Kick-start your morning with yoga

Yoga_4Jan_ALet’s face it, most of us prefer the extra time in bed to getting up and hitting the mat for an early morning yoga session. But believe it or not, there’s nothing better than an energizing morning yoga practice to calm your mind and set yourself up for an amazing and productive day. So don’t think of it as torture – give it a go and, who knows, it might just become your next favorite thing! Here’s how yoga can give your morning a fresh start.

It encourages better sleep habits

Deciding to practice yoga first thing in the morning is like making a promise and commitment to yourself. You will be more likely to prioritize your bedtime and think twice before trying to burn the midnight oil. What’s more, once you make morning yoga practice a habit, your body becomes accustomed to waking up at the same time each day, which means you will wake up feeling fully refreshed and energized.

It calms your mind throughout the day

Practicing yoga early in the morning will steady your mind for the whole day, allowing you to stay calm even in the most hectic moments and be prepared for anything that comes your way, whether it’s a traffic jam, heavy workload, or a heated discussion with your colleague.

It boosts your metabolism

Yoga helps improve your digestion, facilitate the movement of nutrients through your body, and speeds up your metabolic rate. Once your body has a sufficient amount of nutrients circulating through, it will metabolize carbs and fat faster, meaning you can actually eat more food and burn calories quicker.

Check out these morning yoga poses that you can complete in as little as 10 minutes:

  • Balasana (Child’s Pose) – Start by kneeling down and bending forward to bring your chest to your thighs and your forehead to the floor. Then stretch your arms over your head and place your palms on the floor. Sit back down on your heels without changing the position of your arms. You’ll feel a sudden stretch in your spine and torso. Focus on taking a deep breath and exhaling to release the tension. The goal of this pose is to have your forehead touching the ground while your buttocks remain in contact with your heels.
  • Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) – The Downward Facing Dog pose involves your whole body, especially your shoulders and hamstrings. Begin by sitting on all fours with your knees underneath your hips and your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Press the palms firmly on the mat and slowly lift your knees away from the floor, lengthen your spine backwards and lift your tailbone up as you straighten your legs. Hold the position for about 30 seconds to one minute to experience an energizing sensation throughout your whole body.
  • Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) – This posture is a great way to open the front parts of your body, including your chest, hip flexors, and quadriceps. You can start by doing the Downward Facing Dog pose. From there, exhale and put your right foot forward between your hands. Then lower your left knee to the floor and, keeping the right knee fixed in its position, slide your left leg back until you feel a comfortable stretch in the left front thigh and groin. Now lift your torso up and sweep your arms out to your sides and raise them up overhead.

Whether you’ve got time for only one pose or all three, practicing yoga in the morning will definitely help you feel more resilient and refreshed as you start your day. If you want to give yoga a try, get in touch with our expert instructors today.

Published with permission from FitnessAdvisory. Source.