5 Stretches to do in the morning
If you’re a morning person or even if you’re not, how we start our day can have a massive impact on our attitude, energy levels and productivity for the rest of our day. We can contribute and help ourselves by waking up and preparing ourselves both mindfully and physically and all before we even leave our beds. Perhaps try to include some of these stretches in your morning ritual tomorrow, and even work up to step 5 Sun Salutation. Your body will thank you for it!
Lying on your back, bring your knees towards your chest.
As you exhale bring both knees over to one side of the body. At the same time, bring your arms either side your body and bend at the elbows, seeing if you can relax the shoulders and arms.
With your inhales, find length in your spine and space within your ribcage
With your exhales, see if you can relax your legs over to the side, and relax your arms into the mat/bed.
Stay here for 3 breaths and then switch sides.
Lying on your front face down, place your hands shoulder height.
As you inhale push your hands into the mat/bed lifting your upper body and look up, stay here for 3 breaths.
With your inhales see if you can push your hands into the bed/mat more
With your exhales see if you can drop your shoulders and lengthen your neck.
Then, as you exhale shift your weight back so your hips are on top of the soles of your feet with your arms stretched out away from the body. (Childs Pose)
With your inhales, see if you can inch your fingers a little further away from your body.
With you exhales see if you can relax and drop your pelvis closer towards your feet.
Sitting with the soles of your feet touching, crossed legged or in any comfy seated position, reach your hands in front of you and away from the body. Stay here for 3 breaths.
As you inhale keeping your legs where they are, rotate your body towards the right side, lifting your left hand over your body. You can rest your right arm or forearm on the bed/mat. Stay here for 3 breaths.
On your next inhale come to a sitting position and place your hands just behind your hips focusing on drawing the shoulders towards one another and look up. Stay here for 3 breaths.
On your next exhale rotate over to the left side reaching across with your right arm resting your left hand or forearm on the bed/mat. Stay here for 3 breaths.
With your inhales focus on expanding your ribcage finding space in-between each rib and length in your arms.
With your exhales see if you can drop and relax your shoulders finding space in your neck.
Sitting in a comfy seated position, on your inhale roll both of your shoulders forward and up towards your ears. With your exhale roll your shoulders back and down and then repeat.
Once you have rotated backwards reverse and roll your shoulders forwards.
Focusing on making the circles that your shoulders are making as big as they can be and continuous.
You could also then incorporate your elbows and then your whole arm.
With your inhales focus on expanding your ribcage finding space in-between each rib and length in your arms.
With your exhales see if you can drop and relax your shoulders finding space in your neck.
So far, steps 1-4 can all be done without you leaving your bed. So to finish your morning stretches and to start your day the right way, why not give a Sun Salutation a go? They really are quite simple!
Standing tall, feet can either be together or slightly apart.
Inhale: raise both your hands up to the sky.
Exhale: fold over, relaxing your head and look towards your toes, ankles or knees.
Inhale: half way lift look ahead, hands can be on the floor, on your shins, or thighs.
Exhale: fold back down, plant your hands into the floor and step out to a plank position.
Inhale: hold here (try to enjoy this plank position)
Exhale: lower down with your knees on the mat in half plank or in full plank.
Inhale: push your hands into the mat lifting your upper body up. Look up.
Exhale: lift your hips back and shift your weight backwards, drop your head to look towards your feet.
Hold here for 3 breaths.
Inhale: walk your feet towards your hands.
Exhale: Hold here
Inhale: half way lift
Exhale: Fold over
Inhale: Come all the way back up to standing bringing your hands up towards the sky
Exhale: Float your hands down towards your sides.
You may want to repeat this a few times to get your blood moving around your body first thing in the morning!
So, 5 stretches to do first thing in the morning, and most of them not even requiring you to leave you bed! Spending just 5-10 minutes in the morning stretching/moving is a great way to focus your mind and bring some awareness to your body preparing it for your day. If you’ve read my other blog “5 Yoga Hacks: 5 ways to incorporate mindfulness everyday” (and if you haven’t go and read it) these 5 morning stretches could be your “Move” stage?
These stretches are not exclusive to your morning rituals either, you could revisit them during the day, or at work or even when you get home. Taking the time to connect to your breath and body can play such an integral part in you finding balance between rest and work, productivity and reflection.
