the delta and theta brain wave states, which are the slowest brain waves in humans. We tend to reach these states during daydreaming or deep sleep, and they are known to aid relaxation, creativity and natural healing. Your brain will find it challenging to follow the sounds of the gong, so you will likely enter a deep meditative state at least once during the session.

Gong baths are highly rejuvenating for the body and bring about an overall sense of relaxation, which can reduce stress as well as help develop a better ability to cope with stress, help move emotional blockages from trauma, and even stimulate altered states of consciousness. They may also encourage greater overall stillness and contentment.

Sound healing can alleviate or cure many conditions such as:

– Anxiety disorder.
– Stress.
– Pain.
– PTSD.
– Mood swings or negative emotions.
– Depression.
– Psychological and behavioural disorders.

It can also help manifest emotional and physical healing:

– Relaxation.
– Improved memory and concentration.
– Improved sleep.
– Clarity and balance
– A healthier immune system.
– Enhanced creativity.
– Overall heightened awareness – of self and the environment.

What should I expect during a gong bath?
Each person’s experience is, of course, unique but it’s possible for gong bathers to have a range of experiences from visions, to epiphanies, to creative solutions, and even psychedelic-like journeys. As gong baths are a mode of meditation through which the mind can become quiet, you may find that inspiration, new ideas, or breakthroughs come to you. You might like to have a journal with you to write down these thoughts afterwards.

The harmonics of the sound healing retune any emotional disharmony within us. You may experience a range of emotions and reactions such as laughing, crying, feeling scared or angry, and anything in between. Many people feel a sense of bliss and peace after a gong bath.

On a physical level, you might experience vibration in the body due to the intense and powerful sound-waves and vibrations produced during gong baths. Some people encounter this energetic clearing in the form of shaking or twitching in the body, usually through the hands and feet.

Hot Yoga Stavanger offers sound healing sessions on the weekly basis.

Aerial yoga

Aerial yoga was developed by Michelle Dortignac in 2006, using a combination of traditional yoga poses, pilates, and dance with the use of a hammock.

In an aerial yoga class, you perform the same poses you do on yoga mat, except you use a silk hammock that's suspended from the ceiling as a prop to support you through the various flows. The purpose of the hammock is to help you improve flexibility and build strength, while allowing you to do more challenging poses without added pressure on your shoulders, spine, or head.

Aerial yoga Improved flexibility, stability, and balance. A 2019 study observed that aerial athletes have exceptional flexibility, balance, and strength. It also Improves the mental health. A small study noted significant improvements in depression and stress levels when people practiced aerial arts for the love of movement. This seems to bode particularly well for aerial yoga, which applies yogic philosophies and is often less competitive and more accessible than a circus-based or formal acrobatics classes.

No skills required.

You should not wear any types of accessories like watch or rings or so when participating Aerial yoga classes.

Aerial yoga is not recommended for people who are pregnant or for whom hanging upside down is not medically advised.

This includes, but is not limited to, people with eye conditions such as cataracts or detached retina, as well as people with unregulated blood pressure.

Check with a healthcare professional before signing up for your first class.

Aromatherapy

Humans have used aromatherapy for thousands of years. Ancient cultures in China, India, Egypt, and elsewhere incorporated aromatic plant components in resins, balms, and oils. These natural substances were used for medical and religious purposes. They were known to have both physical and psychological benefits.

Essential oils distillation is attributed to the Persians in the 10th century, though the practice may have been in use for a long time prior to this.

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it’s called essential oil therapy. Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health.

We at Hot Yoga Stavanger use variety of different aromas depends on the season to enhance health of the members.

Yoga & Menstruation

Most studies on the effect of yoga on menstruation studied the effect of regular exercise on symptoms. A recent study found that yoga was able to significantly reduce moderate to severe pain, abdominal swelling, and breast tenderness associated with the menstrual cycle. Another study found that women who added yoga to their normal routine two times per week for twelve weeks had significant improvement in menstrual pain, physical fitness, and quality of life. 

If you’re wondering which yoga positions (asanas) are the most appropriate during your period, there are at least three that studies found may help reduce menstrual cramps by stretching and strengthening the back and pelvic floor muscles. Let’s take a look at them.

Cobra (Bhujangasana)

Lying on your stomach, stretch your legs, put your palms on the floor next to your chest under your shoulders, and your elbows against your body. Inhale, straighten your arms and lift your chest and head slowly off the floor while extending your toes. Breathing calmly, hold this pose for about 15 to 30 seconds, then release and exhale.

Cat (Marjaryasana)

Come into a tabletop position. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor directly under your shoulders, and your knees should be hip-width apart. Keep your head in a neutral position, looking at the floor. As you inhale, raise your chin and put your head back, push your navel down, raising your tailbone. Hold the pose for a couple of seconds, breathing deeply. As you exhale, round your spine and drop your chin gently to your chest. As you inhale, resume the tabletop position. Repeat several times.

