Yoga for morning: 10-minute morning yoga routine for beginners  

There are several physical and mental health benefits of yoga for morning routine. Doing certain yoga poses in the morning helps release happy hormones, ease muscle stiffness, improves the digestive system and keeps you energetic throughout the day.

A morning yoga routine allows you to kickstart a day by feeling physically and mentally energetic and also works wonders on flexibility and overall muscle strength. Moreover, it can help manage your weight and aid in reducing anxiety and stress too. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced yoga practitioner, remember that there are incredible benefits of yoga for morning.

Below, we’ve created a 10-minute morning yoga routine to amp up your lazy mornings. Practicing these poses as soon as you wake up is sure to jumpstart your day.

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Yoga for morning routine: 5 poses to practice each morning

Here are the poses:

#1 Child’s pose

Child's pose is a great yoga for morning routine. (Photo via Pexels/Gustavo Fring)

The child’s pose is amazing yoga for morning time. This asana offers a gentle release for the hips and lower back pain and energizes the entire body.

To do a child’s pose:

• Take a position on all fours with your hands extended straight and knees wide open.
• Allow your stomach to rest between your thighs, and let your forehead rest on the floor just in front of you.
• Extend your arms straight in front of your body, and stretch to activate your muscles. Breathe deeply, and hold the position.

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#2 Happy baby pose

The happy baby pose is a great yoga exercise that stretches the hips and lower back while also targeting the inner thighs and improving fatigue. It helps realign the spine and gently stretches the hamstrings as well.

To do a happy baby pose:

• Lie on your back on a mat with your head neutral and body straight.
• Bend your knees, and move them towards your stomach while grabbing the outsides of your feet with your hands. Bend your ankles and heels.
• Ensure that your ankles are above your knees, and push them against your feet and hands. Stay in this position, and take a few long breaths to relax.

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#3 Cobra pose

Cobra pose is a beginner-level yoga asana. (Photo via Pexels/ArtHouse Studio)

It's one of the best morning yoga for beginners that helps stretch the chest, abs and shoulders. Moreover, it targets the hips and arms and also works on the abs and entire core muscles.

To do a cobra pose:

• Lie on a mat on your stomach with your legs at shoulder-width distance and hands under your shoulders. Make sure your elbows are tucked into your body throughout the pose.
• Start to straighten your arms while pushing through your feet. Slowly lift your chest off the mat, and push your shoulders back.
• Stay in the pose for a few breaths, and go back down to the starting position.

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#4 Cat-cow pose

No yoga for morning routine is complete without the cat-cow stretch. This pose gently stretches the spine and chest and also engages the core along the way. It's an easy yoga exercise you can do every day.

To do a cat-cow pose:

• Take a position on all your fours. Make sure the knees are under the hips and hands under the shoulders.
• Engage the abs, and push your back towards the ceiling while allowing your head to move in towards your chest. Hold the position for a few seconds.
• Allow your spine to back down, and move your stomach to go towards the floor while moving your head up. Hold the position for a few seconds.
• Continue to alternate between both poses.

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#5 Garland pose

Yoga for morning activates the muscles and keeps you energetic. (Photo via Pexels/olia danilevich)

The garland pose is another very beneficial yoga for morning that helps open up the hips, ankles and thighs. This asana gently stretches the lower hamstring, neck, and back, and strengthens the abdominal muscles too. The garland pose is an effective pose for prenatal yoga.

To do a garland pose:

• Stand straight with your feet together and hands in the front.
• Squat down as low as you can with your feet close together and toes pointed outwards.
• Allow your upper body to fall between your thighs, and press your elbows against your knees to deepen the stretch.
• Keep your chest up and tailbone pressed towards the floor throughout the pose.

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Yoga for morning can be a beneficial and refreshing way to wake up and prepare your muscles for the day ahead. Studies suggest that yoga in the morning can keep the body and mind healthy and ward off anxiety and depression too.