Simple 3-Minute Beginner Morning Yoga Routine That Will Make You Happy & Fresh

Even though I’d heard plenty of women gush about how a morning yoga routine improved their life, I always thought it wasn’t for me. Frankly, I never even tried to incorporate a “daily healthy regime” in my life.

But after a series of emotional upheavals, it was only last year that I finally decided to start a regular morning yoga routine. 

Today, I’ll share my 3-minute beginner morning yoga routine with you that guarantees not only an energized morning but also an incredibly productive and fulfilling day. 

What Happens if You Don’t Have a Morning Routine?

If you’re like me, you might have wondered what could possibly go wrong with a life devoid of a daily morning routine.

Here’s the answer.

Stress:

Something as mundane as not having a regular morning routine promotes haphazardness and a habit of being slightly disorganized. 

You may have a ton of work to do each day yet feel all over the place, unable to figure out where to start.

Ultimately, it leads to stress which can ruin your mental health!

Cathryn, the founder of Best Self, emphasizes a daily morning routine to avoid mental fatigue.

Try to have the first hour of your day vary as little as possible with a routine.

Cathryn – Best Self Founder

According to her, if you spend a lot of time making many new decisions each morning, it will overwhelm you and leave you stressed.

This is exactly what I experienced.

My start of the day used to be stressful — for no particular reason — and there was even a point when I just wasn’t looking forward to mornings.

It was a pretty big deal since I was the most productive during the early hours. But as a result, my to-do list at night used to be the exact same length as in the morning! 

That was the moment I finally decided to make a lifestyle change and start with a simple yoga for beginners.

Hunger Pangs:

Besides, lack of morning activity triggers unnecessary cravings. 

You’ll find yourself feeling unnecessarily hungry at odd times — perhaps after an hour of having breakfast. 

This is particularly problematic if you’re attempting to lose weight or struggle with binge eating.

From the moment you begin a daily healthy practice, you’ll notice a dramatic change in your food consumption. It helps you be more mindful of what and how much of it goes inside your tummy.

Weariness and Pain:

Have you ever felt extremely tired even after an 8-hour long sleep?

It does seem pretty unrealistic but totally possible. 

When you wake up, you may still feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Physically, you might experience headaches, muscular fatigue, back pain, aching legs, or crunching knees.

While poor sleep quality is one factor, the other reason may be the absence of a special daily exercise. A physical fitness routine restarts your body and prepares it for the grind ahead.

That’s when yoga comes into the picture. Nothing’s easier than simple stretches to start your day with!

As self-care has been my utmost priority for a while, I wanted to have at least one activity that prioritized my mental health before sitting down for work. 

And yoga fits in perfectly with this health goal.

Read More: Healthy Morning Routine Ideas + Free Printable Tracker

Benefits of a Regular Yoga Regime

Besides brightening up your mornings, yoga can significantly improve your overall wellbeing. Let’s take a look at some benefits of having a daily yoga routine.

• Heart Health: First off, yoga stretches are great for your heart health as they promote blood circulation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems. Heart attacks are the number #1 killer of women. This is why yoga is a perfect way to prolong your life.

• Bone Diseases: Secondly, yoga exercises are also beneficial for women with bone diseases. During the day we may not be as physically active as required by the body. Thus, morning yoga poses help to strengthen the joints and muscles and remove stiffness.

• Mental Clarity: Finally, a regular yoga regime at the start of your day will improve your focus and productivity. Who doesn’t want to get done with the damned to-do list! Yoga is one of the perfect exercises to gain mental clarity, be more aware of your surroundings, and learn to live in the moment.

Read More: 9 Amazing Health Benefits of Yoga on Women’s Health

Super Easy 3-Minute Yoga Morning Routine for Beginners

Before we go any further, let me tell you that this is my own morning yoga workout.

It helped me through a rough time and made my day worth everything. Honestly, I experienced a remarkable confidence boost!

So whether you’re a busy mom juggling home and work, a biz owner who’s always worried about her to-do list, or simply someone looking for a lifestyle change — this is for you.

