In my head, I’m still 30. I see people around me aging, but I don’t feel my age most of the time. But when a slight turn causes my entire lower back to seize up in pain, I am forced to accept the reality of my body aging. This list of 7-minute morning stretches is quick and easy to incorporate into your morning routine.
Until recently, I thought I was too busy to stretch. Any time I had to exercise was spent running or doing cardio workouts, with a few stretches at the end as an afterthought. But adding stretches to my daily routine has reaped multiple benefits.
Since I started doing these morning stretches, I have not had the lower back or muscle pain that I was experiencing a couple of years ago. Stretching wakes up my mind and works the kinks out after lying relatively still all night. Now I wish I had started doing this years ago! There are 10 different stretches or yoga poses that I go through, and the entire thing takes 7 minutes. If you want some additional options, THIS article at www.betterpt.com goes through five easy stretches that are great for relieving morning aches and pains. Be gentle on yourself; do not stretch to the point of pain.
7-Minute Morning Stretches
- Standing Side Bend (30 seconds each side)
- Downward Dog (30 seconds)
- Cobra (30 seconds)
- Crescent Lunge (30 seconds each side)
- Cat (30 seconds)
- Cow (30 seconds)
- Pigeon (30 seconds each side)
- Happy Baby (30 seconds)
- Yogi Squat (30 seconds)
- Windshield Wiper (30 seconds each side)
My morning stretches are the first thing I do after getting up each morning. Some mornings, that is all the exercise I do, and other days, I will add a walk or other workout after stretching. Either way, it puts me in a great place to start the day, both physically and mentally. And it only takes 7 minutes! I keep my list of stretches in the front of my binder to refer to each morning.
You can download a free printable to use these stretches in your morning routine. There are two options: one in sunny morning yellow and one in calming blue. I added a quote at the top of my list of stretches that reminds me to focus on gratitude and look for beauty in each day.
Morning Favorites
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