Remise en forme is (also) a mental state: “dopaminergic” techniques to awaken the mind and body

Even if the weather says otherwise, according to the calendar there isn’t much time left until spring. Which is more a suggestion than a season: it’s the desire to do and go out. It’s dawn and a new beginning. It is no coincidence that its etymology derives from “Primus” and “Ver”, which in turn originates from an Indo-European root which means splendor, to burn. But winter, as we know, causes stress, smog, lack of natural light, climate change anomalies, makes it even more difficult to psychologically (and physically) get in tune with the energy and propulsive (and proactive) movement of spring . Indeed, it brings with it an inevitable load of tiredness, more or less accentuated. A way to give more energy to these days before the seasonal transition is: slow down. Rather than forcing yourself, for example, to get up early or rush out of the office to run to the gym, it’s better to start or end the day calmly. Which means dedicating time to yourself, letting yourself go moments of pure relaxation and slow beauty even within the walls of your home. Therefore, create a space, also and above all psychological, where not only your body exists, but also your mind and its emotions to be nourished and cared for. There is no need to overturn your habits: just take care of the sensorial aspect of any beauty gesture you are performing and complete it with a mental relaxation or breathing exercise.

Life

The power of silence, the natural anti-stress that is good for body and mind

by Giovanna Gallo

05 January 2024

«It may seem obvious, but wake up and, instead of poring over your smartphone, just dedicate yourself about ten minutes of meditation and deep breathing exercises, perhaps after opening the windows to take a bath in light – and fresh air – is strongly soothing and recharging, because it stimulates serotonin and rebalances circadian rhythms. An excellent start that also works as a digital detox and which should become a habit to be repeated in at least a couple of breaks during the day to decant cortisol, the stress hormone, and keep the secretion of endorphins high”, explains Maria Beatrice Toro, psychologist, psychotherapist, instructor of MBCT (Mindfulness based cognitive-therapy) protocols. The effect of endorphins on our psychophysical well-being and on the quality of the skin is powerful: it is well known, in fact, that the skin is affected by the action of hormones and neurotransmitters and that the state of calm and serenity, feeling good (literally) on your own skin also helps to relax facial features. Moreover: learn to slow down your pace it is also essential to keep various bodily functions active, especially for those (almost everyone) who are constantly at risk of burnout. When we are under stress, cortisol levels soar, with deleterious consequences especially for the immune system, metabolism and sleep.

WELL BEING

Dopamine beauty: make-up, sport, music, here’s how to stimulate the good mood hormone

by Claudia Bortolato

01 August 2023

Self-massages and music to regain confidence and euphoria

To regain a good psychophysical charge, it may be useful to rediscover the thaumaturgical power of two key senses, touch and hearing, in instilling new and fresh energy and a sense of (self) care. «Touch, also stimulated with self-massage, promotes the secretion of oxytocinthe molecule of empathy, trust, physical contact, love and socialization. Music and pleasant sounds in general are a powerful dopaminergic, that is, they stimulate the secretion of dopamine, the euphoria hormone, which is closely linked to the sphere of pleasure and the reward mechanism”, explains Dr. Toro. The dermatologist and acupuncturist Carlo Di Stanislao, representative for Italy of the China Medical College of Taipei, intervenes: «Both oxytocin and dopamine, through the cutaneous nerve receptors, participate in the tone and brightness of the skin since, intertwining with the secretion of estrogen and progesterone facilitate the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, increase the quantity of collagen and the thickness of the elastic fibres”. Moral: when you dedicate yourself to face and body skincare, it is a good idea put your favorite playlist in the backgroundso as to stimulate dopamine, and linger with a automassaggio smart. A firming and relaxing technique for applying, for example, a serum and a face cream: take a few drops of the product with the fingertips of the middle and ring fingers and distribute them starting from the center of the face and going outwards, following three diagonals: from the base from the nose to the cheekbone, from the nostrils to the jaw and finally from the sides of the mouth to the ears. «Wait a couple of minutes and use your index, middle and ring fingers to distribute a small amount of cream with light pressure. Start from the cheekbones and then continue towards the jaw, from the inside out. On the forehead, act perpendicular to the lines of expression wrinkles”, suggests Di Stanislao.

