As Ayurveda says, "How you start your day is how you are going to feel for the rest of the day." Even if you are not a fanatic of Ayurveda or Yoga, this statement is hard to disagree with. Starting the day with a yoga routine infuses us with the fountain of energy to lift the day and prepare us with the firm mindset to deal with whatever is going to happen on the way. With thousands of hours of teaching yoga under my belt, the best advice I have ever given to my students and clients is that you will never regret building a habit of starting your day with morning yoga. It is truly a Game Changer.
Most of my students and clients are at the height of their careers, and fitting a yoga session into their busy days seems out of reach. Some may opt for a night class after long hours of day work, but it is only sometimes the best option since the physical and mental body are already very drained - the body is under low battery mode. We all know that health is wealth, and honouring our body with a well-balanced lifestyle is essential to keep us going. This dilemma of working hard for a career and working out for the body has the urgency to be resolved.
To work around this phenomenon, I suggest that my students prioritise yoga practice in the morning, which, for most of them, results in tremendous benefits for their well-being and other positive impacts revolving around their lives. Rather than saying "Benefits of Morning Yoga", I am more prone to describe it as the "Positive Side-Effect of Morning Yoga".
Some say life is an adventure, and some say it is a game, what do you think? Life is so interesting that one decision can lead you to the adventurous unknown. Imagine today, we all decide to do one thing right for our life every day; in 365 days, everything seems to be getting right altogether, not just for ourselves but also for the people and the community around us.
How does morning yoga work, and what are the positive side effects?
1. Lifestyle Change: Start small and make it your habit.
Most of the time, people overestimate the effort required to start practising yoga and think that a practice is only a practice when it takes at least 30 minutes or more.
I encourage my students to begin by dedicating just one day a week to practice, starting with a brief 15-minute session. Once you get used to practising for 15 minutes once a week, you can gradually increase the frequency to more days or extend the duration of your practice sessions. Take small steps and incorporate morning yoga into your daily routine. Just as we need to brush our teeth daily, we should also arrange a time to nurture the mind and body through yoga.
Looking back, when I first introduced morning yoga to my students as self-practice and morning sessions at the yoga studio, it was not a popular option. As time passed, the benefits of morning yoga stood the test of time. More and more students joined the tribe because they all realised how powerful it was for them to start their day energised with yoga practice. If countless others are already taking steps to improve themselves each day, what's stopping you from doing the same?
2. Mindset Shift: Let peace be the tone of your day.
The primary focus of morning yoga practice is connecting our body and mind with deep breathing to balance our nervous system. Conscious breathing helps balance our sympathetic nervous system (SNS, fight or flight) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS, rest and digest). We need to learn to respond to different situations wisely and avoid being overly stimulated by SNS, which can lead to overstress.
When we start the day in a rush and are overwhelmingly distracted by the outside world, our sympathetic system is actively stimulated, ready to protect and prepare us to fight or flight—even if we are not in acute danger.
Constant stress from the outside world can keep the fighting mode ON all the time, and morning yoga can help bring our system back to balance. In yoga practice, you return to the reservoir of your peaceful energy. Start with deep breathing awareness, scan your body, move, and let go of tension. Set your tone for the day at peace before reconnecting with the outside world. Deep breathing expands your lung capacity and, at the same time, soothes your nervous system. Even if the outside world is chaotic, a Peaceful state of mind guides you to respond calmly, bringing harmony to the workplace and the community. Be the first to make the change and spread Peace.
3. Physical Win: Better weight management with a healthy mindset
Regular yoga practice can help regulate your body weight, whether overweight or underweight, and it all starts with the right mindset towards your lifestyle. Before we validate this point, we should know that to attain an ideal healthy body weight is not merely about diet but a healthy mindset to see our life as a whole.
As mentioned earlier, morning yoga can help us set a peaceful tone for the day; with a peaceful worldview, we can make better life choices. For example, when we are not emotionally overwhelmed, emotional eating can be minimised, and eating disorders can be avoided.
Our body systems function better when we wake up regularly to work out.
The muscular system is trained with light body weight movement in yoga;
The nervous systems are calmer and at ease;
The cardiovascular system and respiratory systems benefit from deep breathing practices;
Digestive systems are aided with morning movement and function better;
The immune system is boosted when our stress hormones are at a healthy balance.
Ever since my students started to pick up morning yoga, most of them began to notice physical changes in one to three months, depending on their frequency of practice. It’s not just the change from the internal system but also reflected with more toned muscles, regulated body weight and shinning skin! Some of my students even look younger as they persist in morning yoga for over 6 months or more.
4. Willpower Up: Start your day with good energy instead of endless scrolling on your phone.
Getting out of bed right after waking up is a struggle, especially now we have that little digital device (our phone) to scroll with. Let's face it: how many days are you relying on "endless scrolling" to wake you up? Have you ever counted the minutes or hours you spent scrolling before "truly get out of bed"?
Trade that 15 minutes of scrolling for a quick morning yoga sequence can invite good blood flow for your whole body. Overcome the temptation to stay passively on content consumption or stay lazy in bed. Level up your willpower, get up immediately after the alarm and start practising yoga first thing in the morning.
A good yoga flow eases the stiffness stored over a long night's sleep. Kickstart your day with yoga mobility and strength practice, allowing blood to flow from head to toe, envigorating us from the inside out. Over time, build up the stamina of willpower to overcome other areas of life.
