When Should I Practice Yoga — Morning, Noon or Night?
Amongst the many great things about yoga is its accessibility. It does not require equipment, aside from perhaps a mat, and can be practised anytime, anywhere. All you need is a few minutes to set aside and focus on improving your physical and mental wellbeing.
More experienced yogis will know that while yoga in Mornington can be practised as soon as you wake up or before you go to sleep, the type of exercise you should engage in can differ significantly depending on the time of day as well as your personal goals. Understanding this can help you get the most out of your yoga practice.
Morning yoga
There are few better ways to start the day than with exercise. It’s certainly a better choice for your physical and mental health than going straight to your phone to check social media or the news.
Exercising in the morning is also a great strategy if you’re trying to build healthy habits. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of ticking off your daily goal before you’ve even had breakfast! Exercise can actually increase our energy levels, meaning the best way to prepare for a jam packed day is by starting it with movement.
Yoga is an ancient form of exercise and has always been linked with the sun. Traditionally, the practice of surya namaskar (sun salutations) has been performed at sunrise, the idea being that you greet the sun and share your appreciation for its life-giving power. Morning yoga should therefore be about gently waking your body up, stretching weary muscles, and granting yourself a few moments of calm to start the day.
Noon yoga
If you’ve had a busy morning, whether in the office or rushing around the house, the last thing you probably feel like doing is adding another item to the to-do list. However, taking just a few minutes out of your busy schedule to switch off and stretch could be the difference between a calm, productive afternoon and one full of stress and anxiety.
There are plenty of studios that offer lunchtime yoga to busy workers. Or, perhaps you could talk to your employer about running a weekly corporate yoga class at lunch for the whole office to participate? If you’re at home, some private yoga teachers will even travel to you, meaning you don’t have to worry about travel time or organising someone to look after your kids.
Most types of yoga are suitable for your lunch break. Perhaps avoid any that are too strenuous and likely to make you sweat — a calm flow may be more appropriate.
Evening yoga
Many people believe the evening is the best time of day to practise yoga. It certainly has its benefits, particularly if you’ve had a stressful day or are someone who routinely struggles to fall asleep.
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of health. A lack of sleep can cause high blood pressure, depression, reduced immune system functioning, reduced alertness, and a shorter attention span, and puts you at risk for any number of chronic health conditions. Unfortunately, the stress of modern-day life means that many of us struggle to switch off at the end of the day.
Yoga is an excellent way of calming both your body and mind, preparing you for sleep. Evening yoga tends to be quite gentle and is designed to help relieve tension that may have built up over the day. Building a routine where you spend ten to fifteen minutes every night stretching and focusing on your breathing can improve both the quantity and quality of your sleep.
Mount Martha Yoga — private, tailored yoga lessons
While you could follow a YouTube video or attend yoga classes at your local gym, nothing can replace the level of expertise that comes from taking private yoga lessons. Mount Martha Yoga offers private and semi-private yoga in Mornington for people of all ages and abilities. Emily is passionate about helping her students improve their mental and physical health and can tailor lessons to suit your needs and goals.
Private yoga lessons help facilitate rapid improvements in your ability and overall health and wellbeing. For those located in Mornington and searching for “yoga near me,” Emily teaches from a beautiful studio in the foothills of Mount Martha but also travels to students, making it easy to fit a yoga lesson into your busy schedule.
For more information, contact Mount Martha Yoga today.
