FIT BLOG:
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Do you ever have trouble falling asleep? It can be so frustrating when you do ALL the things to prep for sleep and get in bed on time to make sure you get enough hours only to lie down and nothing happens. And the longer it takes to fall asleep, the more anxiety can start to creep up. If this ever happens to you, I've got a relaxation tool to add to your REST Toolbox for sleep support. It's been a game changer for me. I got this sleep tip from a Yoga Therapist and OT who recommends it for all her clients to help them relax and fall asleep. She recommends using a weighted eye pillow with some breathing exercises in bed to help with falling asleep (or back to sleep). I honestly forgot about my awesome eye pillow that I've used in the past for naps and meditation. So I dusted it off and tested it out. OMG- it's been A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I've been falling asleep faster and sleeping deeper. In all fairness, I've been doing all the things to improve my sleep quality. I've shared those things in this FIT Blog but adding the eye pillow to the breathing exercises in bed has definitely led to a deeper relaxation response in my body. Here's the eye pillow I use and recommend:  How it works: The eye pillow needs to be weighted as this the pressure over your eyes helps stimulate the Vagus Nerve and the relaxation response. Mine has a lavender scent which is calming to the nervous system as well. I recommend the "Happy Wraps" brand. They come in sets of 4 so you can give them as gifts to family & friends. Add it to some Breath Work: Here are 3 breathing exercises you can trial with your eye pillow to help you relax your body & fall asleep faster (or help you fall back asleep if you wake up in the middle of the night). 1. Belly Breathing:
2. Military Method Breathing Exercise: You’re going to breathe slowly as you relax from head to toe. With each breath, focus on letting your body feel heavy. Picture your body sinking down into your bed.
3. Chanting "OM"- this sound creates a vibration in your throat that relaxes you by stimulating the vagus nerve through its auricular branches.
Note: You don't have to sleep all night with the eye pillow. It'll naturally fall off as you roll to your side or change positions. For the Kiddos: All of this would be great to do with kids for sleep support also. You can add a breathing buddy (stuffed animal) to their tummy to help with the belly breathing. I won't tell if you need a breathing buddy too. OVER TO YOU: You can use your eye pillow to relax for sleep and also during the day when you need a relaxation break or nap. Test out the eye pillow with each breathing exercise to see which one your body likes best.  P.S. Feeling burned out? Use the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & anytime you need a Reset. Download the FREE Challenge here.
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Guess what regulates both the temperature of the Human Body and the Earth? WATER And water can help your Body with Recovery, Rehab, or Relaxation depending on its temperature. For Recovery (cold plunges/ice baths), you want the temperature between 46.4-59°F (8-15° C). For Rehab (aquatic therapy), water temp needs to be greater than 89°F with the sweet spot typically around 96°F (33-38° C). For Aquatic Exercise (swimming or aerobics), it can be cooler 83-86°F (28-30° C). RECOVERY You may wonder why ice baths are so popular right now. There has definitely been a progression from using them post workout for speeding up muscle recovery to using them on a regular basis for the other health benefits. Benefits of ice baths: increased fat burning, immunity, & resilience (toning the vagus nerve to handle stress better). They can also help improve sleep, reduce inflammation & migraines, and be good for your skin. You’re wanting it cold enough to elicit a shiver which switches your body into burning fat for fuel. Note that new research shows women may not need to get as “cold” for the ice baths due to having a more sensitive vascular response to cold than men. Caution with ice baths: you need to build up slowly if you’re doing it on your own and new to it. Unless you are training heavily every day in a particular sport, full body ice baths aren’t something you typically do more than a few times a week or max of 11 minutes total per week. **None of the extremes temp wise are safe for those with cardiac issues unless cleared by a physician. Those with Raynaud’s phenomenon should avoid extreme cold temps. REHAB We use aquatic therapy for both ortho and neuro patients. It’s wonderful for pain relief from arthritis to spasticity. It’s fabulous for working on flexibility, balance, core strengthening, and pre-gait activities. You can unload joints and decompress the spine depending on the