Insomnia is a common condition that affects both men and women. Due to stressful lifestyle, inappropriate nutrition or exhaustion, the body can stay alert even when it is absolutely tired.

There are numerous natural ways in which you can help your body relax before finally reaching the sleeping phase and yoga is just one of those ways.

Yoga is not just about flexibility, it is also the state of mind, the use of energy and breath that will guide you to serenity and bliss.

To get the best from these poses, you need quiet, focus and readiness. The object is not to be perfect at any pose, but to learn how to control your inner mind and allow yourself to surrender.

You will need around one minute for each pose, a timeframe that can grow day by day. Make sure that by the end of your practice, you hold each pose for five minutes or more.

Balasana – Child’s Pose

In case you are suffering from bad knees, you might want to skip this pose. Otherwise, it is highly recommended that you do this pose to soothe your nervous system and to relax your back, shoulders, stomach and thoughts.

Make sure you keep your legs close together and draw your bottom backwards, towards the heels. If you cannot reach all the way to the back, place a blanket under your behind and relax completely.

Extend your arms long in front of you and keep track of your time by using a stopwatch. Take long, deep breaths as you extend through the back.

Supta Baddha Konasana — Bound Angle Reclining Pose

Also known as butterfly pose, this will get you far with very little effort. Lie flat on your back, pop the knees upwards, bring the feet soles together and let the knees fall to the ground on each side.

Use a stack of books or a folded blanket under each knee to keep your knees fixed if they cannot fall to the floor. Take long, deep breaths and draw navel in while doing it.

Back roll

Lie flat on you back, and wrap your knees together. You can also grab your shins if that is easy for you. Move side to side slowly. This helps the lower back pain be relieved after a stressful day.

Make sure to keep your shoulders flat on the ground and not to put extra pressure on them. Don’t forget the long breaths as you move.

Supta Matsyendrasana – Reclining Spinal Twist

Again, position yourself on the back and prop up your knees. Allow the knees to swing all the way to the right side. For more stability, hold left thigh with right hand.

While doing this, extend your left arm out to the left and slowly turn your head to the left as well. Keep shoulders on the ground as much as possible. Move with your breath and then switch sides.

Matsyasana – Fish Pose

Remain on your back and extend both arms by your sides. Face palms downwards and draw them near the buttocks. Begin pressing the lower arms and bend the elbows.

The object is to lift upwards only with your upper body and to open your heart. Keep head up if this is unpleasant for you but in time make sure to keep them down. Breathe deeply five to ten times and then release thoughtfully.

The excessive accumulation of plaque on the arterial walls narrows the arteries over time and leads to a condition known as arteriosclerosis.

According to Medical News Today:

“There are no quick fixes for melting away plaque, but people can make key lifestyle changes to stop more of it accumulating and to improve their heart health.

Plaque is a mixture of fat, calcium, cholesterol, and waste from the cells in the body. This mix can stick to the walls of the arteries, making these blood vessels narrower.  Clogged or blocked arteries can stop fresh blood from reaching parts of the body, which can put a person at risk of a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke.”

There are some risk factors for clogged arteries that we can manage ourselves, such as:

• Obesity
• An unhealthy diet, rich in saturated and trans fats
• high blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• insulin resistance and diabetes
• A lack of a physical activity
• Smoking

Fortunately, you can treat this issue in a completely natural way, with the help of the following foods:

Garlic

Garlic lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and boosts the immune system.

Apples and grapefruit

These fruits are rich in pectin, which lowers cholesterol, while the high levels of magnesium and potassium lower blood pressure.

Walnuts

Walnuts lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease and lower blood pressure.

Turmeric

Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, boosts the function of the endothelium, the lining of the blood vessels, which regulates blood pressure, blood clotting, blood pressure, and other essential processes.

Spinach

Spinach is abundant in potassium, vitamins C, K, and A, iron, calcium, and folic acid, as well as dietary nitrates, which support the production of nitric oxide (NO), that lowers blood pressure.

Olive oil

Olive oil is rich in oleocanthal, a natural antioxidant that helps cardiovascular health.

Cantaloupe and kiwi fruit

These fruits contain no cholesterol and lower the amount of plaque attached to artery walls. They actually boost the ability of the body to convert fat into energy, instead of it accumulating in the blood vessels. The high potassium content of cantaloupes lowers blood pressure and relaxes the blood vessels.

Fish oil

It is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, that fight inflammation, and boost memory. Vegetarians and vegans should increase the intake of plant sources of omega 3, such as flax, chia, walnuts, hemp or pumpkin seeds.

Red grapes and berries

Berries are abundant in flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants that lower oxidative stress and prevent the formation of arterial plaque.

Pomegranate prevents the build-up of arterial plaques and naturally decreases blood pressure.

