Best time for your Yoga routine
“Yoga is a mirror to look at ourselves from within”
B.K.S. Iyengar
The ancient practice of Yoga has existed for thousands of years and it has become part and parcel of our everyday lives, in many places, nowadays, mainly because of the already well-known benefits it gives for a more nourishing and healthy physical and spiritual life and as a way to counter today’s fast-paced world.
What is the best time for your Yoga practice? Is it worth building your Yoga practice routine around the time you are having most of your energy? How effective is having a Yoga routine or schedule?
Going now and then to a Yoga class is definitely better than nothing, but to really rip the benefits of Yoga, a regular Yoga practice is definitely the way to go since extensive research shows how much Yoga can help with everything, from mental issues to weight loss, improved immune system and so on. Also, it is good to keep in mind not to over push ourselves; having a break between several more demanding Yoga practices and squeezing some restorative sessions now and then, can prevent us from getting injured and overstrain the joints or muscles. But how many of us actually have the option of making Yoga a daily habit? Building a daily Yoga routine is not always easy or handy, it requires lots of planning, time, patience, dedication, open mindedness and compassion.
What matters is that you find whatever works for your individual needs and your schedule and then stick to it. The common idea is that Yoga should be practiced first thing in the morning (think about Sun Salutation - Surya Namaskara), therefore setting the tone for the rest of the day with mindful awareness. Also, sunrise is considered to be the ideal time for spiritual elevation, inner peace and mental clarity. Connecting with yourself first thing and setting aside some space just for you can confer mental strength and physically, a relief of tension or inertia in the body. However, there are times when early morning practice feels almost impossible, whether it is because of lack of time or lack of energy. People with families or jobs that start very early can hardly have enough time for regular practice. However, it is true that making a mindful start to the day is still a great choice, even if we are talking about a ten minute meditation or a short gentle flow. Plus, no matter how busy the rest of the day goes, you will feel better for setting aside some precious time for practice. Late afternoon or practices before bedtime can also be a wonderful way to disconnect from the stress of the day and transition into a more relaxing time, by having a gentler Yoga flow. Also, physically, the body is more supple and less stiff in the afternoon, compared to the morning time. However, for more dynamic or longer Yoga practices, it is recommended to pick up a time of the day when one most likely can allocate enough time and focus for this, as well as perhaps when the energy is at its peak. This depends a lot on everyone’s daily activities, meal schedule, hormones and monthly cycle, if we refer to everyone identifying as women, as well as level of health and physical capacity.
Paying attention to your body’s natural rhythms and energy cycles can influence selecting the best time for your Yoga practice, to offer full awareness and commitment. Pranayama is best practiced first thing in the morning, when the mind is clear and the body is rested, as well as backbends and sun salutations, as part of a more vigorous practice, while an evening Yoga routine can help one prepare for a better night’s sleep and a more anxiety-free mind. Twists or legs up the wall are great poses to incorporate within a gentle morning or evening Yoga flow, for example. The only time that it is really best to avoid Yoga is right after mealtimes, when the body is still digesting the food, especially practices that incorporate inversions or very dynamic flows. Same applies for day one or two of the menstrual cycle.
There are no right or wrong choices when it comes to practising Yoga. The most important thing is to honour our bodies and our possibilities, as well as our commitment to the practice itself. When you arrive on your mat, ask your body and your mind what they need at that moment. Something more active or more soft and restorative? Or a bit of both? The more you practise, the more you learn about the benefits of different practices and you learn to read what your body and mind need at different times. Also, our bodies and energies might be very different from day to day, so remaining open to changing our routine and adapting could make wonders in the long run as well as giving strength to continue, despite some possible physical or mental limitations. There is no need to push yourself into a practice that would not be sustainable long term, but rather find the right rhythm and schedule that works for you. In the end, it is important to create good habits that would positively influence the everyday life.
A few steps not to lose the commitment to a Yoga routine is firstly, to set realistic and achievable goals. If we lack time or energy, then having small, often practices (small wins basically) can be more beneficial than trying to squeeze a 90 -minutes class and maybe ending up being overwhelmed and frustrated for not having time for it. What could work is also increasing slightly the amount of time we practice per day or week or month and make it gradually, so that it becomes organic.
Are you often stuck at work or at your laptop? There is always a bit of time, 5-10 minutes to stretch your arms, your feet, move your wrists and your neck, just some light stretching of the body or a short breathing exercise to feel already reset and able to continue. There are many poses that cannot be done in the workplace of course, but many of them are simple enough to perform anywhere, even while travelling. Focusing on the posture, straightening out the spine and opening the chest and shoulders is the bare minimum that we can return to on and on, even during a day in which we might not find the time to practice. If our job keeps us sitting all day, it would be great to set up reminders to move around sometimes. If on the contrary, we are standing a lot, then Yoga might be a beautiful way to help us ground more and learn to distribute our weight evenly throughout the day.
A significant aspect of our daily Yoga practice is also the space where we practice. Having a setting that inspires and uplifts us is very important mentally. A space with good light, noise-free, without clutter is preferable to a messy, disorganized space that brings more chaos and can disturb our focus and practice. Also, honouring our practice, means also allowing the environment and space to contribute to and complement a harmonious practice rather than disturb it. If our home or room is not the best place to have our practice for whatever reason, there are always ways to bring Yoga into our lives, by going to a studio, in a park or practicing in another space with a friend for instance. Where there is a will, there's a way.
For some Yoga practices, one might benefit from using props for proper alignment and support and even if you might not be equipped with blocks or bolsters at home, you can always find some tricks to replace these by using for instance pillows, a folded blanket or a couple of thick books. Again, where there is a will, there is a way. :)
And also, however limited time you have to practise, remember not to skip Savasana, maybe the most important Yoga pose and the most important moment of the practice, the end where everything comes together, where we allow space for the magic to unfold.
Keeping ourselves mindful and less reactive during the day stands also at the base of practising Yoga, even if it is not about poses in this case. Taking one task at a time and being fully present, fully there, even if it is about washing dishes or brushing our teeth. Learning to be compassionate and patient with the people around us as well as listening more and being more self-aware of our actions. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or guilty for not being able to practise as much as maybe you used to or as long as you would like, remember love and kindness and how important it is to direct them towards yourself as well. Not being too hard on yourself, but giving enough compassion and understanding to let the practice happen as well. Take a few minutes to ground yourself, breathe deeply and remember why you started this journey in the first place, the journey of Yoga.
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