depth of the water. At waist deep, you unload your body weight by 50%. At chest deep, by 75%. At neck deep, by 90%. You can change the depth, the position (supine, prone, sideways, kneeling, standing, one leg), and balance in or on the water using mats/noodles/boards. In fact, I used to work on balancing in the pool using therapy mats way before I did SUP on lakes/oceans. We have a ton of pool tools we can use to challenge patients. Remember water can assist or resist you as you move. You can work on walking all directions or jogging at all depths. As you can imagine, pedi patients love it. It brings out playfulness in adults too and gives them so much freedom of movement and pain relief. So good for mental health especially for those dealing with chronic pain. Insurance will cover it under outpatient physical therapy or occupational therapy if you have a medical diagnosis and the therapist has aquatic certification. RELAX Floating in water is probably the most relaxing way to enjoy it. One of my favorite Relaxation Bodywork in water is called Watsu. Watsu is a form of Shiatsu (bodywork) in the water that involves a therapist moving you through different positions to stretch & massage for relaxation, pain relief, and improved mobility. You’re floating & moving slowly through the water. Imagine that calming sensation you get swinging in a hammock, resting on the front of a catamaran or enjoying a piece of chocolate melting in your mouth. Ah, feels so good! BTW Ender is great at this technique. *Hot Tub Temps are great for Recovery & Relaxation- can really help with spasms and pain. *Contrast baths where you alternate cold and hot temps on an injured body part. Helps with swelling, injuries, inflammation and pain. OVER TO YOU Water has so many therapeutic benefits. Match the temperature to what you need it for- recovery, rehab, or relaxation. Find some ways to add it to your Rest Toolbox and remember it if you get injured or are dealing with some chronic pain issues. You can resume exercise and movement a lot earlier in water than you can on land. And don’t forget there is aquatic therapy for your pets too, if they have arthritis or need some rehab from an injury.   *If you have diabetes or cardiac conditions like uncontrolled hypertension, you'll need clearance from your physician to exercise safely in water. P.S. Can’t get in the water or it’s not time for a vacation yet? Use the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & anytime you need a Reset. Download the FREE Challenge here.
You never know what you might encounter when you go exploring in nature... I mean crossing the street in Austin, Texas. Check out what Ender ran across recently... I’m not sure how I went from growing up with the dad that everyone knew as the neighborhood’s 'Rattle Snake Killer' to having a husband who stops to make sure a snake got home safely?!?! It was alarming but NOT surprising that Ender decided to jump out of his truck to video the snake. One day I’ll share how we ended up visiting The Snake Whisperer on our Amazon trip in the southern region of Venezuela. Fun fact snakes have more bones than us but no pelvis and have evolved to have no legs. We obviously can’t change our shape as smoothly or as much as a snake but we can work on our mobility by targeting our Fascia (connective tissue). Fascia is the tough connective tissue that spreads throughout your body in a three-dimensional web from head to toe. It holds everything together from the bones, and organs to the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. Everything is connected to everything by your Fascia. How you spend your day effects your play. Your fascia takes the shape of what you do most. If you sit most of the day, your hips are going to be tight in the front (your hip flexors). Your PSOAS MUSCLE is the most popular or well known of your hip flexors. It starts at the front of your lumbar spine (lumbar vertebra) goes under the organs and attaches to the front of your hip (i.e. at the lesser trochanter of femur) helping bring your thigh to your chest (bend your hip).  When the Psoas Muscle is tight, it can lead to low back, hip, groin or pelvic pain. It can also affect your posture and ability to stand up straight. It’s even been called the “muscle of the soul” as it can be tense or tight from holding onto emotional stress (fear, anxiety) and trauma due to being activated during fight or flight stress response. Tight hip flexors can cause your gluteal (buttock) muscles to not fire properly which impacts your power, speed and stability. Stretching your hip flexors daily will improve your posture and performance. ️Here are 3 HIP FLEXOR STRETCH MOVES that go from less to more fascia. The tighter you are, start with the least amount of fascia and work your way to more full body stretches (i.e. supine > kneeling > standing positions). 
