It’s OK if you don’t feel alert and energized for yoga every morning. In fact, for some, the thought of a morning practice seems impossible. Whether you’re under the weather, suffering from a disease or illness that prevents you from getting to a yoga class, or just feeling a bit lazy in the morning, here’s an easy routine that can be done in the comfort of your bedroom. It’s what I like to call “bed yoga.” Practicing bed yoga is a way to go inward, awaken the body, and start the day off on the right foot (pun intended).
Many floor Asanas (postures) can also be practiced on a bed. With the support of cushions and the padding of your mattress, you can let go completely in these more restorative poses. It may not feel like you're doing much, but the benefits from even a few moments in meditation with the most simple of stretches can have lasting benefits on the body and mind. Keep it simple, breathe deeply throughout the routine, and remember the law of least effort. No more excuses folks—here's an easy way to include yoga into your day.
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This is the typical morning stretch that you probably do naturally when you wake up. Bring your arms overhead reaching from fingertips to pointed toes. Elongate and engage the entire body with a slight forward tilt in the pelvis and an arch in the lower back.
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When it comes to bed yoga, the options are endless. Try creating your own routine that incorporates your favorite stretches, mantras (affirmations), and meditations. Get motivated to begin a yoga practice by making it simple and fun to do. After feeling the benefits of this easy morning routine, you may be inspired to start a daily practice that grows, expands, and blossoms with time.
Many floor Asanas (postures) can also be practiced on a bed. With the support of cushions and the padding of your mattress, you can let go completely in these more restorative poses. It may not feel like you're doing much, but the benefits from even a few moments in meditation with the most simple of stretches can have lasting benefits on the body and mind. Keep it simple, breathe deeply throughout the routine, and remember the law of least effort. No more excuses folks—here's an easy way to include yoga into your day.
Savasana
The morning is the perfect time for meditation. When you wake up, keep your eyes closed and simply lie still on your back in Savasana (corpse pose) with your palms facing up. Bring awareness to your breathing. In a naturally relaxed state, breathing is effortless. Feel the belly rise and fall with each breath.Benefits:
- Relaxes your central nervous system and body
- Calms your mind
- Helps relieve stress
- Reduces headaches and fatigue
- Helps relieve depression
Full-Body Stretch
This is the typical morning stretch that you probably do naturally when you wake up. Bring your arms overhead reaching from fingertips to pointed toes. Elongate and engage the entire body with a slight forward tilt in the pelvis and an arch in the lower back.
Benefits:
- Activates the muscles in your body
- Makes room for vital organs
- Increases overall oxygen intake from expansion of ribcage
Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Goddess Pose)
This pose is great for stretching your inner thighs and groin muscles. It helps to put pillows under your knees for support. While lying down, bend your knees and move your heels toward your pelvis. Press the soles of your feet together and let your knees relax open to the sides.Benefits:
- Promotes proper energy flow in your pelvic area
- Stimulates your abdominal organs and sexual organs
- Helps relieve stress and depression
- Helps with PMS and symptoms associated with menopause
Wind Removing Pose
Get your digestion going in the morning with this posture. Raise your right knee to your chest (avoiding the ribcage). Clasp your fingers around your right knee and pull in to your right shoulder. Repeat on the left side. Then, bring both knees to the chest and give yourself a big morning hug.Benefits:
- Improves hip flexibility
- Activates the abdomen, thighs, and hips
- Prevents flatulence
- Strengthens the biceps, triceps, and muscles of the forearm
- Massages the ascending, descending, and transverse colon, compressing the entire digestive system
Hip Rock
This pose feels like a form of internal self-massage for those deeper muscles in the low back and pelvis. With the knees bent, place your feet flat on the bed, slightly more than hips-width apart. Begin letting both knees fall to one side than the other, naturally rocking and stretching your hips and low back.Benefits:
- Improves hip flexibility
- Massages internal organs
- Increases mobility in the low back
Modified Wheel Pose
From the hip rock pose, bring your feet slightly in (about hips-width apart). While pressing into the feet begin to raise your hips in the air as far as you comfortably can. Press your feet, shoulders, and back of the arms into the bed as you continue to push your hips higher.Benefits:
- Stretches and expands the chest and lungs
- Strengthens the arms, legs, buttocks, abdomen, and spine
- Stimulates the thyroid and pituitary glands
- Stretches the hip, groin, and quadricep muscles
- Enhances energy
- Helps relieve depression
- Relieves back pain
- Helps with infertility
Sacrum Slide
It’s possible you did this pose as a kid. On the days you were reluctant to get out of bed and go to school, the sacrum slide probably came naturally to you. Slowly swing your legs so they dangle off the bed. Place your hands on the bed and let your backside slide down over the edge of the bed giving your sacrum a sliding massage. Push yourself to the seated position with the help of your arms. Place your feet flat on the floor and bring yourself to standing.Benefits:
- Increases hip and quadricep flexibility
- Massages your gluteals and sacrum
- Feels amazing!
Modified Downward Dog
Turn around to face the bed and place the palms of your hands and your forearms on the bed. Slowly move your hips back, until your back is flat. Slightly bend each leg (one by one) for an added hip stretch.Benefits:
- Calms the nervous system
- Helps relieve stress and depression
- Energizes the entire body
- Increases flexibility in the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands
- Strengthens the arms and legs
- Helps relieve symptoms of menopause and PMS
- Improves digestion
- Therapeutic for sciatica
Hands to Floor Pose
Gradually place your hands on the floor and, with knees slightly bent, walk your hands back to touch your toes. Gently move your hips to the sky.Benefits:
- Lengthens the hamstrings, calves, and back
- Relieves stress in the neck and shoulders
- Calms the mind
- Increases blood flow to the head and brain
Mountain Pose
Standing with feet grounded and toes spread, bring your hands together in Namaste (prayer position) at your heart center. Set your intentions for the day, and give thanks for an easy morning yoga and meditation routine.Benefits:
- Improves posture
- Centers the mind
- Improves mind-body connection
- Strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles
- Firms abdomen and buttocks
- Reduces flat feet
When it comes to bed yoga, the options are endless. Try creating your own routine that incorporates your favorite stretches, mantras (affirmations), and meditations. Get motivated to begin a yoga practice by making it simple and fun to do. After feeling the benefits of this easy morning routine, you may be inspired to start a daily practice that grows, expands, and blossoms with time.
