Waking up in the morning can be tough. A foggy head, stiff joints, and feeling like there weren't enough hours of sleep can all contribute to the challenge of getting out of bed. Rather than suffer with these symptoms everyday, take charge, roll out the mat, and make mornings come alive with yoga. Whether you prefer to go to a formal class at a yoga studio or do your own routine at home, let yoga motivate you to roll out of bed and feel alive. Consider the following reasons why yoga is a necessary part of any morning routine.
1. Relieve painful joints and tight muscles
Sleeping in the same position for hours on end or possible with a poorly shaped pillow can lead to regular aches and pains. Yoga relieves this tension and tightness through slow and controlled stretches.
Always start slow and gently increase the stretch as your muscles warm up. Consider a simple position like child's pose or cat/cow stretch to gently limber up tight shoulders, neck, and back muscles. One can literally roll out of bed and start doing these stretches on the floor, fancy equipment or yoga clothing is not required.
2. Clear the mind
The very essence of yoga, deep breathing, leads to a sense of mindfulness without even being aware you are trying to clear your mind. By focusing on deep breathing, the sound of your breath, and the pattern of your breathing the mind automatically becomes clear of extraneous thoughts.
The challenge is staying focused on your breath without letting the mind wander.
Allow yourself the predetermined amount of time to do yoga and concentrate on your breathing without thinking about your errands list for the day, work stressors, or any other responsibilities that could distract you from deep breathing. The physical poses not only help stretch and strengthen your muscles but give you a reason to focus on your breathing so that you can hold the yoga position.
3. Energize
Although getting out of bed for any activity may seem counter-intuitive to feeling rested, have faith in the process. Doing even just 10 or 20 minutes of yoga will leave you feeling far more energized than tossing and turning in bed for another 20 minutes. By deep breathing oxygen into your cells and tissues and waking up your mind and muscles from the increased blood flow from poses and stretches you can enjoy the benefits of yoga in the moment and for the duration of the day.
Yoga is not only for self-identified yogis. Yoga is appropriate for almost anyone and, as an added bonus, it does not have to be expensive. Don't have a yoga mat? Use a towel on the floor. Don't have fancy yoga clothing? Wear whatever is comfortable, pyjamas work well for rolling out of bed to start your yoga routine. Don't want to pay for classes? Choose from the many, many online yoga classes from reputable instructors. For starters consider popular free Youtube videos from: "Yoga with Adrienne," "Boho Beautiful," or "Do Yoga With Me."
As with any activity, it's always important to listen to your own body and not cause pain or distress that could be harmful. Check with your health care provider to ensure yoga is appropriate for you.
The following products have been personally recommended to work in harmony with yoga exercise by locally renowned Yoga and nutrition expert Christine Ridley.
Co-Enzyme Q10
CoQ10 has been shown to support oxygen use and energy production, giving you a healthier heart and limber muscles.
Probiotic
Multivitamin & Mineral
We see taking our all natural multivitamin (that includes botanicals unlike other brands) as your insurance policy to ensure you are receiving enough essential nutrients and supporting your body.
As well as supporting both your nervous system and red blood cells, B12 can keep you focussed and energised.
