Energize Your Morning

Mornings...the dreaded buzz of the alarm going off or hearing the pitter patter of little feet coming into the bedroom.  Through squinting eyes, you try to bring the clock into focus.  Can it really be 6:00 am already?  Shaking off the morning fog and getting the blood flowing can be a slow moving process for many.  Here is a quick routine that is less than 5 minutes, will help move things along and get you ready to face the day.

1.  Sit up in bed, cross legged or legs straight.
2.  Making sure your sitting up nice and tall, eyes closed, take a deep breath in through the nose.
3.  Slowly open the eyes while exhaling slowly through the mouth.
4.  Again, inhale slowly through the nose while raising both arms above the head.
5.  Interlace the fingers while above the head, really reaching through your sides.
6.  With arms still overhead, exhale slowly through the mouth while gently leaning towards the right.
7.  Inhaling through the nose, bringing the back in a straight line again and bringing the arms and hands back to the center overhead.
8.  With arms still overhead, exhale slowly through the mouth while gently leaning towards the left.
9. Inhaling through the nose, bringing the back in a straight line again and bringing the arms and hands back to the center overhead.
10.  Exhaling through the mouth, slowly bring the arms back down by your sides.
11.  Slowly swing both legs to the side, bringing the feet to the floor but still sitting in bed.  Slide your bottom to the edge of the bed, extend the legs out with the heels on the floor.  (If there is a slight bend in the knees that is fine).
12.  Inhale, bringing the arms overhead, slowly leaning forward and down, reaching the hands towards the feet (the hands do not have to touch the feet, remember this is just getting the blood flowing).  Hold for 3-4 breaths.
13.  Inhaling slowly walk the hands up the legs while bringing the spine upright.
14.  Still sitting on the edge, bring the feet flat on the floor, knees bent.  On your next exhale, turn the upper body towards the right, placing the right palm on the bed behind you, left palm placed on your right thigh.  Hold for 3-4 breaths.
15.  On an exhale, turning the body center, hands by the sides.
16.  Repeat the twist on the opposite side, again holding for 3-4 breaths, return the body to center.
17.  Place the right ankle on the left knee, hands can rest on the upper thighs and lean forward slightly, just enough to feel the stretch, hold for 3-4 breaths.
18.  Inhale bring the body upright, using your hands, remove the right ankle and repeat on the opposite side.
19.  Return feet flat on the floor, knees bent.  Inhale through the nose, bringing the arms overhead for one last stretch through the sides and back.
20.  Exhale, slowly lowering the arms to the sides.  Slowly standing up and be on your way for the day.

Next time I am hoping to have a video to go along with any routines.  This one is pretty easy to remember once you read over it.  If you would like a longer routine, you can repeat the entire series 2-3 times or you can add your own moves to it.  Just keep in mind, listen to your body, go slow and enjoy the flow.