Fish (Matsyasana)

Lie on your back, straighten your legs, and keep your feet together. Place your relaxed hands under your thighs with palms down to the floor. Inhaling, lift the chest up and your head back so that the top of your head touches the floor. Make sure that your weight rests on your elbows, keeping your thighs and legs pressed on the floor. Hold the pose for several seconds, breathing deeply, then exhale and relax your body back down. Repeat several times. To come out of the pose, lift into your forearms and raise your head off the floor.

What to avoid

You may also wonder, are there any yoga poses to avoid during periods? While there are many yoga poses that are suitable to practice during menstruation, some people believe that upside-down, or inverted, poses (such as handstand, headstand, shoulder stand and full wheel) are better avoided because of the heavy load they place on the ligaments and the risk of increased bleeding. There is no scientific proof to support this claim so far. Nevertheless, it’s always better to self-assess your physical state or consult with your health care provider.

ART THERAPY

Art therapy is a form of self exploration that involves the encouragement of free self-expression through painting, drawing, or modelling, used as a remedial activity.

Art Therapy is an integrative mental health that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, a creative process to connect us to ourself and help us to experience and discover our deeper self.

Art Therapy is used to improve cognitive functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, promote insight, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress, and advance societal and ecological change. Art therapy can help individuals seeking emotional, creative, and spiritual growth.

Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone to invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience, and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation.

TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES

Successful teams can be more productive than individual contributors.

Team building is the process of strengthening bonds between members of a group for the purpose of more efficiently achieving the group's goals.

Activities that promote team building can be as informal and casual as a shared meal, group meditation, brain storm, easy yoga or as formally structured as a session led by a facilitator.

Hot Yoga Stavanger offer relaxing environment with healthy and delicious foods for your team building activities.

Contact us here.

Warm Restorative Yoga

Warm Restorative yoga enables deep relaxation while we are holding poses for longer periods of time with the help of props to completely support our body.

The main focus of Warm Restorative Yoga is that by relaxing in poses, with the aid of props, without strain or pain, we can achieve physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Restorative yoga classes are very relaxing and slow paced. Props, like blocks, bolsters, blankets and straps are used so that you are supported in your pose comfortably. You will then hold the pose for an extended period of time. This practice is great to balance an active yoga schedule or to give yourself a break when you feel under the weather.

Our parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated when we relax into poses, which promotes a relaxation response and reduces stress in our bodies. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for slowing the heart rate and breath and increasing blood flow to the vital organs, among other things. 

When we are practising restorative yoga, we will feel a sense of motionlessness and shapelessness, and this can lead us to feel some emotional discomfort and vulnerability. If this happens, stay with the breath and allow it to pass.

Benefits

Warm Restorative yoga helps to combat the physical and mental effects of everyday stress, and eases common ailments such as headaches, backaches, anxiety, and insomnia with the use of restful poses and deep breathing techniques.
• Deeply relaxes the body
• Stills the mind
• Improves capacity for healing and balancing
• Balances the nervous and immune system
• Boosts immunity
• Enhances your mood

HOT YOGA & DEEP SLEEP

What are the benefits of deep sleep?

Glucose metabolism in the brain increases during deep sleep, supporting short-term and long-term memory and overall learning.

Deep sleep is also when the pituitary gland secretes important hormones, like human growth hormone, leading to growth and development of the body.

Other benefits of deep sleep include:

• energy restoration

• cell regeneration

• increasing blood supply to muscles

• promoting growth and repair of tissues and bones

• strengthening the immune system

What happens when we don’t get enough deep sleep?

Deep sleep is responsible for helping process the information you encounter each day. Without enough, the brain can’t convert this information to your memory.

Not getting quality sleep is also linked to conditions, like:

• Alzheimer’s disease

• heart disease

• diabetes

• stroke

How do you know how much you’re getting?

If you wake up feeling exhausted, it may be a sign that you’re not getting enough deep sleep.

Tips for better sleep

Heat promotes sleep waves. For example, taking a hot bath or spending time in a sauna before bed or doing hot yoga, hot yin or hot restorative yoga help improve our sleep quality.

Getting enough sleep in general may also increase your deep sleep.

Here’s some tips:

• Put yourself on a bedtime schedule where you go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.

• Practice Hot Yin Yoga or Hot Restorative Yoga is a good activity at the end of the day, just avoid working out in the hours before bedtime.

• Stick to water and fresh juices before bed. Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine may make it harder to get a good night’s rest.

• Create a bedtime routine to unwind from the day, like reading a book or taking a bath.

• Banish bright lights and loud noises from your bedroom. Too much TV or computer time may make it hard to relax.

• Don’t lay in bed tossing and turning. Consider getting up and doing a light activity, like reading, until you’re tired again.

Hot Yin or Hot Yin&Yang is a gentle and restorative way to wind down our day. Researches show that over 55% of people who did hot yoga found that it helped them get better sleep. Over 85% said hot yoga helped reduce stress. You can use supportive props like bolsters and blocks to make poses comfortable so that you can stay in the pose for longer and continue to breathe.

