“I would know if I was stressed….right?”

Do you feel like you could be saying this? Because the answer is no, you might be stressed and not even realize it.

The stresses and strains of modern living have become so universal that we can be under a ton of pressure and not even realize it, because that is just life. So how can we become more aware of our stress burden? A useful tool is to pause, seems simple enough. Get yourself to a quiet place and take a few deep breaths, maybe shut the eyes for a moment, and see what comes up for you. Do you feel like you need to move or do something? Will the mind and body not turn off? This is a sign that you might be so used to stress that you do not know what to do when it is not there.

Trouble sleeping, experiencing anxiety, frequent headaches, worsening chronic pain, low energy, frequent illness, changes in sex drive, digestive problems, and changes in appetite are all possible signs that you are experiencing more stress than is healthy for you. Realizing that you are stressed is the first step towards doing something about it; once you become aware that you are stressed you can work on creating periods of downtime.

Stress is a normal and needed part of life, but just as important are the stress-free periods between. These times allow us to recover between stressful events, they let us heal physically, reset mentally and emotionally, and allow us to prepare for the next stressful period in our life.

So how do we restore ourselves? Is a good night sleep enough? These are questions that we each have to ask and answer for our own self, what works for one is not necessarily going to work for another. URU offers several restorative yoga classes that are meant to create an environment where we can turn down the stimuli and reset the body, mind, and spirit.

• Mondays at 4pm at URU 9-Mile, Melissa Garner offers Restorative Flow
• Wednesdays at 5pm at URU by the airport, Kathea and David Bryan seek to pamper you in Restorative
• Thursdays at 5pm at URU Gulf Breeze, Lindsey Windrow supports you in your Restorative practice
• Fridays at 4pm at URU by the airport, Kathea Bryan helps you wind down from your work week with Restorative.

We also have a few special Restorative events to help you relax…

Mother’s Day, May 13th at 1:30pm, there is a Restorative & Tea class led by Kathea and David Bryan followed by high tea.

Advance registration is required to allow for food preparation. Please ask questions or let Kathea know about any dietary requirements at dkcbryan@gmail.com or 7hondo5@gmail.com.

There is also a Chair and Restorative Yoga Workshop May 19th at 1pm led by Kerry Whiteley. In this workshop, students will practice chair yoga for the first hour and transition to restorative for the second hour. We will practice pranayama throughout and close with a seated meditation.

Coming this winter Kathea and David Bryan will offer Restore For The Holiday Weekend Retreat from Friday December 7th at 5 pm through Sunday at 10am at Navarre Beach. There will be several Restorative, Yin, Yoga Nidra and gentle practices as well as good food and community.

If you have any questions about stress or about Restorative practices, feel free to send David Bryan an email at 7hondo5@gmail.com.

Written by David Bryan, URU Yoga instructor