In our previous blog we prepared a set of evening exercises for pleasant sleep. 3 simple but effective exercises focused on breathing and stretching that you can do in bed just before going to sleep. Today’s 3 exercises have a similar focus, and you can do them in bed after waking up. The difference, however, is that in the morning we need to get going, get the energy flowing in the body, gently warm up the muscles and joints and put the mind in a positive mood.
Before you get started, we have a few tips for you:
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You can do the exercises before getting out of bed. But if you feel discomfort, for example you need to go to the toilet, get a drink of water in the kitchen and so on, do so. Afterwards you can also exercise on a mat on the floor, for example.
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Remember that in the morning you need to treat your body especially gently. Muscles, joints and tendons have been resting for several hours, or were in various unnatural positions during sleep. That is why they may be stiff or even sore.
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After exercising, do everything you can to make your day start really pleasantly – have a good stretch, let daylight and fresh air into the room, make your favorite tea. Every little thing that soothes your soul counts.
A pleasant stretch for the back and hips
Sit on the bed or on a mat with your knees bent and the soles of your feet touching each other along their whole length. Move them away from your body so that they form a diamond-shaped space. As you exhale, slowly bend forward with a rounded back, as far as your body lets you. Breathe deeply into your back and imagine taking in oxygen and life-giving energy into your body with the fresh air. Hold this position for 10 breaths in and out.
Then slowly straighten back up into a seated position. Keep the soles of your feet together and pull them as close to your body as possible, but keep your back straight. Your head is in line with your spine; hold your toes or ankles with your hands. Gently bounce your knees up and down while breathing deeply. Try to relax your hip joints and stretch the muscles on the inner thighs.
Half lotus, aka paradise for the spine
This position has truly beneficial effects on the spine, which is why it pays to practice it regularly. Sit with your legs crossed in front of you and your back straight. Place your right leg over your left so that your foot rests on the mat and your knee is in front of your chest. Bend your left arm at the elbow, place the elbow over your right thigh and start slowly rotating through your spine – turning to the right.
Start from the bottom of the spine, continue through the middle and finally the upper part of the spine, the neck and the head. Press your elbow gently against your thigh to achieve an even more intense rotation. Stay in the position for 3 to 5 deep breaths in and out, then slowly return to the starting position. Again start from the bottom of the back upward, with the head going last. Switch legs and repeat everything on the other side. And you certainly won’t spoil anything if you repeat the whole thing once more on each side.
Watch out for pain! This exercise must never hurt; you should feel only a pleasant stretch. That is why you need to set the range of movement according to your abilities. Also, your body may be slightly differently flexible every morning, and that is completely fine. Exercise slowly and precisely and don’t forget that you must keep your back straight throughout the exercise. This is very important in this exercise.
And now something to get the energy flowing!
It’s time to get you out of bed. The third exercise is done standing and is great not only for stretching the whole body, but also for gently getting the blood, lymph and energy flowing… Simply everything our body needs in the morning.
You surely know this exercise from your school days. It consists of bending the torso forward, raising the arms to the sides and breathing deeply at the same time. But while as children we exercised “any old way”, now we will pay attention to rolling through the spine.
Stand up straight, with your spine straight and your feet about hip-width apart. You can let your arms hang loosely by your sides or put them in a prayer position – palms together in front of your chest. As you inhale, bend your knees slightly, stretch your arms out to the sides and, describing a half circle, join them straight above your head. Your gaze is directed slightly upward. As you exhale, bend your arms in front of your body, point your still joined palms downward and start lowering them toward the floor. The upper half of the body gradually follows: the head, the cervical spine and down to the hips. The point is that you don’t try to keep your spine straight, but quite the opposite – roll down through it, vertebra by vertebra.
Once you have reached the maximum your body allows, you can lower your hands to the floor or join your palms behind your back and straighten your arms, stretching your chest muscles. If you have tight leg muscles, feel free to bend your knees and then you can alternately straighten one leg and the other at the knee. There are many variations of this exercise, so try to find what suits you and what your body needs right now. Stretch like this for a while and don’t forget to breathe.
Then lower your hands toward the floor and with a deep breath in, roll up through your spine from the bottom up. Straighten your back from the bottom, vertebra by vertebra, then straighten your head and make a circle backward with your shoulders. You should now be standing in the starting position with a straight spine. Repeat the exercise 3 to 5 times.
We hope you enjoyed this express set of morning exercises and that it helped you to a pleasant wake-up and a nicer day. Create your own ritual in the form of a short morning workout and you will see that the world will immediately seem more beautiful!
Check out our other articles from the world of mattresses and healthy sleep! 🙂