Give your body a good stretch with these energizing morning yoga poses to brighten your day.
‘I want to do something in life and tomorrow is the first day of it!’ How many times do we say this to ourselves and then fail?
We fail because the next day we get up and restart the same thing like scrolling on social media, getting morning coffee and going to offices. This is the usual morning routine of most of us. Right?
We are so habitual of following this routine that even don’t realize that this lazy routine is keeping us busy achieving nothing.
Yogis says that our morning especially brahma muhurta is a great time to initiate positive things in life. You can use this time for mediation, self realizations, yoga, journal, self analysis and many other inspiring things to educate yourself something great.
There is a great say,
“If you want to get something in your life you’ve never got, you have to do something that you’ve never done.” – Thomas Jefferson
So, instead of usual scrolling we can change the approach to being more positive and lightning by a very simple tool called YOGA
These easy-to-do morning yoga poses is great way to bring more positive transformation in your life.
Morning Yoga Poses For Positive Day
Have you ever thought to spark up your creativity with yoga pose? if not, then you must know what practicing yoga can do to your mind and body.
Try adding these powerful poses to your morning yoga routine for healthy blood circulation and energizing day.
1. Tree Pose / Vrikshasana: 10 breathes each side
In Sanskrit, ‘vriksa’ means tree, and ‘asana’ means pose.
Symbolically, tree pose teaches us to stand strong, well grounded and growing both upward and downwards building stability while connecting to our roots.
Benefits:
- Balance your mind and body
- Gains psychological balance
- Strengthens legs
- Release the unnecessary emotions
How to do:
- Stand straight and Gaze at a point in front of you.
- Take right leg one and stick the right feet on the left groin region.
- Inhaling, take both your arms up over the head and join the palm in Namaste.
- Do the same on the other side while being balanced in your mind and body.
Precautions:
- Stand closer to a wall and keep eyes open if you have vertigo.
- Keep the feet above or below the knee but not on the knee.
- If arthritis or any issues, do for a shorter period each side.
- Consult doctors before adopting any morning yoga poses to routine.
2. Cobra Pose / Bhujangasana
If you want to tone your belly, this is great fat burner yoga pose that you should practice every morning. It gives your body (especially the back and core), a good stretch that melts your stress away almost instantly!
Benefits:
- Stretches spine
- Strengthens arms
- Strengthens shoulders
- Open chest and heart chakra
- Increases willpower subconsciously
How to do:
- Start by lying down on the abdomen.
- Place your forehead on the mat, palm near the ears and keep the feet together.
- While inhaling slowly raise your head, chest and abdomen off the mat.
- Take your head up while gazing at the ceiling.
- Take a few deep breaths there and then gently exhale, come back to the starting position and rest.
Precautions:
- If there is any back issue keep the feet apart at a comfortable distance.
- If spondylosis then go slow and start with looking in front instead of looking up.
- Frozen shoulder patients do it for a lesser number of breaths.
3. Dancer’s Pose / Natarajasana
Also known as ‘Natarajasana’ or ‘Lord of the dance pose’.
Being as yoga’s most advanced yoga postures, it require strong balance, intense back bending and open shoulders. All of which take regular practices to perform it well.
Among all the morning yoga poses, this posture require great strength and balancing skills.
Benefits:
- Increases balance in mind and body
- Increases self-esteem
- Increases strength of the legs.
- Increases the flexibility of legs and shoulders.
How to do:
- Stand straight while gazing at a point in front.
- Hold your right ankle with your right hand.
- Take left arms up straight near the left ear.
- Inhaling the right knee up while trying to pull the right heel away from the hip.
- Stay there holding the posture for a few deep breaths.
- Do the same on the opposite side.
Precautions:
- Keep the feet above or below the knee but not on the knee.
- If arthritis or any issues, do for a shorter period each side.
- Stand closer to a wall and keep eyes open if you have vertigo.
- Avoid this pose if you have an ankle or back injury or balance problems.
4. Plow Pose / Halasana
An intermediate yoga pose that you can modify as per your comfort and best suits.
Plow Pose is not for beginners. To practice this pose, you need to be well-accustomed with basics and understand proper body alignment.
For safety purpose, make sure you are flexible enough before trying this yoga pose.
Benefits:
- Blood flows to the upper parts of the body.
- Oxygen to the brain increases.
- Relieves stress and uplifts the mood.
- Stretches the back and hamstrings muscles.
How to do:
- Start with lying down on the mat on your back.
- Legs straight, feet together and arms besides the hips palm facing downwards.
- Inhaling start taking both your legs up to 90 degrees.
