Do you feel zeal-less most mornings? Do you just want to curl up in your bed and do nothing at the very start of your day? Well, that is what we are going to talk about: morning blues. This term doesn’t have anything to do with the color blue; here blue just means feeling sad or uninterested to do any work. The term morning blues and Monday blues are co-incited with the same meaning. Where Monday blues refer to the sad feeling employees develop over the weekend, uninterested in joining work from Monday, morning blues is the overall, general term defined for any day of the week or most of the week.

How does yoga help to release this feeling?

Yoga can be replaced by your unhelpful habits as a better replacement for the clarity of your mind and body. It releases endorphins (happy hormones), making your body a happy place to live in. Yoga not only relieves the stress hormones but also helps in losing weight.

Losing weight with yoga is very easy also it stretches the body, improves the flexibility and helps burn the abdominal fats which get stored in the body. It is the most trusted and traditional way of toning body which leaves its effects for a long term.

Yoga does not only mean asanas, and it is always being looked at as one of the weight loss exercises. Yoga was first described in the classic Yoga Sutra, in which 196 approaches are included in yoga.

Asanas are just one of its 196 approaches written. Many other approaches include diet changing, sounds, meditation, visualization, lifestyle changes and many other. It is a wholesome life-changing experience.

It can improve many health conditions such as lower back pain, indigestion problems, migraines, etc. A few yoga poses like Supine twist, Sphinx Pose and Cat and cow pose helps in easing those crams in the thighs and lower back pains. It helps to meditate and thus reduces a migraine.

There are various other benefits of yoga as well. It improves muscle strength which helps in preventing arthritis and chronic pains, improves flexibility in body, helps in perfecting your posture, prevents joint breakdown,  increases blood flow, improves bone strength, relieves of body pains, boosts immunity, lowers the sugar levels, regulates the glands in the body.

It is an excellent source of concentration. It helps your getting restful sleep, maintaining your nervous system. Most importantly, it gives you peace of mind.

Yoga includes some yoga poses like the Lotus Pose, standing forward bend, the fish pose, etc. to calm your mind and relieve stress.

Why Yoga is such talked about a practice that even the Westerners has adopted it as a holistic approach, according to one NCBI report? Let’s find out, how it helps us out of our morning blues.

1. Surya Namaskar

Traditionally, Surya Namaskar was being done to welcome the sun at the beginning of the day. It was allowed to settle down in the rhythm of our lives and direct the flow of our work. This part of nature is a reminder of our natural state, rejuvenating our mind and soul completely.

2. Naukasana or the Boat Pose

It concentrates on the abdomen area as the pressure that builds up in at the core. It is a great position to shed the fat on abdomen quickly. For this, you have to lie down on the mat. Inhale as you bring your upper body and legs upwards, keeping the midriff on the floor for balancing. Straighten your arms towards the sides. Exhale as you go down.

Precautions: In case you are suffering from insomnia, hernia or spinal injuries, you should avoid doing this asana.

3. Utthita Parsvakonasana or the Extended Side Angle Pose

This pose concentrates on thighs, arms and muscle strength. Stand straight on the mat. Part your feet for about 3.5 to 4 feet. Now turn your right foot towards the outside and bend the knee so that your lower leg is on 90 degrees with the floor.

Slightly turn your left foot inwards. Now move your upper body towards the right folded knee. Drop your right hand straight on the floor and extend your left hand over your head. Look up to your left arm.

Precautions: Don’t look up if you are suffering from backaches or and headaches.

4. Purvottanasana or Upward Plank Pose

As a beginner, practice with a chair. Hold the edge of the chair and with its help; lift your pelvis above the ground. Inhale and extend each leg towards outside.

On the mat, sit in a staff pose with your hands a few inches away from hips, turned inwards. Bend your knees with your toes turned outwards. Now lift your bottom balancing on your hands and feet. Inhale and extend each one of your legs.

Precautions: It may cause wrist injury if not done properly. In case you have a neck injury, give your neck support of chair seat or wall.

5. Paschimottanasana or Seated Forward Bent

It helps to align your mind as well as those hamstrings. Sit on the mat with your legs extended in front of you. Pinch your toes inwards and push your heels outwards. Keep your upper torso straight.

Now with your extended arms, reach to touch your toes. Do not bend from the waist; bend from the hip joints, keeping your spinal cord straight.

Precautions: Do not perform this asana in case of asthma or diarrhea. In case of back injury, make sure you take guidance from some expert.

6. Matsyasana or the Fish Pose

This helps in shedding the fats that have been deposited in the abdomen or thighs. To do this asana, lie down on the mat and straighten your back. Now extend your feet towards outside and keep your head facing upside, on the mat.

Place your hands beneath your hips and lift your body up, inhaling and exhale while bringing it down. Do not lift your head up.

Precautions: Avoid in case of a hernia, blood pressure, migraine or if you are menstruating.

7. Anantasana or Vishnu’s Couch Pose

It tones the arms and abdominal muscles. It improves blood circulation and digestion. For this, you have to lie on the mat sideways. Now extend the upper leg in the air at 90 degrees from your waist.

Give support to your head with one hand and reach out for the extended leg with the other as shown in the below image.

Precautions: In case of any problem in your neck or hips, it is suggested to consult an expert.

8. Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose

It is the most important pose in Surya Namaskar. It stretches your upper body, working on the core and arms, giving relief to mind. Lie on your stomach and stretch your legs outwards. Now with the help of your hands, bring the upper body upwards stretching it to its limits.

Precautions: Pregnant women are told to avoid this asana.

Conclusion

These days, the adverse effect on our immune system is majorly from the stress. Stress causes migraine and leads to many mental and physical problems in our body.

Yoga has an overall approach towards improving physical strength and relaxing mind and body. An hour of yoga can keep the body and soul at peace throughout the day, making us happier and motivated to work without lethargy.

It is said that if a person gets into a habit to do yoga for 21 days continuously, he or she can continue it even for a year. Why don’t we give it a chance to change our lives and perspective?