It’s that time of year here in the northern hemisphere when we really feel the light stretching deeper into the evening with each day, and depending on where you live, the temperatures start trending warmer, even if only a little.

It’s also the time of year when the switch to daylight savings time can totally throw your schedule and body out of whack. For those of us who have suffered or currently suffer from burnout, you might feel like you’ve got 10 weighted blankets on you when you try to get up those first several mornings. If you’re like me, some years it can knock you on your rear end, making it hard to function during the day for that first week or so.

On top of that, if your burn out comes from overachieving or overdoing, the loss of that one little hour also might make you feel like you’re losing precious time for doing “all the things.” Then you feel guilty that you’re not accomplishing more, especially if you suffer from that all-too-common disease of comparing yourself to others.

So not only does your body feel heavy and lagging—your mind and ego do too.

Despite looking forward to the beauty and renewal of spring, I sometimes dread this switch.

After all, sleep is a powerful healing force, especially in the life of someone who has suffered from burnout or who has been running on empty for too long, and giving up an hour of rest no matter the reason, can be really tough.

Thankfully, through my years of coaching and being coached, and through my experience teaching and studying yoga (it’s a never-ending developmental journey), I’ve learned a few things that help me through the transition. I hope they’ll help you too.

If you’re a baseball fan, you probably know that spring training started at the end of February. (Go Cubs Go!) Inspired by lengthening days, slightly warmer temps, and a whisper for a change within me, I decided to do some spring training myself.

You see, I’ve been trying—with little luck—to convince my body to get up a little earlier for a while now.

But, when I don’t sleep enough, I feel it in my body even beyond being tired.

You see, my old schedule, prior to leaving my full-time job, was to get up at 5:00 a.m., hit the gym, rush home to shower, and speed to work, where I would often stay until 7:00, 8:00, 9:00 p.m. or even later, depending on what was going on that I felt I needed to accomplish. I’d often stay up until midnight, only to get up sleep-deprived and do it all over again the next day.

This chronic lack of sleep and “slay the day” approach led my body to become super sensitive and defensive around sleep. It now rebels when I don’t get enough. I feel inflammation in my digestive system, my head can hurt, and I can get brain fog, as well as other aches and pains. Sometimes I can even feel my lymph nodes swelling as my lymph system struggles to do its job without the sleep time it needs to flush itself out.

Coffee doesn’t help, and in fact, can sometimes make it worse. That’s a whole other story for another time.

This girl needs her sleep.

I never got to meet my maternal grandfather outside of the womb. When I was just a few weeks in utero, Papa passed away at just 45 years old from a severe heart attack that was misdiagnosed as heartburn and indigestion.

I could cite many other cases of heart disease among people I know—some who are winning the battle and some who lost it, including a high school friend who left his body suddenly in his early-40s and my brother-in-law. (See my post What a Grade School Assignment is Teaching Me Today to read about what I’m learning about grief through losing my brother-in-law.)

Chances are you know someone with heart disease as well, and that person might even be you.

Modern medicine has come a long way, but not enough to prevent heart disease from still being one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and the world. COVID-19 has overtaken heart disease in the number one spot, but why? In part, because it seems to hit those with underlying conditions, like heart disease, harder.

It’s National Heart Month here in the U.S., an event that President Lyndon B. Johnson started to raise awareness about heart disease, and the statistics from the latest update from the American Heart Association are enough to stress out anyone. (1)

I'm a big believer in the wisdom that what you put your attention on grows, so instead of focusing on the worsening numbers, I’m writing to you with a few “Did you know that...?” tidbits about yoga and heart health to empower you to stand up for your self-care.

So, did you know that…

The other night I was rushing to get to a virtual class with my teacher from India, Jehangir Palkhivala. The last class with him had been pretty mind blowing, so I couldn’t wait to see what he would come up with next.

I hurried down the stairs to my home studio with my laptop in one hand, a glass of water in the other, ready for what surprises my teacher had in store.

Except little did I know that the shock of the evening would happen before class…

…when I slipped towards the bottom of the stairs and sprained my ankle.

