For many of us, the morning brings feelings of tranquility and peace. You arise to feel the warm sun on your face and the morning air fill your lungs – and the stress of daily life has yet to kick in. Unfortunately, those feelings never seem to last very long. All too soon we are sucked into the hustle and bustle of life, forgetting all about those moments of peace we had that morning.
So, is there anything you can do to make those feelings of tranquility last throughout the day? To maintain a mindset of peace and calm during your hectic day, we prescribe a morning yoga routine upon rising.
Your morning routine is critical to your health and happiness; here are four reasons why you should add yoga into that routine:
Yoga regulates the adrenal glands and combats stress.
At first, this may not sound like a huge deal, but it is. The adrenal glands produce our body’s main stress hormone cortisol. Chronically high levels of cortisol have been linked with anxiety, major depression, memory problems, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. An overworked adrenal gland will cause symptoms of disrupted sleep, lack of energy, and weight gain. Poses that aid the adrenals, like the Corpse Pose, are geared toward restoration and relaxation. These poses allow your body to regulate the amount of cortisol it produces and reduce feelings of stress throughout the day.
Yoga helps regulate emotions.
Yoga and meditation have been shown to increase serotonin levels significantly. Serotonin is one of the body’s most essential mood-regulating neurotransmitters. While high levels of serotonin are associated with happiness and healthy regulation of moods, low levels of serotonin are associated with agitation, anxiety, and depression. The Easy Pose, or Sukhasana, can increase the firing rates of serotonin neurons.
Yoga stimulates the release of endorphins – our body’s natural pain relievers.
While we practice yoga, the pituitary gland releases endorphins into our bloodstream, which then bind to specialized receptors throughout the nervous system. Later, these receptors are activated and begin to block the transmission of pain sensations to the brain. The third-eye chakra governs the pituitary gland, so use poses such as King Pigeon (advanced) or the Upward Bow (intermediate) to stimulate the gland and induce the release of endorphins.
Yoga leaves you energized and ready for the day.
The increased blood flow caused by your morning yoga routine will leave you feeling invigorated and ready to take on the day. Yoga does wonders for your stamina and improves your focus and awareness to get you through the tough parts of your day. Poses like the Shoulder Stand or Plow Pose increase your blood flow to the upper body or brain, respectively, and allow you to feel energized without leaving you jittery or experiencing a crash later.
Every yoga asana holds a great deal of healing power for the mind, body, and soul.
By implementing a morning routine of poses that energize the physical and spiritual being and focus on restoration and relaxation, we can prepare ourselves for the stressful day that is to come. We all deal with different types of stress in our lives; therefore, we recommend that you tailor your morning yoga routine to leave you prepared for the physical and mental stressors that you encounter in your day-to-day life.
In this way, yoga will give you the tools to live a life of tranquility, happiness, and good health.