The ‘meditative’ and sound body massages

To enhance the classic maneuvers and touches usually used to distribute body formulas, you can indulge in one DIY version of the Pindasweda, the detoxifying, relaxing and anti-aging Ayurvedic massage. Get Pinda (or herbal tablets; they are also available online), moisten them with a spray bottle and warm them with the steam diffused from a saucepan of boiling water. Massage them on the body first sprinkled with a vegetable oil, for example sesame or argan or sweet almond, with long movements on the legs and arms and in a spiral on all the other areas. With a few small adjustments, you can also independently reproduce another body massage, offered by various spas: the one with Tibetan bells. «This technique helps to rebalance the body and enter a semi-meditative state based on the sounds or frequencies transmitted by seven singing bowls, ‘bowles’ similar to bowls, made to vibrate with a clapper by the operator”, says Di Stanislao, who suggests how to proceed for a do-it-yourself version. Make yourself comfortable, diffuse relaxing music into the room (you can also download the sound of Tibetan bells from some apps, such as Mindfulness Bell). Then pour a couple of drops of incense, helichrysum or jasmine essential oil onto your palm and rub your hands gently. Place your left hand (or right hand for left-handed people) on the first chakra, which is at the level of the perineum, while, breathing and exhaling deeply and slowly, sequentially place your right hand (or left hand, for left-handed people) on the remaining six chakras, from bottom to top, pausing on each one until you perceive a sensation of slight heat (the second chakra is located on the sacral area, the third on the solar plexus, the fourth on the heart, the fifth on the throat , the sixth on the “third eye”, the seventh on the top of the head).

WELL BEING

The business of silence: turning down the volume is the new frontier of well-being

by Martina Manfredi

08 December 2023

Visualize and sing in the shower to enhance your skincare

A practice within everyone’s reach to nourish good mood, inner calm, self-esteem and to slow down aging meditation, especially mindfulness. To be preceded, accompanied or followed by any beauty gesture you are performing to enhance its effectiveness, from applying creams to make-up, through applying a mask or immersing yourself in a scented hot bath. «Numerous scientific studies have shown that, in addition to quelling anxiety and stress, reducing cellular inflammation and cortisol levels in the blood, meditation acts positively on the areas associated with memory, attention and empathy, also nourishing self-esteem and the feelings underlying happiness, such as gratitude, joy and compassion. It has also been shown that meditation slows down the shortening of DNA telomeres, therefore it is a powerful anti-aging”, specifies psychotherapist Maria Beatrice Toro. One of the most effective and simple Mindfulness techniques for beginners, but capable of providing all these benefits and also accompanying the beauty routine, is Body-scan.

Well being

Mindfulness, a small guide to the most popular discipline of the moment

by Susanna Macchia

30 December 2023

Here’s how to perform a simplified version, with Dr. Toro’s suggestions: lie down or sit comfortably and mentally observe – visualize – your body: try to perceive every single area starting from the tip of the toes, going up, district after district, to reach the arms, shoulders, neck and finally to the head. If you started from a sitting position, after this step, slowly stand up, recording the sensations that emerge even when you assume an upright posture. And while you stop in the shower, why not abandon yourself to a liberating song following a very common (funny) habit? Unlike music and sounds in general, which are largely processed by the somatosensory cerebral cortex, the voice is processed in the insula, the area of ​​the brain that overlooks awareness of one’s body. «For this reason, acting and singing exercises and techniques not only help to develop a more harmonious voice, but also to better ‘detect’ what is happening in one’s body and consequently to feel more centered, serene, relaxed», explains Toro. A very easy exercise that trains the voice and body awareness is the blowing technique: standing, start by breathing in through the nose very slowly, until the entire thoracic cavity is filled. Then, bending your body slightly forward, exhale through pursed lips until you empty your entire chest. Repeat 8-10 times.