April 30, 2019 at 03:00PM by CWC Growing up, when my family went on trips, I’d often sleep on the bathroom floor of our hotel room to get as far away as possible from my dad’s freight-train-esque snoring. When we were all in the car together, I’d go berserk if my mom was chewing, nay smacking, gum. And don’t even get me started on how often I was nearly brought to tears as a result of simply hearing my parents chomp on their food. My name’s Rachel and I have misophonia. For the uninitiated, misophonia describes a severe sensitivity to specific trigger sounds. And though there’s not yet enough research on the term (which has only been formally recognized for a few years) to classify how common it is, one small 2017 study did point out that sufferers displayed negative physical and emotional responses when triggered. That’s likely because for them (and me), being subjected to the sounds—which can include smacking on food, slurping, heavy breathing, and beyond—leads to a fight-or-flight, anxiety-filled reaction in the person who just can’t deal. “Misophonia is similar to anxiety in that they both tap into the same neurophysiological systems, causing one to experience stress,” says Novena Riojas, LCSW, licensed psychotherapist. “There aren’t a lot of treatments available; however, I believe there are ways a person can cope.” Well, I’m all ears (unless you’re chewing, snoring, or breathing), because for me, misophonia is especially severe when the culprit is someone especially close to me. The
Category: Relaxation
This month’s spirit animal is the skunk—and yep, it’s as potent as you think
April 30, 2019 at 02:41PM by CWC Skunk medicine is on its way for May—and it’s all about self-confidence (not smelliness, phew). With this spirit animal (the ultimate IDGAF icon), radiating swagger will be easier than ever, says “RockStar Shaman” Alyson Charles. Here’s her full slate of predictions for the month—plus advice on making skunk energy work for you. Last month started to take us on a new ride, exposing ways and opportunities for us to lift up and truly live into our new. And the beautiful thing is, that was just the beginning! As we enter into May, we can expect our soul to communicate and unite with us even more. With an energetic activation happening on a cellular level, those of you who are energy-sensitive will most likely begin to feel in a much more heightened way what is “off,” what is a “yes”—as well as when a practice you are doing is really integrating within you, and when a connection with a person is really deep and ancient. In a nutshell, we are becoming much more highly attuned to what is a match and what is a mismatch and we will feel it within our beings in newer, stronger, clearer, more profound ways. These activations began for me about a month ago, and I can tell you they are so incredibly communicative and spot-on! It is truly something to invite in and embrace. On a more earthly tip, one of the messages that channeled in was for you
This neglected muscle in your leg deserves tender loving care
April 30, 2019 at 11:18AM by CWC After a workout, I do my darndest to offer each major muscle group some tender loving care, ahem, TLC. While I’m a loyalist when it comes to stretching out my hammies, calves, and lower back, there are certain body parts I have a tendency to overlook (sorry, armpits). So this morning, when one of my colleagues mentioned that she’d learned a few shin stretches the night before, I immediately found myself with recovery FOMO. Should I be giving more attention to the land below my knee caps? Yoga teacher Lindsay Pirozzi of New York City’s Y7 studio confirms that shin stretches are good for both energetic and physical reasons. “The neglected shin muscle actually hosts tons of acupressure points and corresponds with energetic meridian lines, which is why it’s so important to stretch it,” she says. “The meridian line that intersects the shin muscle is the stomach meridian, which physically governs digestion and emotionally can help to regulate imbalances with anxiety and worry.” Elongating your shins on the reg can protect against shin splints, an affliction known to long-distance runners everywhere. Consistently stretching the muscle can also prevent the development of Compartment Syndrome, a rare condition where too much pressure builds below the knee. And on top of all that, the shin stretches Pirozzi recommends to combat tightness just feel good. Ready to learn a few shin stretches? Here are a yoga teacher’s top picks. Ankle pose: Start by sitting on your shins
Use the 5 love languages to boost the most important relationship in your life: the one with yourself
April 30, 2019 at 07:49AM by CWC People receive love differently, so knowing your love language and communicating it can help you and your S.O. get on the same page and also give your friendships a hearty dose of meaningfulness. And, guess what? It can also improve the most important relationship in your life—the one you have with yourself. Self-love is central to living a joyful life and attracting the love we deserve—so knowing what fulfills you and being able to use that intel to actually fulfill yourself is an invaluable skill. “Many of us look for happiness outside of ourselves,” says therapist Joyce Marter, LCPC. “We’re looking for the perfect job, or the perfect relationship, or the bank account, or we’re focused on the externals. And really, joy and happiness can be found inside of us.” Marter says that if you know the ways you prefer to receive love—using Gary Chapman’s love-language concept from his book, The 5 Love Languages—you can do those things for yourself and be less reliant on others to meet those needs. (If you haven’t already, take the official love-language quiz. We’ll be here when you get back). How to us your love language on yourself (and reap the happiness-boosting rewards). Words of affirmation Affirmations can be something you say to yourself, either out loud or in your head, or that you write down in a journal. You can create these self-love mantras yourself, or they can come from others (Marter recommends daily affirmations from
My boss is texting me on nights and weekends—how can I take back my time?