- Take your hip off the mat and place the feet above to head on the floor. The body is in the shape of a plow.
- Keep your eyes closed and breathe with a calm mind.
Precautions:
- Woman must avoid this asana in periods.
- Any back injury must be done as per their comfort.
- Hamstring pull patients must avoid doing this extreme stretch.
- Spondylosis patients should not do it.
5. Shoulder Stand Pose / Salamba Sarvangasana
This pose take time and patience to master such balancing skills. Try practicing breathing exercise to get deep into pose.
Benefits:
- Stretches your spine.
- Increases Hamstring flexibility.
- Blood flows to the upper parts of the body, especially to the brain.
- Oxygen to the brain increases.
- Relieves stress and uplifts the mood to face the day with a smile and it is a yoga pose to be added in daily routine.
How to do:
- Starting position is just like in halasana.
- Inhaling takes both your legs up and raises the hip up while taking both the legs up and keeping them in 90 degrees.
- Keep the hip in line with the shoulders.
- Support the hip with the palm.
- Stay in position for a few deep breaths and gradually increase the number of breaths.
- Exhaling slowly comes out of the posture.
Precautions:
- Patients of High B.P., heart ailments must avoid it.
- Spondylosis patients should not do it.
- Avoid during periods.
- Back injury must be done as per their comfort.
6. Standing Split / Thiruvikramasana
If you are looking for some hip opener exercises, then this yoga pose can be perfect fit for your needs.
Get your booty in shape with these beautiful buttocks hacks.
Benefits:
- Increases energy
- Increases flexibility
- Increases stamina to look forward to the day
How to do:
- Stand straight,and raise the right leg up holding with the right hand.
- Now take the left and pull the right leg towards the right ear.
- Stay for a few deep breaths while keeping the elbows apart and then slowly release the posture.
Precautions:
- Stay closer to a wall to hold if you have vertigo or hypertension.
- Do it in guidance of someone in the start of practice
- Use the wall or table to keep the feet initially to increase the flexibility.
7. Meditation
A short practice to bring balance and positivity in your life through calming your mind. It will always be a great bonus if you have this great habit to start your day.
Benefits:
- Relaxes your mind
- Brings a positive approach to your daily life
- Reduces stress building
How to do:
- Sit with your legs crossed in sukhasana, just like the way we sit to have food in India.
- It is important to keep the spine erect.
- Arms on your thighs. Make gyan mudra with your hand.
- Keep your eyes closed and start watching your breaths.
- Count the number of breaths taken.
Precautions:
- Depression patients can keep their eyes open.
- Arthritis patients can sit on a chair
FAQ:
1. Is It Best To Do Yoga First Thing In The Morning?
Yes, it is best to do yoga the first thing in the morning as the system is free and not busy in other systems like digestion, etc,.
2. Can I Do Yoga Right After Waking Up?
Right after waking up you must drink some water to hydrate your system again. Then engage yourself into clean up things by getting fresh, taking bath, and elimination processes. Now you are ready to sweat into your morning yoga routine.
3. Should I Do Yoga Before or After Breakfast?
When you practice yoga just after breakfast, it interrupt the process of digestion. Preferably Breakfast must be done after practicing yoga only.
However, anyone having any health issues like hypertension can have breakfast and medications as prescribed by the doctor and then practice yoga.
Always consult your doctor first, if you are on medications and getting any treatment.
4. Can We Drink Water Before Yoga?
Ideally the stomach must be completely empty before practicing yoga. After that you can drink water. But in case you feel dehydrated, you can drink few sips in between.
5. What Should I Drink Before Morning Yoga?
Nothing. Try to keep yourself empty when going to practice morning yoga poses at-least before 20 minutes. But in case if you feel dehydrated more, then drink few sip of water to quench your thirst before the practice of yoga in the morning.
6. Is It Okay To Drink Water Immediately After Yoga?
If possible, drinking water after 30 minutes of morning yoga practice is recommended. However in the hustle of work if it is not possible then immediately is also fine. However, sitting and drinking with a calm mind is suggested by yoga.
7. Can We Drink Lemon Water After Yoga?
Drinking water/lemon water is a good thing after yoga in the morning as it will flush out the toxins from your body.
Conclusion:
Though one can do a lot of things after waking up in the morning. But, adding yoga poses in the daily routine will help one become healthy not just physically but also mentally.
We may be surrounded by many hurdles, these hurdles cannot be removed at times but the way we look at them and manage stress can be changed by the practicing yoga everyday. Its much more than theory. You can add up to multiple benefits under each asana as you practice these morning yoga poses.
Featured Image: Freepik