OVER TO YOU: Do you have tight hip flexors? If so, are you ready to give them some attention each day? Your low back will appreciate it. You’ll notice you have better posture and more ease with movement and walking kind of like that floating on air sensation when you get a new pair of running shoes. Stretching your hip flexors is a great counter to all the sitting we do now. Make sure to add Hip Flexor Stretches to your Rest Toolbox.  P.S. If you’d like to work on your gluts & get more healthy hips tips, check out this FIT Blog. If you're ready to improve your mobility, posture & fascia fitness, get on the interest list for our next online Rest Camp here. We do not provide medical advice. Always consult your physician before starting a new exercise program.
Today's the day! Time to Celebrate Earth Day AND National Beagle Day! Beagles & Nature- 2 of my favs that bring me so much joy. Here are 5 ways to tweak how you SHOP so you can make healthier choices for not only your Body & Home but also Animals and the Environment: 1. Shop Cruelty Free: Look for the BUNNY LABEL to find brands that don’t do testing on animals especially beagles & rabbits. Download the cruelty cutter app to make it easier to shop cruelty free. Check that all your skin care, cosmetics, and household cleaning products have the bunny on them. 2. Shop with Certified B Corporations™: B Corps are for profit businesses that commit to balance both profit and purpose. These brands meet legal standards to consider not only the needs of their customer and employees in their decision making but also the environment and larger global community. Check the labels of products you already buy from and see if they are one. 3. Chemical Free Home: keep chemicals, plastics and pesticides out of your home.
4. Clean Eating:
5. Donate: Find organizations that help the environment & find their brand partners (like seatrees.org has on their webpage or Climate Neutral and 1% For The Planet). The brands you choose matter for not only you and your home but our planet. OVER TO YOU: What's ONE thing you can change about how you SHOP that'll help support your Body, Home & the Environment? BONUS MOVES: In honor of National Beagle Day, add some Yoga "Dog" Poses to help you stretch and strengthen your core. You can do all of these on a counter or wall if you don't have the shoulder range of motion to do them on the floor. Warm up a little before you do them. Listen to your Body & do the ones that you can do with good form and still breathe well. You can either pick one move & do a few reps of it or do a few sets of the entire sequence.  Now get outside & celebrate this beautiful Earth (& National Beagle) Day!  P.S. Every sale of our online Rest Camps support organizations that improve the health & welfare of animals including Beagles. One of our favs to support is Beagle Freedom Project. They rescue and rehome beagles & other animals who have been used for lab testing in the U.S. and abroad. They also work tirelessly to champion laws & legislation to ban the cruel practice of animal testing nationwide.
Get on the interest list for our next online Rest Camp here. It's not looking so hot for the wildflowers in Central Texas this year. In fact, the nights have been dropping into the 40’s. I’ve seen a few patches of bluebonnets, but they don’t seem as vibrant as last year. Kind of a bummer so far. Despite this wild Spring weather, the trees are coming through and doing their job. Now it’s our turn. Consider this your early April warning that Earth Day is coming up on Tuesday, April 22nd! The 2025 theme is “Our Power, Our Planet™.” I’ll be sharing some tips to help you explore fun, new ways to support nature and the planet. Let's start with how you can help Restore Nature: PLANT
I was super pumped to learn about Seatrees when we purchased our Tandem SUP. It's incredible to see that over 4.7 million seatrees have been planted and restored around the world. You can get involved directly through as little as a $5 donation or by purchasing from a brand you love that donates to them. When you’re done finding a way to PLANT & Restore Nature, here's a Yoga Pose to help your BODY get grounded and centered.  HOW TO DO TREE POSE
MODS: Adjust your bent leg and arm position to your level of strength and balance. *Foot position: The higher you bring your foot up your leg, the harder it is on your balance. *Knee position: The more you open your knee out to the side, the harder it is to keep your hips aligned. Imagine you have flash lights on each hip bone. Keep the light shining in front of you equally (i.e. if you twist your hips one way, the beam of light would be facing that way vs straight in front of you). *Hand position: The higher you raise your hands, the harder it is to balance. **Don't forget to check that the foot you're standing on has equal contact on the floor/ground at the ball of your foot and heel with toes spread as much as you can. Think of growing roots into the ground like a tree to help you stabilize and ground yourself. OVER TO YOU: Which one of these Nature Moves sounds fun to do? I know it can be overwhelming to think about climate change. Remember it all matters. Small moves from all of us add up just like it does when you make healthy choices for your body each day. Baby steps my friend. Find small ways that are exciting to you to support the Planet. Don't forget to BE in nature as much as possible this Spring!  P.S. Ready to go from Stressed to your Relaxed Body? Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit & Daily Energy Planner here.