April 29, 2019 at 01:53PM by CWC For many people, the days of clocking out of work at 5 p.m. seem to have gone the way of the typewriter. But that doesn’t mean it’s cool for work communications to regularly invade your nights and weekends. In this week’s Good@Work column, career expert Amy Odell—whom you may know as the former editor (AKA HBIC) of Cosmopolitan.com and founding blogger of New York magazine’s The Cut—advises a young professional dealing with a boss who is chipping away at her work-life balance, one after-hours notification at a time. Question: My boss recently gifted me a work phone, which was a total score for my monthly bill. Lately though, I’ve been noticing that she’s texting me later and later (even on the weekends). I suddenly feel trapped by the notifications popping up at all hours on the +1 smart device in my purse. Help! How do I set healthy boundaries with the phone…and my boss? Answer: Turn off work-related notifications. In fact, I’d suggest turning of all notifications on all your devices because the main purpose of notifications is to keep you glued to your phone(s). They’re a mechanism tech companies use to divert your attention from important things, like eating tacos on a Saturday afternoon with your significant other, to completely unimportant things, like Instagram Stories and Facebook and email. Notifications about work messages are particularly insidious. I’m assuming your boss texts you at odd hours because she forgot to tell you something during work hours,
To all those common sex hang-ups—sight, smell, and sound—sexperts have a message: Let it go
April 29, 2019 at 10:01AM by CWC For a good part of my twenties, I would wear a body-slimming tank during sex. My partner was critical of my stomach, so covering up both appeased him and helped me worry less. Just kidding about that last part. The garment may have smoothed my midsection, but I was still always in my head. My mind raced between topics like what I looked like on top and whether he was thinking about being with someone “prettier.” One thing that wasn’t top of mind? The sex I was currently having. In retrospect it makes sense that being with a guy who seemed to want me to have a different body didn’t help me appreciate my own or listen to to it during sex. In other words, it was bad sex, in more ways than one. I actually started to enjoy sex in my early thirties, after I’d ditched him and that damn tank top. Of course, this is progress. But still, I lost nearly a decade of would-be—nay, should-be—pleasurable and additive-to-life sexual experiences. To help make sure I stay on top for all intents and purposes, I spoke with sexperts about how to let go of common bedroom-related insecurities for better lovemaking. Forget about how you look during sex Sure, different positions make you more visible and require different levels of exertion, but in general, sex is a pretty ridiculous-looking edition of real-life human Tetris. You and your partner(s) are on the same team,
Tossing and turning? These sleepy songs will make you drift off faster than you can say “melatonin”
April 29, 2019 at 09:20AM by CWC Pianist George Winston’s rendition of “The Snowman” is my go-to tune for when I have trouble falling asleep. It’s dreamy, deeply calming, and fulfills the National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) 60 to 80 beats per minute cap for music that’s basically pre-gaming for slumber. Winston’s tracks might as well be melatonin. (That’s a compliment!) And similar sleep meditation music is ubiquitous on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music, among other platforms. “Music is more than something that’s simply enjoyable to listen to. It has a direct effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps your body relax and prepare for sleep,” reads the NSF’s website. The foundation cites a study that found just 45 minutes of chill beats before bedtime has been found to promote longer, less interrupted sleep in older adults. Get ready, because I’m about to geek out on why certain notes promote restorative sleep. Listening to music with between 60 to 80 BPM actually has the same effect as falling asleep itself. It slows your heart rate, relaxes your muscles, and lowers your blood pressure. “Once you integrate music into your bedtime routine, stick with it,” instructs the NSF. “The positive sleep effects can build over time, as listening to your relaxing sleep soundtrack becomes a habit that cues your body to prepare for shuteye.” Ready to queue up some somnolent symphonies? Here are 4 sleep meditation music tracks to help you fall asleep. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnh3hyX918k] Space Tunes For an out-of-this-world relaxing
