Yoga for Beginners — 3 Core Yoga Techniques You Can Do In Bed To Ease You Into Your Day
Today’s story covers 3 core yoga techniques you can do in bed to ease you into your day so you start your day in a calm, relaxed manner. Perfect antidote if you have a super-busy day planned.
Yoga Technique #1: Gently Stretch Your Body Awake
As you wake up, lay on your back in bed.
Gently stretch your body awake.
Then close your eyes.
Tuck your chin into your chest, which lengthens the back of your neck.
Make sure you feel comfortable.
- Keep your legs straight out on the bed and gently point and flex your toes back and forth 5–7 times.
2. Hug both knees to your chest. Curl your body up into a small ball. Rock gently from side to side 5–7 time each side. Gently lower your feet back to the bed and slowly straighten your legs on the bed.
3 . Gently squeeze your right knee to your chest. Let your left leg lay straight on the bed (if this movement cause pain in your lower back, then bend your left leg and till you knee points upwards and rest your left foot flat on the bed. Place both hands on your right shin. Focus your awareness on your feet and slowly rotate your right ankle five times in one direction, relax and repeat five times in the opposite direction.
3. Release your hands from your shin, straighten your right leg and repeat this exercise with your left leg.
4. Laying on your back, raise both hands. Rotate your wrist 5–7 times in each direction. Then shake your hands 5–10 times. Return your hands to your side. Lie still and absorb the energy.
Yoga Technique #2: Yoga Breathing Exercise
Known as pranayama, yoga breathing exercises help to replenish, revitalise and reenergise your system.
- Lay on your back in your bed, with your eyes closed. Straighten your legs out on your bed, about 12–18 inches apart. Make sure you feel comfortable. If you suffer from lower back pain, rest your feet flat on your bed and have your knees pointing straight up. Keep your chin tucked in to ease tension in your neck.
- Rest the palm of your right hand firmly, yet gently, on top of your navel and your left hand just below your collarbone. Make sure your elbows rest on the bed.
- Spend a few moments observing your everyday breath. Then turn your attention to your right hand, take a few slow steady breaths in and out through your nose noticing what you notice about the way your hands rise and fall as you breathe in and out.
- Gradually, allow your breath to become deeper and fuller and consciously send the breath from your lower right hand up to your left hand. Feel your hands raise as you breathe in and lower as you exhale.
5. Repeat this cycle of breathing 3–5 times.
6. Slowly release your hands and rest your hands on your tummy (finger tips of both hands touching) and spend a few more moments noticing what you notice about your thoughts and mind-state.
Yoga Technique #3: Meditate
Still lying on your bed on your back, hands on tummy, take 5 slow steady breaths in and out through your nose.
Then, breathe in slowly and count “one”
Slowly breathe out and count “two”
Breathe in and count “three”
Breathe out and count “four”
Breathe and count “five”
Continue counting your breaths up to number ten.
Don’t worry if your mind wanders and you forget what number you’re on go back to the beginning and start counting again from #1.
When you reach #10, rest a while as you return to your everyday breath.
Gently roll over to your side, take three more steady breaths and come up into a seated position.
Take a moment to smile and re-engage with your room; stretch your arms above your head and yay…you are ready for your day.
How Do You Feel — How Was That?
If you enjoyed your Gentle Yoga Techniques routine, I encourage you to wake-up 15 minutes earlier tomorrow and practice this simple routine. Your body will feel lighter, more alive, and it will motivate you to start your day in a more peaceful frame of mind.
If you enjoyed the breathing meditation and interested in finding out more about meditation, here’s a brilliant, in-depth story about how to build a daily meditation habit by Sílvia Bastos
Till our next story, have a peaceful start to your day.
I originally published this article over on my blog at yogainspires.co.uk on March 6, 2014.