When you need to get focused, grounded, and ready to perform at work or for sports, one of the most powerful breathing exercise you can do to prep your Body & Brain is called: Breath of Fire. This Breath Work not only helps boost performance but gets your blood flowing, turns on your nervous system, breaks through emotional blocks, and stimulates your pituitary gland. Your pituitary gland secretes hormones that impact many body functions like:
Excellent reasons to add this one to your REST Toolbox. Please note: this breathing exercise should not be done while you are pregnant or bleeding during your cycle. BREATH OF FIREHow to do it:
Move with it: Once you have the breath work down, add it to a Yoga Pose. Breath of Fire + Yoga Pose for 1 minute = the same benefits as holding that pose for 1 hour with a normal breath. Boost confidence with it: Breath of Fire + a Power Pose will boost your confidence AND your focus before a Performance! Strike a Power Pose for 2 minutes (think Wonder Woman- feet apart and hands on hips) while doing the Breath of Fire. Then go for it. You'll be UNSTOPPABLE! Start practicing Breath of Fire slowly (during the daytime). If you get dizzy, go slower. It's not one to do before bed. It's to help you get ready to perform. The more you practice Breath Work, the faster you'll feel the benefits in your Body & Brain.  P.S. Want to get stronger with less effort? Download this 3-minute Active Recovery Yoga Routine to help you train smarter, it's free!
If you've ever taken a yoga class, you're gonna be familiar with this yoga relaxation pose: CHILD'S POSE. What you may not realize is how many benefits it provides besides being calming to your nervous system. It's a great Rest Move to add to your REST TOOLBOX for breaks during the day, recovery after a workout, or before bed for better sleep.  BENEFITS OF CHILD'S POSE1. The forward folded position cues your nervous system to calm down which can help with pain and stress relief. 2. The pressure on your forehead can help with headaches, eyestrain, and allergies. It also activates your endocrine system which releases hormones to manage metabolism, energy, reproduction, growth and development as well as your bodies response to injury, stress, and mood. 3. The leg position helps open up your hips, pelvic floor and low back muscles. 4. The chest position helps expand the diaphragm and rib cage which encourages calming breaths. HOW TO DO CHILD'S POSE
If you've got issues with your pelvic floor like pain or tightness, add Child's Pose along with Happy Baby to your daily stretch moves. HOW TO MODIFY CHILD'S POSEIf getting on the floor isn't an option due to back or knee issues, you can do Child's Pose seated in a chair.
Always modify as needed depending on your particular health conditions including pregnancy. The seated version of Child's Pose is a great way to take Rest Breaks during the day when you can't get on the floor or if you have a headache or eye fatigue from work on the computer. Day or night, Child's Pose will help trigger your Relaxed Body so you can feel more grounded, calm, and centered. Give it a try before bed tonight to see how your body responds.  P.S. On the verge of Overwhelm & Burnout?
