It can be difficult to find time for ourselves in our multi-tasked day. Starting our morning with yoga has many benefits. Commiting to a morning yoga practice allows us to make space in our day for ourselves.
Meditation, breathing practices, relaxation exercises, reading sacred and spiritual texts are just some of the ways that we can start our day. We can integrate yoga as part of the practices mentioned.
Millions of people have made time for their yoga practice daily because of the extraordinary benefits.
Make a commitment to
yourself this morning
A regular yoga practice can have similar benefits to sleep, in its ability to regenerate the body and settle the mind.
The Benefits of a Morning Yoga Practice
The morning is an incredible time to cultivate this habit and commitment to the self. Often, the world is slower, less distractions are present in our homes and communities. The children may still be in bed, the roommates may be asleep and the streets outside our window are quiet and slower. This is also the time when your nervous system is still calm as you navigate the day between the state of being asleep and fully awake. By starting the time in a disciplined practice, your body and mind will be ready to start the day.
Morning Yoga Benefits for Mind and Body:
- more energy through out the day
- greater concentration and focus
- balanced mood
- improved ability to manage stress
- improved physical condition: flexibility, muscle mass, cardiovascular strength
- Injury Prevention
- improved breathing: As you continue your practice, you will begin to develop a better connection to your breath, a tool used by yogis to move energy through the body.
- eating lifestyle changes: People who practice yoga regularly are often keenly aware of the food they consume. Foods that slow us down like processed foods, or those that excite and over-stimulate the body become taken out of the diet. Natural, nourishing and unprocessed foods are preferred as a committed yogi becomes more attuned to the body and the lightness that becomes part of the movement.
A regular morning yoga practice can have similar benefits to sleep, in its ability to regenerate the body and settle the mind. As we begin to breath deeper and develop a diaphragmatic breath, we begin to develop a greater awareness of our life force and develop the inner knowing to reduce the stress that we experience. As we increase our connection to yoga, lifestyle changes grow naturally as well.
Morning Yoga Practice Tips
Start your morning yoga practice with these tips in mind:
- Start your routine before you check your email or phone for texts. Doing so will create a unique and contained mental space. This can be a challenge as we are receiving an over-pour of information daily; by cultivating this habit you are avoiding overstimulating the mind this early in the morning.
- Create a space and sanctuary for your practice. Our physical landscape is so important for how we prioritize our time and view our world. You may set up a small corner in the house with a small devotional alter with a yoga mat ready the night before. Make this space inviting, clean and unique. This will remind you everyday of how important your yoga practice is. It will also be much easier, organic and tranquil to move from your bed to your practice. To read more about cultivating a sacred space for your yoga and spiritual practice check out DoCalm’s article How to Create Your Sacred Space for Yoga and Meditation Practice.
- Eat Light. Avoid eating too much before your practice. A small piece of fruit will give you energy and also will stimulate your digestion system as you move through the poses. A heavy meal will probably leave you feeling heavy and may overstimulate your senses.
- Rely on your body’s natural energy for stimulation. Avoid coffee before practice. Coffee is a stimulant and will alter the heart rate. Practice before your daily coffee, if you are a consumer, and you might even find yourself needing less of it as your body and mind become clearer, calmer and naturally balanced and energized with daily practice. Choose herbal tea, or a lower caffeine option if necessary. Green tea can be a good substitute for coffee in the morning.
- A popular morning asana sequence practised through in India and around the world more recently is the Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskar. This morning practice helps to create greater focus in the morning with a strong alignment of breath and movement. The video below provides step-by-step overview of the sequence.
