Practice This Morning Yoga Routine For Energy and Focus (Free Class)

This morning yoga routine is brought to you by our friends at Loom & Leaf. They want you to get a great night’s sleep so you can take on the day.

Practicing yoga in the morning is the perfect way to start your day. Yoga helps awaken your senses, tap into your breathing and the present moment, and get your blood flowing. All of these things will give you a boost of energy, will help increase your focus and mental clarity, and will help you face whatever challenges come your way.
 

The best part about this class is that you can do the initial breathing exercise and warm-up in bed!

 
Follow along with Ashton August as she guides you through a perfect balance of Pranayama breathing, a warm-up to gently wake up mind and body, and then a short yet challenging Sun Salutation flow.

The best part about this class is that you can do the initial breathing exercise and warm-up in bed! If you choose to stay in bed for this first part, you’ll just hit pause and jump onto your yoga mat after the warm-up (Ashton will tell you when).
 
 

Wake Up and Center Your Mind with Pranayama

Kapalabhati means skull shining breath. It’s a Pranayama (or conscious breathing) exercise as well as an internal kriya, or cleansing technique. Kapalabhati is an invigorating breath that builds heat in the body and centers the mind.

This form of Pranayama can help clear mucus in the air passages, relieve congestion, and increase lung capacity.
 

How to practice Kapalabhati Pranayama:

Start by sitting in a comfortable seat with a tall, straight spine, and exhale completely. Inhale briefly through both nostrils, then sharply exhale (again out of your nose) while pressing your navel towards your spine.

Do one round of 30 (counting your exhalations) and then rest. If this seems strenuous, start with 15 and gradually work your way up. Avoid this technique if you are pregnant or suffer from blood pressure issues or heart conditions.
 
 

Now We’re Ready to Practice Morning Yoga!

First, we’ll move into some gentle stretches that you can do in bed (if you choose) to prepare your body for a short yoga practice. Warming up is so important for a safe practice, especially in the morning when our bodies can be stiff and are still waking up.

After the warm-up, it’s time to get out of bed (if you practiced the first part in bed), grab a few sips of room temperature lemon water, and step onto your yoga mat.

Sun Salutations have traditionally been used for thousands of years to usher in the new day and honor the life-giving energy of the sun. They are a great way to continue warming up the body and also begin to get the blood flowing and increase your heartrate. We’ll move through a Vinyasa flow and end with a brief cool-down and final savasana.

Wondering why Sun Salutations are such an important part of your yoga practice? Read this: 5 Important Reasons You Should Never Skip Sun Salutations
 
 

Start Your Days With Yoga

Remember – you can always pause the video if you need to take a break, or if you choose to take a longer savasana. Your yoga practice is always yours to make what you want and need that day. Add on if you want more of a challenge, or back off if you need a more gentle practice.

Most importantly, smile, breathe deeply, and know that you’re doing something amazing for yourself every time you start your day with morning yoga. Namaste!
 
 

 
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