Morning Yoga Routine to Feel Fresh
Although many people think of CBD as a supplement best used at night, more and more people are starting to realize that small doses of CBD in the morning can also help you start your day feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
While a large dose may sometimes leave you a bit groggy, a half dropper or full dropper of CBD oil (depending on your body and preferences) can soothe morning anxiety and coffee jitters, giving you a calm and collected feeling to start your day on the right foot.
Reducing the amount of anxiety you feel first thing in the morning can have amazing side effects such as; giving you the headspace to be better focused on tasks throughout the day, improving and encouraging a healthy appetite, and soothing acne and other skin conditions caused by stress.
Try this: start your day with a morning yoga stretch to wake up your body and ease small aches and soreness from sleeping, then add a half dropper of CBD oil to your morning coffee, matcha, or tea to to start the day with a fresh, stress-free outlook.
Begin Your Morning Yoga Routine
Prepare your space by letting in natural light and finding somewhere where you can comfortably stretch undisturbed. This is also a great time to start brewing your morning coffee or tea so that it’s ready to go when you’re done. If you have a yoga mat or a blanket to practice on, you can lay it down on the floor beneath you.
Breathe
Come to stand at the top of your mat and lightly close down through your eyes. Turn your focus towards your breath. Start to breathe in and out the nose, with your mouth lightly closed. Imagine that you are trying to fog up a window with the breath coming out your nose - it may sound a bit like waves on the shore at the ocean. If this is comfortable for you, continue to breathe in this manner throughout your yoga routine. Otherwise, return to a comfortable breathing rhythm.
Standing Side Stretches
Blink your eyes open and lift your hands up and overhead. Bring your right hand around your left wrist and begin to shift your hips to the left as your fingers reach towards the right. Your body will create a “crescent moon” shape. Bring your hands up through center, release the grip, and repeat on the other side (switching your grip so that your left hand is around your right wrist this time). Hold each side for one round of breath.
Forward Fold
Hinging at your hips, fold down to reach your fingers towards your toes. Keep a little bend in your knees here (to avoid locking at the knees). Let your hands dangle loosely. If you notice any tension in your neck and upper back, gently nod your head as if you were saying “yes” and “no”. Hold for five breaths.
Plank Pose
Bring your hands on the ground, spread your fingers wide, and step your toes back into a plank. You should feel your back muscles and lower abdominals engage. Your hips are settled into the same diagonal line as your heels and shoulders (i.e. not tucked up towards the ceiling or dipping down towards the ground). Hold for 1-3 rounds of breath.
Cobra pose
Lower your body onto the ground belly first and release your forehead down. Bring your palms to the ground on either side of your ribcage but keep your elbows in tight so that they point up towards the ceiling (they may want to splay out). Keeping your big toes together, lift your head and shoulders up, peeling your chest up off the floor. Bring your forehead back to the mat and repeat two more times.
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
From cobra pose, lower your forehead, press your palms into the ground on either side of your ribcage, tuck your toes, and press up to all fours. From there, lift your knees off the ground and press your hips to the sky while straightening through arms and legs. You’ll feel a deep stretch through your calves and the backs of your legs as your heels reach towards the ground behind you (they may not touch - that’s okay!) Hold for three breaths.
Low Lunge
From downward-facing dog pose, step your right foot between your hands. Drop your back knee to the ground and lift your hands up and overhead. Your front knee should be at a ninety-degree angle while your back leg extends behind you. Breathe into the stretch for at least a full round of breath. Option: for an IT band stretch bring your right hand around your left wrist and reach your fingers towards the right side.
Simple Twist
From low lunge, bring your left hand to the ground inside your right foot (but with a few inches of distance). Lift your right hand towards the ceiling, then tuck your back toes and lift your back knee. Your gaze can turn towards the right side or (if it’s comfortable in your neck) all the way up towards your lifted fingertips. Hold for two rounds of breath.
Repeat for the other side
Bring both hands to frame your front foot and step back to your high plank. Repeat the sequence beginning in high plank - cobra - downward-facing dog - low lunge - simple twist. Use the left foot forward in low lunge and simple twist this time.
Finish
From your simple twist on the second side, step back to a high plank and then press your hips up for a downward-facing dog. Step or jump your feet towards your hands, coming to a forward fold at the top of the mat and roll your way up to stand. Take a big deep breath in your nose and exhale out your mouth.
Once your coffee or tea is finished brewing, add your CBD oil to your morning beverage and carry on with the rest of your day!
Post Crafted By: Ruby LaBrusciano-Carris
Ruby is a yoga teacher, avid hiker, and freelance marketing and brand strategist based out of Portland, OR. When she’s not working on her laptop in one of Portland’s numerous coffee shops, you can expect to find her on the mountains, on her yoga mat, or scheming on a new adventure. See her website here.