Mornings can be tough. It’s hard not to snooze the alarm or spend half an hour mindlessly scrolling before emerging from the sheets like a bear who has woken too early from its hibernation. Being honest though, this isn’t the best way to start the day, and it’s not going to set you up for good habits and a positive frame of mind. Taking a bit of time in the morning to gently move helps your mind, body, and motivation.
Start your morning with a full body stretch, I’m talking about the kind that goes from the tips of your toes all they way to your fingertips, leaving you momentarily convinced you’ve taken the embodiment of a cat. Yes, that kind of stretch. With a great big inhale, fill the lungs and the stomach, and exhale through the mouth. Then get up. Out of bed. Straight away.
Maybe don’t jump out, you don’t want to go lightheaded! But get yourself up and standing. You don’t need to change into some fancy gear, in your pyjamas (or whatever you may choose to sleep in), we’re going to start moving.
Bring your hands to the heart centre in a prayer position and as you inhale reach up, and then exhale to open the arms out nice and wide, bringing them down by your sides. Do this a few times flowing with your breath.
The neck and shoulders can be quite tight or stiff in the morning so do some nice big, slow shoulder rolls to start loosening up. Then drop the right ear to your shoulder and roll the head down towards the chest and up the other side, stopping when your left ear reaches the left shoulder. Follow this lovely roll from one side to the other to stretch out the neck and warm up.
Come to Tadasana (mountain pose), ground down the feet, reach up with the arms and folding from the hips come to Uttanasana (standing forward bend). You can bring a nice bend to the knees here, take the elbows with opposite hands and just ‘hang out’ for a few lovely long breaths. Let the head hang heavy, sway from side to side gently if you wish.
Slowly roll up to standing. Bring your hands together at hearts centre, take the feet wider than the hips, feet out turned slightly and start to sink the hips down, keeping the torso up and open. Come down slowly to Malasana (garland pose), bringing the elbows to the inside of the knees, and lift and open the heart space. You can gently move side to side to help further open the hips and settle into the pose and take a few nice slow breaths here, breathing into any areas of tightness.
Place your hands on the ground and lift the hips high to Uttanasana, bringing the feet back in and once again roll up to standing. Finish by bringing your hands back to Anjali Mudra (prayer pose) and take a lovely big inhale and exhale.
By taking maybe 5-10 minutes to follow this simple morning routine, you are giving you the time to wake up your body and mind. It brings focus and positivity, and importantly it brings in movement straight away. Whatever you then go on to do for the rest of the day, you’re not starting from a stiff, achy body, or with a negative mindset from too much doomscrolling in bed. Instead, you’re starting refreshed, rejuvenated, and motivated.
We hope you enjoyed our morning motivation, have a great day and let's all get moving!
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