Benefits of Early Morning Yoga

Introduction

Yoga is a mind-body exercise which syncs physical movements, breathing, and mental peace. It is important to take proper care of the health for a better lifestyle. Yoga can be performed at any time of the day, but practicing it in the morning has lot of benefits. For example, one of the significant mental issue everyone is facing in today’s world is stress. Early morning yoga helps to reduce the level of stress hormones and improves productivity.

What Are the Benefits of Early Morning Yoga?

• Positive Start of a Day- Yoga has a substantial positive impact to kick start the day. Often individuals feel sluggish and uninspired about the day ahead after a deep sleep. The practice of morning yoga can ease these feelings as it reduces the cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone. These stress hormones are usually high in the morning and low at midnight. Morning yoga practice helps to reduce anxiety and stress all through the day. When a person does any physical activity or yoga, there is a release of endorphins by the central nervous system and the pituitary glands into the bloodstream. So morning yoga helps to release endorphins and reduces cortisol levels, thereby ensuring an excellent start to the day.

• Wakes up the Body- Practicing yoga enhances blood circulation and heart rate, which energizes the body. In addition, it warms up the muscles of the body that rests in the same position for several hours. This strengthens and flexes the muscles.

• Improves Flexibility- Regular yoga practice increases flexibility and strengthens the muscles by allowing the person to stay in a posture for a certain period. In the modern world, poor flexibility is a common issue due to the sedentary life. Lack of exercise results in stiff muscles, therby reducing the flexibility. Initial yoga practice may seem complicated, but in the long run, it promotes flexibility and makes it simple and easy. Morning yoga stretches the muscles, preparing them for the day ahead.

• Improves the Strength of the Muscles- Yoga increases the strength of the muscles as it is a physically demanding activity with challenging postures that requires strength to complete. Maintaining yoga postures for a certain period helps improve the strength of the muscles. Improved strength, in turn increases the confidence to perform challenging exercises.

There are specific yoga postures that help increase strength; these are

1. Legs- Downward facing dog, bridge, and triangle posture.
2. Arms- Handstand and peacock posture.
3. Core- Plank, wheel, and boat posture.
4. Back- Cat-cow, child, and downfacing posture.

• Improve Posture- If a person spends a lot of time doing a desk job, there are more chances of back pain due to increased tension in the back muscles. Proper yoga posture helps strengthen the back and core muscles while sitting and standing. Conversely, poor posture may lead to severe issues like joint degeneration and spinal dysfunction. Therefore, incorporating yoga into a person's daily routine is essential to maintain proper posture. Some yoga activities that help maintain the postures are mountain pose, plank pose, eagle pose, and cat-cow pose.

• Regulates Weight Loss- Yoga is a form of physical activity that engages all the muscles through deep stretches and is an effective way to lose weight. People who practice yoga regularly experience loss of stubborn fat and weight loss even though it is not their intention. This is done as yoga enhances metabolism and heart rate by engaging all the muscle groups, which results in calorie burn.

• Improves Immunity- Light yoga movements massage the internal organ and prepare the body for the day ahead. The immune system is the defense mechanism that protects the body from any foreign particle that may be dangerous to well-being. The immune system is the distribution of white blood cells that detects foreign particles and fights them off. During the morning yoga practice, the heart rate increases, which in turn enhances the pumping of blood which is rich in white blood cells to all the muscles and vital organs. As more white blood cells are pumped, the immunity in the body improves.

• Makes the Person Happy- Yoga is a very calming activity to start the day. Regular practice of yoga makes a person happier and more positive. A misconception is that people stay happy only during the hour of performing yoga activity, which is false. Yoga is an investment and helps deal with day-to-day life positively.

• Enhances Good Sleep- Exercise is a fantastic way to improve the quality of sleep, which depends on how fast a person falls asleep, how deep a person sleeps, and how long they sleep. Yoga helps the production of melatonin, which makes the person feel tired and regulates the sleep-wake cycle. A quality sleep can be enhanced by practicing yoga in the evening rather than in the morning, as it uses all the energy left at the end of the day.

How to Start Yoga Practice in the Morning?

Beginners to morning yoga, these tips may help.

• Set a Time: It is better to set a time for practicing yoga to prepare beforehand. It also helps to make the morning yoga practice a habit which results in the benefits listed above.

• Start Off Steady: Practicing yoga consistently everyday, and avoid performing all the asanas in a day. Instead, try practicing yoga three days a week initially. Then, gradually increase the time and impact of yoga and make it a habit.

• Get Started With Equipment: Yoga mat is essential while practicing yoga. For beginners, props like blocks are used to make the postures more comfortable. It also helps to improve flexibility.

• Hydration: Before starting yoga in the morning, it is essential to hydrate the body. Since the body has not received water for several hours, it is important to hydrate it with ample water before starting yoga.

How Long Should Yoga Be Performed in the Morning?

Anytime between 15-30 minutes is more than enough to experience the benefits of morning yoga. The longer the flow, the quicker a person will notice the changes. So only a little time is required to perform yoga.

Conclusion

Morning yoga is recommended to start the day right. Morning yoga helps to deal with the stiffness of the muscles and helps to reduce stress, when the stress hormones are high. Starting the day with yoga practice helps set the day's tone. Practicing yoga either in the morning or evening results in the same benefits, but practicing in the morning helps the person to deal with other activities of the day without stress and in a positive mind and night yoga enables a peaceful sleep.