High quality sleep is essential for longevity.

High quality sleep helps us be healthier, process the demands of our day, and get stronger mentally and physically.

When we know more about the sleep processes within the body, we are more powerful in shaping our lifestyles to work with these processes. The result - better sleep.

Tune in and learn:

• The definition of a good night's sleep,
• The ideal targets for REM and Non-REM sleep,
• The two main processes within the body which regulate sleep - sleep drive and circadian rhythms,
• Key lifestyle choices that improve and support high quality sleep.

I describe how lifestyle supports or disrupts sleep drive and the circadian rhythms. It is important to know that:

• The master clock in our brains, which regulates sleep, relies on the light signals that come into the brain through the eyes
• Melatonin goes to work in the dark - exposure to bright lights in the evening can disrupt its work.
• Serotonin - the neurotransmitter that promotes wakefulness - is a pre-requisite to melatonin.
• Cortisol levels naturally increase and decrease during the day. Stress can add to these levels, making it difficult to downshift the body in preparation for a good night's sleep.

If you feel that better sleep would improve your health and your life, it is an important issue to address. Recurring and significant issues with sleep should be evaluated with the help and guidance of your doctor. You want to rule out the potential of any medical issues and get support if an issue needs medical intervention like sleep apnea.

Let's Stay in Touch

• If you have any questions or would like to share an insight or breakthrough moment, please email me. My email is pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

• I invite you to sign up for my newsletter if you are not already on my email list. My newsletters are sent about every two weeks. Inside, I announce new podcast episodes and ways to work together. I also share tips on living longer, stronger, and better. You can click here to enter your name and email address or use the form below.

Guided Loving Kindness Meditation for Positive Emotions and Well-Being

In this episode of the Longevity Gym, host Pam Strand guides listeners through a loving kindness meditation.

Loving Kindness meditation is a popular form of meditating. It involves directing love, kindness, and compassion towards yourself and others.

This type of meditation has many benefits, including:

• Increased positive emotions,
• Enhanced social connections, and
• Reduced stress.

To practice this meditation, all you need is a comfortable and safe place to sit or lay down. Ideally it is a place where you won't be interrupted for the next several minutes. And please do not practice this if you are driving or in a place where you need to be around of your surroundings.

The meditation begins at (2:05) in this episode.

May loving kindness and compassion be your companion as you move through your day!

Resources
If you enjoy meditations, you may be interested in these other episodes on The Longevity Gym.

https://www.strandfitnessonline.com/podcast/age-strong-and-age-better-with-meditation

https://www.strandfitnessonline.com/podcast/lets-breathe-together

https://www.strandfitnessonline.com/podcast/heres-a-guided-breath-awareness-session-for-you

Let's Stay in Touch

• If you have any questions or would like to share your experience with this meditation, please email me. My email is pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

• I invite you to sign up for my newsletter if you are not already on my email list. My newsletters are sent about every two weeks. Inside, I announce new podcast episodes and ways to work together. I also share tips on living longer, stronger, and better. You can click here to enter your name and email address or use the form below.

How do we get more energy so that we can live longer, stronger, and better?

We tend to go towards the body for solutions when it comes to more energy. We think of food, exercise, sleep, rest, and recovery. These lay the foundation for good energy production within the body. But our minds also play a huge role. The quality of our mental energy is essential to longevity and well-being.

Join Pam Strand, podcast host, to learn five ways to train our minds to provide high quality energy for our bodies and our lives.

1. Cultivate a growth mindset to support personal growth
2. Practice mindfulness to increase self-awareness and gain insights
3. Nurture a positive outlook to build ourselves up, not tear us down
4. Create purpose by investing our time and energy in pursuits that align with our highest values
5. Show compassion to others and ourselves to enhance social connections and well-being.

