I was first introduced to the foam roller in my pilates class and since then we have had a love-hate relationship.
I love how my muscles feel after rolling them along the foam, but the process kills!
Here are some tips from Shape.com to using the foam roller and reaping the benefits. Remember when it really hurts is probably when you need it the most.
Stretching Exercises
The foam roller is an effective tool for anyone that experiences tightness in the quads, hamstrings, or calves. “A client can complain of knee aches and in just 3 minutes of rolling out the IT band, they report greatly diminished pain,” says Jackie Warner, fitness trainer and star of Personal Training with Jackie: Power Circuit Training.
If you’re using the roller to release tightness in the legs, position your body over the roller and lower yourself down. Aim to hold each foam roller exercise for about 20-30 seconds. Rolling these muscles can be painful, but you’ll feel much better after. “Avoid direct contact on the joints and focus more on the deep muscle and connective tissue right above or below the joints,” adds Warner. This technique shouldn’t be used to treat injuries. You might cause more damage when muscles and surrounding ligaments or tissues are inflamed.
Correcting Posture
Stand taller by using the roller to correct postural imbalance. Try lying on the roller with your body in a bridge and slowly roll up and down your vertebrae. This foam roller exercise will help release tension in the muscles surrounding your spine. Many people also roll their upper backs in lieu of going to see a massage therapist.
Strength Training
You can focus on your balance and core muscles with the roller too, but it’s a bit more advanced. “Some instructors use them as a balance strengthener by doing squats and kicks while standing or kneeling on rollers, but do so with a professional instructor that can help you get the most out of it,” adds Warner. Looking for a more basic move? Try focusing on your triceps with this foam roller exercise.
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There are some nights where I go to bed early only to wake up just as sleepy! According to this article from Women’s Health the problem is that even though we’re getting the 8 hours of required sleep, we’re not actually getting the deep sleep that is needed!
Here are some tips to sleeping well so that you’re waking up with more energy!
1- Skip the Nightcap
“Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but once your body begins to remove it from your system, it acts as a stimulant,” says Donna Arand, Ph.D., clinical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Kettering Medical Center in Kettering, Ohio. “Four or five hours after your last drink, you’ll wake up, and it will be hard to fall back to sleep.” So instead of reaching for a glass of pinot noir, start a nighttime ritual that actually promotes sleep: Take a warm shower (when you step out, your body begins to cool off, a process it goes through before sleep) or sip a cup of decaf chamomile tea.
2- Breathe Easier
If you’re one of the 12 million Americans with sleep apnea, you’re about 80 percent more likely to feel sluggish during the day, no matter how many hours you sleep, Ojile says. The condition occurs when the soft tissue at the back of your throat blocks your airway during sleep, stopping your breathing and waking you up as many as hundreds of times a night. “Imagine how exhausted you’d feel if someone were constantly poking you awake,” Ojile says. “Apnea deprives your brain of oxygen, increases your heart rate, and saps your energy levels.”
3- Reschedule Your Sweat Sessions
Exercise will help improve the quality of your sleep—if you time it right. Working out late in the day can actually leave you staring at the ceiling in bed, since it can take three to four hours for your body to cool itself afterward. “When your core body temperature is too high and your heart rate is too fast, it can keep you awake,” Ojile says. It’s better to exercise at least four hours before bedtime. Better yet, hit the gym in the morning or at lunch—you’ll feel the energy-boosting effects for hours.