Oats

Oats are rich in soluble fiber, so they lower cholesterol levels and thus prevent clogged arteries.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes lower the risk of clogged arteries, due to the presence of plant-based carotenoids, and lycopene; which lowers cholesterol in the blood and prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

Green Tea

Green tea is packed with flavonoids, so it supports heart health and lowers the risk of clogged arteries.  Pomegranate

Remember, despite consuming these foods, you should also do your best to lower stress, and exercise regularly.

The picture shows a stormy sky with a bleak looking forest in the back drop.

The illusion is made especially difficult as it is colourless and the artist only uses different shades of grey, this means it deceives the eyes.

Most people can spot at least three faces, but to spot the full six in such a short time period is no easy feat!

Any luck yet? Here’s a clue, study each section of the image piece by piece and scan for anything face-like, once you find the biggest face the answers should be easier.

Don’t worry if you’re struggling, this is one of our most tricky teasers so far, and we have included the solution at the bottom of the page.

Meanwhile, why not try some other optical illusions while you scroll?

Test your brain power and solve the questions in this test to reveal if you have a high IQ.

Or, see if you have the eyes of a predator and spot the bird hidden among the branches.

The answers to this brain teaser can be found in the centre of the picture, with two of the smaller faces making up the eyes for a bigger face.

Once you notice the larger face, another figure can be seen camouflaged into the moustache of this face.

And then a fourth figure makes up the nose, and the final figure – which is the hardest to spot- is a man with a hat on who is within the left eye of the large face.

Human curiosity means solving these perplexing puzzles can bring a great sense of satisfaction to us, and not only this but they are good for our brains too.

Psychologists at The University of Glasgow found that staring at an optical illusion can improve eye sight by allowing you to see small print.

And according to ZenBuisness: “These visual puzzles can give you a good mental workout that can, in turn, help you think more efficiently and solve problems more easily.”

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This image shows the answers circled in red, did you spot all the faces?

Want to know if you are a glass-half-full or half-empty person? Well, this optical illusion personality test can help you out! Figure out what your personality is like by simply determining what you see in the mind-boggling image.

What Do You See?

Your task is simple. All you have to do is observe the illusion before you of a scenic view of the sunset. What you see in the optical illusion will determine if you are someone who has an optimistic or otherwise pessimistic personality.

To know if you bring positivity or drain energy from a room, you need to look at a picture of the sunset and focus on what you observe in the image. How you view life depends on whether you see the clouds in the sky or lips.

What It Means

Clouds

If you are someone who saw the clouds in the sky first in the optical illusion, then you are an extremely varied stranger yet give love and understanding in abundance to the ones who are close to you.

You often do not like to put your guard down in front of others and are constantly watching your steps when interacting with strangers. Despite the stranger-danger part of your personality, you are a social delight. You get along with everyone but also have a cynical side. You appear amicable, but it is a tough task to earn your trust.

Innate, you have a tendency to want to figure out why someone is approaching you. You are also someone who is logical and often tries to get out of gossip circles and petty drama. Despite having a rather negative outlook on life, you keep it interesting and joyful.

Lips

People who see the red lips in the image first are kind-hearted and tend to go above and beyond for others. Not only are these people admired in their circles for their sympathetic nature, but they are also known to help out a stranger whenever the need arises.

Although you have a tendency to get sentimental easily, your kind and upbeat nature is a delight for others to be around. You try to trust the goodness in humans even though you are aware of their faults and shortcomings.

Your positive outlook towards life tends to leave you quite hurt if an argument between loved ones comes to the fore. However, you are good at letting go of the little things.

The aim of optical illusions is to trick our thoughts by using visual images. They are sometimes referred to as “visual illusions,” and instances of how frequently they are used as simple IQ tests abound in pop culture. The three basic types of optical illusions are literal, physiological, and cognitive.

Interesting effect on perception and thought

When our brains mistakenly interpret an object’s physical qualities, literal illusions occur. Physiological illusions are caused by how our eyes and brains process light and color. Cognitive illusions occur when our minds make conclusions about what we are experiencing in spite of conflicting data. Studies show that regular practice of optical illusions can improve concentration and delay the onset of cognitive aging in adults.

Do you wish to learn about the quality of your vision? Take on this test to learn the answer right now.

In just 6 seconds, can you find the hidden face among the snowy peaks?

The image posted above depicts an outstanding mountain range with flawlessly snow-covered summits. What a beautiful scene,right? The hidden face in this image is concealed somewhere in the highlands, and readers have six seconds to find it. Your time to figure that out has started. It’s a great opportunity to practice your observational skills. Internet users have a hard time finding a hidden face in the mountains. If you look closely enough, the snapshot reveals the face that was hidden.

