Fitness

Morning Yoga: 15 Minute Morning Yoga to Wake You Up

There are a lot of benefits you tend to derive when you engage in 15-minute morning yoga apart from brightening your day, and this includes Improved flexibility and posture, Increased energy, Improved breathing, Excellent concentration, Clearer thinking, Reduced stress, Reduced weight, to mention but a few.

Below are some of the powerful exercises to wake you up and make your day more enjoyable:

15 Minute Morning Yoga to Wake You Up

1. Down Dog

The down dog pose is a good stretch to help brighten your day after a long lazy night.

Apart from that, it is believed to be effective in relieving lower back pain, stimulating bone density buildup, revitalizing the muscles, boosting blood circulation, among other top benefits.

How to Do It:

Firstly, bend down by lifting your tailbone towards the sky. Be sure to keep both arms straight and drop down the head as you keep both hands on the floor with your fingers wide open
After that, breathe deeply for a minimum of 5 times and upon feeling you have balanced the body, you may decide to close both eyes too
To enhance the results, it is best you maintain this pose for a minimum of 1 minute

2. Inclined Pose

When you engage in this exercise on a regular basis, it could help strengthen your digestive system boost your appetite, cleanse your stomach, stimulate your hormone system, strengthen the core, to mention but a few.

The great news is that this workout is pretty easy to do, and you don’t need any equipment to get started.

How to Do It:

Firstly, lie straight on the back. Place both legs together and lift them up.
Now, move your legs slightly behind in order to lift the lower back. Support your back simply by putting your palms on your lower back with the elbows on the floor
Let the legs remain perpendicular to the ground and the back inclined at almost 45-60 degrees with the ground
Take a normal breath. Begin with one minute before slowly increasing the duration of the movement to 10 minutes.

3. Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is yet another 15-minute morning yoga you can do to wake you up.

It is associated with a myriad of benefits, including reduced stress levels, healthier digestion, and increased blood flow.

Again, this pose helps in relieving damage caused by desk work while also warming up the joints & muscles for your activities of the day.

More importantly, it will interest you to know that the child’s pose does not require many movements, which makes it one of the easiest stretches to start your day with.

How to Do It:

To start with, kneel with your knees hip-distance apart and position your big toes in a way that they’ll be touching behind the body.
As you breathe out, slowly lower the upper body over the thigh.
After that, stretch the spine simply by pulling your ribs as well as tailbone away from each other and the neck just by drawing your head top away from the shoulders.
Lastly, stretch both arms in front of your body. Maintain this for ten deep breaths.

4. Cobra Pose

If you are looking for the best 15 minute morning yoga to wake you up, the Cobra is definitely an ideal stretch for you.

It enhances the flexibility of the spine, stretches the chest and stomach, enhances the abdominal organs, aids digestion, and a whole lot of other health benefits.

How to Do It:

At the start, lie down on your yoga mat with the stomach down and your toes flat on the ground
While you lie on the stomach, rest your forehead on the floor
After that, gently reach both hands towards your shoulders and place them under the shoulders with your palms on the floor
Done with that? Pull the torso back off the ground while supporting both hands & keeping the knees on the floor. Your spine will be curved, but avoid overstretching it. Maintain this pose and breathe deeply for 5 times
Lastly, bring your body to the floor, in a very slow manner.

5. Cat-Cow Yoga Pose

The Cat-Cow Yoga Pose has a way of activating numerous muscles in your body so as to prepare you for the activities of the day.

How to Do It:

To start with, you need to get into a tabletop position [otherwise known as all fours]. Place both knees just under your hips and then put your wrists below the shoulders. By now, your spine is ought to be neutral. Breathe in deeply
While you breathe out, get into the cat position: tuck the chin and release your neck while arching your spine directly toward the sky. Try to pull your belly button in and up while engaging the abs.
Again, as you exhale, get into the cow position: arch your back towards the other direction. Be sure to relax your abs and raise your head as well as tailbone up toward the sky
Repeat the Cow Pose when you are breathing in and Cat Pose when breathing out for 10 additional breaths.

6. Standing Forward Fold Yoga Pose

This morning yoga pose is indeed a great move to start your day with as it helps in decompressing the spine after long hours of lying on your back.

The great news is that this pose is pretty simple and easy to do, here’s how.

How to Do It:

Place either your palms or fingertips on the floor or better still cross the forearms and then hold your opposite elbows using both hands.
After that, let your head hang heavy such that you’ll be able to relax your neck.
Perhaps you are feeling extreme tightness or tenderness in your hamstring, just bend your knees.

7. Tree Pose

Tree pose is an effective balancing yoga position that can help improve your calmness, concentration, and focus to boost your overall productivity for the day.

It also ensures the adequate circulation of energy throughout the body to keep your mind calm and peaceful.

How to Do It:

Begin by standing straight on the floor [or any flat surface] and then spread both feet so as to have a firm standing on the floor
Now, place both hands on your hips and a foot up on the calf while you breathe in
After that, breathe out and try keeping your arms up to the sky as you balance your position. Maintain this pose and give five rounds of breathe in and out.
Once you are ready, breathe out while gradually returning to the starting position. After that, switch both legs and then hold for another set of 5 breaths.

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