There are some mornings when I spring out of bed, pumped and ready to start my day. I make my bed, put on a workout outfit, make breakfast, and start my day with a smile. You roll out of bed, yawn, wipe the sleep from your eyes, hit the brew button on the coffeemaker, and start getting ready for work. This is how I used to start every morning. I am a night owl and I have always had trouble waking up early and being productive. If it were up to me, I would rather scroll through Instagram under my blankets than start my day. However, there are some mornings when I spring out of bed, pumped and ready to start my day. I make my bed, put on a workout outfit, make breakfast, and start my day with a smile.
It feels great, it's an incredibly healthy way to begin your day, and it might just be the motivation you need to actually become a morning person.” I used to just scroll aimlessly through my phone in the morning, but I realized that I was getting tired and unprepared for work. So, I decided to change my morning routine to include journaling, reading, and stretching. Dana VanPamelen, co-founder of Hit House in New York City, says that stretching in the morning is a great way to start your day.
Even a short 10 minute break to enjoy a cup of coffee can help put you into a better mood and routine for the morning.
I only wanted to do stretches that were recommended by an expert so that I would feel like I was accomplishing something, not just aimlessly moving around on a yoga mat at 7 in the morning. Luckily, some wellness experts were willing to share some advice on the benefits of morning stretches.
Karen Rausch, a physical therapist, explains that just as our bodies need sleep to recover from the day and heal our muscles, we also need to move around in the morning to release the connective tissues that have been accumulating between our muscles while we're at rest.
After consulting with three fitness professionals, including Openfit trainer Julian Daigre, I've compiled a list of the 11 best morning stretches to help you start your day off right.
Knees-to-Chest Stretch
This classic stretch is a great one to start with, according to Rausch. She says that “this movement also safely stretches the lower back and helps reduce lower-back pain,” and that “drawing the knees into the chest encourages blood flow to the vital organs, reduces bloating, and stimulates digestion.”
- Lie on your back, and gently draw your knees to your chest.
- Hold for 15–30 seconds. Repeat 2–3 times.
Supine Twist Stretch
Raush says that when you don't have a lot of time, it's important to do exercises that target multiple body parts and offer multiple benefits. The supine twist hits your back, hips, and glutes all at once, and also can help open your chest, restore the spine's natural range of motion, and lengthen your waist. Additionally, twists can massage your organs, release toxins, and strengthen your abdominal muscles.
- Lie on your back, and turn your pelvis so that one leg falls over the other.
- Turn your head in the same direction as your top leg.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Supine Butterfly Stretch
“I love this stretch because it just feels very open. When we are open, we are more willing to give and receive,” says Rausch. “Starting the day in this position not only helps create more space in the groin, knees, and hips but also can help create space in the heart. Not to mention, this pose has been known to relieve fatigue and increase overall energy levels.”
- Lie on your back, and draw your feet up toward your pelvic area.
- Bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your legs to fall open with your knees going out to each side.
- Hold 15–30 seconds, and then release.
Glute Bridge
If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, the glute bridge stretch can become your new best friend. Not only does it open up the hips and stretch the hip flexors, but it may also help strengthen the glutes and hamstrings.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart with the soles flat on the floor.
- Straighten your arms, palms down, along your torso toward your feet.
- Lift your hips up by pressing through your feet and squeezing your glutes.
- Take a few deep breaths, then slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
Child's Pose
Extended Triangle Pose is a great way to lengthen your spine and stretch your shoulders, back and chest.
- Kneel down with your knees hip-width apart and your feet coming together behind you.
- Exhale while lowering your torso to rest on your thighs as you sit your butt back toward your feet.
- Straighten your arms past your head and reach forward, palms down, as far as you can, concentrating on extending your spine.
Neck Stretch
VanPamelen recommends a simple neck stretch to release any tension that may have built up from sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Just be gentle because most of us are usually quite stiff in the morning, and you don't want to cause injury.
- Slowly and gently bring your left ear down toward your left shoulder.
- Use your left hand to gently pull the right side of your head toward your left shoulder to bring the left ear and shoulder closer together.
- Hold for 15 seconds, breathing deeply and slowly.
- Repeat on the other side, using your right arm.
Cat-Cow
The cat-cow stretch is a great way to stretch your spine, hips, neck, and core muscles. It got its name from the way it alternates between two postures, each resembling one of the animals. I was really on board with this stretch because I love cats, and it also feels great.
