Make It Count: The Best Three Morning Stretches

When you’ve just woken up, do you open your eyes, do a flip out of bed, land in a superhero pose, and do an hour of physical training? No?

The good news is, you don’t have to! Because even very short daily stretching sessions are more effective than occasional long ones:

Just do literally a few minutes (in total) each day!

Even just 20–30 seconds of each (each side) per day is enough for progress:

1. Camel pose sweeps: dynamically stretch the hip flexors, abdominals, chest, and shoulders by sweeping one arm up while lifting your hips; this stimulates the nervous system by exposing vital organs, increasing adrenaline and energy*
2. Lunge and hamstring sequence: start in a low lunge to open your hips and chest, then shift backwards into a hamstring stretch; alternate these movements to increase your flexibility and energy
3. Twisting side body lift: seated with one leg bent, twist towards your bent leg, lift your hips and sweep your arm overhead, then lower into a side bend; this stretches the side of your body and boosts endorphin levels too, which is good at any time, but especially first thing in the morning

*The reason this works this way is because it counteracts fetal-like sleeping posture; mild activation of the nervous system mimics the body’s natural survival response, promoting alertness without real danger—basically, it’s the gentle yoga asana equivalent of a cold shower!

For more on all of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

Stiff Joints? Do These 3 Stretches Every Morning To Avoid Pain ← an alternative set, if your goal for now is more restorative than progressive

Take care!