Check out these 6 Yoga exercises for long layovers to make your journey smoother and also assist you in making it a fruitful one as it will improve your mood and affect your interaction with others during the travel.

Experiencing long layovers during travel can be very tiring and lead to frustration, headaches, stress etc but health and fitness experts suggest that during this time you can practice what is also commonly known as airport Yoga to make this waiting period easier for you. Not only will practicing Yoga help you to relieve any body pain, muscles stiffness, cramps, swelling of your feet etc but will also help you to become more calm and relaxed and this is a very important aspect to make your journey smoother and also assist you in making it a fruitful one as it will improve your mood and affect your interaction with others.

1. Practice pranayama -

One of the most effective and fastest ways to get your mind and body to calm down is through pranayama. Pranayam is yogic technique for breathing and bringing your observation to how you are inhaling and exhaling. Even taking a few deep long breaths especially when you are feeling stressed out can immediately lighten your mood and make you feel more relaxed.

2. Utilise this time productively with Padmasana -

Instead of wasting your time scrolling on social media or chatting you can instead practice yoga whether it is breathing, meditating, or physical poses. For example you can cross your legs into Padmasana also known as Lotus Pose. Hold this pose for his long as you can and not only will you be strengthening your lower body and building flexibility but this pose also has a very calming effect on the mind. This will also get the blood flowing in your lower body and release any stiffness in your knee joints helping you sit for a long duration in your flight.

3. Release stiffness from the spine with Ustrasana -

Roll out your yoga mat in a comfortable place and you can practice Camel Pose. To perform camel pose get down on your knees and stretch both arms upward. In this position take your hands and place your palms on your heels and gently bend back. Doing this will help you to relieve any stiffness from your middle and lower back and also stretch out the shoulders. One of the most common complaints of travellers is that prolonged sitting in flights causes back pain and this pose can help you release this and enjoy a supple spine also.

4. Padahasthasana -

The next pose that you can practice is a forward fold in standing position. This is also very effective pose in releasing any lower back stress and also stretches your hamstrings and calves. Begin in Tadasana, exhale gently bending your upper body. Drop your head and keep shoulders and neck relaxed. See if you can place fingertips or palms on either side of feet. Try to keep knees straight.

5. Paschimottansana -

Practice a forward fold in a seated position known as paschimottanasana. To get into this pose you can sit with both legs stretched out forward; keep your toes in a flexed position, and inhale lift both arms up. Hold this pose straightening out your back as much as you can. As you exhale reach down forward and try to hold your heels, ankles, or any other comfortable place pulling yourself closer to your body

6. Halasana -

Avoid this particular pose if you are performing it during the night time. Ideally, it is recommended that you practice all the poses on an empty stomach as this will bring you the benefits without any discomfort in your body. To perform halasana you need to lie down on your back; take both legs up, and over your head trying to drop your toes down on the floor behind you. You can place your palms on your lower back to support yourself

Mudras and Meditation

He advised, “Along with these five poses you can also practice meditation that involves observing everything that is going around you. As airports are noisy places you may not be able to sit and empty your mind in order to meditate instead you can practice Sthiti Gyan where you observe everything that is going around you and try to recall it to test your own memory and observation powers. In order to remain physically and mentally alert and active you can also employee the use of mudras. Mudras like Ling Mudra, Shankh Mudra, and Even Prana Mudra are the three types of mudras that you can practice while waiting during your layover. Avoid practicing halasana in the night and instead you can do Shavasana or Anandasana.”

Summer jeans are officially trending! Here’s some tips and tricks to follow if you’d like to wear denim in the warmer months without getting a sweat on, as explained by style experts

If the idea of wearing jeans in summer leaves you in a sweat, you’re not wrong. Sure, it’s much more comfortable to throw on a floaty dress or have your legs on display in a pair of light and airy shorts, but for those cooler nights when the temperature dips, it’s always a good idea to have your trusty denim on hand.

What’s more, despite the scorching heat, it appears that many Brits aren’t as ready to bare their skin just yet, with House of Fraser reporting that searches for ‘summer denim’ have spiked by 264% over the last month.

If this sounds like you, don’t fret. Luckily, there are tons of ways to wearing denim during the summer months. From thinking about the fit and style of your jeans to the fabric weight, the brand has shared some handy tips so you can continue to wear your favourite denim pieces all summer long.

Don’t go for raw denim

It may seem obvious, but to survive the summer in your denim, style experts from House of Fraser suggest ditching your winter jeans in favour of a lightweight style, which they say “can actually feel better than some khakis and chinos in the summer as denim is actually a fairly breathable weave compared to tight cotton.”

‘’Don’t try to make your raw and heavy-duty denim that you slip into in winter work for the summer. You’ll just be left feeling uncomfortably hot and stiff. It’s important to change up your denim thickness with the season.”