Thanks to a handy psychological trick, one man claims he can tell if you’re shy and quiet or confident and stubborn in mere seconds.

The insight doesn’t come from asking you deep questions, though – instead, the revelation comes from what you see first in a simple optical illusion.

TikTok star Charles Meriot shares optical illusions and personality tests to his page, where the comments sections are full of viewers debating the accuracy of the clips.

In a recent video, Meriot shared a piece of art composed of smooth lines in primary colors.

“What did you see first?” Meriot asked, letting the audience take a moment to study the image.

Then, Meriot revealed the two images viewers were intended to see: a plucky chicken or a pair of lips.

According to the content creator, what you see first reveals a secret truth about your personality.

“If you saw the rooster first, it means you’re quite shy,” Meriot said.

“You only like attention when you’re in the right mood.”

People who saw a pair of lips immediately have a very different personality.

“If you saw the mouth first, it means you’re confident, strong, and independent,” Meriot explained.

But that comes with a drawback: “you can be a little bit stubborn and aggressive when things don’t go the exact way you want them to,” he added.

Some viewers said that Meriot’s descriptions fit them exactly.

“I saw the rooster and now I know exactly what I’m not (confident),” a viewer wrote. “I could be, but I’m not.”

Others couldn’t fight their dispositions enough to see both images.

“I am still trying to see the rooster,” a different commenter wrote.

“I saw a mouth eating the rooster,” one confused person confessed.

Another mistook the rooster’s eye for something else entirely.

“Why did I think the dot was a tongue pierced?” they asked. “I think I fail or saw both.”

Another viewer accused Meriot of making things up.

“I think you are bamboozling people,” the disgruntled viewer wrote – but maybe they just didn’t like what they saw.

Want to know what your secret weakness is in relationships? If yes, then this is the perfect optical illusion personality test for you. Try it and dive deeper into your hidden traits!

What Do You See?

Your task is simple. All you need to do is observe the illusion of the landscape and figure out which object you saw first. 

What It Means

Hooded Man

If you noticed the hooded man in the picture first, then you tend to flare up and often have a bad temper. Unlike the hooded man, not everyone sees red and is ready to destroy at the drop of a hat.

Sometimes just walking away until the anger washes away is the best way to make productive communication happen in a relationship.

Person Sitting On Their Jacket

Someone who sees the person sitting on their jacket first has a fear of conflict. So, they avoid friction with their partner at all costs, which leads to a lack of communication and eventually misunderstandings.

You absolutely loathe having to explain your emotions, which cause issues in your relationships.

Mona Lisa

If you saw the Mona Lisa floating in the air first, then you have a rather bright future in romance. You have a rose-tinted view of life. Being able to see all of that beauty is a great gift to have, but it can also make it a bit too easy for you to avoid problems in your relationships.

Someone who sees the Mona Lisa first is also advised not to overlook problems and pretend everything is fine, but rather to try to confront them and solve any issues together with their partner.

Bearded Man

If you saw the bearded man first, then you are someone who lets their low self-esteem impact their relationships. You often withdraw in a relationship, even with the smallest of misunderstandings. It is important to note that, in any relationship, it is important that a person opens up and lays out their fears about the relationship in front of their partner.

Person Sitting On A rock

Your Tango

If you notice the person sitting on a rock in the background of the picture, then you have a tendency to isolate yourself. Having alone time is important for you, but it is imperative to note that spending time with loved ones can be equally fruitful and significant.

You often call yourself an introvert, but sometimes this notion leads you to take self-isolation way too far.

The cartoon animals appear to reaching their necks up to snack on some of the delicious foliage overhead.

But hiding amongst them somewhere is a very sneaky snake.

The snake is using its similar colour and long slender body to try and look just like one of the giraffes.

And you could have a high IQ if you can spot the slithering reptile in just 11 seconds.

So have a go and try your best, can you see the stealthy snake?

Scroll up and have a good look to see if you can spot him.

Have you had any luck?

Well done if you have spied the snake, but don’t worry if not, the solution is here.

If you have given up, we can tell you how to solve the puzzle.

Draw your eyes across the top of the image from left to right, and then at the right-hand edge scan your vision directly down.

Go past the cheeky giraffes hiding in the leaves and the big trunk of the tree.

And then right there, surrounded by the giraffes is the sneaking snake.

You can tell by the shape of his head and his little forked tongue that he is a wriggling reptile rather than a massive mammal.

So did you manage to spot him?

The Sun has brought you other optical illusions in recent days, such as being able to spot a goat hiding on a hillside.

And you could have a hoot if you try out our illusion which shows an owl wearing a distinctive jumper.

But if you really want to test your skills and try to find another snake, see if you have the eyes of a top serpent hunter with this tricky challenge.