admin I always wanted to have a morning practice. I wanted to be one of those people who did yoga every morning. But I never have been. When I wake up, all I want is a strong coffee, maybe followed by breakfast.
In a perfect world, I could read on my phone while having coffee and breakfast, but most days, this is a two-step process.
It’s so nice to stay in bed.
You can probably relate. I’ve been known to wake up an hour earlier to practice only to discover that six snoozes after I set the alarm, I was back to square one with coffee and work. ).
When my eyes are closed with sleep, and my brain is foggy, it’s hard to wake up.
Now, I’ve discovered a trick, a way to develop morning yoga even if you’re not a morning person. It is so simple that it’s easy for you to miss.
Stay in bed
You’re right. Do your morning yoga routine.
Asanas (poses) and pranayamas (breathing exercises) are both part of yoga. When my first alarm goes off, I often sleep for 9 minutes. (By the way, Apple, why 9? After some pranayama, I perform a few simple asanas that can be done in bed.
This is my 9-minute iPhone alarm yoga routine for mornings in bed.
Box Breathing
You can breathe by using the image of a four-sided square.
Inhale until you reach four.
Stop at four.
Exhale until you reach four.
Stop at four.
Repeat this five times.
Three-Step Inhalation Energizing
This relaxing yet energizing morning pranayama will help you exhale old air and inhale new energy for the day.
Inhale deeply. Pause a little.
Continue to inhale. Pause a little.
Fill your lungs to the top of your collarbones by inhaling. Take a few moments to pause.
Slowly exhale as if you were using a plunger. Feel the old air leaving your body and making room for new, fresh air.
Repeat the process five times.
Supine Spinal Twist
You can do this under the blankets. You need to be a bit flexible.
Allow your right leg and knee to fall to the left.
If you don’t have enough space, you can bend your elbows to prevent hitting your partner or pet who is napping next to you.
Breathe deeply and enjoy this spine twist. Repeat the same motion on the other side.
Seated Forward Fold
You can sit up in your bed with your legs extended while keeping a slight bend to the knee. You’ll probably be cold and stiff because it’s still early.
Wrap your arms under your knees and gently fold your back forward.
Enjoy the sensations of deep breathing.
The possibilities are endless. Here, any forward fold or gentle backbend would be great.
After completing these steps, get out of bed and continue your morning ritual (coffee/green smoothie) as usual.