Resources:

Links to related podcast episodes:

• https://www.thelongevitygym.com/episodes/how-mindfulness-helps-you-live-longer-stronger-and-better
• https://www.thelongevitygym.com/episodes/stress-is-more-than-what-you-worry-about
• https://www.thelongevitygym.com/episodes/three-ways-to-get-your-head-in-the-game-of-fitness-and-life
• https://www.thelongevitygym.com/episodes/four-ways-to-make-your-cells-happy

Center for Healthy Minds Articles

• https://centerhealthyminds.org/about/why-well-being
• https://centerhealthyminds.org/join-the-movement/why-well-being-is-skill

Dr Kristin Neff

• https://self-compassion.org/what-is-self-compassion/#what-is-self-compassion
• https://self-compassion.org/self-compassion-test/

U.S. Surgeon General Report

• https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf

Dr. Michael Steger

• Ted Talk on the Meaning of Life

Let's Stay in Touch

• If you have any questions or would like to share an insight or breakthrough moment, please email me. My email is pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

• I invite you to sign up for my newsletter if you are not already on my email list. My newsletters are sent about every two weeks. Inside, I announce new podcast episodes and ways to work together. I also share tips on living longer, stronger, and better. You can click here to enter your name and email address or use the form below.

In this episode of the Longevity Gym podcast, host Pam Strand discusses the crucial aspects of managing stress and anxiety for a healthier, more vibrant life.

Sharing insights from her own journey and coaching certification studies, Pam emphasizes that stress management and recovery are not just about reducing what worries us but also about improving our reaction and adaptation to life's demands. She outlines a personalized approach involving stress awareness, intentional stress management, and recovery practices.

Pam shares her personal strategies for enhancing energy and well-being, including:

1. Better management of mental and emotional demands,
2. Enriching social connections,
3. Adapting exercise to be more restorative,
4. Focusing on nutritious eating, and
5. Setting healthy boundaries.

Additionally, she highlights the use of wearable technology for

• monitoring stress and recovery metrics,
• supporting a more objective and accountable approach to personal health.

Pam's experiences and insights serve as a guide for listeners seeking to improve their stress management strategies and overall energy levels.

Overview of Episode

00:00 Welcome to the Longevity Gym: Managing Stress and Anxiety

00:25 The Personal Journey of Stress Management

00:50 Understanding Stress: More Than Just What We Worry About

01:40 Practical Steps to Stress Management and Recovery

03:20 Learning from Others: Community Insights on Stress Relief

05:57 The Role of Wearable Devices in Monitoring Stress

07:30 Key Strategies for Reducing Stress and Enhancing Recovery

08:16 The Five Pillars of Personal Stress Management

16:29 Closing Thoughts and Invitation to Connect

Dear Listener;

If you seek to improve your health and restore your energy, I hope you find this episode helpful and encouraging. My journey is a work in progress, but I hope you can learn and gather ideas from my path.

If you have any questions or would like to share an insight or breakthrough moment, please email me. My email is pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

And I'd love to stay in touch. I invite you to sign up for my newsletter if you are not already on my email list. My newsletters are sent about every two weeks. Inside, I announce new podcast episodes and ways to work together. I also share tips on living longer, stronger, and better. You can click here to enter your name and email address or use the form below.

Let's build big beautiful energy for our lives and the world around us!

All my best,

Pam

Looking to get to know your breath and find ways to become a better, healthier breather?

Then tune into this episode of The Longevity Gym!

Pam Strand, podcast host and breathwork teacher, shares a guided breath awareness session that will help you get to know your breath.

Practicing breath awareness is an important first step towards improving how you breathe when you are awake and while you are sleeping.

For this sesssion, you will need a place to sit or lay where you can safely close your eyes and not be interrupted. If you chose to sit, a chair that supports your back or a cushion for the floor where your back can be supported by a wall or piece of furniture are recommended.

And remember, always do what is safe and healthy for you and your body.

While breathwork is a safe modality, it is suggested to check in with your doctor if you are unsure if it is safe and healthy for you. Speaking with your medical professional is suggested if you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular/heart disease, epilepsy, mental health concerns, or if you are pregnant.

Enjoy this session and come back to it often. There is always something new to learn about your breath.

If you haven't already, tune into the previous episode (Episode 18). It is a great introduction to healthy breathing. You can access it by clicking here.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Listener;

Please email me if you have any questions about this guided session or would like to share your experience. My email is Pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

And if you are not on my email list, please consider signing up.

• You can use the form below or click here to enter your name and email address.
• You can also visit my website (www.strandfitnessonline.com) and use the form at the bottom of my home page.

Every two weeks, I will keep you informed of new podcast episodes. And I will send emails with tips and ideas for living longer, stronger, better. My newsletter will also announce ways to work together.

Thank you for tuning in and listening to The Longevity Gym!

All my best,
Pam

The average human takes over 9 million breaths a year. That’s a lot of breathing!!

