Picture this: you wake up to the sound of your alarm clock going off. Is it time to get up already? It feels like you just fell asleep! 

Now, you can choose to stay under your covers and attempt to get a few extra minutes of sleep, or you can energize yourself and get started on the right foot. 

We recommend the second one, as staying in bed and snoozing your alarm can make you feel foggy and tired throughout the day. If you get up right after your alarm goes off, you're usually at the end of your last REM cycle. When you snooze and fall back asleep, you're most likely to wake up again in the middle of another REM cycle once the alarm goes off a second time. You'll feel even more disoriented and groggy, as your sleep cycle has been fragmented.

So, the first step is to drink a full glass of water after you turn off your alarm! Drinking water in the morning helps flush out the toxins that build up in your body overnight, along with increasing your energy levels, as water increases our red blood cell counts, leading to more oxygen in the brain. 

Once you're hydrated, it's time to start moving lightly to get the fluid, blood, and nutrients flowing throughout your body. 

A light dynamic stretch is recommended versus static stretching, as you'll want to ensure you warm your muscles up correctly. While sleeping, your muscles tend to shorten and tighten up. You'll need to ease into movement instead of frantically jumping out of bed and grabbing your coffee on the way out. 

You'll improve mobility, flexibility, and posture by stretching your body in gentle, repetitive movements. Not only does stretching feel good, but it also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you feel calmer and more relaxed as you start your day. Your body will be able to better deal with stress if you take just a few moments each morning to tune in to its needs.

These stretching exercises will take you less than 10 minutes and will have you ready to take on any day! We recommend rolling out a yoga mat to perform these exercises, but if needed, you can also use your bed as a base.

Cat-Cow

1. Start on all fours with your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees.
2. Inhale slowly, and then, on the exhale, round your spine and drop your head toward the floor.
3. Inhale and lift your head, chest, and tailbone toward the ceiling as you arch your back.
4. Repeat this movement pattern 5 to 10 times slowly.

Bird Dog Crunch

1. Start on all fours with your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees.
2. Extend your right arm forward and left leg back, maintaining a flat back and keeping your hips in line with the floor, driving your back foot to the wall behind you.
3. Squeeze your abs and draw your right elbow and left knee in to meet near the center of your body.
4. Reverse the movement and extend your arm and leg back out. Keep your left foot flexed. 
5. Continue this movement for 15 repetitions, then switch sides. Complete the move using your left arm and right leg for another 15 repetitions.

Lower Body Twist

1. Lie on your back, facing the ceiling. 
2. Raise your knees and legs, so the lower half of your body makes a 45-degree angle. 
3. Keep your ankles together and lower your knees to the right side of your body. 
4. Pause, raise them back up to the middle, and pause again.
5. Lower your knees to the left side of your body, pause, and then return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat 5 to 10 times. 

After these three exercises, you'll want to stand up for a full-body stretch.

Fingers to Toes Body-Lengthening Stretch

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart from one another. Bring your right arm up over your head. Shift your weight onto your left leg as you stretch your fingers up and over your left shoulder. (If you need to balance yourself, hold on to the wall or a chair.)
2. Reach your foot further to the right to deepen the stretch from your right leg to your right fingertips. 
3. With an even motion, repeat the same movement on the other side. 
4. Slowly switch back and forth between sides 5 to 10 times.

Your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Be intentional about starting your day energized, motivated, and in good spirits, and you'll see how each day will be an incredible day! 

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