Quick Morning Wake-Up Stretch

This is a simple three-minute morning stretching practice to wake up for the day, where you'll stretch up and fold forward in synchronicity with your breath. Conscious movement in the morning helps to stimulate the body's processes and energizes you for the day ahead and these stretches move the spine forwards and backwards which helps to release tension from the night and encourage blood flow to the brain. Just these few minutes can have a huge impact on how you feel for the rest of the day!

This practice is a part of my course "Energise Your Day: Ayurvedic Morning Routines For Busy People" so if you enjoy the practice, you might also enjoy listening to the whole course.

Transcript

Welcome to this short morning stretching exercise. Find yourself a space to practice in. Where you have enough room to stretch up. And fold forward. Begin by standing with your legs at hip distance apart. Just take a moment to feel into your body here. Feel your feet connecting into the floor beneath you. Tuck your tailbone in slightly behind you and lift your chest. Gently roll your shoulders back to open the top and front of your chest. And take a long, Deep breath in and out here. Bringing your attention completely into your body. Now take a breath in and exhale to bring your palms together in front of your chest. Inhale to reach your arms up towards the ceiling. Look up towards your hands. Feeling the front of your body opening as your back bends slightly backwards. And as you exhale, Fold forwards and bring your hands to the floor. Bend your knees as much as you need to to bring your hands all the way down. And relax your neck and your head here. So the top of your head releases towards the floor. Press into your feet and inhale to curl your spine back up to straight. Raise your hands back up over your head again. Open your chest. Look at. Exhale to fold forwards again. Bring your hands to the floor. Relax your head. And one more time. Inhale to curl back up. Raise your arms to the sky. Look up. Exhale to release your hands to the earth. Relax the head. And inhale to slowly curl back up to standing. Bring the palms together at the chest. And take three deep breaths here to feel into your body. And feel the effects of these movements.