Doing Yoga in the morning

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi all,

Is one of those things, I know doing Yoga in the morning will have a major benefit in my day. However, I feel incapable of extending the Yoga mat in the morning before going to work. My batteries are not charged in the morning, and I just cannot even start the first asana. Every night before going to sleep I think “Tomorrow I do it…” However, I then stay in bed till last minute and my priority becomes waking up with cafeine…

Any ideas/tricks to motivate yourself early in ther morning to do Yoga?

thanks

#2

Don’t think. It’s actually that simple. The more you think about it, the more you find reasons to justify not doing it. Have your mat already set up. Establish a routine.

#3

Create awareness. Take a moment right now to recognize the valuelessness of that thought pattern that you keep giving into in the morning, that one that says “not today – I need more sleep. I’ll do it this evening, tomorrow, next week, etc.” Shine a light on it and see it for what it is, like you would for a kid who is afraid of shadows in a dark room. The kid sees that the monster is just the shadow of a piece of furniture and thinks “you have no power over me now that I see you for what you are.”

By creating a space of awareness, you will be ready to observe the thought coming in, and then when it does, it will be separate from you, like a thing you are watching go by, like a shadow on the wall. You’ll feel less like the desire to stay in bed[I] is [/I]you and that you are powerless against it.

Then in the morning, don’t give power to the thought by feeding it. Instead, make it a trigger that gets you up immediately. It can be just as simple and mechanical as seeing the exit sign to your home as you’re driving on the highway. You see the sign, and you make the turn because that is your destination. You make the turn automatically and don’t brood over where the highway is going beyond your exit. You just follow your dharma.

After a couple weeks or so, the routine will be set and it will become easier.

#4

I still struggle with this as well. I find doing a good yoga routine in the morning helps me SO MUCH for the rest of the day. I feel like I can tackle my crazy class/work schedule when I can actually convince myself to do it. This semester I hope to really make a habit of it. My only suggestion would be to echo what has already been said. Make it a part of your routine. Once you can integrate into your daily life, you will not be able to imagine starting your day without it. Really try for a week and see how you feel at the end of it… I’m sure you’ll convince yourself it’s worth it :smile:

Know that you are not alone… we can do this :smiley:

#5

I think getting started is the hardest part but it does become a lot easier when you have a set routine going.

#6

thanks to all for your great suggestions and support!

When you do Yoga in the morning. Do you go straight to the mat as it is commonly suggested? or do you get some liquids first?

#7

pgames, if I am thirsty, I get a drink first. I would not do yoga and tax my body when it doesn’t have the liquids it requires! I try to steer away from having my coffee first though, but if it’s a weekend and I’ve slept in, I may sip a little coffee before I start.
That said, it is very nice to head straight to the mat before you’ve even fully woken up, go right into the routine. A very wonderful way to wake up.

I don’t want to give the appearance that I’ve got a routine myself, I am struggling just as you are! But what I’ve found to work for me is to start small.
Get up 15 minutes earlier, and do some sun salutations. Just that simple thing will get you going and feeling better. It should then become easier to get up 30 minutes earlier and do some more salutations, and throw in a few poses that your body says it needs for the day. You know, you think, man I really want to do some warrior (or plank, or cat/cow or shining skull pranayam, etc).
I downloaded a podcast for a 10 minute (or was it 15?) workout for in the morning, you can do it right on the bed. Nice spine awakening movements and something to get you going. you might be interested in something like that. It was a yogatoday podcast, with Neesha.

Look at it as getting up 15 minutes earlier for a real treat. That’s how it starts.
If I happen to sleep the full time though, I will still take time to do 3 sun salutations. It only takes about 5 minutes, and really will make a difference in how you feel as well as helping to cement that new pattern you want to instill into your habits/life.

#8

over 90% if life is showing up. That’s what helps me get up to practice my yoga at 5 a.m.

I went back to work in Sept of 2010 after not working for over 5 years. So I was used to my regular evening practice.

After working and picking my daughter up from school, dinner, bath, home work, clean up dinner… I just did not get a good night time practice. So what could I do…

Get up early and just do it. When the alarm goes off and I want to hit snoooze… I remember the benefits of my practice and that is what gets me out of bed. Just show up.

I feel much better when I do show up for my practice than when I don’t. I don’t have a fancy practice space. It’s basically my daughters playroom with toys strewn about, and a space for my mat, but I don’t think about it when I’m focused on my breathing and asanas.

#9

Why don’t just go for a walk in the morning and do your Yoga later? Or you could do a nice simple mobility routine in the morning, just to keep things a little easier. If you can’t seem o do Yoga in the morning, than don’t worry about it, do it later in the day. Also make sure your getting at least eight hours of quality sleep.

