Stretch Out Before You Head Out

As an Ohioan, I fully understand that it can be harder now, during these gray, dreary months of winter, more than ever to get out of bed in the morning. On many such a morning, when the covers are finally peeled back & our feet hit the floor, our bodies are not truly awake yet. Somehow, though, our body's autopilot kicks in & we're mindlessly scrambling our way to the shower because we've overslept or begrudgingly dragging ourselves to the coffee pot for a caffeinated jolt of motivation. While the shower & coffee will definitely help us appear more prepared for the day, they won’t do a thing to ease the muscle tension, aches, or pains which, can occur from the way we sleep, as well as from starting day with a lack of awareness.

Not allowing our bodies just a few moments to fully wake up each morning can also affect us emotionally. Just think of the effects your physical fatigue & discomfort will have on the unfortunate loved ones, co-workers, friends, or strangers you’ll encounter as you make your way through the day feeling irritable, agitated, & full of negative or blocked energy.

To make all our lives a bit more pleasant, I put together a short series of stretches I found myself doing instinctively each morning as I eased my way into the day. All of these stretches are very basic Yoga poses that anyone can do; whether, you’re a beginner or an advanced yogi who doesn’t have time to practice until later in the day. Give the poses a try tomorrow morning while you’re waiting for the shower to warm up or while the coffee brews. I’m confident that taking the time each morning for a few gentle stretches, coupled with some deep inhalations & exhalations, will leave you feeling a little happier & slightly more calm, no matter what the day ahead may throw at you.

Tadasana

Stand with feet together, feeling grounded through the four corners of your feet. Stand tall with your hips tucked under, spine super straight, & shoulders pressing back & down your back. You can stand with your arms hanging down at your sides or you can press them together in prayer at

heart center. Take a few deep inhales & exhales here. On an

inhale, prepare to move on to the next pose...

Inhale your arms overhead. Actively & purposefully reach up from your rooted feet through your legs, waist, shoulder sockets, all the way through the very tips of your fingers. Take a few breaths here & on an exhale begin to hinge at the hips as you move into the next pose...

Uttanasana (Standing forward fold)

As you exhale, hinge at your hips & fold forward. Let gravity pull your head down as your sits bones reach higher & higher. As you hang here, let the weight of your head naturally pull you forward, deeper into the stretch. You can also wrap your hands around each elbow to create a sort of cradle around your head. If you'd like to go further, you can interlace your hands at the small of your back & then lift them up off your back & towards the floor. Take a few breaths here, in whichever modification you choose, & then, prepare to move on with your next inhale...

On the inhale, begin to come up as if you were returning to a standing position but, stop half way up, create a long, flat back. You want to

imagine your tailbone, spine, neck & head form one perfectly straight line. Hold here until for a moment & then as you exhale, fold back down into your legs.

Use your next inhale to lift you all the way back up to standing. Circle your hands up & overhead as you come to stand. Close the pose by bring your hands through heart center in prayer.

Cat/Cow

Find your way down to the ground, on all fours, in "table-top" position. You want your wrists to be directly under shoulders & your knees should be hip distance apart. These poses are great for awakening the spine & core.

Enhale as you arch your head up & back as you let your stomach sink towards the floor & you push your sits bones up towards the ceiling . This is Cow pose.

On your inhale, drop your head down to the floor. Then, lift your stomach up & as your arch your back up towards the ceiling like a cat.

You can repeat the Cat/Cow series 3, 4, or as many times as you like using deep inhales & exhales to move you from pose to pose.