想要感覺更滿足，試試瑜伽

瑜伽

有點(diǎn)沮喪嗎？用“小狗望月”式。2010年的一項發(fā)表在《替代和補(bǔ)充醫(yī)學(xué)》雜志上的研究測量了一星期練3次，每次1小時瑜伽的人的焦慮水平。 這項研究的第一作者，精神病醫(yī)師和心理醫(yī)師克里斯?斯特里特（Chris Streeter）發(fā)現(xiàn)，瑜伽能增加GABA（γ-氨基丁酸）水平，這種神經(jīng)遞質(zhì)可以減少焦慮。根據(jù)印度Nijalingappa生理醫(yī)學(xué)院Anita Herur助理教授研究，深而慢的瑜伽呼吸還能使你吸入更多氧氣，這會使你全身器官保持最佳狀態(tài)，包括你的大腦。另一個2010年由Herur發(fā)表在印度《醫(yī)學(xué)科學(xué)》雜志上的研究則著眼于瑜伽的物理效應(yīng)與瑜伽初學(xué)者情緒改變的關(guān)系。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，副交感神經(jīng)——能促進(jìn)人體放松的神經(jīng)系統(tǒng)——能加速運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)，開始練瑜伽3個月后就能有所體現(xiàn)。

怎樣付諸行動：如果你是一位瑜伽新手，你要做的第一步應(yīng)該是學(xué)會正確的呼吸。一位在格魯吉亞的瑪麗埃塔擁有自己瑜珈室的瑜伽教師的建議是用鼻子吸氣5秒，保持2秒鐘，然后再通過鼻子呼出5秒，放空肺部，這樣重復(fù)5次。 現(xiàn)在你已經(jīng)準(zhǔn)備好合并呼吸運(yùn)動。找一個初級班，請一個有執(zhí)業(yè)資格的教練。如果你喜歡在家里練習(xí)，即使每天在家里做10分鐘，將來也可以練得很好。關(guān)鍵是要堅持。

想要更好的睡眠，試試普拉提

普拉提

人們經(jīng)常說自己睡得不好，因為你在感到有壓力的時候很難放松，保證良好的睡眠。但現(xiàn)在有一個很好的辦法，最近發(fā)表的的來自北卡羅來納的阿帕拉契州立大學(xué)的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，練習(xí)普拉提能使人得到更好的睡眠。普拉提是由減肥先驅(qū)者約瑟夫?普拉提（Joseph H. Pilates）在1920年發(fā)展出來的，是需要在墊子或健身設(shè)備上完成的一系列主要提高腰腹部力量的動作。在墊子上每周做兩次，每次75分鐘，或是每周三次，每次50分鐘，持續(xù)15周，就不再睡不好了。這種睡眠質(zhì)量的提高可能與身體意識的增強(qiáng)有關(guān)，這項研究的第一作者凱倫?考德威爾（Karen Caldwell）博士說 ，有一種理論認(rèn)為，你和自己身體越和諧，你越容易釋放壓力。

怎樣付諸行動：紐約的專業(yè)普拉提教練建議你開始閱讀約瑟夫?普拉提的書，《用控制學(xué)回歸生活》（Return to Life Through Contrology ）(30美元，亞馬遜有售)，這是本方法全面的手冊。如果你準(zhǔn)備開始學(xué)習(xí)，需要在健身房報一個訓(xùn)練班。課程每次通常要持續(xù)一個小時。如果想要明顯的效果，最好一周三次。

想要增加能量,試試騎單車

騎單車

當(dāng)你騎車時，你不只是在踩輪子，即使你并沒有騎到環(huán)法自行車賽的長度。佐治亞大學(xué)（UGA）的研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，騎了 30分鐘的固定自行車后，受試者的能量水平提高了。此外，研究還記錄了受試者的大腦中與能量相關(guān)的積極的電流變化（測量腦電圖）。“騎自行車似乎激活了大腦的神經(jīng)電路，使人感覺精力充沛?！盪GA的運(yùn)動學(xué)教授帕特里克?奧康納（Patrick O’Connor）說。而多倫多臨床和運(yùn)動心理學(xué)家凱特F?海斯（Kate F. Hays）博士告訴我們，“人們一般認(rèn)為體育活動累人，但是事實(shí)上體育運(yùn)動能為我們的生活增加能量?！?/p>

怎樣付諸行動：盡管騎一次自行車也能給你增加不少活力，但要獲得持續(xù)的效果，應(yīng)該 “用慢速到中度騎固定自行車，每周3次，每次15分鐘,”佐治亞羅斯威爾的單車教練建議。這將給你提供獲得持續(xù)能量所需要的刺激。不要只在健身房運(yùn)動，研究表明，任何一種運(yùn)動在戶外做所激發(fā)的能量都高于室內(nèi)。

