Try to touch all three sides (don't worry about the back) of your mouth at the same time. Stretch your tongue so you are applying pressure to each side. You may even feel like your tongue is going under your teeth. You need to keep your tongue flat as much as possible while practicing this clover shape. If you are unable to make a taco shape, practice that first. You should be able to make and hold a taco shape without any support. This means if you still need your lips to hold the taco shape, you are not ready for this trick. The goal here is to practice moving the tip independently of the sides and middle. You will need to start by touching the tip to the bottom of the front teeth. Try to keep the sides at the top of your mouth. You may need to press the sides against the top of your mouth to keep the shape. Touch only the tip of your tongue to the bottom of your top front teeth. If any part of your tongue is touching the bottom of your front teeth or any teeth try to pull your tongue back. Hold your tongue's tip to your front teeth while you do this. This, in and of itself, will help you differentiate the muscles in your tongue (i.e., front middle and front sides). Do this only with the tip of your tongue. Do this without moving the sides of your tongue. Do not let them slide back in your mouth. If they move, start over. You will know you have successfully accomplished this when your tongue folds onto itself in the middle. This will be the hardest part and take the longest to practice and perfect. If you are going to get stuck, this is where it will happen. If you are having trouble here you may be moving the entire front of your tongue instead of just the tip. This may be difficult to overcome. If you feel the sides of the front of your tongue moving with the tip, slow down and start over. They will need to be relaxed or they will push the sides of your tongue back into your mouth. Most likely the sides of your mouth are still holding the sides of your tongue steady. You may even be using your top teeth to hold the middle fold. Practice extending your tongue out of your mouth while holding the shape. With enough practice you will be able to create the fold without the help of your teeth.
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One-sentence summary -- Flatten your tongue to cover the bottom of your mouth. Make a taco with your tongue inside your mouth. Put the tip of your tongue against the bottom of your two front teeth. Lick the back of your two front teeth. Practice holding the middle fold without your teeth.

Heart rate monitors have come a long way! They now can track your steps, your heart rate, your nutrition, your sleep and more. These are a great way to customize your workouts and tailor them to what your body needs. In addition to tools like a heart rate monitor, there are a variety of different tools available to help you set and meet your work out goals. Studies show that smartphone apps and exercise trackers can help to improve fitness. To workout efficiently, it is helpful to have a heart rate monitor. Chest strap monitors are the most accurate. These monitors go around your chest, and typically communicate wirelessly with a watch on your wrist. A variety of watches with built in heart rate monitors are now available. They are more convenient than chest straps, but while they are improving rapidly, they are still less accurate at measuring heart rate during exercise. Motivation is the main factor in improving cardiovascular fitness. Smartphone workout tracker apps have been shown to increase motivation and to provide results similar to going to a gym regularly. They can do everything from suggesting workouts, to tracking your progress during a run, to providing a place to record workouts. Fitness trackers are devices that you wear on you, and which keep track of the number of steps you take, the number of stairs you climb, and in some cases, your heart rate as well. They allow you to set goals you wish to reach each day. The have been shown to encourage increased activity and thereby improve cardiovascular health. Particularly for those who are just starting out in their fitness routine, they can provide an easy way to make sure you are getting the exercise you need.
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One-sentence summary -- Use technology to help you stay on track. Get a heart rate monitor. Use a smartphone app to keep track of your workouts. Use a fitness tracker to motivate you.

. Sleep is essential to a healthy, balanced body. Lack of sleep can aggravate negative thinking and easily becomes a vicious cycle whereby your negative thoughts keep you awake and disable your ability to get enough sleep. Waking unrefreshed and feeling tired is a common complaint during depression, and even too much sleep can leave depressed persons feeling tired. Breaking this cycle requires enforcing a strict sleep routine of the same bedtime and waking time every day, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, not exercising three hours prior to bed, removing anything distracting from your bedroom, and keeping your room at a suitable temperature. Read how to fall asleep for more help. It won't be easy breaking a disturbed sleep cycle and many things can cause you to relapse back into insomnia or wakeful nights, so it's important to be vigilant about keeping to a routine, as well as forgiving yourself when you can't sleep. . A recent study showed exercise to be as effective as Zoloft (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI) in treating depression. Exercise releases a natural anti-depressant chemical in your brain and gets you into doing something active. Start small with a simple walk to the local store or around the block, or to your garden gate might be the way to begin. Gradually work up to a routine that fits with your needs and enjoyment. Look for friends or group exercise sessions since having a partner will keep you more motivated. You can also look for activities that will allow you to release some of the pent-up emotions that may be built up, such as kickboxing. Playing sports is a great way to get regular exercise, stay occupied, focus on self-improvement and meet new people. Some studies have found that people who participate in sports have somewhat fewer symptoms of depression. Choose a sport that is exhausting to quiet the chatter in your mind and leave you feeling wrung outjust don't overdo it. Join a team or class in your area and commit to showing up to as many of these meetings as possible, even if you may not feel like going some days. . Reduce your intake of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fast foods, and processed foods. Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole foods. Drink plenty of water and do some research on foods that are said to improve your state of mind and well-being. Improving your diet can be a positive project to keep you constructively occupied and focused when you're working through your depression. Plus, many healthy foods are effective at improving mood. It can be easy to let yourself go when depressed and to pay no attention to appearance and clothing. Reintroducing daily attention to grooming can help improve your mood and give you a sense of well-being. Get a new haircut or new clothes as part of cheering yourself up. And concentrate on the parts that you do love about yourself instead of fretting over what you don't like. Support from people who love and care about you is an important part of the healing process. Tell people you trust that you're depressed and would appreciate their understanding and sympathy. It is far harder for people to help you if you're secretive and do things that seem inexplicably strange. Knowing will help people to make allowances and support you as best they can. Be willing to be honest about your irritability and reclusive behavior with those you trust. They need to know it's not personal, but that you need space or time out every now and then. Talk with friends, family and colleagues who make you feel good and who are good to be around. Spend time with people who see the world in a positive way and ask them to share their visions, ideas, and approaches to life with you. Most positive people will be more than happy to reveal the things that help them keep upbeat and happy about their lives. Learn from them. Remember that misery loves company. It can be incredibly hard to keep away from negative people as down and out as you're feeling, but do your best to avoid them. You won't be doing either of you a favor by confirming each other's fears that the rest of the world is terrible.
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One-sentence summary --
Sleep well Exercise Eat healthy Restore any neglected grooming. Maintain a good support network. Be around positive people.