To do this, they recommend taking a look at what your denim weighs, explaining: “It’s usually on the external or internal label of your jeans and like most textiles used in clothing, denim is measured in ounces.”

“Most denim jeans usually use cloth that weighs between 12 and 16 ounces per yard, but for a pair that promise to be more comfortable in the summer look for styles that are 12oz and under,” they add.

Do Lighten Up

Whilst indigo and black jeans may be your go-to all year round, for summer, the brand recommends opting for lighter shades of denim, revealing that “whilst white jeans may seem like an impractical choice, in summer they are the perfect neutral base to style alongside bright colours.”

“Unlike black, they reflect the heat, rather than absorb it and are the perfect choice to keep your cool,” they add. However, if white isn’t your thing, the brand says that there’s softer shades you can opt for, such as ecru or more colour alternatives like green or lilac – tapping into the colour block look that’s trending this season.

Do get Distressed

Although ripped jeans may feel very 70s punk-rock, it’s actually a great option if you want to keep cooler in the warmer weather. “Over the years we’ve seen the over-the-top ripped, torn and slashed jeans, but this season we’ve established them as a trend where less is more,” House of Fraser style experts explain.

“Having reined it back in, distressed jeans with a couple of slashes between your knee and pocket liner are a great look to wear in summer thanks to that bit of extra ventilation it provides”.

They continue: “When styling distressed jeans in summer just remember not to over-accessorise and keep the look minimal. A fool-proof formula for an off-duty denim summer look? Distressed jeans, a crisp white tea and some sandals.’’

Don’t Tighten Up

There’s nothing worse than throwing on your favourite skinny jeans in summer only to be left all hot and bothered later in the day. To keep things cool, the brand says to “retire them for good” in favour of more forgiving fits, claiming that ‘’super-skinny and spray-on jeans have been on their way out for a while”.

“Skin-hugging denim traps your style as much as your sweat. Opt for straight, relaxed, mom or wide-leg jeans and let your skin breathe in the warm weather. Balance the silhouette with a tucked-in or tighter fitting top.’’

Don’t Go Full Length

If you don’t want to show off your legs in a mini skirt or a pair of shorts this summer, it doesn’t mean you have to go for a full-length pair of jeans. These days, there’s tons of cropped styles that are practical yet fashionable.

Another option is to roll up your jean cuffs says House of Fraser’s style experts. “Having a little bit of ankle on show by rolling up your jean cuffs will not only balance out the outfit nicely, but will surprisingly help cool you down,” they explain.

From dressing well to celebrating each meal, a Rome-based author offers tips for living la dolce vita

The inspiration for Maria Pasquale’s latest book, “How to be an Italian,” came from a question that was (mostly) a joke: Doesn’t everybody want to be Italian?

Whether that grandiose claim holds water is up for debate, but plenty of people sure seem to want to go to Italy.

As travel trends emerge for 2022, Italy remains one of the most popular destinations in the world for Americans to visit, whether they’re honeymooning or on a budget. Expedia’s 2022 Travel Trends Report says Rome is the second-most-popular international destination for U.S. travelers based on hotel searches; Hostelworld says Italy’s capital city is in the Top 10 most-booked cities for Americans this year.

The landscape, the history and the food are all reasons Italy boasts such enduring popularity for European vacations, but for Pasquale, the nation’s appeal all boils down to one point. “The Italian lifestyle is the country’s trademark,” Pasquale said in her book.

Pasquale, an Australian Italian author who has lived in Rome for more than a decade, knows it is impossible to fit Italy’s diverse essence into one neat box. “How to be an Italian” explores some of the defining features shared within the country’s national identity. That includes a peek at how Italians live, eat, drink and travel. We spoke with Pasquale about how to embody some of those elements on your next trip to Italy so you can enjoy it more like an Italian.

Slow down and embrace spontaneity

It’s natural to want to see as much as you can when you’re away from home. But, according to Pasquale, packed agendas and rigid schedules are decidedly not Italian. “Italians often think the tourist program is kind of crazy,” Pasquale says. “If you’re going to seven cities, it’s just not perceived to be an ideal way to travel.”

Instead of trying to see as much of Italy as you can, Pasquale says, it is the Italian way to savor simple pleasures at a slow pace. She recommends travelers focus on the mantra “less is more” by ditching to-do lists.

“Generally, I think [Italians are] more spontaneous in terms of travel,” she says. “It’s now a theme of pandemic travel, but last-minute has always been an Italian thing.”

Dress the part wherever you go

In a country where police uniforms have been designed by Armani, style is important. It’s not about flashing designer labels, “it’s more in how they carry themselves,” Pasquale says. “It’s that seemingly effortless way of putting an outfit together.”

One common fashion faux pas Pasquale sees tourists commit is wearing clothes that don’t match the occasion.

