GG/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES Goop finally has something we can all afford...and it's a total snoozefest.
A significant snoozefest, mind you, because Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle blog could never be boring! Still, it was a bit surprising to Goop loyalists recently when the latest Health & Fitness Do was a post titled, "Why Yawning Is Important—And How to Optimize the Reflex."
Who knew there was a right way to yawn? Well, Gwyneth did, obviously, but it was actually Michael Lear, described as "a wonderful yogi and important quarterback for mindfulness and meditation in this country," that educated the Oscar winner on "how to really lean into the yawn reflex."
It's important to note, too, what Mr. Lear told Gwyneth about the act of yawning: "There's a perception that it's rude or that it means that you're bored, but the reality is that it's a very important mechanism for releasing stress. It feels good for a reason: Trust that your body knows how to calibrate itself."
Now, here's where it gets a little tricky, so pay attention! Per Goop, there are two effective types of yawn. Properly executing Yawn #1 is a five-step process, which includes " "Ujjayi breathing" and "riding the yawn to stretch the jaw muscles."
Yawn #2 repeats many of Yawn #1's steps, but it calls for a slightly different mouth position—and "teeth slightly separated"—which "will take out more slack in the throat muscles to bring the lengthening and relaxation around the base of the tongue, and further stretch and relax the neck, jaw, and occipital regions."
Oh my Goop.
It is the recommendation of this expert that yawners, "Explore these exercises throughout the day, especially before bed, to release accumulated energy and tension that may result from conversation and or the vicissitudes of the day."
Zzzzzz...