Keeping the energy up

Hi!

This is my first blog at the KI researchers blog. I am a Ph.D student at CEFAM Huddinge and one of my yoga students in my class here at Solna Karolinska asked me if I wanted to be a Ki research blogger. Will write on my topic that is hatha yoga, the more physical form of yoga.

The spring is here i Sweden and many people get a bit tired from the winter months.

One way to keep the energy while having a lot of research and work is to do a yoga posture every now and then while you take a break (can be more effective than coffee!).

I find inversions and semi-inversione (upside down postures in yoga) to be very good since you get a feeling of alertness and relaxation att the same time. This mechanism is partily due to the parasympathetic nervous system activation, and the alertness is probably from the muscles being activated.

At the moment I am both working, doing a full time course and try to write on a research paper, so what is my secret to keep the energy up?

This is a pose (dog down) that everyone can do, and if you want a lighter version you can always put the hands on a higher stone than on the picture here or a bench, towards a tree, a sofa or something with a height.

The yogic posture dog down (adho mukha svanasana), do it a few times during the day to keep the energy up.

Try it next time you need more energy and a boost, and you will see.

Here at Karolinska many people are alerted from the health promotion departments about the hazards of a sedentary life and long periods of sitting.  There is devices that you can use (vibrating wrist bands, computer programs, timers etc) that is reminding you every 30 minutes that  it is time to move.

People in the world is becoming sedentary!  Sweden is one of the top in the european countries that are sedentary according to a paper with 43 % that are sedentary (sedentary were defined in those expending less than 10 % of their leisure time in activites involving 4 metabolic equivalents (MET) and those who did not practice any leisure-time physical activity and those who had a high amount of sitting time). Research here

Swedish research shows that physical activity and cardiovascular fitness are independently associated with lower cardiovascular risk. This means that low cardiovascular fitness has a higher odds ratio (OR) compared to a higher cardiovascular fitness level (research here)

This is seen all over the world, the high amount of time spent sitting long periods of time, maby short bouts of yogic exercises will break the habit. Will write more about what other poses that can keep your energy and break your sitting time.

See you next time!

Marian