7 Yoga Poses to Get You Out of Your Slump

Yoga is a versatile practice, with many types of yoga suited to different times of day.

Whether you're drowsy, stressed out or just don't want to do yoga at the moment (it's okay, we all feel so once in a while), there are yoga exercises designed to fit your needs.

Yoga can help transform your day—when you practice in the morning, it sets up the rest of your day for success. Even if you have only limited time to practice, five minutes of doing the exercise can help relieve tension and leave you more relaxed through the rest of the day.

Yoga Poses to Boost Your Energy

Here's a look at seven yoga poses to boost your energy:

1) Easy Pose With an Arc (Sukhasana)

Arching your back in Easy Yoga Pose is a great way to inject more energy into your seated meditation. Do this variation after morning meditation to lift your spirit and brighten your day.

To do this posture:

Sit up straight, placing your weight over both sits bones.
To protect your knees, cross your legs in front of you, and flex your feet under your knees.
Touch the palms of your hands to the ground at your sides, and keep your elbows away from you.
On an inhale, press into the ground with your fingertips, arching your back and looking up toward the ceiling while reaching upward with your chest.
Hold for three to five breaths, and release back to sitting upright on an exhale.

2) Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana)

Simple and easy, it does not require a backbend. This pose is energising and uplifting. It helps you combat stiffness and is great to do when you get out of bed in the morning.

To do Urdhva Hastasana:

Stand tall, and evenly on both feet in Mountain Pose.
Inhale, and raise your arms up toward the ceiling.
With palms facing each other, point your fingertips towards the sky.
Gaze straight ahead as you engage your arms and fingertips to bring energy to your hands.
Hold for three to five breaths before lowering them back down by your sides on an exhale.

3) Low Cobra (Ardha Bhujangasana)

This is a gentle backbend that will energise you while also stretching and strengthening your back muscles. It's a great yoga pose to do at the start of your yoga practice, as it's not as deep as some of the other poses.

To do the low cobra pose:

Lie facedown on the floor, and place your forehead on the ground.
Put your palms down flat on either side of your rib cage, with your elbows pointed upward.
Inhale, and raise your head and shoulders up off the floor using the muscles in your upper back.
Keep very little weight in your hands, and keep the tops of your feet down on the floor behind you.
Exhale, and lower your head back down to the floor and repeat 3-4 times.

4) Locust Pose (Salabhasana)

This energising pose will get you moving, increase your body temperature and boost your stamina. Practice it if you want to strengthen your back, hamstrings and glutes.

To do this yoga pose:

Lie facedown on the mat, with your forehead resting on the floor and arms by your sides, palms down.
On an inhale, lift your head, arms, legs and feet off the ground as you stretch your hands back towards your feet, and stretch your feet towards the back of the mat.
Feel the muscles in your back, hamstrings and glutes work as you hold this position.
Take several deep breaths, and let it all go with an exhale.

5) Full Cobra (Bhujangasana)

This is a variation of the low cobra pose. You can use it to get an energy boost, and stretch your chest, neck and shoulders.

To do this move:

Come onto your stomach, stretching your legs behind you and placing your palms flat on the floor on either side of your ribs.
As you inhale, press into the ground with your hands and feet, shifting your weight forward.
Engage the muscles in your legs to lift up into Downward Facing Dog or simply lower yourself back down to the ground.

6) Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

This pose looks similar to the Full Cobra Pose, but they're two completely different poses. In this pose, your legs lift off the ground, which makes it more challenging than the full cobra pose.

To do this pose:

Come onto your stomach, and place your hands on the floor by your ribs, like you’re doing the full cobra pose.
Press into the ground, with your hands and feet as you slide forward, lifting your legs off the ground.
Reach forward to bring your chest closer to the floor, and look slightly up at the same time.
Hold for 3-5 breaths, and either lift up into the downward facing dog, or come back down to the ground.

Takeaway

In terms of increasing your energy, yoga can help. While even just a few minutes of yoga a day can help, doing more can boost your energy level.

About the author

Soniya is currently working as a content specialist for the Pop section at Sportskeeda. She previously worked as an Assistant Content Manager for the Health and Fitness section.

With a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences and five years of writing experience, Soniya is driven by her passion for writing to pursue it full time. She is committed to creating content that is accurate, relevant, and ethical.

Soniya is very careful to check her facts, writes in a way that connects with her readers, and keeps a fair and private approach in her work. She excels in writing about artists, showing how their work fits into history and culture. This way, she gives readers a deeper and more interesting look at their stories.

Soniya’s favorite artists are Haruki Murakami and Sayata Murata. She likes Haruki Murakami because his books mix real life with magical stuff in a fun way. Sayaka Murata writes about normal things but in a way that makes you think differently. Both of their stories are easy to get into and stick with you long after you finish reading.

When not writing, Soniya loves to try out new art mediums to paint. The best part of her day, however, is to spend time with her orange tabby cat.

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Edited by Bhargav