Calm your Brain with the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & Reset. Let the Adventure to a Peaceful, Playful, Powerful Body Begin- Download the FREE Challenge here. Do you have some "ME" time scheduled for this Valentine's weekend? It's a great weekend to tap into some "guilt free" rest & pamper yourself energy that our hustle culture encourages around the festivities. The challenge is to give yourself permission to slow down and prioritize yourself and your daily rest practices EVERY day. So tap into that energy this weekend and keep it going because you deserve to be first on your list before nurturing everyone else. If you're not used to slowing down, you might not know what Rest Move to choose. The cool thing is your body will tell you IF you're listening. Here's a simple breathing & short meditation exercise (Cherished Body Exercise) to help you tune into what Rest Move your body needs today: LISTEN HERE Or you can read it to yourself below: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Hand on your heart or over your belly if you have tight shoulders. Close your eyes. Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth. Relax your shoulders. Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth. Soften your arms. Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth. Let go from head to toe. Inhale through your nose. Exhale. Ask yourself “What would I do if I cherished myself?” Inhale through your nose. Exhale. Listen to your body. “What would I do if I cherished myself?” Keep breathing. "What would I do if I cherished myself?" Keep listening. "What would I do if I cherished myself?" When you're ready. Open your eyes. What came up (a thought, a word, a picture) when you asked your body the question? What does it need to feel cherished or nourished today? How can you schedule that into your day or take one baby step toward adding that to your day? If you didn’t get an answer right away, don't worry. Tune in throughout the day as it'll probably come to you later. You can repeat the Cherished Body Exercise daily to help you tune into what your body needs each day to feel more energy, ease, & flow. Your body knows best so make sure to check in daily. It’ll tell you what it needs to feel, move, perform better. Indulge in the chocolate & flowers but also pick one thing to refresh your body & brain this weekend. Let it be the start to cherishing yourself every day. Be kind to yourself!  P.S. Need ideas on how to cherish yourself daily? Take the 12 Days of Bliss Challenge- ONE simple REST Move in just 5-10 minutes a day to help you Recharge & Reset.
Let the Adventure to a Peaceful, Playful, Powerful Body Begin- Download the FREE Challenge here. If you have low back stiffness and/or pain, it's time to TWIST & PRETZEL the tension out. Let's start with the FLOOR TWIST!  HOW TO DO THE FLOOR TWIST:This position targets your low back muscles and hips.
If you have low back pain or stiffness: keep the bottom knee bent as it's stretching less fascia (connective tissue). As you feel more flexible, do the Twist with your knee straight on bottom leg. NEXT UP: For low back pain or flare-ups, add my all time favorite stretch, THE PRETZEL, to the TWIST. It's a glut stretch that'll help you take pressure off your lower spine. Do your Floor Twists before the Pretzel Glut Stretch.  HOW TO DO A PRETZEL GLUT STRETCH:
PRO TIP: If you have neck, shoulder, or back pain/injuries, put your foot on the wall (of the bottom leg that you would normally hold onto) and relax your arms at your side. Gently rock your hips side to side using your foot on the wall. This allow you to keep your neck and shoulder's relaxed as you stretch for a few breaths (or minutes). The Floor Twist + The Pretzel Glut Stretch= A Happy Low Back! They're the perfect combo to help relieve low back stiffness or pain. Add them at the end of a workout or in bed (morning or night) to help take some tension off your lower spine. It's holding you up all day. Give it some love. PRO TWIST TIP: You can change up the position of your twist to target energy and/or digestion as well. Check out the SEATED TWIST.  P.S. Ready to be active & agile at any age? Download your FREE Relaxed Body Toolkit to get started here.
Do you wake up feeling well-rested and pain-free on most days? Did you know that’s even possible? It is. You CAN be active & agile at any age. You’re not destined to a life of being exhausted, stiff & sore and eventually falling and breaking your hip. Stiff joints, sore muscles, and fatigue are all signs of over-training (or over-doing) and not giving your body enough rest or recovery time between your workouts and activity. Slowing down with REST gives the body time to work its MAGIC… to heal itself and get stronger. The catch... You only have so much energy (i.e. brain power) in a day. You can’t sleep your way out of exhaustion and chronic pain. It’s about knowing what types of rest to target and how to pace yourself. The first step is learning how to calm your nervous system so you can go from Stressed to your Relaxed Body. We’ll show you how in the Relaxed Body Toolkit. You’ll learn:
PLUS it includes a Bonus MINI Moves Daily Energy Planner! It’s never too late to break the habit of going too hard, too fast- THE recipe for inflammation, injury, & burnout... If you're willing to sprinkle some Rest & Relaxation Moves into your day. Let’s calm your body with daily Rest Moves so you can feel more energy, ease, & flow. Download the Relaxed Body Toolkit to help you get started.   P.S. Ready to be active & agile at any age? Download your FREE Relaxed Body Toolkit to get started here.
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Mollie, Ender, Ty & Teddie
Mollie Miller, PT
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