7 beachy destinations that just might be the next Tulum
April 29, 2019 at 02:00AM by CWC A few years ago, Tulum may well have been the only beachy spot to visit with all your on-trend, wellness-loving friends, but now, the secret’s out: Tulum has lost part of its charm. Overcrowded, built-up, and plagued by stinky seaweed washing ashore and a failing infrastructure, it’s not exactly the quiet, quirky paradise it used to be. And while the locale may not be dead, per the Cut’s take, it also may not be as high on your hit list of must-visit destinations as it once was. But that hardly means you need to kiss away your dream of a secluded beach getaway. Below find seven alternatives to the Mexican outpost (and where to stay while there)—each with some of the relaxing, eco-chic vibes Tulum once promised. Bonus: They’re all a quick(ish) plane ride away. Check out 7 beachy destinations that just might be the next Tulum. Isla Holbox; Photo: Getty Images/zstockphotos 1. Isla Holbox, Mexico This spot, a little north of Tulum on the Yucatán Peninsula (about a two-hour drive from Cancún), may be the next big Mexican beach destination, but for now, it’s still a quiet alternative to more touristy spots. Soak up the sun on secluded stretches of beach, and shop alongside locals at daily fruit-and-vegetable markets. The area is protected as part of the Yum Balam Preserve, which has helped to shield it from massive-resort developments. Stay in one of the 24 rooms at the Hotel Casa Las Tortugas
Educate yourself in the sexiest way with this reading list from 12 leading sexperts
April 27, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC Finding answers to questions relating to sex and sexuality is easier than ever before. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s likely a sexpert or a podcast or another source to point you in the right direction. There’s even a whole Netflix show, Sex Education, devoted to the filling in the gaps of our knowledge. Still, there’s a (tech-free) resource you’re probably not utilizing to the max that can seriously boost your sex IQ: books. Below, Well+Good’s go-to sex experts and educators share their favorite sex-education books—including buzzy newer releases and tried and true faves alike—that’ll rock your mind. Add the following 12 sexpert-approved reads to your TBR pile and boost your sex IQ in the process. Photo: Getty Images/Tammy Hanratty 1. The Ethical Slut, Third Edition: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, and Other Freedoms in Sex and Love, by Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton “This was one of the most transformative books for me. I grew up in a community where having many sexual partners, engaging in kinky activities, or having relationships outside of strict monogamy was seen as abnormal, even immoral. The Ethical Slut changed my entire concept about what sex and relationships can be. It validated my sexual desires, encouraged exploration, and valued sex with consent and respect. Its explanation and understanding of jealousy also reframed my perception of the feeling. I would highly recommend this read for anyone who feels outside the sexual norm (whatever that
Skip the cleanup with 5 healthy one-pan dinner ideas under $20
April 25, 2019 at 09:57AM by CWC Some evenings, pouring a glass of wine and getting creative in the kitchen is the perfect way to relax. But when you get home late from work, or your attention is torn between helping with homework and getting laundry done, a one-pan dinner recipe can help get something on the table—and fast. No one is going to complain about an easy dinner that doesn’t leave the sink full of dishes. Each of these dinner recipes requires only a single pan (seriously, that’s it!) and the cost per serving is way cheaper than takeout. 5 healthy one-pan dinner ideas under $20 Photo: Holley Grainger 1. Pan-roasted chicken and vegetables Average price for ingredients: $20 Average price per serving: $4 Chicken and vegetables are the classic one-pan dinner. Everything can be thrown on there and roasted together. The best part of this meal is that you can use up anything in your crisper you want to get rid of. (It’s okay to deviate from the recipe!) If you have leftovers, just spritz some lemon on top the next night to make the dish seem just as fresh as it was the night you made it. Photo: Our Happy Mess 2. Fish and brown butter sauce Average price for ingredients: $17 (excluding pantry items) Average price per serving: $9 Excluding a handful of pantry items in the ingredients list, all you need to make this one-pan dinner is fish, green beans, and potatoes. It doesn’t get