1. Contrast Methods · Here are a few tidbits on contrast methods that I think you’ll find interesting:

Always start with hot and end with cold (unless you plan to go to sleep afterwards, in which case you should end with heat.) The duration of each stimulus is 1-5 minutes, but here’s the kicker … apparently, the body will adapt to the duration so you must vary it each time.

The body should be almost completely submerged and motion is desirable.

The temperature must be appropriate (hot should be very hot, i.e. up to 110 degrees F, and cold should be cold, i.e. as low as 60 degrees F.) Repeat the process 3-4 times.

2. Stretching

At least once a week you should address the myofascial system. An excellent way to accomplish this is yoga. Now do you have to necessarily put aside time to stretch? No, I don’t think so. I think you can kill two birds with one stone.

3. Salt Bath

Once a week I sprawl out in our massive bathtub for around 20-30 minutes. I do this about an hour before I go to bed. Actually, I make a complete restoration soup out of it.

The recipe involves Epsom salts, Celtic or tropical sea bath salts, a mixture of solution drops from my cleansing kit, and finally an aromatherapy concoction of lavender and chamomile.

4. Sleep

Sleep is regulated by two entirely different systems – the sleep homeostat and circadian rhythms.

The sleep homeostat “functions like a drive that builds up during wakefulness in pretty much a linear fashion and is discharged when you sleep… The homeostatic pressure to sleep depends not only on how long you are awake but on how active you are while awake.” 5. Massage

Every Thursday afternoon, my massage therapist (ironically another blonde) comes over to work on me. Generally, this is a deep tissue massage and we concentrate on a specific area that may be ailing me or that was worked hard that week. If I’ve had a particularly stressful week, I’ll just get her to give me a full body massage and I try to clear my mind of everything that’s going on.

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