For example, Pasquale says, Italians are more inclined to wear a city outfit to the gym or beach and change into the appropriate attire when they get there. Before leaving, they will change back.

Pasquale points to the principle “la bella figura” to explain the routine. The expression literally translates to the beautiful figure, but “what it really means is making a good impression,” Pasquale says.

Drink, eat, repeat

In “How to be an Italian,” Pasquale waxes poetic on how tourists are routinely blown away by Italians’ relationship with food: their high standards for it, their focus on the pleasure of eating.

“Quality and good food and that enjoyment of it is paramount to the Italian character and DNA,” she says.

Part of the process of savoring meals is having them at the right time and in the right order. Take dinner, for example. In America, dinner, on average, takes place around 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. In Italy, those are prime aperitivo hours, when you would gather for a cocktail and some light snacks to prepare your stomach for dinner. Apertivo is not about getting hammered before dinner, which is a mistake Pasquale sees tourists make often.

Dinner in Italy happens at 8 p.m. or later, starting with antipasti, followed by a primi first course (often pasta), a heavier secondi main course, potentially a salad course and then dessert.

“Once everything is said and done, then you order your coffee and then maybe you’ll order a digestivo or an amaro,” Pasquale says. “It’s all about the digestion process for Italians.”

That obsession with digestion explains a rule of the Italian diet: Pasquale says milk-heavy coffee drinks are consumed in the morning only, because an after-dinner cappuccino may unsettle your stomach after supper.

To tip like an Italian after your meal, don’t really tip. Pasquale says the practice is welcomed but not expected in Italy, and it is generally carried out by leaving a few coins on the table vs. a percentage of your bill.

Pay extra for a day at the beach

For many Italians, particularly those in the south, summer means getting away to the beach.

While free beaches (la spiaggia libera) do exist, Pasquale says “doing the beach like an Italian is definitely going into a beach club, a stabilimento balneare or lido.”

Beach clubs offer customers a lounge chair, umbrella, showers, a bar and access to additional amenities depending on the establishment.

Whether you end up at a beach club or find a spot in the sand free of charge, break for a proper sit-down lunch. Once you are finished and head back to the water, you may notice it relatively empty after mealtime.

“You’ll probably see tourists in the water,” Pasquale says. “Italians do not go straight in the water after eating again. It blocks their digestion.”

Take a winter break

Yes, it’s a tradition in Italy to take a ton of time off in August — at least a week, but maybe a month. But Italians enjoy winter escapes as well.

“Settimana bianca translates to the white week,” Pasquale says. “People will take a week in winter as well for skiing.”

Even if snow sports aren’t really your thing, there’s a case to be made for visiting Italy in the winter. Traveling around the country in the offseason means seeing highlights without the summer crowds.

To stay healthy, it is important to stay fit both physically and mentally. Most people miss managing the right time in their busy routine and compromise their health. Maintaining fitness, following a skin care routine and being mentally happy are not always possible due to the hectic routine. So today we are telling you some easy tips for you physically and mentally fit.

Right diet: For better health, it is very important to follow a good diet. Include vitamin and mineral rich food in your diet. At the same time, along with taking a balanced diet, do not forget to drink plenty of water.

Try to be active: To be healthy, it is necessary to be energetic. Try to do household chores on your own, so that you do not only feel active but also stay away from problems like obesity and body pain.

Make exercise a part of the daily routine: Do not forget to include exercise in your daily routine to enjoy a fit and healthy life. You can also do yoga for a while in the day so that you will feel stress-free and active.

Focus on cleanliness: Cleanliness is the secret to a healthy life. Apart from maintaining hygiene, you can avoid infections and many diseases by taking care of everyday tasks like bathing, keeping nails clean, brushing etc.

Do routine check-ups: To stay healthy and fit, you must keep getting your blood pressure, sugar level, dental checkups and blood tests done from time to time and follow the advice of doctors to stay healthy.

Don’t stay in the sun for too long: Avoid exposure to direct sunlight to protect your skin from the UV rays. At the same time, do not forget to use sunscreen lotion while going out in the sun. Go in the sun only after covering the skin properly with a cloth.

Abstain from smoking: Smoking is harmful to your health as well as your skin. The blood circulation is greatly affected and the amount of oxygen in the skin decreases significantly when you smoke. Following this, the face starts to look dull and wrinkles also appear.

Take care of skin: To keep the skin beautiful, keep every part of the body clean. Do not take bath with very hot water. This reduces the moisture from the skin. Use only beauty products that suit your skin according to your skin type.

Stress: Generally, stress has a direct effect on health as well as skin. Due to this, dark circles, nail-acne and hair related problems may also arise, so try to be stress-free. Include plenty of sleep and yoga in your lifestyle to reduce stress.

Maintain Mental Health: To stay healthy, try to be happy not only physically but also mentally. For this, give yourself some time in the day and if possible follow your favourite hobby.