Our breath is key to be able to relax in the hot yoga classes. Useing a gentle and calming yoga breath technique called Ujjayi Breath, also known as Ocean Breath or Victorious Breath. Inhale deeply through the nose. With your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting the back of your throat as if you are saying "ha" but keep your mouth closed. This exhalation should sound like the waves of the ocean. Use this slow and steady breath to soothe yourself in each of these poses.

Practice these yoga poses in the warm or hot environment before bedtime late in the evening and stay in them about 3 to 5 minutes each. This Hot Yin practice can improve our sleeping.

Use your Ocean Breath in each pose, with the exception of Corpse Pose, where your breath returns to normal.

These following yoga poses help us to sleep better at the end of the day. The more that you practice these poses regularly, the more you likely you can get a good night’s rest.

1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)

This resting pose provides a sense of calm and stability. Be cautious if you have hip or knee injuries.

• Kneel on the floor and bring your big toes together.

• Separate your knees hips width apart or as wide as the edges of the mat.

• Exhale and sink your torso onto your thighs.

• Let your hands relax alongside your torso, so your arms are pointed to the back of the room, palms facing up. This should release shoulder tension by widening your shoulder blades away from each other.

• If you want a more active pose, reach your hands forward, palms down on the mat.

• Keep your forehead on the ground. Roll your head to each side gently. This releases tension in your brow.

• Take slow and steady breaths, in and out through your nose.

2. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

• Stand with your feet hips width apart. Inhale deeply.

• Exhale and extend your torso forward and over your legs to elongate your spine.

• Hold onto your elbows or let your hands rest on your shins or the floor.

• Do not strain to reach the floor—the purpose is not to achieve a perfect shape, but is to elongate the spine and relax your neck and shoulders.

• This forward bend allows you to relax your neck tension and gently stretches your hamstrings, calves, and hips. Be careful if you have a back injury.

• If it is difficult for your hands to reach the floor or your back is uncomfortable, place blocks under each hand to provide more support.

• Breathe in and out through your nose slowly and smoothly.

• If you have tight hamstrings, keep your knees "soft" by bending them slightly so thatyour chest can relax on your thighs.

• Gently shake your head "yes" and "no" to relax and loosen your neck muscles.

• To come up, roll up slowly to standing to avoid getting light-headed.

3. Standing Half Forward Bend (Ardha Uttanasana) at the wall

• Place your mat perpendicular to the wall.

• Stand about a foot away from the wall.

• Your feet should be hips width apart and parallel to the edges of the mat.

• Press your hands against the wall with your palms spread at the height of your hips.

• Step back with your feet hips width apart and lower your torso until you come into a flat back position, so that your torso is perpendicular to the floor.

• Use your palms to press the wall away from you to lengthen your back.

• Press into all four corners of your feet.

• Keep your ears in line with your arms.

• Adjust your distance from the wall to make sure your body is at a 90-degree angle (L shape). If you are too close to the wall, your back and arms will not be able to be fully extended. If you are too far from the wall, you will not be able to bend forward enough.

• Continue to breathe deeply as you press the wall away from you with your palms.

4. Reclining Bound Angle (Supta Baddha Konasana)

This pose eases tension in your hips and groin area. Be cautious if you have knee, hip or groin injuries.

• Lie down on the mat.

• Bend your knees, and place your feet on the floor, close to your tailbone.

• Bring the soles of your feet together and allow your knees to relax away from each other, while placing blocks or firm cushions underneath your knees on each side to support your hips.

• If you have tight hips, you can adjust your feet so that they are further away from your tailbone or add more blocks or cushions under your knees for additional height.

• Relax your arms on the floor about 45 degrees away from your torso, palms facing the ceiling.

• Do not press down on knees to create additional tension. Gravity is already doing the work.

• You should feel a gentle stretch in

5. Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani )

At the end of the day, especially if your job involves staying on your feet, your feet and ankles can get swollen and tired. This simple pose helps recirculates your blood flow.

• Find an empty space on your wall and place your mat perpendicular to the wall.

• Sit down on the mat and bring your left or right side to the wall as close as possible, so your side body meets the wall.

• Lie back onto mat, and gently place your legs up the wall.

• Relax your arms by your sides.

6. Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Corpse pose is the traditional final resting pose of yoga practice. You can let your breath return to normal in this pose.

• Lie back on the mat.

• Hug your knees in towards your chest tightly and take a deep inhale.

• Exhale and stretch your legs out away from you while keeping your tailbone grounded on the mat.

• Your feet should be hips width apart and relaxed away from each other, toward the edges of the mat.

• Let your lower back soften and relax. You should not feel any pain or tightness in your lower back.

• Relax your arms at your sides, palms facing upward.

• Check to make sure your shoulders are not hunched, and, if so, relax your shoulders away from your ears.

• Optional: Place a folded towel over your eyes to block out any light.