It’s okay if you’ve never performed yoga in your life. I’ve been there too. 

These effortless 3-minute morning yoga poses are perfect for beginners.

1. Day’s visualization – 30 seconds

This is a yoga routine by Mariam Gates, author of Good Morning Yoga.  

Start by visualizing what you want to feel or do throughout the day. It’s a pretty straightforward way to begin your morning with happy thoughts and a clear mind. 

Sit up straight with your knees bent inward and hands in a namaste position close to your chest or up in the air over your head. Otherwise, you can also place them on your knees similar to meditation.

Relax your body while inhaling and exhaling deeply. Mariam recommends focusing on each breath. 

Next, she wants you to think of a word or two that would describe your ideal day ahead. Visualize how you want to feel today and imagine yourself experiencing it.

The purpose of this yoga pose is to surround yourself with positive vibes to set an optimistic tone for the day.

Benefits:

• Increases focus and concentration
• Promotes clarity of mind
• Boosts self-confidence

2. Cat-Cow Pose – 30 seconds

The second thing I do during my morning yoga routine is a simple cat-cow pose.

Get down on your knees and place your palms on the floor/mat. Make sure your shoulders align with the wrists and hips align with the knees. 

Now inhale deeply and get into the cow position – hips pushed upward, back arched inside, and head tilted upward. Stay in this position for a few seconds.

As you exhale, get into cat pose – arch your back upward, and tilt the head downward with your chin tucked inside. 

Keep repeating this pose for the mentioned time.

Benefits:

• Calms your mind
• Encourages body coordination
• Improves posture

Read More: Top 10 Best Cheap Bootcut Yoga Pants for Women In 2020

3. Downward Dog – 30 seconds

Another beginner-level morning yoga routine pose is downward dog. Get down on all your fours, with your palms, knees, and feet aligned and back straight. 

Now lift your legs upward while keeping your arms stretched out and the chin tucked inside. Don’t worry about bent knees but do extend your torso as much as you can.

Come back to the original position and repeat it for 30 seconds.

Benefits:

• Energizes and refreshes
• Strengthens the limbs
• Relieves menopausal symptoms

4. Forward Bend – 30 seconds

Next up is an easy forward bend yoga pose for beginners. All you have to do is sit with your legs outward and spine straight, aligned with your hips. 

Move your arms forward and attempt to touch your toes. Your back will bend in the process. 

Keep repeating this pose for about 30 seconds.

Benefits:

• Good for stretching lower limbs muscles
• Reduces depression and anxiety
• Manages diabetes symptoms

Read More: Everything About Diabetes in Women

5. Camel Pose – 30 seconds

A little tricky for beginners but still a good exercise to include in your morning yoga routine if you don’t get to move around a lot at work.

I especially like this yoga pose as it promotes increased breathing capacity and stretches almost every muscle of the body.

Sit up in a kneeling position with your hands cradling your back from each side.

Inhale deeply and move your upper body backward. If you can, pull your face up to the ceiling. Exhale and go back to the original position.

Another variation to this yoga pose is to attempt to touch your soles while keeping your feet tucked in. Your elbows should be straight and back arched inward.

Benefits:

• Offers spinal flexibility 
• Opens up chest
• Improves breathing

Read More: Detailed Review of Queenieke Yoga Leggings (With Pros & Cons)

6. Child’s Pose – 30 seconds

Lastly, finish off your morning yoga routine with the child’s pose. This personally my favorite pose and I also try to practice it before sleeping at night.

Your aim should be to stretch your entire body while keeping your legs aligned with your body and rolled inward.

Stretch out your arms outward and tuck your chin inside. Lay down close to the ground for a solid 10 seconds and then repeat it twice.

Benefits:

• Reduces stress
• Counters tiredness and fatigue
• Stretches both front and back of the body

So there you have it, an insight into my personal 3-minute morning yoga routine for beginners. What do you think about it?

Also, which yoga poses do you perform every morning? I’d love to know in the comments below! 🙂