So if like me you're an exercise-mad early bird, getting out of bed in the morning isn't a chore when you know a workout is on the breakfast menu!
That's not to say that I don't enjoy exercise for lunch, tea and supper too but I just feel more alert and ready to rock early in the morning. Somebody once told me it was down to my circadian rhythm, which basically means we all have an internal body clock or to be a bit more sciencey 'a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours'.
So why am I yacking on about this; circadian rhythms are important in determining your natural sleeping and feeding patterns. Brain wave activity, hormone production, cell regeneration, and other important biological processes are determined by this cycle.
At R1SE we offer classes from 6.30am to 8.30pm so there should be something for everyone whether you're an early r1ser or a night hawk. While research supports both morning and evening workouts, your best bet is to pick a routine that aligns with your long-term fitness goals, as well as something you can stick with. If you feel like you’d fit into one category more than the other, then that’s most likely the better option for you.
Specifically thinking about our classes here at the R1SE studio though, I know we have a core early morning crew who like to give themselves a boost before they head off to work for the day. In fact your overall health can be improved by an early morning fitness routine as it can rev up the metabolism and jumpstart the furnace within and put a happy head on your shoulders for the rest of the day.
Having a good night's kip however, is also something to consider, you want the body to feel fresh and prepared, ready and raring to go. Moving your body helps to regulate processes of all kinds, and releases chemicals which help homeostasis and proper maintenance so it's an amazing way to look after your mental health too.
You've probably heard Chris and I rattling on about habits but it's been proven that morning workouts are the way to go to ensure consistency. Once you make practicing yoga in the morning a habit, your body becomes accustomed to getting up at the same time each day. This means you will awake feeling more energised and alert. The hardest part is getting out of bed but once your feet hit the floor and you pull your Lycra on you're off and the rest will take care of itself!
Most of us live busy lives, and our time is valuable. It is understandably tough to fit in a yoga class during your busy day, and by the evening, things may come up that prevent you from practicing, or you're just feeling too tired. Doing your practice first thing in the morning provides outstanding relief. Just imagine having your yoga practice and your exercise completely done with before 8 am! The feeling of self-empowerment that comes from being disciplined in your routine, brings increased mental strength into other areas of your life as well. Early morning yoga can help to build a healthy, consistent routine to your yoga practice.
It's a myth (well as far as I'm concerned) that yoga instructors wake up all bendy wendy hence why I need time to wake my body up in the morning. Yoga lengthens and stretches our tight bodies, preparing us for all movement throughout the day. For those of us that sit at a desk, yoga poses in the morning counter those hours we spend sedentary. Yoga increases spinal flexibility and encourages better posture. The poses we hold when we first wake up, will set our muscle memory into effect for standing taller and walking easier as the day progresses.
So if you've not been swayed already to try a morning sesh I'll leave you with this clincher....you can feel flippin' smug all day because you've hauled your sexy yoga butt out of bed and done something productive before 8am!!
And you can't have a bad day when you start it hot and sweaty, on your back with your legs in the air!