And science is showing that we could be doing it better!

Modern day life and the aging process turn many of us into dysfunctional breathers. By some estimates, 95% of humans have some dysfunctional pattern in how we breathe.

As with most things with the body, we get what we train our bodies for. In essence, our lives are training our bodies to breathe shallow breaths through the mouth. As a result, our breath becomes less than what it has the potential to be. And our health, wellness, and fitness become less than what they could be.

In this episode of The Longevity Gym, Pam Strand dives into the topic of breathing and discusses:

• The better, healthier way to breathe.
• The amazing list of health benefits derived from improving your breath.
• The mechanics of breathing.
• How to help your body breathe better.

There are many resources available to help you. Breath coaches and teachers, such as Pam, can help you improve your breath as well as many books with detailed guidance on how to assess your breath and breathe better.

Learn how to improve your health and well-being one breath at a time!

Tune into Episode 19 (the next episode of this podcast) for a guided breath awareness session created by Pam.
You can access the episode by clicking here.

Resources: Helpful books to read

• Breath: The New Science of an Lost Art (by James Nestor)
• The Breathing Cure (by Patrick McKeown)
• Breathe (by Dr. Belisa Vranich)

__________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Listener:

Learning to take a healthy breath is a profound path towards greater health, strength, and well-being. If you would like to learn more and if you have any questions, please email me. My email is Pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

And if you are not on my email list, please consider signing up. You can use the form below or click here to enter your name and email address. You can also visit my website (www.strandfitnessonline.com) and use the form at the bottom of my home page.

Every two weeks, I will keep you informed of new podcast episodes. And I will send emails with tips and ideas for living longer, stronger, better. My newsletter will also announce ways to work together.

Thank you for tuning in and listening to The Longevity Gym!

All my best,
Pam

I saw this lesson at play during most of my adult life, as I watched my mother age with dignity and grace - and with a little grit and determination, too.

My mother and my successful fitness clients taught me three things about getting and keeping your head in the game:

1. Live unencumbered by judgments of how fitness and life should be.
2. Own your thoughts and beliefs about yourself, your journey, and your success.
3. Be inquisitive - approach fitness and life with an open and curious mind.

Where our minds go, our bodies will follow!

Listen in to learn more about how our energy predicts how our journey will unfold and what we will achieve.

Please email me if you have any questions. My email is Pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

And if you are not on my email list, please consider signing up. You can use the form below or click here to enter your name and email address. You can also visit my website (www.strandfitnessonline.com) and use the form at the bottom of my home page.

Every two weeks, I will keep you informed of new podcast episodes. And I will send emails with tips and ideas for living longer, stronger, better. My newsletter will also announce ways to work together.

Thank you for tuning in and listening to The Longevity Gym!

All my best,
Pam

Mindfulness is a skill and a practice that can change your life for the better. ~ Pam Strand

Tune into this episode of The Longevity Gym and hear Pam Strand discuss the powerful benefits of a mindfulness practice.

You'll learn nine benefits of a consistent practice.

1. Improves cardiovascular health
2. Enhances brain health and function
3. Build cognitive performance in areas we want to sustain as we get older
4. Boosts the immune system
5. Helps us be more creative and better problem solvers
6. Improves sleep
7. Reduces stress and our ability to bounce back more quickly
8. Supports mental health, especially anxiety and depression
9. Fosters empathy, patience, and kindness.

Pam discusses myths about mindfulness that can stop people from beginning a practices and provides several practical tips for beginners.

The power of Mindfulness positively impacts lives in very practical and real ways. Pam has helped clients use mindfulness principles in a career transition, to deal with chronic pain, and to remove obstacles in a fitness journey. These results are very encouraging and motivating to hear.

==============

Dear Listener;

Curious about starting a mindfulness practices or have questions about the process?

Please email me. I am happy to help you get going. My email is Pam@strandfitnessonline.com.

And if you are not on my email list, please consider signing up. Click here to enter your name and email address. You can also visit my website (www.strandfitnessonline.com) and use the form at the bottom of my home page.

Every two weeks, I will keep you informed of new podcast episodes. And I will send emails with tips and ideas for living longer, stronger, better. My newsletter will also announce my new mindfulness offering and provide ways to work with me.

Thank you for tuning in and listening to The Longevity Gym!

All my best,
Pam