When I was a kid, I LOVED having an advent calendar during the holidays. We always had the European ones that show a German village with snow-covered cottages full of people peering out their windows at the children and animals frolicking in the streets.

What fun it was to count down the days to Christmas by finding the number for that day and seeing what little surprise was behind it! A cat! Some chickens! A candle! A Christmas wreath!

It was a perfect accompaniment to making ornaments, decorating a tree, and riding around to see all the houses lit up for the season—a few of my favorite holiday memories.

And, of course, each day I opened one of the advent calendar flaps brought me closer to the day when Santa would come down the chimney and leave me a stroller for my dolls, some new art supplies, or as I got older, some acid wash jeans and the latest Aerosmith CD.

Now, as an adult and a yoga practitioner, I’m using the calendar in a little bit different way.

A few weeks ago, my handsome hubs and I took golf lessons.

His lesson was first, so for an hour I sat in the car and listened to a podcast while he was working with the instructor. When it was time for me to go to my lesson, I quickly pulled my hair up, put on my hat, and gathered up everything I needed.

Or so I thought.

While I was standing there in the bright sun waiting for my hubby to finish his lesson, I realized I had forgotten my sunglasses. I started to panic.

I voted several days ago, and this year, things were different. I’m not just talking about the masks, hand sanitizer, and extra space between the stations.

Usually when I go to the polls, I get misty-eyed with pride and humility as I stand in line to honor the civic duty (and privilege) of voting.

I think about all that our forefathers endured to establish our nation, and all the suffragettes did to fight for my right to vote as a woman.

I consider those who have fought to preserve our democracy and freedom, from the world wars to the war on terrorism.

I ponder how lucky I am to live in a country where elections are fair and real.

Instead, this year I felt the darkness and heaviness of our political polarities like thick smoggy air on a hot, humid night, even though it was a crisp, sunny autumn day when I went to my nearest early voting site.

My heart is overflowing with excitement for the change in the seasons and about all the fun things I’m planning for you over the coming months.

Amidst all the joy, though, I’ve somehow managed to develop a toothache.

Not like, “Oh, my teeth feel a little sensitive when I drink cold water.”

More like, “I didn’t do anything, and I feel like my head is going to explode it hurts so much.”

The pain comes in waves, and wracks my entire lower left jaw, into my left ear, even sometimes down my neck and up to my temple. Sometimes I get nauseated and feel like I’m going to pass out.

I want to crawl out of my skin, all because of this little thing that, in yoga, we call Dvesha (Aversion to Pain).

It’s one of the five Kleshas (Afflictions) that the ancient texts tell us cause suffering and prevent us from finding union and liberation. They’re a super important part of understanding your ability to change your life through yoga.

Sometimes you know exactly what you need. At other times, it’s hard to know what your body and soul are calling for until you get it. Think about all those times you felt better after a posture class, not realizing that you needed the particular poses and sequence your teacher offered up until after you did them.

This global health situation we’ve been in these last few months is unprecedented in our lifetimes, and we’re all figuring it out as we go. Things keep changing so fast.

When I was in second or third grade, I had to interview someone (not my parents) about where they were, what they were doing, and how they felt when JFK was assassinated. I interviewed my grandmother on my dad’s side.

At the time I thought the assignment was a history lesson about JFK, and the impact of who he was as a person and president. Decades later I’m learning something new from it that has nothing to do with JFK, and everything to do with being a human.

When something shockingly monumental happens in your life, time stands still for a few moments, and your emotions engrave the experience forever in your heart and memory.

Whether it’s the birth of a child or something like 9/11, you remember where you were, what you were doing, and maybe even details like what you were wearing.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog that didn’t jump for joy upon seeing the leash come out. All the dogs I’ve met know the leash means they get to go for a walk, and there’s almost nothing more exciting, except for food and the return of their owner.

Not Cosmo.

He sat on a pillow on the hardwood floor and refused to get up. Phyllis had attached the leash to his collar. Even when she said, “Let’s go!” and started to walk, he didn’t budge. The pillow slid along the wooden floor with Cosmo still sitting on it. When the pillow stopped moving, Cosmo got up and walked away from Phyllis and the door.

That was before he found his Dharma, or purpose in life.

