A yoga expert has revealed a quick morning routine that fits easily into your schedule and is designed to combat tiredness, as cold weather fatigue creeps in.
Maria Andrews, registered yoga teacher and editor at yogajala, says that incorporating a simple routine into your morning can help reduce the effects of a disrupted sleep schedule – as new data names the parts of the US that are most concerned about their routine.
According to Andrews, although we’ll get an extra hour of sleep on November 5, the change can wreak havoc with our body clocks. She says: “Our circadian rhythm is our body’s natural 24-hour clock which controls how awake we feel throughout the day. When the clocks change, and we force our bodies to change their routine, it can take some adjustment.
“While many of us can’t wait for the extra hour in bed, this is a short-term benefit with long-term repercussions. In the following weeks, we may find it harder to get up in the morning and end up feeling sluggish or lacking energy later in the day due to this shift in routine.
“Some of us may even try to accommodate for our lack of daytime productivity by staying up later at night to complete tasks or enjoy leisure time. Then, the dark winter mornings make it harder for us to wake up, and the cycle begins again.”
'Revenge bedtime procrastination’ is the practice when someone delays going to sleep due to a lack of free time earlier in the day. There has been an increased interest in the habit over recent years, with its hashtag currently having over 29 million views on TikTok.
Some tell-tale signs that your sleep cycle has been affected by a bad habit like ‘revenge procrastination’ include a lack of motivation, tiredness throughout the middle of the day, struggling to concentrate or get tasks completed – or even headaches developing.
While a short-term shift in routine isn’t the end of the world, it can cause long-term struggles with our sleep schedule that can negatively affect our wellbeing if not rectified.
According to Andrews, one of the most effective ways to regain energy in the mornings is with a quick stretching yoga routine, as she says: “Getting your body moving early in the morning with a quick routine works to release muscle tension and regulate important wake/sleep systems in our bodies, as well as provide much-needed stress relief.
“While some experienced Yogis like to challenge themselves with more advanced poses such as inversions, anyone can benefit from simple moves that help reduce pain, increase strength, improve our mood and increase our focus – especially in the morning.”
7-Minute Tiredness-Busting Morning Routine
To help shift the sluggish feeling the morning after you’ve stayed up late, Andrews recommends following this simple routine which can be completed in as little as seven minutes!
Allow a minute for each pose to feel the full effect but take as long as you feel you need. These easy steps will have your body feeling invigorated and ready to start the day:
1. Slow Controlled Breathing. Starting simply, controlled breathing can help awaken the body by helping the oxygen to follow through the bloodstream. Sit or lay in a way that is comfortable, although upright is best, and take deep, slow breaths.
2. Child’s Pose. This pose stretches the back, hips, and thighs and gently relieves tension in the back, neck and shoulders. Begin by kneeling on the floor with your toes touching and knees apart. Sit back on your heels, extend the spine and lower your torso to the ground. Keep your palms on the floor, arms extended out and tilt your forehead down. Hold for a minute.
3. Cat-Cow Pose. To do this pose, begin by kneeling on the floor on all fours, palms and knees equally apart. Tuck your chin to your chest and press into your palms, arching your back. As you exhale, push your torso down, lifting the tailbone and head to the sky. Alternate these slowly for a minute.
4. Downward Facing Dog. From being on your hands and knees, tuck your toes, lift your hips and straighten your legs, forming an inverted V-shape. Keep your palms firmly planted on the floor. This pose is perfect for invigorating your body and getting you ready to start the day.
5. Warrior Pose. This pose helps to stretch the hips and groin and promotes a sense of openness. Begin by standing with your feet wide apart and raise your arms to be parallel with the floor. Then, turn your right foot out and bend your right knee, keeping it aligned with your ankle. Stretch your arms out to the sides and gaze over your right hand. Hold this for 30 seconds, then repeat on the left.
6. Triangle Pose. To stretch the hamstrings, move into this pose from Warrior by keeping feet spread wide apart, one turned out and arms out to your sides. Bend to your side and place your lower hand on your shin, other arm to the sky. Follow the arm in the air with your gaze and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
7. Tree Pose. This final pose in the sequence will improve your balance, stability and focus. To begin, stand with your feet together, move your weight onto your left foot and bend your right knee. Then, place the sole of your right foot on the inner calf or thigh of your left leg. Bring your hands to prayer position at your chest and take deep breaths. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the left.”
In addition to providing a quick morning routine, the experts at yogajala, also reveal which states struggle the most with poor sleep and tiredness this time of year.
The states were ranked from most to least concerned about their sleep quality and routine, based on Google searches made around sleep problems, as well as those related to navigating daylight-saving time (DST) - including ‘clocks fall back’ and ‘can’t sleep’.
The state that struggles the most with their sleep quality at this time of year was New York, followed by Massachusetts and Maryland.
With daylight saving time ending on November 5, many people are conscious of how this shift will affect their sleep. This concern is highest in Colorado, with an average of 53 searches made per 100k residents, which is 43% higher than the national average.
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Originally posted on Salon Today
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