Morning Yoga: How to Start Your Day Right
While yoga is a relaxing exercise that can help us fall and stay asleep (link to blog about yoga for better sleep), it can also help us wake up in the morning!
It’s common to wake up feeling stiff, tired, and groggy. Most of us combat that with a quick stretch and a cup of coffee, but yoga offers a more holistic means of waking yourself up that is beneficial for your overall health.
If you want to start your day off on the right foot, there’s no better way to do that than practice a few restorative asanas before jumping into your busy schedules. Yoga can stretch our muscles, jumpstart our circulation, and grant us an overall sense of peace before facing whatever awaits us each day.
Below are our top six yoga poses to practice in the morning:
Cat-Cow
This pose is a great morning stretch for you if you have a stiff back. To perform Cat-Cow, first, get down on all fours. For the “cow” part of Cat-Cow, look upward and bend your back inward while inhaling. For “cat,” exhale as you arch your spine outward like a cat and drop your head to the floor.
Downward Dog
Downward Dog might be the most well-known yoga pose, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy! The goal with Downward Dog is to form an “A” shape with your body. Start on your hands and knees and lift upward, straightening your arms and legs as much as possible while aiming to form the shape of an “A.” By keeping your spine straight and feet as flat on the floor as possible, you’ll feel a great stretch in your back and hamstrings.
Warrior One
These two similar poses are great for stretching your back and getting your blood pumping in the morning. Starting in a standing position, step a leg back and bend your other leg so that your knee is directly above your ankle. Next, raise your arms above you, and look up. Hold this pose for about thirty seconds to one minute, then repeat it on the other side.
Tree Pose
Another very popular yoga pose is the Tree Pose. If you’re aiming to work on your balance or strengthen your legs, this is an excellent pose for you. To do this pose, stand and shift your weight to one foot, bringing the sole of the opposite foot up to your opposite inner thigh. You may also put your foot on your calf, but avoid putting it on your knee. You can either hold your hands in front of you in prayer or raise them over your head.
Seated Twist
If you are extra stiff in the morning, this is a great pose for you. Sit with your legs extended out in front of you, then bend your knees and slide one foot under your opposite leg to lie beside your hip. Next, twist your upper body using your bent leg as leverage. Hold for about thirty seconds to one minute, then repeat on the other side.