Yoga can be active or passive, quick or slow and practiced anywhere and at any time. Have you ever thought of practicing some yoga positions in bed just as you wake up, or maybe even before checking your emails or responding to those early morning texts!
Making an effort to do that little morning yoga helps regulate your hormonal system, energize the body, mind and makes your day calm, more balanced, and healthier – all for just a couple of minutes each morning before you start your day.
If getting into a routine of a few short minutes of yoga at the start or end of the day can make a noticeable difference to your life, let’s not waste time. Let’s begin with just 5 simple positions to practice first thing in the morning in bed, these are designed to be simple, fun and make you feel great throughout your day.
5 Simple Yoga Poses To Do In Bed
1) Supine Twists
Lying on your back take your knees to your chest, for a moment explore, move around a little and feel your hips and back. Then, take your knees over to one side twisting your entire spine. Complete the twist by looking in the opposite direction and experiment with using your hand to encourage your knee a little lower.
Take at least 4 belly breaths here being aware of the sensation of each inhale and exhale, swap sides and repeat.
2) Happy Baby Pose
Lie on your back and take your knees towards your armpits to encourage the stretch deeper into the hips. If this feels good take your hands to the outsides of your feet, pull down and begin to encourage your knees towards your armpits.
Here, your feet should stick above your knees, and your lower back should stay put on bed rather than raising up. The action of trying to get the lower back down will lengthen the front of your spine and also multiply the benefits of the pose by helping protect your lower back.
Hold on to this pose for at least 5 deep belly breaths with high attention.
3) Cat/Cow Pose
One pose which is beneficial to everyone. Start with your hands and knees on the bed with your body aligned. Your shoulders should be directly above your wrists and your hips in line with knees.
Start to gently alternate between extension and flexion – arching and rounding of the spine. Slow the movement down while you breathe, add an exhale to the rounding, and inhale to the extension.
To refine, even more, start each movement from the pelvis while you keep a check on your inhale and exhale, allowing a wave of mobility and strength to pass through the entire spine ending at the crown of the head.
4) Camel Pose
Coming on to a high kneeling position take your hands to the shelf of your glute muscles, using your hands to encourage a downward motion here to protecting your spine.
While strongly upright, lean back just a touch so you feel your front body muscles switching on. With that active start to expand the chest up and slightly back – not allowing lower back to crunch or compress, you’ll end up in a challenging, active half camel pose, perfect for this time in the morning without risking your back.
Practice 3 rounds for just a few breaths, allowing the breath to land in the chest so the lower body can stay supported.
5) Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Come down first to child’s pose and extend your arms forward actively. When you feel balanced stay here for a breath and tuck your toes, lift your hips up to a downward-facing dog.
Here, keep your knees bent and aim to extend your hips up and back all the way from your hands with your weight back towards your feet. Move around as much as you want and feel if any restrictions are in your body, when you’re ready, be still and breath.
A little bit of simple, quick morning yoga can set your day up right. Try and do this before you begin your day and you’ll find yourself calmer, healthier and happier throughout. Good luck and enjoy!
