5 morning yoga poses to help you have a productive day

Do you bounce out of bed with the rising of the sun? Or are you the type to hide under the covers until the third snooze alarm rudely forces you awake? 

No matter what time you rise, a morning yoga routine may help to gently start your day. It’s a relaxed way to help gain mental clarity for what lies ahead, so you may face challenges with a positive frame of mind. 

With a boost in energy and working memory, a quick morning yoga routine is well worth your time. Here’s 5 morning yoga stretches for you to try in the comfort of your home. 

1. Cat-cow

Warm up your body and get your pulse moving with a splendid stretch that may help bring flexibility to your spine. 

Slowly engage your core as you move back and forth between flexion (rounded back) and extension (arched back.) Try exaggerating your inhalation and exhalation as you work through the stretches. 

How to try cat-cow

• On your mat, get into tabletop position. Come to the floor on your hands and knees placing knees hip width apart, and your palms, elbows and shoulders aligned. Fingers should face forward. and feet should be behind the knees. Look down between the hands and flatten the back.Press into palms to keep shoulders away from ears.
• Engage your abs, exhale and round your back toward the ceiling with your head falling toward the mat. 
• Hold for ten seconds.
• Inhale, arch your back and raise your head toward the ceiling.

2. Downward dog

This pose may help you open your shoulders and hamstrings while improving the strength of the upper back and wrists. With your head under your heart, the increased blood flow to the brain may help boost alertness. Your calves and the arches of the feet could get a nice wake up too.  

How to try downward dog

• Get onto all fours on your mat. 
• Place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. 
• Exhaling, lift your knees and push heels toward the mat.
• Breathe in deeply while lifting your tailbone to the sky and maintaining softness in your knees. 
• Pull your shoulders toward your tailbone and keep your head between your arms.
• Focus on feeling the ground beneath your feet.

3. Happy baby 

A luxurious stretch for your inner thighs and hips, it may also help open the chest and relax the lower back. This one’s great as a morning yoga pose, or anytime you may feel tight in the hamstrings.

How to try happy baby

• Lie back on your mat. 
• Bring your knees to your stomach, bending your legs. 
• Grab the outsides of your feet, opening your legs and rolling side to side on your back. 
• If you need to modify the pose, try grabbing your ankles instead. 

4. Cobra

A fun way to help strengthen your arms and bum while stretching your core. It may also help you elongate your abs and show your hamstrings some love. 

How to try cobra

• Lie on your mat facedown with your legs spread hip distance and the tops of your feet down. 
• Place your hands by your shoulders, elbows tucked into sides.
• Inhale and push through the tops of your feet – begin to straighten your arms.
• Lift your chest off the floor and push your shoulders back.
• When your core loses contact with your mat, stop where you are and breathe for up to 30 seconds. 

5. Child’s pose

This pose may help release a tight back and stiff hips. Rhythmically connect with your breath by ending your short morning stretch yoga session with this soothing pose.  

How to try child’s pose

• On your mat, get into tabletop position. 
• Spread your knees wide with your big toes touching.
• Drop your forehead to the mat with your stomach following.
• Stretch out your arms with palms to the floor.
• Hold and breathe. 

Practice makes progress

Remember, yoga is meant to be at your own pace – it’s not a competitive sport. Enjoy the gentle tempo and the awareness of your body in space with this ten minute morning yoga routine.

Tune into your breathing and to the way your body serves you every day. As you improve you might begin to see the benefits of a simple morning yoga routine. You may also want to add some more poses to your practice.

Just remember, be sure to consult your medical practitioner if you experience discomfort when trying any new types of exercise.

Related:

• The benefits of stretching (aka why, yes, you should spend time on it)
• Not sure what to wear to yoga?
• How can routines help you achieve health goals

Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board October 2021.