With yoga, waking up becomes a pleasure! Here is an explanation on how to get your body and mind in the mood for a wonderful day - and reveals the best asanas, breathing exercises and meditations to wake you up.
Every morning is a new beginning - or at least it can be. If you use it to consciously align yourself for the day, to bring yourself physically and mentally into such an alert, energetic state that the day - almost automatically! - a beautiful one. And what could help you better than yoga?
Yoga to wake you up - the perfect way to start the day
Have you ever watched a dog or cat do what they do when they wake up? They stretch and stretch. It seems that after waking up, the body intuitively follows the impulse for stretching and movement. It is no different for us humans: in the morning your body wants nothing more than to drive the stiffness and tiredness out of your limbs with movement.
Yoga to wake up, whether gentle or powerful, supports our body in precisely this need for movement, activation and fresh energy. It doesn't really matter how long you devote yourself to your yoga practice in the morning. Ten minutes can be enough to mobilize your body and get your energy flowing.
Much more important than the time you invest in your practice in the morning is the regularity of repetition. Ten minutes a day makes an hour more than once a week. Take the pressure off of having to practice a 90-minute yoga class every morning! You will get the same physical and mental effects if you regularly walk on the mat for ten to 15 minutes after getting up.
Free yourself from the idea of what you should practice in the morning . Just do what you feel like. Whether asanas, meditation or pranayama - it is not at all decisive what and how much of what you practice. The main thing is that you do it.
You may also like: Yoga for Strength and Muscle Building, Health Check For Yoga Beginners & more on TamarSamirYoga.
The benefits of hi-wake yoga
- In the morning your head is not yet overflowing with the information and thoughts that affect you during the day. This will help you focus on your practice and draw your attention to yourself.
- You align your mind in a positive way and you can face the demands of the day more calmly.
- With movement and mobilization, you optimally prepare your body for the challenges of a long day, especially if you work a lot while sitting.
- You activate your circulation and automatically feel fresher and more rested.
- You stimulate your digestion, which has also rested overnight.
- You approach yourself with active appreciation because you take time for yourself first before you devote your attention to other things or people.
- You start the day with the good feeling that you have already done something valuable and meaningful.
- Plus: In the evening you have free time and can spend more time with friends, family and your other personal interests (read: hanging out on the couch with a clear conscience).
Yoga to wake you up has innumerable benefits that you can benefit from throughout the day. Because yoga works on all levels. Yoga in the morning is simply the perfect all-inclusive package for a powerful and balanced start to the day. Sounds great, doesn't it? Well then go!
The best asanas to wake up
1. Cat-Cow - Cakravakasana
Cat-cow is one of the basic asanas of modern hatha yoga. The gentle and dynamic movement is a wonderful way to start in the morning. You gently mobilize your spine and activate the flow of your life energy between your head and pelvis.
Execution:
1. Start in the quadruped position.
2. Now breathe in while, starting from the pelvis, carefully doing a guided hollow back.
3. Exhale as you curl your pelvis down and in, and curve your back up - like a cat's hump.
4. If you want, connect with the thought that you are doing an absolute love service to your spine.
5. Repeat this sequence at least three to five times, or as often as you want, at your own breathing pace.
In this position you can also be willing to experiment. From the quadruped stand, move your spine in all directions. Do this very intuitively. Loll around as it is good for you.
Tip: If you have sensitive knee joints, pad your knees with a soft blanket.
2. Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskar
In the morning, of course, the sun salutation shouldn't be missing! Practice three to five sun salutations to warm up your entire body and activate your muscles. With the gentle dynamic of the sequence of movements, in connection with your breath, you send fresh energy into all areas of your body and awaken your tired spirits. Each yoga style has its own variant of the sun salutation. Practice the variant that you are familiar with and with which you feel comfortable. There is no right or wrong here.
3. Warriors 1 and 2 - Virabhadrasana I and II
You can practice the powerful standing postures Warrior I and Warrior II wonderfully in the morning when you have warmed up your body with a small series of sun salutations. If you practice this asana, you will already strengthen your foot and leg muscles in the morning, stretch your groin and stimulate your metabolism. This asana is not only an absolute wake-up call on a physical level. On a spiritual level, too, you connect with your inner strength while practicing, cultivate clarity, perseverance and strengthen your self-confidence.
4. Package holding - Apanasana
With this asana you actively contribute to the relaxation of your abdominal organs and to the regulation of your digestion. Apanasana is also a wonderful exercise for mental stability and balance. The hug and hold that you give yourself in this posture have a direct positive effect on your self-image and your inner bond.
Execution:
1. Lie on your back, stand your legs up, and then pull them one by one towards your stomach.
2. Grasp one knee in each hand.
3. As you exhale, pull both knees close to your abdominal wall. Make sure that your lower back is still in contact with the floor.
4. As you inhale, gently push your knees away from your body until your arms are straight.
5. Repeat this sequence of movements a few times in your breathing rhythm.
6. Then you release your hands from your knees and place one foot at a time back on the floor.
7. Take a moment and feel into your stomach area.
Breathing exercises to wake you up: Breathe yourself into the day
Not only practicing asanas gives your tired limbs a freshness boost in the morning. Yoga also has wonderful breathing exercises ready for you with which you can awaken your life energy from sleep mode. The following pranayama techniques have an activating effect and are great for waking up yoga.
Meditations for waking up - and setting the course
In the meantime it has been scientifically proven how strongly our thoughts influence our well-being. How you start the day - with what thoughts, expectations, feelings - determines its further course. It works like a self-fulfilling prophecy. The great thing about it: You can consciously influence and shape your day yourself. Meditation is an incredibly effective way of aligning yourself first thing in the morning and optimizing yourself for the day ahead.
Perk up tired ghosts
In yoga you will find incredibly valuable techniques to gently or powerfully bring yourself into a positive day shape. You don't need a lot of time, experience or equipment for this. It's just you and the strong intention to start your life journey every morning. And as I said: take the pressure off. If you just practice the happy baby pose in your pajamas from tomorrow - perfect! Go for it!
All the best
