How To Practice Morning Yoga in Bed



So, you want to create a healthy morning routine but the idea of waking up early to do yoga is not exactly appealing. One easy way to incorporate a daily yoga practice into your life is to do yoga first thing in the morning before you even get out of bed! While you cannot have a complete yoga workout, it is still possible to practice morning yoga in your bed if you follow some basic tips.

What is Bed Yoga?

Bed yoga is a series of stretching and breathing exercises done on or in your bed. Since a mattress is a much softer surface than the floor, you cannot perform standing or balancing poses that require a solid sense of ground. But this soft surface can be beneficial if you have sore knees, wrists, or other joint pain.

Bed yoga is usually practiced right before sleep or immediately upon waking. Bed yoga practices include calming and soothing poses if done at night or energizing poses if done in the morning.

Benefits of morning yoga in bed

If you are struggling to find the motivation and inspiration for the time to fit yoga into your life, bed yoga might be the perfect solution. Yoga in bed allows you to wake up slowly and be gentle on your body. Let’s face it–not everyone is a morning person! If yoga from your bed lets you stick to a regular yoga practice, it is sure to improve your health and overall wellbeing.

When it comes to yoga, short routines done daily over time are the best way to improve flexibility, strength, and circulation, which will help you sleep deeper and allowing you to wake up feeling more rested! A morning yoga practice can also boost your energy and vitality while reducing your overall stress.

Best yoga poses to do in bed

The best poses to use for bed yoga will be simple seated, supine, and prone asanas. Practice postures that do not require too much effort and do not need a firm surface to practice on.

The easiest way to start is lying flat on your back in Shavasana pose and then progressing with a few other supine poses. If you have the time and energy, progress with additional simple seated poses. End your practice with a short meditation in a comfortable seated position, like Sukasana.

The 16 best bed yoga poses

Tips for beginners

So, what should you know before beginning a morning yoga routine from bed? These top tips will help you get the most out of your yoga routine in the mornings when you cannot get out of bed!

1. Start simple.
   Memorize a few poses or a simple routine of poses so you can move into yoga practice as soon as you wake up. Alternatively, you could print out a list of poses to reference on your nightstand or load up a bed yoga video on your phone or iPad to use.
2. Wake up early.
   It is important to focus on routines that can be done even in the busiest of mornings. But yoga is all about mindfulness, and it is not something you want to rush. Set your alarm a few minutes early so you can wake yourself up and face the day.
3. Incorporate pranayama.
   If you are the kind of person who hits the snooze on your alarm three or four times, resist the urge to do so. Instead, use bed yoga to meditate or practice poses. You want yoga that wakes you up, after all! As an alternative, take a few minutes of pranayama or simple deep breathing techniques to bring more oxygen in and wake you up. If you want more energy to wake up, practice a few rounds of Breath of Fire at the end of your session.
4. Focus on stretching.
   Stretching out your back, legs, and arms can help wake you up and protect you from the muscle aches and stiffness from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
5. Plan your PJs.
   Yoga requires comfortable clothes that do not restrict movement. Put on some cozy cotton pajamas or other loose-fitting light clothing before bed so you are prepared to try your favorite yoga routine before you get ready in the morning.
6. Keep props nearby.
   If you are a beginner, you may want to have a few yoga props next to your bed. You can, of course, use one of your bed pillows for support, but you might want a strap or block handy.
7. Select calming music.
   If you like to practice yoga with a soundtrack, choose your music selections before you go to sleep. If so, consider setting your phone alarm to use a mellow yoga music track.
8. Set an intention for the day.
   When ending your practice with a few moments of deep breathing, you can take a moment to set an intention for the rest of your day. Choose a word or a short phrase that you can easily repeat to yourself later in the day to connect you to the peace and power you find in your yoga practice. You may find it helpful to use some Buddhist prayer beads, worry stone, or piece of jewelry as a reminder of this intention. The gemstone jewelry at Tiny Rituals is perfect for incorporating into your morning yoga intention. Setting a clear and positive intention is an easy way to bring more joy into your morning ritual.

If you are not sure that you have the discipline for yoga, try it in your Pjs! It is a great way to get you ready for your day and fit a daily workout into your life!