All posts tagged: relax

Do you get tension headaches? A breathwork teacher suggests this sequence that could help you relax

Do you get tension headaches? A breathwork teacher suggests this sequence that could help you relax

Published by Jenni Sidey

Before we go any further, I’d like you to do a quick body scan. Are your shoulders tight? Is your jaw clenched? Are you holding your breath? How does your head feel? If you’re anything like me—currently hunched over a laptop—you’re probably holding tension in your head and neck. Article continues below You may like I have to remind myself to relax my muscles regularly, otherwise I find myself feeling stiff, sore and even ill at the end of a working day. This usually manifests in sore shoulders and a tension headache. Kira Mae Kazuko, a breathwork instructor for ALO Wellness Club, says that this is not unusual because headaches can be caused by more than just physical conditions. “Many [headaches] are connected to stress, jaw tension, shallow breathing, screen fatigue or nervous system overload,” she explains. “When we live in a constant low-grade state of fight-or-flight (even subtly) the muscles around the neck, scalp and shoulders begin to tighten. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. …

Trump to relax oil blockade on Cuba as Russian tanker nears the island

Trump to relax oil blockade on Cuba as Russian tanker nears the island

Published by Sam Flores

An old Soviet-era Lada car drives past a truck belonging to a private Cuban company (mipyme) parked in front of a gas station with an IsoTank of imported fuel in Havana on March 19, 2026. Adalberto Roque | Afp | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump said he has “no problem” with a Russian crude tanker delivering fuel to Cuba, appearing to reverse course over his administration’s oil blockade as the island grapples with a deepening energy crisis. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said: “If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem with that, whether it’s Russia or not.” His comments come as a Russian-flagged oil tanker, the sanctioned Anatoly Kolodkin, makes its way to Cuba carrying an estimated 730,000 barrels of crude oil. The tanker is reportedly expected to reach port on Monday and is seen as something of a lifeline to the Caribbean nation, which is facing its biggest test since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Cuba had been …

The psychological difference between playing video games to relax and playing to win

The psychological difference between playing video games to relax and playing to win

Published by José Betancourt

Video games offer adults a popular way to connect and unwind, but the specific reasons people pick up a controller can alter how they experience stress and life satisfaction. A new study reveals that playing primarily to win is linked to higher anxiety, while men and women often report different motivations for starting a game. These results were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. People engage with digital worlds for many different reasons. Some look for a temporary escape from daily responsibilities. Others want to challenge their reflexes, socialize with distant friends, or experience an interactive story. Psychologists categorize these motivations into a few broad buckets based on the rewards they provide. The most common reasons include playing to relax, playing to improve one’s skills, playing to simply have fun, and playing to win. The video game uses and gratifications theory proposes that players actively seek out different digital experiences to satisfy specific psychological needs. These diverse starting goals can strongly alter the emotional impact of a gaming session. Many adults who play video …

I tried HigherDose’s ,400 PEMF mat to help me relax. I got weird dreams and disappointment | Health & wellbeing

I tried HigherDose’s $1,400 PEMF mat to help me relax. I got weird dreams and disappointment | Health & wellbeing

Published by Sam Flores

I have a $1,400 mat stashed under my pink velvet couch. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. It’s my roommate’s PEMF and infrared therapy mat, and yes, it costs nearly as much as my monthly rent. Measuring 6ft in length, made of vegan leather, layered with bright-blue amethyst and obsidian crystals and weighing as much as a Siberian husky, the HigherDose mat makes my basic yoga mat feel like a flimsy slab of cardboard. The wellness brand claims its bestselling mat can boost mood, improve sleep and speed up muscle recovery with “total-body relaxation”. All you have to do is spend 20 minutes lying on it: the brand says “a quick session on the mat is equivalent to an hour of yoga or meditation.” HigherDose is at the forefront of our collective obsession with biohacking, which has popularized wellness treatments such as Oura rings and red light therapy masks. The brand sells a zany-sounding list of products: infrared sauna blankets, red light …