想要思維更清晰，試試啞鈴

舉啞鈴

舉啞鈴這個運(yùn)動無疑能強(qiáng)健你的三角肌，但它對你的“腦力肌肉”也同樣有效。發(fā)表在2010年11月的《臨床和實(shí)驗神經(jīng)心理學(xué)》（Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology）的一項研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，對老年人來說，簡單的、低強(qiáng)度的啞鈴練習(xí)，一個星期做3到5次，連續(xù)一個月后，其認(rèn)知測試的成績比沒有舉啞鈴的對照組明顯要好。特別是執(zhí)行能力，啞鈴訓(xùn)練組有很大的提高，包括制定計劃的能力，規(guī)范行為和多任務(wù)。2010年的一項發(fā)表在《國際內(nèi)科醫(yī)學(xué)文獻(xiàn)》（Archives of Internal Medicine）中的研究發(fā)現(xiàn) ，每周做一次或兩次長達(dá)一個小時的啞鈴練習(xí)，持續(xù)一年，有效地提高了受試者的注意力，并能幫助他們在智力挑戰(zhàn)測試中做出正確的選擇。根據(jù)英國哥倫比亞大學(xué)的助理教授，這次研究的發(fā)起者Teresa Liu-Ambrose博士介紹，在這項研究中，受試者開始時一次做兩套，每套重復(fù)舉8次，一旦能夠做到超過8次，再逐漸增加重量并保持適當(dāng)?shù)淖藙荨Ｑ芯咳藛T同時還研究腦力和肌肉的聯(lián)系，他們找到了可能的領(lǐng)域，神經(jīng)生長因子。這些生長因子能幫助大腦產(chǎn)生新的神經(jīng)元，甚至在以后的生活中，也能增加已有神經(jīng)元的靈活性。

怎樣付諸行動：初學(xué)者可以試著每星期進(jìn)行3次，保持3個星期，需要一把椅子和一些3-5磅（1.35-2.25千克）重的啞鈴。 最后一組應(yīng)該增加挑戰(zhàn)，如果太容易，要么應(yīng)該增加重量，或選擇在當(dāng)?shù)匾患医∩戆?。每隔一天需休息一天，這樣可以讓你的肌肉得到休息。

想要減緩壓力，試試太極

太極

最近的研究表明，最好的減壓手段是太極，這是一個很流行的中國古老武術(shù)。它本質(zhì)上是一種運(yùn)動和靜止的組合。事實(shí)上太極和減少壓力的聯(lián)系有兩個不同的研究，一個發(fā)表在《英國體育醫(yī)學(xué)》上，另一個在《美國大學(xué)健康雜志》上。在太極運(yùn)動中，你需要反復(fù)將你身體的重量來回移動，這樣可以讓你全身的肌肉得到運(yùn)動，還可以讓你使用有節(jié)奏的呼吸。因為運(yùn)動緩慢而流暢，可以使你的肌肉得到放松，使你的心情平靜下來，同時改善你的平衡、力量和靈活性。無論你是否相信你自己的力量，心理學(xué)家凱特·海斯認(rèn)為，太極圓潤的速度和精確的動作能使你集中心思，并提醒你行動更緩慢一些。

5 Mood-Boosting Workouts

By Tori Rodriguez

Whether you want to perk up, calm down, feel sharper, or just get happier, there’s a mind-altering routine for you. 

To Feel More Content, Try Yoga

 

The science: A little down? Assume upward dog. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine examined the anxiety levels and moods of people who practiced yoga for an hour three times a week. Yoga practice is associated with increased levels of GABA, an amino acid and neurotransmitter that may help reduce anxiety, according to Chris Streeter, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, and the lead author of the study. Also, slow, deep yogic breathing increases oxygen flow, which leads to optimal functioning of all your organs—including your brain, according to Anita Herur, M.D., an assistant professor of physiology at S. Nijalingappa Medical College, in India. Another 2010 study, published in the Al Ameen Journal of Medical Sciences, led by Herur, looked at the physical effects of yoga on new practitioners and linked the practice to improved overall mood. The researchers found that in the study’s subjects the parasympathetic nervous system—the part of the nervous system that promotes relaxation—kicked into high gear “around three months after starting yoga,” says Herur.

How to put it into practice: If you’re new to yoga, your first step should be to learn correct breathing, says Lynn Louise Wonders, a yoga teacher and the owner of the Yoga Room, in Marietta, Georgia. Wonders advises, “Breathe in through your nose to the count of five. Hold for two counts, then exhale through your nose to the count of five, emptying your lungs completely.” Repeat five times. Now you’re ready to merge the breathing with movement. Look for a beginner’s class with a qualified instructor (find a studio through the Yoga Alliance Registry; yogaalliance.org). If you prefer to practice at home, check out Shiva Rea’s Flow Yoga for Beginners ($15, amazon.com). Aim to take one 60-minute class a week. But even 10 minutes done every day at home may improve your outlook. The key is consistency.

