Ever wake up feeling a little dreary? Whilst you’re asleep, your brain and muscles are in deep rest. Often when the alarm goes off, it takes a little bit of time for the body and mind to awaken (for some of us, longer than others).
Taking a few minutes to stretch and breathe in the morning is a shortcut to helping the body and mind feel awake and enlivened. Plus, you will be increasing your overall flexibility allowing your body to move more freely throughout the day.
Creating healthy morning habits helps us to establish the foundations for a successful day. Here are 7 of my favourite morning stretches that will leave you feeling tall, awake and ready to tackle whatever gets thrown your way.
1. Cat and cow
This has got to be my favourite way to start the day. Roll out of bed, and come onto all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
If you’re on carpet you won’t need a mat, if you’re on floorboards you might need something to support your knees.
Cow pose
For cow pose, root down into your hands as you arch your spine. Tilt your pelvis forward, lower your belly and lift your chest and gaze.
For cat pose, keep rooting down through your hands as you curl your tail bone down, round your spine and tuck the chin to your chest. Flow between these two stretches as you breathe in and out.
2. Puppy pose
Puppy pose
Come to your tabletop position. Keeping the knees stacked over your hips, walk your hands forwards, lowering your chest onto the ground.
Take your hands a little wider than your shoulders. If your forehead doesn’t quite make the ground, place a blanket or block underneath it.
3. Downward facing dog
Downward facing dog
From your hands and knees, tuck your toes under and lift your hips up into the air. Fan your fingers slightly outwards as you press all ten knuckles down into the ground.
Externally rotate your arms to create more strength in your shoulders. Peddle your feet one at a time to stretch the backs of the legs and the calves.
4. Shoulder stretch
Shoulder stretch
Come into a standing forward fold position with your neck relaxed and your feet hip-distance apart (that is about two fist-widths).
Take your hands behind your back and interlace your fingers together. Do your best to lift the fist up and over your head. Keep your knees soft trying to press your rib cage into your thighs.
5. Side bending
Side bend
Come into a standing position with your feet under your hips. Reach your arms above your head and hold your right wrist with your left hand.
Reach upwards and then side bend over to the left-hand side. Press down through your right foot and lengthen the whole right side of your body. Repeat on the other side.
6. Forward fold with a twist
Forward fold with a twist
Come into a standing forward fold position with your feet hip-distance apart.
Place your right hand underneath your face or a block and reach your left arm up into the air.
Bend your right knee to allow your chest to twist open. Repeat on the other side.
7. Lizard lunge
Lizard lunge
Step your right foot backwards, long and wide bringing your hands inside of your left foot.
Either keeping your hands on the floor or coming onto your forearms, strengthen your back left and root down through your back toes. Keep your head in a neutral relaxed position. Repeat on the other side.
Practising this collection of stretches in the morning will help to open most areas of your body. By giving some particular love to the spine through folding, bending and twisting, you will feel both energised and open. Make sure to add in some healthy doses of deep belly breathing, for your best day yet.
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Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board April 2022
Zoe Klein has been teaching yoga since 2015 traveling globally to both learn and share the practice of yoga. Zoe is the resident yogi on the 28 by Sam Wood team.
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