5 Easy Stretches to Energize Your Mornings & Reduce Stress
We’re not sure about you, but most days we could use a bit of an energy boost to help us power through the mornings.
Did you know your muscles can often become stiff and tight after a night of sub-par sleep? But even if you wake up without joint pain or stiffness, it’s a good idea to begin stretching out your muscles and joints to prepare them for the hard work of the day! Research shows that exercise both prevents and helps ease anxiety symptoms, plus not to mention all of the other benefits, including supporting our heart and bone health!
Find out how getting your body moving in the morning and doing something for yourself, even something as simple as carving out 10 minutes in the morning to loosen up your body and prepare for the day, can impact your daily wellbeing.
How yoga helps boost happiness & balance hormones
Yoga is a great low-impact exercise for anyone experiencing joint pain because you can still get a great full-body workout that strengthens multiple areas of the body — while also being easy on the joints. Stretching like during yoga encourages proper circulation and blood flow which helps ensure joints can continue moving smoothly in tip-top shape!
Plus, yoga specifically has been seen to help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and joint pain, while also increasing our strength, mobility, and flexibility. So even if you’re not experiencing many symptoms at the moment, yoga can be a great tool in your toolbox for tackling issues before they snowball.
As hormones fluctuate, it's not uncommon to start feeling symptoms like hot flashes, joint pain, night sweats, and mood swings — all of which can make getting a good night's sleep more difficult. When this happens, we can find ourselves waking up feeling more tired and stressed caused not getting enough quality sleep. By utilizing yoga’s powerful benefits in the mornings, you can encourage your mind and body to be more focused, happier, and ache-free going forward.
It can be tricky to form a new habit but keeping the consistency up in the morning may be easier to add into your routine and stick with it. That’s why we recommend adding this stretching sequence to your morning wake-up routine, as we love taking 5 minutes in the morning to stretch out, check in with ourselves, and set up for a great day!
5 easy stretches to start the day
Keep in mind that stretching is supposed to lengthen your muscles and a good stretch should feel just slightly uncomfortable - but it should never cause you pain. This should always feel good, like a pleasant kind of discomfort, but ease out of the move if you begin to feel uncomfortable and take a rest. Before we get started, let’s go over 3 tips for maximizing every yoga flow you’ll ever do:
Always ease yourself slowly into a stretch
Focus on your breath
Hold the stretch where you feel your muscles lengthening without direct pain
1. Downward-facing dog
Start with your heels lifted and focus on getting into a comfortable, sustainable position. Slowly shift your weight between each foot, and if you want to add a little extra stretch for your calf muscles, bicycle your feet back and forth. Hold this pose for 15-30 seconds, breathing steadily.
Top benefits of downward dog for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations:
Strengthens the upper body, arms, and shoulders
Boosts mood and decreases anxiety by encouraging blood flow to the brain
Gentle core and back strengthening
2. Sphinx
From the downward dog position, roll your body slowly into a high plank, drop your knees, and lower to the ground. Place your elbows next to your chest and gently press upwards, opening your chest. Your elbows should feel as though they're pulling back toward your feet. Focus on extending your neck, keeping your shoulders relaxed, and maintaining your breath. Hold the position for 5-10 seconds, then release and rest your forehead on the mat. Repeat 5 times.
Note: Those with back or neck sensitivities may find this position uncomfortable and is best avoided as the stretching motion of lifting your chest can place too much strain on these areas that are comfortable. Remember to never push through any pain.
Top benefits of sphinx pose for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations:
Release chest, neck, and shoulder tension (especially from using a phone or computer)
Soothe tightness and pain in your lower back
Combat feelings of fatigue
3. Wide-Legged Child's Pose with Kegels
Press out of the Sphinx pose by lifting your hips, and then letting them settle back over your feet. Spread your knees while keeping your toes together so that your legs form a "V" shape. Lower your chest to the floor, pressing your forehead into the mat, and extend your arms while spreading your fingers. We like to add Kegel exercises into the child's pose as well for the added benefits! If comfortable, contract the muscles you'd use to "hold it": squeeze for 5, hold for 5, then release for 5. Repeat this 5-8 times.
Top benefits of child's pose for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations:
Release neck and upper back and chest tightness
Loosen up stiff hips and gently stretch glutes and lower back
Relieves feelings of pent-up stress
4. Cat cow pose
As you slowly press out of child's pose, raise your body up to come into a tabletop position: on your hands and knees with your back flat and shoulders and hips in line. On an inhale, drop your belly towards the floor while lifting your chest and shoulder into cow pose. When you exhale, draw your belly button into your spine and round your back, pulling your belly upward towards the sky into cat pose. Repeat this sequence 5 times, focusing on your breath with each pose.
Note: Knee pain can make this move sensitive for some. Be sure to ease into gently and practice on a plush carpet or yoga mat to cushion your knees safely.
Top benefits of downward dog for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations:
Reduce back pain while promoting posture and balance
Support spinal strength and flexibility
Create and foster emotional balance
5. Warrior 1 to Warrior 2
We want you to come out of your yoga flow feeling strong. Warrior poses do just that, so that's why we've got this as your last pose before you start your day.
From your hands and knees, press up and into a downward-facing dog. Bicycle your feet back and forth to loosen your legs and then step your right foot between your hands and rotate your back foot so that it's perpendicular to your front. Make sure your heels are in line and your hips are square. Lift your torso and raise your arms overhead, facing forward, keeping your front knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Breathe through this Warrior 1 pose for 5 slow breaths, then switch sides.
Switch into Warrior 2 by rotating your arms in line with your legs, extending your right arm forward, and keeping your gaze focused in that direction. Keep your core lightly engaged and your shoulders stacked over your pelvis. Make sure you're not leaning forward too much -- your knee should not be bowing in or out to either side, and it should stay behind your front foot. Take 5 breaths in this pose, then repeat on the other side.
Top benefits of warrior pose for women experiencing hormonal fluctuations:
Build strength, stability, and endurance
Increase energy, circulation, and blood flow
Boost concentration and promote feelings of staying grounded
Try stretching in the morning before work and share a picture on Instagram and tag us @mbody.official! For more on yoga, be sure to check out 5 easy yoga poses to promote a stress-free mind!
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