- Kneel on all fours so that your hands are on the ground under your shoulders and your knees are on the ground under your hips.
- Start with a flat back and neutral spine.
- Engage your abdominals as you inhale deeply.
- Exhale while drawing your navel toward your spine and rounding your spine up toward the ceiling.
- Bring your chin gently to your chest.
- Inhale while arching your back and lifting your head and tailbone toward the ceiling.
- Repeat up to 10 times.
Seated Oblique Stretch
VanPamelen says that this stretch elongates your spine and targets your rib cage and obliques.
- Sit cross-legged.
- Lace your fingers together (with your palms facing upward), and raise your arms up above your head to elongate your spine.
- Slowly lean to one side, and hold for a few breaths.
- Repeat, leaning to the other side.
Side Quad Stretch
To stretch your quads in the morning, VanPamelen recommends lying down on your stomach and reaching back to grab your ankle. “I like to do this one because you can really feel the stretch in the front of your quad,” she says. According to VanPamelen, stretching your quads in the morning can be helpful because we use them all day. She recommends doing the stretch while lying down on your stomach and reaching back to grab your ankle.
- Lie on one side, with your bottom arm straight underneath your head.
- Bend your top leg, but keep your bottom leg straight and align your knees.
- Activate your glutes as you gently pull your top foot closer to your butt using your top arm. Your knees should stay together.
- Hold for at least 15 seconds, release, then roll over to switch sides.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
This yoga pose, called Mountain pose, is a great way to start your morning. You'll open your chest, stretch your hamstrings, and elongate your spine.
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- Stand with the bases of your big toes together and your heels slightly apart.
- Rock onto your heels so that you can lift your toes and the balls of your feet.
- Fully spread and fan out your toes as they are elevated, and then lay them comfortably spaced back on the floor.
- Make sure your weight is well-balanced between your two feet.
- Contract your quads to lift your kneecaps, and allow your inner thighs to rotate slightly inward.
- Contract your pelvic floor muscles and abdominals so that your body is nice and tall.
- Take a deep breath, broadening your collarbones and drawing your shoulder blades back.
- Relax your face, and imagine the crown of your head reaching up high to the sky as you elongate your spine.
Forward Fold Stretch
The best way to end a morning stretch sequence is with a classic forward fold. This stretch is perfect for setting your daily intentions because it is a place of rest and reflection. Yoga experts know that this stretch also releases your lower back and stretches your hamstrings.
- Stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge at your hips so that your upper body hangs down over your legs.
- Place your hands where they comfortably land (floor, legs, or ankles).
- Hold while taking deep breaths, gently swaying back and forth from one side to the other, and nodding your head “yes” and shaking your head “no.”
- To return to standing, draw your navel toward your spine, and slowly roll up one vertebra at a time.
Mobility Routine Benefits
- Improves Joint Range Of Motion
If you don’t use the range of motion of your joints, you lose it. Losing joint range of motion over time has consequences that may include arthritis, low-back pain, loss of muscle mass, and increased stiffness. - Build Exceptional Strength
The more flexible you become, the more you build your strength potential. A prerequisite for exceptional strength is exceptional flexibility. - Longevity
If you want to be able to bend down and pick up your grandkids easily when you are 85 years old, mobility is key. Practicing daily mobility is anti-aging since movement is the only true antidote to our modern sedentary lives.
Although stretching may not be the most exciting way to start your day, it is very beneficial and can help you avoid injury. Go at your own pace and listen to your body to determine how far to stretch.
“Always use the breath. It's a powerful tool to help relieve muscle tension, reduce pain, and will allow you to surrender and safely move deeper into the stretch,” she says. “Diaphragmatic breathing (aka focused belly breathing) is an approachable practice for anyone and a great way to learn how to breathe more fully and consciously. As you are in your stretch, simply focus the attention on expanding the belly on your inhale and gently contracting the belly on your exhale.”
Even if you only have time for one stretch in the morning, it is still beneficial for your physical and mental health, according to Bullock. Ideally, you should perform five stretches, focusing on tight areas or one for each major area of the body: hips, lower back, spine, chest, neck. If you don't have time for the full routine, child's pose, cat-cow, and the forward fold are good stretches to do.
Don't rush through the pose, no matter how tired or pressed for time you may feel. Hold the pose and give your body the time it needs to respond to the stretch.