To Sleep Better, Try Pilates

 

The science: People who report sleep problems are sometimes just having a hard time relaxing, since good sleep is difficult to achieve when you’re stressed and can’t wind down. But there’s a promising fix: Recently published research from Appalachian State University, in Boone, North Carolina, found that practicing Pilates was associated with better snoozing. For the uninitiated, Pilates, developed by fitness pioneer Joseph H. Pilates in the 1920s, is a system of core-strengthening moves done on a mat or an apparatus called a Reformer. Study participants who did Pilates on a mat twice weekly for 75 minutes or three times a week for 50 minutes, for 15 weeks, were less likely to experience troubled sleep. These sleep improvements may be linked to an increased bodily awareness, says Karen Caldwell, Ph.D., the lead researcher of the study. One theory holds that when you’re more in tune with yourself, you’re better able to let go of stress and feel relaxed.

How to put it into practice: Alycea Ungaro, the owner of the Real Pilates Studio, in New York City, suggests that you get started by reading Joseph Pilates’s book, Return to Life Through Contrology ($30, amazon.com). She describes it as the method’s most comprehensive manual. When you’re ready to get moving, try taking mat classes at a gym (Crunch, Gold’s Gym, Life Time Fitness, and others offer them). Classes usually last an hour. For noticeable results, try to go three times a week.

To Increase Your Energy, Try Cycling

 

The science: When you spin your wheels, you’re not just spinning your wheels—even if your bike rides aren’t Tour de France length. Researchers at the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA) found that after a single 30-minute session of stationary cycling, subjects reported a boost in their energy levels. In addition, the authors of the study were able to record positive electrical changes in the subjects’ brains related to energy (the measurements were taken by an electroencephalogram). “The cycling seemed to activate brain neural circuits that make a person feel energized,” says Patrick O’Connor, a professor of kinesiology at UGA. “We tend to think of physical activity as being tiring, but in fact physical activity adds energy to our lives,” says Kate F. Hays, Ph.D., a clinical and sport psychologist in Toronto.

How to put it into practice: Although a single session of cycling will put some pep in your step, for lasting results, try cycling “at a light to moderate pace on a stationary bike for 15 minutes three times a week,” says Rick Mayo, a cycling instructor and the owner of North Point Personal Training, in Roswell, Georgia. This will provide the stimulus needed for a consistent increase in energy. And don’t limit your workouts to the gym. Research shows that any kind of exercise done outdoors may boost energy more than indoor activity does.

To Achieve Clarity, Try Weights

 

The science: Lifting dumbbells is obviously great for toning your triceps, but it does the same for your mental muscles. In a November 2010 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, older adults who did simple, low-intensity weight-training exercises three to five times a week for one month performed significantly better on cognitive tests than did the control group, which did no weight training. Specifically, the weight-training group improved in executive function, which includes the ability to plan, regulate behavior, and multitask, says Cay Anderson-Hanley, Ph.D., the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of psychology at Union College, in Schenectady, New York. A 2010 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that one-hour sessions of weight training, done once or twice a week for a year, increased participants’ ability to focus their attention and make the right choice on a challenging brain test, according to lead author Teresa Liu-Ambrose, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of British Columbia. In this study, participants started with two sets of eight repetitions and increased the weight load once they could handle more than eight reps while maintaining proper form. While researchers are still examining why the mind-muscle connection exists, one area they’re exploring is growth factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic growth factors. These growth factors help the brain generate new neurons, even later in life, and help increase the flexibility of existing ones.

How to put it into practice: Beginners can try three weekly sessions, each including three sets of the exercises used in Anderson-Hanley’s study (which can be found on the National Institutes of Health website, nihseniorhealth.gov). “All you need is a chair and some three- to five-pound weights,” she says. The last set of reps should be a challenge. If it’s too easy, either increase the weight or try a body-sculpting class at a local gym or a DVD (like Step-by-Step Strength Training, With Petra Kolber, $10, amazon.com). Skip a day between workouts so your muscles have some time to rest.

 

To Reduce Stress, Try Tai Chi

The science: Recent studies have shown the stress-busting benefits of Tai Chi, a popular form of an ancient Chinese martial art that is essentially a combination of movements and positions that flow into one another. In fact, Tai Chi was linked to reduced stress in two separate studies last year—one in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and the other in the Journal of American College Health. In Tai Chi, which is traditionally done in a standing position, you repeatedly shift your weight back and forth, engaging the muscles in both your upper and lower body, as well as employing rhythmic breathing. Because the shifts are slow and fluid, they relax your muscles and calm your mind while improving your balance, strength, and flexibility. This “meditation in motion,” as it is sometimes called, is said to stimulate the body’s flow of what the Chinese refer to as Chi (pronounced chee), or life force. Whether or not you believe the force is with you, psychologist Kate Hays theorizes that Tai Chi’s mellow pace and precise actions focus the mind and serve as a reminder to take things more slowly.

How to put it into practice: New to Tai Chi? Consider learning the basic series of movements at home with a DVD, such as Tai Chi Beginning Practice DVD, With David-Dorian Ross ($15, gaiam.com). Seek out more advanced study with a teacher (listings are available for some U.S. states at taichifoundation.org). For maximum benefits, strive to practice for up to 20 minutes every morning.

 

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