10 Minute Morning Yoga Routine You Can Do From Your Bed

Morning yoga does not have to be super intense in order to boost our energy. By simply opening up our body through gentle seated postures, we clear a path for energy to travel more efficiently. Additionally, all we need is ten minutes, the length of a full snooze, in order to move our spine and awaken our own prana, or vital life energy.

Here’s a gentle morning flow that you can do in bed for ten minutes instead of hitting snooze! Feel free to hold the poses for however long you would like. As always, modifications, additions, and subtractions are always welcome. 

Ten Minute Morning Flow

Sukasana, easy pose

• Start in a comfortable seat. You can sit on the edge of a pillow or blanket to help open your hips and align your spine. Keep your gaze soft or close your eyes, starting to focus on your breath.

• Once you find a smooth and steady rhythm with your breath, start to add movements. Inhale as you raise your arms up towards the sky. If it’s comfortable, meet your palms and lift your gaze. Exhale, draw your hands back to your heart. Soften your shoulders, and repeat two more times.

Seated Side Bend

• inhale draw your arms up towards the sky. This time, exhale your left arm down as you side bend over to the left. Take a full round of breath. Then repeat on the other side.

Seated Twist

• Inhale, draw both your arms up towards the sky, extending through your side body. Exhale, move into a twist. Take your left hand to your right knee, your right hand lands behind you. Work with your breath here. Use your inhales to create more space in your spine, and your exhales to draw your back shoulder blade in towards your spine, allowing you to twist a little deeper. 

Table, Cat/Cow

• Roll over to your hands and knees and find a table. Stack your shoulders over your wrists, your hips above your knees, and find a neutral spine by gently drawing your belly up and in. Inhale to move into cow pose. Allow your belly to drop as you lift your chest and chin. Exhale, find cat pose. Round your spine up towards the sky drawing your belly button in towards your spine. Move through a couple rounds of cat/cow until you feel limber in your spine.

Anahatasana Melting Heart Pose

• Return to your neutral tabletop position. Keep your hips above your knees as you start to walk your hands out in front of you. Bring your forehead down to the mat or bed, moving into melting heart pose. Reach forward through your outer armpits, and draw back through your inner armpits. Allow your diaphragm to soften. Hold for five to ten rounds of breath or longer!

Salamba Bhujangasana Sphinx Pose

• Walk yourself back up to a table, and then come onto your knees. Take your hands to your low back and on your inhale start to life your chest up towards the sky. You can stay here, or if you’re comfortable you can start moving your hands down your legs. Eventually, you might even reach for your heels! It’s important to stay lifted in your heart, gently pressing your shoulder blades into the back of your chest.

Seated Forward Fold

• Lower down to a cross-legged seat. Start to walk your hands out in front of you and fold forward. soften your shoulders and low back. Lengthen your breath. after five to ten rounds of breath, return to a seat. Switch whatever leg is crossed in front and fold forward on this side. 

Meditation/Savasana 

• return to a neutral seated position. Option to sit on the edge of a pillow or blanket. Close your eyes, draw your attention towards your breath. Sit in meditation for a few minutes. This will be savasana instead of lying down. We don’t want to fall back asleep. So if you have time, take your time here and sit in silence. Let your body soak in the morning vibes!

In yoga, waking up early before the sun allows our mind to consciously soak up the calm, clean energy. Traditionally, waking up before the sun, and greeting the sun with sun salutations, helps energize our body and bring balance to the mind. Honoring both dawn and sunrise, and carrying that energy with us throughout the day. Of course, you don’t have to wake up at 5:00am to reap the benefits of an early morning. Simply waking up a few hours before our daily obligations is enough. This allows us time to cook a nutritious breakfast, move our body or read a good book while enjoying our coffee. 

So try it with me! Wake up right when your alarm goes off, don’t hit snooze, If you already do that, then wake up ten minutes earlier and gift yourself a calm yoga practice in the morning. Or some quiet time reading a book, journaling, and sipping on your coffee while you soak in the morning vibes. I promise, your body and mind will love you even more!

Love and Light,

Sarah