I’ll never forget the first time I tried it. It was exhilarating. I’d never felt anything like it.

I was a little embarrassed about the marks on my wrists, though… Despite the summer heat in Washington, DC, I kept my suit jacket on at work. I didn’t want my colleagues to get the wrong impression.

It was powerful too. I found when I was on it, I could try things I otherwise might not have the courage to do.

Yet when I was on it, I found I could truly “hang.” I could open my heart in ways I never knew were possible.

There’s simply nothing quite like the Great Yoga Wall®. In fact, it’s what got me teaching.

I was watching TV the other night, and a familiar feeling came up all of a sudden.

I had just seen a commercial. In it a couple sat in an airport, and through the window behind them, a plane taxied past them. I can’t even remember what the commercial was advertising, but I knew right away what I was feeling.

It’s been happening pretty consistently since probably around 2002, and it usually takes about four to six weeks to appear. I know it well by now.

It’s the air travel itch.

I was surprised to feel it so soon, as we had only been home from our holiday travels for about ten days. Then I realized that we drove for that trip, and it’s been about six weeks since the last time I flew.

It’s not that I don’t want to be home. I love sleeping in our own bed, being in the comfort of our routines, enjoying time with our friends here, and exploring in “our own backyard.”

I just love to fly. There’s something so exciting and adventurous about it. Being suspended in the air feels magical, exhilarating, and refreshing to me.

Then, there’s the shift in perspective you get when you land in and experience another place. The air smells different. The weather might have changed from where you were. People might speak in an unfamiliar way. The landscape might vary from where you originated. Untold adventures await.

If you’re going someplace new, there’s so much to explore. Even if you’re going someplace you’ve been a bunch of times before, you’ll probably notice some changes. Traveling offers a great opportunity to observe and discover.

Maybe that’s another reason why I love yoga so much.

My birthday is right before New Year's Eve, so it’s a new year for me in two ways. Maybe that’s why I used to put so much pressure on myself around the time of my birthday.

I don’t mind at all that my birthday is near the holidays. When I was growing up, my family always did a great job giving me separate presents and celebrations for each occasion. I always felt that having my birthday right before the new year helped ease the post-Christmas let down.

Yet since I was a teenager, for those few days between Christmas and my birthday, I often would find myself reflecting deeply on who I am, who I want to be, my purpose in life, what I want to accomplish, and how I want to contribute.

I gave up resolutions long ago (see my Resolution Redo post for what I tend to do instead). There’s nothing wrong with them. I just find that a different approach works better for me. I like to determine who I want to be in order to live my Dharma (purpose). Once I know this piece, I consistently consider what goals I want to set and what actions I need to take throughout the year.

Some people call it a theme for the year. In yoga, we call it Sankalpa, an intention. You might have heard your teacher invite you to set an intention at the beginning of a posture practice. If you’ve just rushed from work to get to class, your intention might be simply to relax. If you’re really tired, you might set an intention just to make it through the class.

And guess what? You usually feel better after class. You usually make it through class.

There’s no need to limit your intention setting to your yoga class though.

One of the things that always comes up in my holiday self-care workshops is navigating tough relationships. Whether you’re missing a loved one who’s gone to the other side, stressing about arguments that can arise over Christmas dinner, going through a breakup, or worrying about disappointing a child (or parent or spouse or…), the holidays can highlight relationship difficulties. It’s easy to feel sad when so much of the media around you is saying you should be living the perfect life of happiness with your loved ones at the holidays, and you’re not.

Here’s the thing. Relationship challenges aren't just inconvenient. Relationships are a key component of your health and wellbeing, and there are all kinds of studies and statistics to back it up. A lack of strong relationships can increase the risk of premature death from all causes by up to 50%, according to Harvard Women’s Health Watch. Women who felt depressed in strained marriages are at higher risk of heart disease and other illnesses, according to a study by researchers at the University of Utah. Conversely, married patients are more than three times more likely to survive the first three months after heart surgery than unmarried patients, according to researchers at Emory and Rutgers universities.

Self-care doesn’t have to be an hour-long massage, a long hike out in the woods, or a weekend retreat at a spa. Although these things are fantastic acts of self-care, let’s face it. During the holidays, the only hike you might be taking is around the mall, and it’s likely more of a crawl as you stand in long lines to pay.