#10

Hi all,

I did Yoga this morning and I am very proud about it!
It was a short session of sun salut reps. I did it today (saturday), and I woke up 3 hours later than my normal time during the working days. I was quite stiff but the most important thing is that I found the interior energy to do it. Hopefully, I will gradually extend my morning sessions and I will develop this into a routine

I was tempted to have a coffee before the session but then I thought that that could be risky since it could give me too much time to find excuses to not do my Yoga session.

The following was a very useful suggestion:

[QUOTE=lotusgirl;48650]Don’t think. It’s actually that simple. The more you think about it, the more you find reasons to justify not doing it. Have your mat already set up. Establish a routine.[/QUOTE]

The mat was ready from last night, and when I saw it on the floor I understood that that was my place for the next while.

I still do not know how easy would be doing a longer session without having breakfast at all. I hope to discover it in the coming days

Thanks!

#11

[QUOTE=pgames;48683]When you do Yoga in the morning. Do you go straight to the mat as it is commonly suggested? or do you get some liquids first?[/QUOTE]

Not to get into your private bidness, but it’s recommended that you use the bathroom before you do yoga in the morning. I learned through an Ayurvedic doctor that the best and easiest way to reactivate your digestive system in the morning is to drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Not even 5 minutes later. Immediately. You should have it right beside your bed so you can get it the second you wake up. It may take a week to reset your digestive clock, but it works like a charm and it will do the job of coffee. Then you should do yoga.

#12

thanks trinley,

I agree: visit to the bathroom is important. I would be quite tense if not.
I already have the habit of drinking water first thing in the morning. However, not as inmediately as you said. I will try that out!

cheers

pg

#13

Yeah, as the doctor explained, there is a valve in the stomach that relaxes when your digestive system is passive, such as when you’re sleeping. Shortly after you awake, it closes up again. To keep things moving, you need to get some water into your system before the valve closes off. I was staying in an ashram when I learned this, and, funnily, my fellow ashramites and I were very open about updating eachother on our progress in this area. We were all pretty amazed at how simple and effective it was. I think it’s of the utmost importance to keep your intestines clean of waste, so I’m always telling people about this.

#14

Hey that sounds kind of cool. I think I’ll try it too! The water drinking right away. Sounds like a good idea.
I also like the idea of having the mat set up - but I have two kitties who would rip it full of holes, it’s just too tempting for them. Hmm I am sure I can think of something else to do. :slight_smile:

#15

Water and using the bathroom before yoga is advisable, yes. But I’ve always heard warm water is best as it flushes toxins, etc. from kidneys and gets digestive tract working. Any thoughts on warm v. cold water? Would like to hear comments.

#16

[QUOTE=trinley;48787]Not to get into your private bidness, but it’s recommended that you use the bathroom before you do yoga in the morning. I learned through an Ayurvedic doctor that the best and easiest way to reactivate your digestive system in the morning is to drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. Not even 5 minutes later. Immediately. You should have it right beside your bed so you can get it the second you wake up. It may take a week to reset your digestive clock, but it works like a charm and it will do the job of coffee. Then you should do yoga.[/QUOTE]

This is so interesting.!

I was wondering…in Chinese Medicine they place the organs energies in specific times within the 24 hour clock. So the digestive system might be resting at the time you have chosen to get up…

So in Ayurvedic medicine you can reset your entire body clock with this method?..

#17

[QUOTE=lotusgirl;48885]Water and using the bathroom before yoga is advisable, yes. But I’ve always heard warm water is best as it flushes toxins, etc. from kidneys and gets digestive tract working. Any thoughts on warm v. cold water? Would like to hear comments.[/QUOTE]

Yes Lori, I heard that too…Its a whole new experience drinking hot water, a horrid one! but I heard it acts as an enema…

#18

It would be better to drink water that is body temperature to quite warm, but not super hot. Cold water can be a shock to the digestive system and will also result in dissipation of energy as the body works to heat up the contents of the stomach. Since most people don’t keep heated water by their bed, and since in the time it will take you to heat up some water in the morning the stomach valve will have closed again thereby missing the peak time to flush the digestive system, it would be fine to have room temperature water beside your bed so that you can get it immediately after waking. Or you can go immediately to the kitchen and drink warm tap water if you really want it to be warm.

#19

[QUOTE=kareng;48918]So in Ayurvedic medicine you can reset your entire body clock with this method?..[/QUOTE]

Not the [I]entire[/I] body clock – the digestive clock. If you work with the peaks and lulls of your digestive cycles, you will be helping your digestive system to do its best in detoxifying your body. It’s trying to do this naturally, of course, but when we act against these cycles by eating at odd times and splashing cold drinks on the digestive fire, we are hindering our natural ability to detoxify undigested food. When food remains too long in the digestive system, health problems such as weight gain ensue. When waste is not evacuated promptly, toxins build up in the body and rot the intestines. I don’t know if ‘rot’ is the proper word, but basically you need to keep the train moving.

#20

Thanks Trinley…something to take on board…