For a clearer mind right after you wake up, try these 7 yoga moves that you can do without even leaving bed. They are sure to help your body prepare for the day ahead and get your blood and energy flowing!
1) Child’s Pose
Position yourself on all fours facing the foot of the bed, with hands under shoulders and knees under your hips. Lean your hips and buttocks back into an almost seated position over your calves and feet. Your top half and shoulders will automatically slide backward, keeping your hands flat on the bed where you first started. Focus on keeping your feet side by side and toes touching. Resting your forehead on the bed, increase the stretch in your shoulders and arms, and pause here for a few moments while you focus on breathing.
You can turn this into “wide child’s pose” by opening your knees outward to the sides if it feels comfortable for you.
2) Cobra Pose
From child’s pose, bring your outstretched front arms back towards your shoulders and rest on your elbows. Then extend your knees so that you straighten your legs under you, bringing you into a lying position, flat on your stomach. Keep your forearms and palms of your hands flat on the bed. Tighten your core and lift your upper torso up as you push through your palms and raise your forearms and elbows off the bed. Be sure to be gentle to your lower back and not strain too much, but rather focus on extending or lengthening it. Bring your shoulders down so that they aren’t close to your ears. Stay here for some deep breaths.
3) Seated Spinal Twist
From cobra pose, release the stretch from your lower back by looking down and bringing your weight off your hands by bending your elbows. Return to lying on your stomach with your forearms and elbows lying flat on the bed. Slowly slide one knee at a time under your hips up so that you are now in an all fours position. Flatten your back and look down at the area on the bed between your hands, then roll onto one hip or the other so you can sit on your rear.
Bring yourself into a cross-legged sitting position and focus on sitting up straight. Without moving your hips, gently twist towards your right side, bringing your right hand to rest behind your right side. Swing your left hand over to your right knee and gently hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Return slowly to neutral position and then repeat on your left side.
4) Seated Side Bend
Continue sitting cross-legged and place your right hand next to your right hip on the bed. Use your left arm to stretch over your head. Take a moment to really focus on stretching that arm and the fingertips toward the ceiling. Breathe out as you arc that left arm over your head towards your right, while you slide your right hand along the bed. Focus on the stretching that’s occurring from your left side’s ribs, lungs, and hips. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, and then repeat on the other side.
5) Reclining Goddess Pose
Image by Pixabay
From the side bend, straighten your legs out in front of you and lie flat on your back. Then bring your knees into a bent position with the soles of your feet still flat on the bed. Continuing to keep your feet close together, gently bring the knees away from each other and open them so that they are resting closer to the bed. The soles of your feet should be touching now. Focus on letting your body feel heavy and breathe naturally. You don’t have to do much in this pose except let gravity help open your hips, and you can let your arms lie in whatever position is comfortable.
When you’re ready to move on, come out of this position gently by reaching down to your knees and folding them back up together. Roll over to your left side.
6) Spinal Twist
Photo by LOGAN WEAVER on Unsplash
If you’re already lying on your side with knees bent and together from the previous pose, straighten your legs while you are on your side. Then pull your right knee up and over towards your chest. Use your left hand to hold your right knee. Cross your right arm over your body and chest so that it lies on the bed outstretched. Turn your head as your right arm extends to the right and keep your head turned towards the right side. Stay here for at least a minute. If it’s comfortable, you can focus on increasing the intensity of your twist on your spine as you breathe out. Then switch sides.
7) Forward Fold
Returning to a neutral position on your back, rise into a seated position with your legs straight in front of you. Focus on lengthening your spine and sitting as straight as possible. Outstretch both arms in front of you and either put your hands over your shins or grab your feet, depending on personal flexibility. You can bend your knees to help keep your back flat. Gently stay in this position, breathing deeply, for 30-60 seconds.
You can do this whole routine in less than 15 minutes or simply do the poses that seem the most restorative for you. The best part of this yoga-from-bed routine is you can do it before your feet even touch the floor.