With so many holiday parties, home tours, special markets, musical and dance performances, shopping, tree trimming, gift wrapping, and other fun activities at this time of year, it’s easy to feel like there’s not enough time for it all. Sometimes your schedule can get so packed that you have trouble getting enough sleep, let alone making it to your regular yoga class.

If you’re like me, you love the holidays so much that you don’t want to miss out on any of it. I used to think that if I just scheduled it all, I would get to it all. That only resulted in cramming my schedule so much that I had to rush to get everywhere, only to arrive exhausted, cranky, and less able to enjoy whatever it was. Or I would stay up all night making fudge and cookies because that’s the only time I could fit it in before the party where I was serving it, and then I’d have a hard time keeping my eyes open at the party and end up sick for days after it.

When you’re totally knocked out from holiday merry making, treat eating, and gift shopping (see my last post for how decision fatigue depletes you and a cool simple yoga trick to help), then you need look no further than what’s probably already one of your favorite poses. It’s almost universally loved, and one that you can’t wait for in a tough class. No, it’s not Savasana, but it’s just about as relieving.

It’s Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose), often confused with Balasana (Child’s Pose), depending on your style or lineage of yoga. What’s the difference? In Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose), the arms stay near the torso or head and the fingers point toward the wall in front of you. In Balasana (Child’s Pose), the arms go back by your legs with the palms facing up and the fingers pointing to the wall behind you.

Either way, Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero’s Pose) is my top pick for poses to help fight holiday fatigue, and I’ve got a special variation to share with you that’s even more restful than the pose usually is.

With Black Friday deals starting way before Thanksgiving nowadays, along with Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, you have more options than ever for shopping and finding great deals. While variety is wonderful, it can contribute to something called decision fatigue, a psychological theory that says that you get exhausted and depleted from all the choices you make each day.

From small ones like what to wear and eat, to big ones like whether to ask the boss for a promotion or what car to buy, you are constantly making decisions. Some of them might even be somewhat subconscious or automatic, like doodling during a meeting or the tone of voice you use when you say good morning.

And guess what? Your decisions get worse the more fatigued you are.

On top of that, if your decision-making style is that of a maximizer (one who tends to look at all the options and research the heck out of things to find the one with the absolute maximum benefit) as opposed to a satisficer (one who typically does some research and then selects a satisfying option), your process might be causing even more tension. Just ask my husband about how we chose the paint colors for our townhouse—he knew right away, and I looked at those paint chips for days.

So not only is there more to do in general during the holidays, your shopping list expands the number of decisions you need to make, which can create even more fatigue. When you add the strain of finding the “perfect” gift, you’ve got a recipe for stress and potentially even illness.

In fact, the last time I taught my workshop, Finding Your Holiday Self-Care Strategies, one of the biggest challenges the participants expressed experiencing during the holidays was the pressure they felt to find the perfect gifts. They wanted to make Santa look good.

My hands were sore from gripping the steering wheel. My husband and I were driving from LA to Sacramento, and sign after sign warned of gusty winds through the valley.

At first it looked like fog. When we moved through it, I felt like I was driving through a blizzard, only instead of snow it was dirt. We made our way through sand storm after sand storm. To make matters worse, the wind was whipping tumbleweeds across the road.

Then a six-foot tumbleweed came at us from the left. Now, tumbleweeds are not super heavy or dense, but get one stuck on your windshield, and you’re in for instant trouble, like the flipped car we saw a few miles up the road.

I don’t know about you, but I’m so ready for fall. I’d love some cooler temperatures (not crazy cold, just a bit crisp), cozy soups, and cuddling under a blanket with my hubby to watch a movie.

It was a tough summer for me. We moved into our new townhome in May, after completing several renovations. Where there was carpet, we put down gorgeous new hardwood floors. Where there were peach-colored Corian countertops, we installed a sparkly black and brown granite, perfect for hiding turmeric spills. Where there were old white grimy appliances, we spruced up with new stainless gadgets. Where there were drab grey walls, we put soothing colors that we love.