20-Min Morning Yoga - About This Yoga Sequence
This 20-minute morning yoga sequence mainly consisted of 9 yoga postures for beginner to intermediate level. The poses require more strength from the wrist. If you feel intense pressure or discomfort from the wrist, seek professional guidance. Alternatively, you can join my 4-Week Foundation Yoga Course - a solid foundation is the shortcut to success.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Sessions per week: 2-3 times per week
Time of day: Best in the morning or any other time.
Types of exercises: Beginner Yoga, Simple Stretching, Basic Strength
Tools needed: Optional to have one yoga block or thick book.
Note that your safety is our priority. If you have a long-term illness, stress, or uncertain conditions, please consult a doctor or professional before attempting any practices.
Sequence Details: Nine Poses to Practice for Morning Yoga
Let’s break down the Nine Key Yoga Poses from this sequence. For details, please practice along with the YouTube Video, or join my in-person or online class to learn more tailored adjustments for your unique needs.
Pose 1: Spinal Extension
Morning Yoga Pose One: Spinal Extension
Spinal Extension is a simple exercise. Inhale, extend the arms towards the ceiling and exhale arms down. Repeat for 5 to 10 rounds.
The benefit of spinal extension is to wake up our spine after long hours of sleep at night, opening the space between each vertebrae. Synchronizing the movement with the breath draws in fresh oxygen into our lungs, waking up every cell inside our body.
Pose 2: Forward and Backward Bend
Forward and Backward Bend is a deepening version of Spinal Extension. Inhale, arms up and open your chest; exhale, dive forward into a forward bend. Repeat for around 5-10 rounds.
The benefit of this pose is that it allows full front and back body stretching. The movement is accompanied by breath and proper alignments, giving the body an opportunity to kick-start mobility right in the morning.
Pose 3: Plank Pose (Sanskrit: Phalakasana)
Pose 3: Plank Pose (Sanskrit: Phalakasana)
The plank pose is no stranger to everyone and is one of the most essential poses in the Vinyasa Yoga Family.
It is an excellent pose for training and toning all body muscles. Whether held statically or as part of movement practice, plank challenges endurance and willpower.
It is also one of the best poses for body weight management. If your goal is to lose weight or increase muscle mass, it is a great pose you don’t want to miss from your routine.
Pose 4: Cat Cow (Viralasana) | Benefits for Spine and Shoulders
Cat Cow (Viralasana) is a typical pose for most practice. It’s a foundational yet powerful yoga pose for spinal health. The movement in the pose opens the space between each vertebral joint, promoting greater spine mobility from the neck to the lower back. The movement also stretches the muscles around the spine. Synchronise the movement with the rhythm of the breath to promote deeper concentration and relaxation of the mind and body.
Pose 5: Core Crunch
Pose 5: Core Crunch
This is a variation of Plank Pose with a stronger core-strengthening effect. Core-crunching pose is a combined movement that requires full-body strength, core engagement, and mobility. Regular practice of Core-Crunching Pose can tone the muscles and enhance full-body mobility.
Pose 6: Revolved Lunge Pose (Sanskrit: Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)
Lunging is the foundation of this pose. The twisting movement in this pose can stretch the back muscles and also press the abdomen region to massage the intestine. If you easily get constipated, adding twisting postures in the morning can benefit you, facilitating the body's detoxification process.
Pose 7: Puppy Pose (Sanskrit: Uttana Shishosana)
Pose 7: Puppy Pose (Sanskrit: Uttana Shishosana)
Puppy Pose helps to fully extend the spine and stretch the shoulders. Regular practice can help restore a healthy spinal curve and open the chest, countering the effects of hunching. It also stretches and opens the shoulders, which benefits those with tight shoulders.
Pose 8: Cobra Pose (Sanskrit: Bhujangasana)
The Cobra Pose is excellent for stretching the back muscles along the spine and allows good chest expansion to open the upper front body region. If you live a sedentary lifestyle and spend a lots of time on screen-based activities (i.e. working at the office, checking out cell phone), Cobra is a great pose to help combat daily bad postures. The benefits of cobra pose include the following,
Pose 8: Cobra Pose (Sanskrit: Bhujangasana)
Enhance full body flexibility.
Exercise and strengthen back muscles.
Stretches and expands the chest and ribs to enhance breathing capacity.
Gently press the abdomen to massage the internal organs.
It may help reduce and relieve menstrual discomfort.
Pose 9: Seated Forward Bend (Sanskrit: Paschimottanasana)
Pose 9: Seated Forward Bend (Sanskrit: Paschimottanasana)
Seated forward can stretch the entire body from the legs to the back. To learn more about the proper alignments of Seated Forward Bend, please refer to the article listed below.
Conclusion
Morning Yoga can be a game changer in one’s life, positively impacting our Lifestyle Change, Mindset Shift, Physical Win and Willpower Up. The 9 Key Yoga Poses for Morning Yoga include the following,
Spinal Extension
Forward and Backward Bend
Plank Pose (Sanskrit: Phalakasana)
Cat Cow (Viralasana)
Core Crunch
Revolved Lunge Pose (Sanskrit: Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)
Puppy Pose (Sanskrit: Uttana Shishosana)
Cobra Pose (Sanskrit: Bhujangasana)
Seated Forward Bend (Sanskrit: Paschimottanasana)
Practice with CloudC Yoga on YouTube, or join my Online Yoga Class for more personalised practice. See you soon!
