Sundays are made for slow mornings and a little bed yoga before brunch. Give yourself permission to ditch your lineup of alarms and indulge in the ease of a lazy weekend morning in bed. This simple bed yoga routine from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s bestie and yogi, Claire Grieve, is designed to take place once you wake and before you even roll out of bed. Set yourself up for a day of feeling light, grounded and gorgeously present. Cancel your class and give this yoga flow a go…
Sunday is my day to rest and rejuvenate. I take self-care very seriously and do my best to disconnect from the world and reconnect to myself for a few hours in the morning on this luscious day. I do a yoga and meditation practice every day before leaving the house. On Sunday, while I’m savoring every moment of my self-care, I actually do a flow from my bed. No matter where I am, a regular morning practice helps me to feel fresh and energized. A morning yoga practice can also have many physical benefits like increased flexibility, better metabolism, digestion stimulation, balanced hormones and more.
Bed Yoga Poses To Start Your Day Off Right
Reclined Twist | Twists can get your blood flowing and digestion moving, which can help you start the day with fresh energy.
How to: Lie on your back. Bring one knee into your chest and pull it across your body with the opposite hand. On each inhale, lengthen your spine. On each exhale, twist further into the pose. Repeat for 10 deep breaths.
Puppy Dog | This pose helps to stretch the spine, calm your mind and energize your body for the day.
How to: Start on all fours. Place your forearms on the ground as if you are going to release into child’s pose, but leave your tush up in the air. Breathe and deepen the stretch into your chest.
Cat-Cow | This pose can warm up your spine and activate your energy centers.
How to: Start on all fours. On an inhale, arch your back, lift your chin and open your chest. On an exhale, look back toward your belly button and curve your spine.
Camel Pose | This pose is a simple backbend that allows for deeper oxygen flow and boosts energy.
How to: Begin with your knees on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Tuck your toes under and align your hips over your knees. Rest your hands on the back of your pelvis with your fingers facing down, lengthening your tailbone. Lean and reach back holding onto each heel. Lift through the pelvis, keeping your spine long. Keep your head neutral so you don’t strain your neck. Hold for 30 seconds.
Pigeon Pose | This pose provides a deep stretch for your glutes and psoas muscles, which can help relieve back pain. It is also a simple, effective way to release any emotional junk you have been holding onto so you can start your day on a positive note.
How to: Starting in downward facing dog, bring your right knee forward and place it in line with your right hand. Your shin should be parallel with the front of your mat. Extend your left leg back and rest your knee and top of your foot on the ground. Square your hips and fold forward resting your forehead on your hands. Hold for 2 to 5 minutes on each side.
Reclined Goddess Pose | This pose helps curtail fatigue, insomnia, stress and mild depression. It is the pose to help start your day cool, calm and collected.
How to: Place your feet together in butterfly pose, lay back and breathe into this luscious restorative pose for up to 30 minutes.
Seated Meditation | Beginning your day with meditation will help you set an intention for the day.
How to: To start, sit comfortably, close your eyes and take a few moments to check in and notice how you feel. Be kind to yourself, as every day is different. Scan your body from head to toe and notice areas you may be holding onto tensions and tightness. Next, begin to notice and observe your breath. Focus your inhale on areas where you feel that you have built up tension from the day—hips and shoulders are the most common areas of tension. On the exhale, release everything built up in these areas.
I always tell my clients to keep in mind that a yoga practice isn’t one size fits all. Some days, you’ll need a powerful energizing class and some days you need a luscious yoga flow that you can practice while still in bed. The important thing is that you listen to your body and your natural cycles to find the movements that work best for you.
Ready to get out of bed? Discover more easy yoga flows from Claire here.