As hard as it might be to believe, morning yoga routines can be better than a cup of coffee when it comes to getting you energized and ready for the day. A planned morning routine can transform your energy levels and get you feeling prepped and primed for the day ahead of you.
A morning routine does more than get you focused - it can also reduce anxiety, alleviate chronic pain, and even help you to sleep better. In one national survey concerning the impacts of yoga, 85% of respondents confirmed the practice helped reduce stress, while 55% found it helped them with their sleep.
Here’s a closer look at the transformative effects the daily practice of yoga will have on your well-being.
What Is Yoga?
The practice of yoga is focused on aligning the body and mind and has its origins in the early 1920s in India. As it has evolved over time, yoga has developed into a discipline that empowers both physical and spiritual growth.
Yoga consists of different postures and poses that help stretch out, engage, and strengthen various parts of your body. There are many different styles and types of yoga, each with its own unique approaches and techniques, but it is also possible to find a more general routine.
Benefits Of A Morning Yoga Routine
There’s no better way to kickstart your day than by taking some deep breaths and stretching your body. Here are some of the benefits of practicing yoga first thing in the morning.
Boost metabolism
Regular yoga practice has numerous health benefits. In particular, starting your day with a few stretches can boost your metabolism and aid digestion for the rest of the day. In addition, if you’re prone to suffering from heartburn or irritable bowel syndrome, doing yoga for a few minutes in the morning can help you settle your stomach.
Mental clarity
Dragging yourself out of bed at the crack of dawn is no easy feat, especially if you’re not a morning person. Exercising as soon as you get up might be even lower on your list of priorities, but yoga can actually help you center yourself and feel more refreshed.
Yoga poses often require a considerable amount of focus, which is why a morning yoga routine is often considered more effective than a cup of coffee. As you concentrate on maintaining your balance, you will naturally feel more alert and ready to tackle your tasks for the day.
Relieve pain and tension
If you find yourself waking up with aches and pains despite investing in the most comfortable mattress, then it’s likely that you need to stretch and move your body more. A morning yoga routine is a great way to relieve any soreness or aches you might experience after waking up.
One of the most common reasons why people experience back pain is because of a weak core. Incorporating yoga into your daily routine can help you strengthen your abdominal muscles so that you experience fewer aches.
Strengthens and tones
Yoga is a great form of exercise if you live a mostly sedentary lifestyle. While some forms of yoga can be fast-paced, others are more focused on increasing flexibility and proper alignment.
For instance, vinyasa yoga, also commonly referred to as flow yoga, focuses on a sequence of postures designed to improve strength, stability, and balance. On the other hand, power yoga is a higher-intensity workout that burns more calories and increases lean muscle mass.
Regardless of the form of yoga you choose, yoga works out all the muscle groups and is also a low-impact exercise, making it ideal for all age groups and fitness levels.
Better sleep
Practicing a morning yoga routine can significantly improve the quality of your sleep. A 2013 study looked at the long-term effects of practicing yoga among older adults. The study found that those who practiced yoga regularly were able to sleep better and noticed an improvement in their overall quality of life than those who didn’t.
How Does A Morning Yoga Routine Help With Your Energy?
One of the most interesting benefits of a morning yoga routine is the positive impact on your energy. This is because your body craves routine, and as soon as you’re able to start practicing this form of exercise in the morning, your body will begin to wake up naturally in anticipation of this intake of happy hormones.
Yoga has other scientifically proven benefits, too. Research conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in India has shown that consistent yoga practice can help decrease cortisol levels, one of your body’s main stress hormones. If sleep anxiety is preventing you from achieving a good night’s sleep, it’s possible that taking some deep breaths and doing yoga can help you manage your worries more effectively.
Yoga Routines That Will Start Your Day Right
So how do you get started on a yoga routine for better sleep? If you’re a complete beginner, it can be helpful to train under the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher. Alternatively, here are a few yoga poses you can try that have been proven to have a positive impact on the quality of your rest:
- Child’s Pose: The child’s pose is the perfect pose for beginners who aren’t sure how to get started with their yoga practice. It helps with pressure relief of the lower back, as well as your hips.
- Cobra Pose: The cobra pose stretches your core and shoulders, allowing you to strengthen your arms and gluteus muscles.
- Downward Dog: This classic yoga pose is all about stretching out your shoulders, hamstrings, and calves while also strength conditioning your arms and legs.
- Cat-Cow Pose: A naturally invigorating pose, the cat-cow pose allows you to stretch out your spine while engaging your core and opening up your chest.
- Chair Pose: This is a great pose for ensuring you’re able to keep your center of balance steady, while also strengthening your triceps.
- Warrior I: If you need a yoga pose that’s going to open your hips while strengthening your legs, the warrior pose is perfect for you.
Why Yoga Routines Work Any Time Of Day
Though morning yoga routines can be helpful when you’re struggling to get some much-needed snooze time, you can incorporate this practice at any point in your day. You can even do your yoga practice from the comfort of your own bed if you find yourself feeling unmotivated on some day.
If you’re the type of person who tends to rush through their morning, however, there’s nothing wrong with practicing your yoga routine at night. Similarly, if you’ve ever experienced midday sluggishness at work, you can also choose to do some quick stretches by your desk for an energy boost.
Other Natural Remedies For Better Sleep
Once you have your morning yoga routine down, it’s worth investigating whether there are any other aspects of your lifestyle you might be able to improve for your well-being overall. Better sleep improves your focus, energy, mood, and even heart health, so it’s well worth paying attention to the aspects of your lifestyle that can contribute to this.
Besides regular yoga practice, some popular natural remedies for better sleep hygiene include:
- Drink herbal tea to wind down. Certain types of tea, such as chamomile and lavender, can be soothing, anxiety-relieving, and beneficial to a good night’s sleep.
- Start practicing mindfulness. Unlike yoga, which is a kind of exercise, mindfulness is more focused on the mind. One of the many benefits of mindfulness is it can help keep you calm before a good night’s sleep.
- Take magnesium supplements. Magnesium can help minimize anxiety, which is why it can be effective in maintaining a good night’s rest. If you’re curious to learn which other supplements might be effective for your rest, melatonin can be useful too.
- Try other forms of exercise. If a morning yoga routine is not for you, there are many other types of exercise that can be equally effective when it comes to ensuring a good night’s sleep. Try running, swimming, or any other type of physical activity you know you enjoy to reap the full benefits of a good night’s sleep.
The benefits of a good night’s sleep cannot be underestimated. Sleep is crucial for your well-being, so it’s important to find routines and habits that work for you and your body clock to help boost your own health.
Invest in your sleep hygiene, start your day off with a morning yoga routine, and be sure to look after yourself, and you will unlock a version of yourself that’s more productive and energetic than ever, quicker than you know.
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