I want to congratulate all of you for taking a very important step towards fitness and wellness for the mind and body by deciding to incorporate a consistent yoga practice with us at Inner Strength. Research shows that in order for us to harness the benefits, there has to be consistency. Although consistent practice at anytime is beneficial, there are many more reasons one should practice in the morning.
Being a father of two wonderful children, practicing in the morning has become especially challenging for a few reasons. My partner Felicia not only needs me there, but I want to be there for their mornings. I find incredible joy in the process of getting the kids up, fed, washed and ready for school.
I know not all of you reading this are parents, but I do know that we all have responsibilities that constantly press upon us. Sometimes the things that we love so much, without life management, can be the biggest source of stress. What we’ve found is, practicing 2 x a week allows us to teeter on that fine line of balance. If the schedule opens up and we are able to get 2 + classes a week, then all the better.
We’ve also found that any kind of reinforcement of our commitment to practice is always welcome. Through my research and studies, I'd like to share with you some of my findings around a.m. practices.
- Early Morning Yoga Regulates Your Sleep Rhythm & Balances Hormones-
Once we make practicing yoga in the morning a habit, our body becomes accustomed to getting up at the same time each day. You will feel less inertia and more motivated and alert, supporting our need to get to class. The physical benefits while practicing like breathing and focusing all positively affect the endocrines system which maintains glands, hormones and balance.
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Early Morning Yoga Helps to Build a Healthy, Consistent Routine-
Research shows 90% of those who regularly exercise more than 3x a week are morning practitioners. Having a morning routine encourages mental, emotional and spiritual support for sustainability. When we practice in the morning, potentially, the hardest part of your day is behind you.
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Early Morning Yoga Creates a More Peaceful, Calm & Grounding Day-
Your time invested can help set the tone for your entire day ahead. What’s more important than beginning from calm and center when we head out into the sometimes chaotic day? Our breath and energy is full and available for that traffic jam, rude person or negative person at work. Our vibratory frequency starts to increase and others can sense that! The world may begin to reflect back to us as well. Love is a higher vibration, or frequency, and a consistent yoga practice will help attune us to this frequency. As you may have experienced, an early morning practice helps us be more peaceful, calm and grounded throughout the day.
- Early Morning Yoga Increases The Metabolic Furnace!
The rigorous style of yoga we practice speeds up the metabolic rate, which means that you are a calorie burning star all day long! The practice improves digestion and encourages circulation of valuable nutrition to the entire body. Once we start to see and FEEL the benefits, we begin to make better nutritional choices and it reinforces the entire process.
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Early Morning Yoga is a Great Caffeine Alternative-
Listen, I’m a coffee drinker and love the stuff! However, all of the breathing we do on the mat stimulated the body and mind. This process awakens the brain without the potential swings of energy from too much caffeine.
If you’re not an early morning person, or you have not yet tried to incorporate a consistent early morning yoga practice, I highly recommend you give it a go for 4-8 weeks. Give it a go and see for yourself how the quality of life shifts. Please also know that these benefits I’ve listed, to a greater or lesser degree, will all be met with a consistent yoga practice any time of day.