Lately it's been tougher than ever to get a head start on the day. With days running into nights and back around, and the endless lull of working from home, it's no wonder we're unmotivated. Enter Yoga Wake Up's "from bed" sessions, which make up more than half of all our content and are meant to ease you awake gently. With just the right amount of movement to awaken your senses, these "from bed" sessions will slowly but surely motivate you into action, and soon enough you will be on your feet!
We turned to one of our best Yoga Wake Up teachers - known for her easy, breezy, dreamy sequences - Lindsey Valdez, to learn which poses are best from bed! So close your eyes back down and practice these gentle poses for a simple release before you get moving into your day!
1. Child's Pose (Balasana)
There's the obvious reason why Child's Pose feels good, which is simply that you can rest your forehead, and relax your shoulders and allow it to be completely restorative. But also, Child's Pose can ease tightness in the low back, relieving the kidneys and creating more space in the abdomen to aid digestion and detoxification.
Try turning your head side to side slowly massaging your forehead on your bed, which should feel really nice on that headache. If you want to move this one into a side twist, place one hand on top of the other and shift your weight to one side until you feel it in your side body.
2. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Bridge pose is fantastic for stimulating the abdominal organs improving digestion and helping to regulate metabolism. Because it revitalizes the legs and stretches the shoulders, it can be a particularly rejuvenating pose. So if you're dreading getting out of bed but have an agenda for the day, Bridge pose could help you get there, easing into alertness.
3. Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Twists are known to be detoxifying and this one is a wonderfully relaxing way to wring out and rinse the organs in the abdomen. Simply relax into this twist and hold each side for a few minutes to feel the benefits.
4. Legs up a wall (Viparita Karani)
Feeling bloated? This semi-inverted pose can help ease bellyaches, remedy cramps, and alleviate migraine tension and anxiety. This pose also gives blood circulation a gentle boost toward the upper body and head, which creates a pleasant rebalancing before you're up and moving into your day. We promise after this pose you will feel refreshed.
5. Supine Bound Ankle Pose (Supta Badokonasana)
Lastly you can come back to this restful pose anytime. Placing one hand on belly and one hand on heart, take long, easeful 3-part breaths feeling the rise and fall of your low belly, then your upper belly, below the ribs and then into your chest. This will provide a lasting, calming effect.
Want personal instruction? Lindsey's leading an extra special LIVE bedyoga session on the app Thursday, 8 am PT - it's FREE with your subscription to the app and can be found on the Explore tab.