Tired of hitting the snooze button? It’s time to transform your mornings with a quick and effective yoga practice. In just five minutes, you can wake up your body, boost your energy and set a positive tone for the day.
Research shows that incorporating morning exercise can improve mood, focus and overall well-being. Yoga is the perfect way to gently ease into your day and prepare both your mind and body for what lies ahead.
Let’s explore a simple yet powerful yoga routine that will help you get the most out of your mornings.
5 minute morning yoga
1. Child’s pose
- Start in a kneeling position. Bring your big toes together and separate your knees, leaving room for your belly.
- Walk your arms forward and lower your torso to rest between your thighs. Pull your hips back toward your heels as your arms reach forward. Feel your spine lengthen from your tailbone to the crown of your head.
- If you feel any discomfort in your shoulders, try a variation with your arms resting at your side.
2. Downward Facing Dog
- From Child’s Pose, extend your arms forward a few more inches, spreading your fingers. Pull your toes and begin to lift your hips.
- Exhale and slowly straighten your legs. Broaden your shoulder blades and grip the yoga mat with your fingers.
- Keep your ears between your upper arm bones to maintain alignment of your head, neck and spine.
- If your hamstring stretch is too intense first thing in the morning, modify your Downward Facing Dog by slightly bending the knees. This modification will help you create more length in your spine.
3. Upward Facing Dog
- From Downward Dog, round forward into plank position (above a pushup). Uncurl your toes, placing the tops of your feet on the floor.
- Engage your quads and glutes as you drop your hips toward the floor. Squeeze the legs together, keeping the thighs lifted.
- Widen your collarbones and pull your chest forward. Create length in the spine by reaching the crown of the head up and forward. Press firmly into your mat with your hands and pull the shoulders away from the ears.
- Pull your belly in and up to activate your deeper core muscles to avoid compressing your lower back.
- Stay in Upward Facing Dog for a few breaths as you feel your lungs expand. To come out of the pose, tuck your toes and use the strength of your arms, shoulders and abs to push back into Downward Dog.
4. Low Lunge
- From Dog Facing Dog, swing your right leg between your hands and place your right foot between your hands.
- Unclog your back toes and place the top of your left foot on your mat. Gently lower your left knee to your mat.
- Square your hips by pulling the right hip back and the left hip forward. Let your hips sink toward the floor as you bend to your right knee. For safe alignment, make sure the front knee stays pointed in the same direction as the toes (straight ahead).
- Inhale and touch your hands above your head. As you exhale, add a gentle back lift by lifting your head toward the sky. Hold your low walk for a few breaths, deepening with each exhalation.
- To come out of the pose, place your hands on either side of your front leg and step the leg back down, facing down dog. Switch legs to repeat the Low Lunge on the second side (stepping the left leg forward).
5. Lotus Pose
- Start in a relaxed position with legs crossed. Sit tall and lengthen the spine by reaching the crown of the head towards the sky. Feel them make your bones root into the ground beneath you.
- Hold the right shin and pull it towards your torso. Place your right foot in the crease of your left hip. Lift the left leg in the same way and cross it over the right leg, placing the left leg in the crease of the right hip.
- Widen the collarbones and pull the shoulders away from the ears. Place each hand at mid-thigh, palms up to receive energy or palms down to feel grounded.
- Stay in quiet contemplation in your Lotus Pose, breathing with intention for at least one minute. When you are ready to exit, uncross your legs slowly and gently, being mindful of your knee joints.
The last word
Whether you’re a seasoned yogi, just interested in yoga, or another type of fitness, there are many physical benefits to starting your day with movement.
And when you start your day with a little yoga, it can set a positive tone for the rest of your day mentally and emotionally as well.
So before you reach for your coffee, see what five minutes on your yoga mat can do!
I hope you enjoy this five minute morning yoga routine.
