Yoga is a centuries-old practice that seems to only increase in popularity year after year. And for good reason. It boasts amazing benefits for stress relief, creating lean muscle and flexibility, promoting a relaxed state and, like meditation, it can train the mind to deal with daily stress. Many dedicated yogis swear by practicing yoga in the morning to start out the day. Here are three benefits to convince you why you should do yoga in the morning!
1. It sets your intention for the rest of the day.
When beginning yoga, you often set an intention for the practice. Maybe that day you want to push boundaries and get a great workout in. Or maybe you want to take it easy, letting your body rest and your mind do the majority of the work. One cool thing about a morning yoga practice is setting an intention for the entire rest of the day. Yoga is extremely grounding and is a great tool for shifting mindset.
Try repeating a mantra throughout your morning yoga session that you want to be a theme throughout your day. Peace, strength, gratitude, happiness, love and patience are some great ones to get you started. Pick one you want to embody that day.
2. Relieve stress early in the day.
Yoga is a tried and true way to lower levels of cortisol in the body, which is a hormone responsible for feelings of stress. High levels of cortisol lead to a host of problems within the body including mental stress, inflammation, weight gain, headaches and more. And with yoga being a powerful tool to lower it, why not start your day by relieving stress?
We can’t control what happens to us on any given day. But we can control how we react to it. And yoga starts your day by relieving any built up stress so you feel lighthearted and motivated to take on your day with a fresh start.
3. Promote a happy mood.
Whether you’re a naturally positive person or not, doing yoga in the morning makes these feelings easier to attain. In a study conducted by the Yoga Biomedical Trust in London, 94% of participants with anxiety saw significant results by practicing yoga regularly each morning, and their mood was boosted exponentially. Who wouldn’t want to start their day energized and happy?
There are a few reasons we recommend adding in some yoga to your routine each and every morning. It doesn’t need to take an hour. 10 to 15 minutes is plenty to get a good yoga practice in. And it’s not a workout that will have you sweating like crazy, so it’s great to do before work or school. Try it out and let us know how it goes!
