We’ve all been there; it’s 2:00am, and you’re still tossing and turning. So frustrating! Insomnia affects 54% of adults in the United States at one time or another (Yoga Journal). The good news is, studios show that yoga can help you fall asleep; and you don’t even have to get out of bed. When you’re unable to slip into a sweet slumber, try these yoga postures from the comfort of your cushy mattress:

Balasana or Child’s Pose:
Simply roll onto your belly, slide your knees up to either side of your torso, bring your big toes to touch, and relax your forehead into a pillow or your mattress. For added comfort, support your torso with a pillow as well. And breathe.

Viparita Karani or Legs-up-the-wall Pose:
If your bed is against a wall, this pose will work great for you. Lie on your back, and begin to slide your feet up the wall while you shimmy your sits-bones closer to the wall. Once your sits-bones reach the wall, try to relax your entire body. You’ll look like an L from the side.

Supported Supta Baddha Konasana:
Lie on your back, bring the soles of your feet together, and let your knees fall open. Place a pillow under each knee, and maybe place a warm washcloth over your eyes. Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly, and allow your body to relax and surrender.

Now, enjoy the sweet bliss that comes with approaching sleepiness!

We’d love to hear your ideas to combat sleepless nights – please share them below!
 

A great way to save money and reduce your carbon footprint (if only a little) is to cook with seasonal vegetables and fruits. Our grocery stores generally stock common fruits & vegetables year round, but it’s smart to know which items weren’t flown half way around the world to get to your grocery store.

Learn which fruits & vegetables are in season.

Give this Potato Leek soup recipe a try; both potatoes and leeks are easy to find in January, and this will warm you from head to toe on a chilly winter evening.

Potato Leek Soup

- 2 large leeks, with trimmed roots and ends (use white & light green parts only), washed well and sliced thin
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced 1/8” thin
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Salt & ground pepper to taste
- Heavy cream or half & half to taste

Melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the leeks, thyme and bay leaf. Add a fair pinch of salt. Sauté until the leeks soften, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes with another small pinch of salt and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, but not quite mushy, about 20 – 25 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprigs. Using either an immersion blender in the pot or ladling the soup into a blender in batches, puree about half of the soup and return the puree to the pot. Stir in cream if desired, and add salt & pepper to taste.

The holiday season may be over…but that doesn’t mean that winter is over. As we get further into winter, it’s inevitable that we’ll spend more time indoors. So how do you battle cabin fever? We have a few ideas how to keep you and others around you from going stir-crazy!

Practice yoga at home:
Too cold to venture to a studio to practice yoga? Stay inside and take your own private CorePower Yoga class on your computer with Yoga on Demand. Don’t feel like practicing yoga in front of your laptop? We have a solution: buy a brand new CPY DVD to watch on your flat screen.

Warm up with a homemade tea:
We’ve found this Ayurvedic chai tea recipe to warm from the inside out:
• 1 tablespoon organic black tea leaves
• 5 pods green cardamom, crushed
• 1 piece of ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves
• 1 small piece of cinnamon bark
• 2 pints of water
• 1 cup milk
• 3 teaspoons organic cane sugar
Put all the ingredients in a large pan, bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes. Strain and serve piping hot. Read more Ayurvedic tips.

Take a walk:
Even on cold days it is good to get outside! Bundle up, grab your winter gear and walk around, even if it is just around the block. Getting outside will fend off cabin fever, and the fresh air will give you a boost of energy.

Arts and Crafts:
Even if you don’t have little ones around, everyone can enjoy a fun project. Create your own thank you, holiday or birthday cards. Find interesting images online and create a cut & paste collage card with the printed images.

Share your ideas below!