Restorative Rhythms

Hello and welcome to your restorative journey! I have been in the Health & Wellness industry for as long as I can remember. From swimming in the pool at the YMCA as a kid to playing field hockey, softball and lifting weights during high school. (I never liked running though!)

I went to college because it seemed like the right move in the 90’s. I chose the campus because of where it was and how it felt in my body when I visited. And my major…well that was easy when I found out about Exercise Science was a pathway to a degree. My parents wondered if I would become a gym teacher…

In between college classes I was either taking a nap, playing intramural sports, eating in the dining hall with friends, or at the recreation center lifting weights and working. These habits continued into Graduate School. Movement has always been natural to me. So, helping others move in body, mind and spirit just happens.

2000 marked the beginning of my official study of how the human body functions and how to make a career of it.

In 2006 I started studying how the body dysfunctions - and this was not by choice.

Movement has always been medicine for me. This approach took a backseat when my body’s warning signals got louder and more painful. 

Thankfully, the messages have changed over the years in the health & wellness industry. From work hard play hard and no pain no gain to an undeniable need for recovery, rest and sleep. 

Yin and Yang. 

I didn’t realize the need for the Yin until low back and hip pain took over my exercise life in my 20’s and again when I became a mother and could not hold everything together on erratic sleep and life rhythms anymore. 

Here, I want to outline core principles that I live by, teach and share in my mentoring and education practice. 

~~~~~~I’m so glad you are here to begin restoring your rhythm ~~~~~~

Gentle Movement

Move your joints in a mindful way every day. Even if for just fifteen minutes. For decades we have known that daily exercise is important, but it’s common to skip the stretch and hurry along. 

Associate a stretch or breath with something else you do each day to build accountability, such as: 

Sitting at your desk = shoulder rolls
Standing from desk = 3 box breaths with rib cage/diaphragm focus
Getting in the car = neck restorative motions
Going to bed = jaw relaxation routine
Recovery and rest is just as important as strength training and cardiovascular exercise. 

Other ways to incorporate gentle movement in a longer session once per week:

• Stretch gently

• Swim slowly

• Yin/restorative yoga

Sleep

People are sleeping less than 30-40 years ago. Researchers think this is partially because of the amount of light we are taking in at night. Screens are much closer to our faces than televisions ever were.

Sleep habits to prioritize:

• Consistent rising time every day

• Consistent bedtime each night

• Enough time in between to complete all sleep cycles

• Slow down between dinner and bedtime, dim lights

• Get natural light first thing in the morning, with some movement

• Eat meals on a regular schedule

• Exercise for 30 minutes each day, even just a walk

• Use sleep disrupting drugs like caffeine, alcohol and cannabis sparingly

Which one of these feels gentle and easy for you to hone in on this week?

These are some of the most powerful habits to adopt around sleep, but there can also be things like sleep disorders, breathing issues, jaw size/placement and medications that are having an impact on sleep. To dive in more, check out my Sleep Soundly Program. 

Intentional Rest

Beyond sleep, we need rest each day too. Powering through signs of tiredness signals the production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These elevated hormone levels disrupt sleep at night and start a vicious cycle of fatigue and interrupted sleep. The practice of rest pairs nicely with gentle movement, or it can be separate and motionless.

Ways to rest:

• Breath work

• Close your eyes

• Walk in nature

• Gentle Movement

• Nap

• Mindful Meal

• Listen to relaxing music

Nourishment

Planning meals ahead of time and allowing for flexibility is how I thrive in life. There is so much I want to do, see and accomplish. Spending some time and thought on the front end for how to feed myself allows me to get into a flow and stay out of blood sugar crashes. 

Each week I get a sense for what I want to eat depending on the environmental season, my infradian cycle and where my energy levels are. Soups and hearty foods in autumn, lighter salads and sandwiches through summer, stir fries and quinoa salads in spring, etc. 

Most mornings, I contemplate my meals for the day. This is what works for me. 

What can work for you?

I have kids and a partner with their own preferences so we have certain family meals that we cycle such as grilled chicken and cilantro lime rice, bean & cheese quesadillas, guacamole, chips and salad, pasta and burgers. Aside from what the family likes, I make myself foods each week for lunches and to supplement my system. Soups, muffins, roasted potatoes, etc. 

This doesn’t happen every week, but when I stray from that routine I have something to return to without too much effort. It’s familiar.

Restorative living isn’t about perfection, it’s about returning to routines that work and tweaking them when needed. It takes practice and when you feel the results, the rhythms begin to stick. You crave them. Planning becomes second nature and it doesn’t take so much energy. You being reaping the energetic benefits of your foresight. 

• What meals and foods help you feel your best? 

• How can you weave them into your week?

  Gratitude

Your body thanks you for pausing and contemplating how you can restore your system and your rhythm. Send me an email and let me know what couple of tips you plan to implement today. 

Starting simple and small makes it sustainable. 

Keep exploring & stay in touch.

Beverly Hosford, MA, CPT

Rhythm Restorer | Muscle Whisperer | Sleep Wizard | Biomechanics Specialist