If Instagram is to be believed, mornings are absolutely magical. Scroll through and you’ll see post after post featuring perfect sunsets and brightly colored smoothies. For most of us, mornings don’t look like that. Instead, they look more like this: you press snooze at least four times, scroll through notification after notification before you even get out of bed. By the time you make it to the kitchen, your brain is already running a marathon of to-dos.
The good news is that morning yoga can help cut down on the chaos. Five minutes of mindful movement is like hitting the reset button before the chaos starts. A cat-cow stretch wakes up your spine, a forward fold shakes off the sleep, and a deep inhale signals to your body that it doesn’t need to run on panic mode yet.
Why morning yoga actually helps
Here are some of the ways in which morning yoga can help you start your day off right.
Reduces stress
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is highest in the morning. This can cause you to start the day feeling anxious and stressed. Yoga helps lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. This can lower the “fight or flight” response, so you feel calmer and more grounded.
Allows for self-care
When you practice yoga first thing in the morning, you are showing up for yourself. You are saying to yourself, “I matter.” This is an especially powerful way to start your morning.
How to do morning yoga
You don’t need incense, fancy leggings, or a dedicated corner of your house with candles to get started. In fact, the best morning yoga is often the kind you can do in your pajamas before you’ve even brushed your teeth.
You also don’t need a full 60-minute power flow to make a difference. But if you can carve that time out for yourself, that is perfect. An easy way to bring yoga into your morning routine without overthinking it is to press play on a short online class. Ignite Yoga’s online platform has quick morning flows that fit right into busy mornings. Maybe try out our Awaken 1 class.
Don’t focus on perfection or doing yoga the “right way.” Instead, focus on small movements that feel good to you. The point isn’t to build a picture-perfect routine; it’s to sneak movement into your morning so the day feels a little less heavy before it even begins.
Making the habit stick without the guilt
Here’s something you should know about habits: the harder you make them, the quicker they disappear. Morning yoga shouldn’t be another thing that you “should” do. Instead, think of it as part of your morning routine: a mini reset you get to do every morning, rather than a chore you have to check off.
A few tricks to help it last:
- Make it easy: Sign up ahead of time for classes. Schedule them into your day.
- Remove any obstacles: The easiest way to make morning yoga happen is to remove things that might get in the way of doing it. That starts with your outfit. You don’t need fancy clothes to do online yoga. Leggings, even pajama bottoms, are fine. However, make sure you set them out the night before. Place them somewhere where you can see them.
- Allow yourself compassion: Missed it today? No problem! Tomorrow’s mat isn’t holding a grudge.
Reclaim, don’t overhaul
The point of morning yoga isn’t to build a flawless morning routine. It allows you to have a little pocket of presence before the world starts pulling you in every direction. You don’t have to chant in Sanskrit, wake up at dawn, or roll through an Instagram-worthy flow. You just have to show up, even if it’s for one class.