Train harder and relax smarter with the AI-powered iGarden Swim Jet X Series

Train harder and relax smarter with the AI-powered iGarden Swim Jet X Series

Published by skeptic

Some backyard pools lack the versatility for regular use, especially if size is an issue. So, swimming laps can be inconvenient at best. But making the most of your pool is possible without costly renovation with a swim jet system. While many jet systems focus on exercise, the new iGarden Swim Jet X Series is the world’s first AI-powered portable swim jet line that can help make your pool more flexible. It’s simple to use, impermanent, and leverages AI to deliver custom adjustments for exercise and leisure, making it an excellent pool addition, whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun, a fitness upgrade, or a dynamic swimming experience. Upgrade your pool on your terms with the X Series Battery Life Up to 10 hours Brand iGarden Pools can become an underutilized part of your home, and making adjustments can require a large amount of time and financial commitment. However, iGarden’s portable Swim Jet X Series adds versatility to pools with its clamp-on attachment and battery-powered design. It provides a steady, AI-regulated current for everything from training …

Mumbai residents relax on Arabian Sea promenade : NPR

Mumbai residents relax on Arabian Sea promenade : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR’s international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world. Mumbai is a city of more than 18 million people crammed on a tiny peninsula, and so residents take their breathing space where they can get it. That’s often on promenades, like this one by Carter Road, that gird the Arabian Sea. On a recent day, I joined what felt like the rest of Mumbai to enjoy the late-afternoon breeze. While strolling, I saw this gentleman read his newspaper. A worker napped. A mother pushed a pram. A housemaid walked an expensive, tiny dog. A couple canoodled in a corner. A woman wearing a face-veil lifted it to take a photo with another young woman. A musician sang off-key to an audience of one stumbling drunk man. Mumbai residents deserve more space than the municipality gives. And yet watching the unfurling reel of Mumbai life on one narrow promenade is one of this city’s quiet delights. See more photos from around the world: Source …

EU can’t relax and go back to normal with Trump, warns Germany’s vice chancellor – POLITICO

EU can’t relax and go back to normal with Trump, warns Germany’s vice chancellor – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Klingbeil, who also acts as Germany’s finance minister, in particular voiced frustration over the European Commission’s handling of the Greenland crisis over the course of the past week, suggesting the Commission was not acting with enough urgency. “When I returned from Brussels on Monday, I was extremely frustrated because I had held talks with the Commission where I was given the impression that everything was great, everything was on the right track, and I don’t think that is appropriate given the situation we are in,” Klingbeil said. Klingbeil said that his frustration with the EU’s pace prompted him to reach out to his counterparts in Spain, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Poland to discuss economic competitiveness, raw materials and defense financing, among other matters, during a virtual meeting next week. “The urgency and pace that we actually need are not there at the moment, and that is something that greatly concerns me,” he said. “I’m a big fan and believer in the European Union, but I think a few countries need to take the lead now,” …

Relax with a day pass at these Palm Springs-area spas

Relax with a day pass at these Palm Springs-area spas

Published by Sam Flores

When the Spa at Séc-he opened its doors in Palm Springs in 2023, it welcomed guests to a 73,000-square-foot facility with mineral-rich bathing waters, resort-style pools, salt caves, steam rooms and a slew of indulgent amenities, all without requiring booking a treatment. Of course, massages, facials and the like are available, but a major draw of visiting Séc-he is simply to spend the day cocooned within its grounds. The spa isn’t alone in selling day passes to visitors. North of Palm Springs in Desert Hot Springs, many hotels pump mineral waters from the ground into oasis-like enclaves where spa-goers can soak for the day without staying overnight. About This Guide Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com. And further south in Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert and Indian Wells, some of the splashiest resorts in the valley offer day pass admission to deeply impressive spas. Think aromatherapy showers, menthol-infused dry saunas, zero-gravity lounge chairs and …

The best things to do in Los Angeles to relax and unplug

The best things to do in Los Angeles to relax and unplug

Published by Sam Flores

You’re on the phone with your boss, looking at a shared Google Doc on your computer screen, when your boyfriend calls on the other line. He wants to know if you’ve seen his text, with the Yelp reviews of the restaurant you’re headed to that night. The establishment also has texted — you need to confirm your reservation. Meanwhile, new emails are flooding your inbox and the Slack app on your laptop is pinging. Breaking news alerts are popping up on your phone screen, which also shows someone has Venmo’d you $22 (you can’t remember what for) and your social media apps are lighted up with notifications — 54 likes on the goat hiking pic so far. That’s prompted messages on your social accounts from people wanting to know where they can hike with goats too. Then your mom calls — you never returned her voicemail. Is your heart racing yet? We live out our lives on screens, meeting partners on dating apps, networking on social media, shopping online and doomscrolling to unwind. As a …