Let’s face it, life is busy. And being that it seems like the end of this pandemic is nowhere in sight, it’s easy to get frazzled, overwhelmed, and lose our inner zen in the midst of all the everyday chaos. Time for self-care can also seem totally out of reach. Between the balancing act of work-life, home, mom life, and everything in between, time for self-care may just seem impossible. Let’s keep it real. it practically is.
But, we have a solution if you feel like your inner peace is quickly slipping away. Enter a morning yoga practice. Incorporating a yoga routine into your week is an amazing way to not only take care of your mental and spiritual health but your physical health as well. And, you don’t need to commit to a long practice. Even just a few morning yoga poses or throughout your day can help promote that inner peace we all need to dominate each day.
We’re sharing our top five fav morning beginner yoga poses you can do in the morning fresh out of bed, or at any point of the day when you need to revitalize or prevent yourself from cursing someone out.
Jump out of bed, grab your yoga mat, get some essential oils diffusing, and practice these five relaxing morning yoga poses. It may be exactly what you need to set the tone for a calmer day.
#1 Head to Knee Forward Bend
Here’s a great morning yoga pose that can help loosen up tight muscles, and just start your day in a relaxing and zen way. All you need to do is sit on your yoga mat with your legs extended out in front of you. Inhale, extend your arms up, and then exhale, extending them and stretching out to touch your toes. If you can’t reach that far, go to your knees or as far as your fingers can reach without arching your back. Stretch as far as you can, and take four deep breaths in this pose.
#2 Cat/Cow Pose
A few rounds of cat/cow make the perfect morning yoga pose to help stretch out a tight back, shoulders, and neck muscles. Get onto all fours on your yoga mat, starting with a flat back. Have your hips aligned with your knees, and take a deep breath. As you breathe in, lift your back up (almost to form a hump). Drop your head down, relaxing all the muscles in your neck. This is cat pose. Now take that deep breath, and blow it all out as you go into cow, arching your back, and lifting your head up. Do this for one minute, inhaling and exhaling with the rhythm of your cat/cow.
#3 Child’s Pose
End your quick morning yoga routine by sitting in child’s pose for two minutes. On an exhale, lower your torso between your knees. Extend your arms ahead to the top of your mat with your palms facing down. Relax your shoulders toward the ground. Rest in the pose for as long as needed. Child’s pose is such a great way to help open up the hips, while also focusing on breathing in all the calm and breathing out all the tension! Relax here for longer, if needed. I
#4 Downward Facing Dog
Here’s a yoga classic, and one that most of us are familiar with. It’s great for stretching, but also for strengthening. This pose stretches and decongests the spinal column, a vital function that promotes the free flow of energy and nerve information between the body and brain. Here is a step-by-step on how to do this releasing pose:
- Get down on all fours. Start on the floor with your hands shoulder-width apart, with your shoulders above your wrists. Align your inner shoulders with your index fingers. Your hips should be above or slightly before your knees.
- Lift your knees. Next, tuck your toes against the mat or ground, using that leverage to extend your legs and lift both knees into the air. Your body should now resemble an upside-down “V” shape.
- Extend. Extend and lengthen your spine, simultaneously pressing through the palms of your hands and the balls of your feet. Pull your pelvis up toward the ceiling, using the triceps in your upper arms to help stabilize your form. Some yoga teachers suggest drawing your shoulder blades down your back, while others prefer externally rotating the joints to support the body instead.
- Hold and release. Hold your body in position, making sure to breathe properly. Slowly bring your knees back to the floor to release this asana, or use it to transition into another pose.
#5 Standing Forward Bend
Here’s another morning yoga pose that can help you stretch out tight muscles all around, while also waking up the body and getting the blood flowing. Simply stand on your mat, and slowly bring your fingers towards the mat as you go into a forward bend, slightly bending your knees. You can also fold your arms, and gently shake your head “no” to loosen up those tight neck muscles. Hold this for a moment, and then very slowly come back up to prevent feeling dizzy.
Morning Yoga is Always a Good Idea
Starting your day with some morning yoga is something you can start incorporating into your week with little time invested. A simple 10-15 minute flow at the beginning or end of your day can do a lot for your mind and body. Not only is it great for your physical health, but it can also help you feel more grounded, and set the tone for a calmer, more productive day or a nice wind-down right before bed. You can begin by kickstarting your morning with these five power yoga poses. Combine all five, and repeat three times for a mini yoga sequence that will have you finding your inner peace that can last all day long.
