How to Start an Early Morning Yoga Practice without Losing Sleep

Contributed by Mary Lee

Starting the day with yoga offers health benefits far beyond those found on the mat. Yoga invigorates mind and body while reducing stress and leading to overall better health. Adding it to your morning routine sets you up for a day full of energy and focus. With the right mindset and preparation, you can incorporate a morning yoga routine without losing one minute of sleep.

Importance of Getting Quality Sleep
​A morning yoga routine should support healthy sleep not detract or steal time from it. In fact, regular exercise can improve your sleep quality and increase your ability to stay asleep longer. When you regularly sleep seven to eight hours per day, the recommended amount of sleep for adults, you set yourself up for:

• a boost in your immune system
• reduction in inflammation and chronic pain
• lower risk of injury
• a better mood, memory, and weight control
• clarity of thought

That’s a long list of benefits you don’t want to miss.

Make Time in the Morning by Preparing at Night
If you’re going to get those all-important hours of sleep, you need to start consciously thinking about how to prepare for an early morning. Late sleepers especially need to plan for early morning success.

Go to Bed Earlier
Many people overlook this simple step. If you’re getting up an hour earlier to catch an early morning yoga class, you need to get to bed an hour earlier. To help your body get ready for a new bedtime, try one of these tricks:

• Cut Down on Screen Time. The light from a television, laptop, e-reader, or smartphone can signal your brain to stay awake. Turn it all off at least an hour before you go to bed.
• Eat for Success. Foods that leave you feeling heavy or uncomfortably bloated make it difficult to fall asleep. If possible, eat a light, early dinner, which gives your body plenty of time to digest.
• Develop a Bedtime Routine. Your routine can include anything you want as long as it moves you to a calm, relaxed state. A warm bath, reading from a book (not an e-reader or smartphone), and drinking a warm cup of tea are a few ideas to get you started.
• Comfortable Sleep Environment. Lower the room temperature, turn out the lights and sink into a comfortable mattress. Cut out noise as much as possible.

Make Morning Your Time
Going to bed on time will help in the morning, but it’s still going to take some adjustment. Part of that adjustment is a mental shift away from thinking about getting up as punishment or a loss. Think of early morning as a time that’s devoted to developing you, mentally and physically. It’s your time to focus on becoming the best version of yourself. If you’re still struggling to get going, try to:

• Skip Snooze. Resist the urge to hit the snooze button. Any sleep you get while waiting for the snooze alarm isn’t deep enough to give you any lasting benefits. If you need a few minutes to wake up, some recommendations are to sit up in bed or stand next to the bed, so you aren’t tempted to fall back asleep.
• Consistent Wake Time. Wake at the same time every day, even on weekends. Your body will respond better if you aren’t changing times.
• Have a Buddy. Enlist your spouse or a friend to make yourself accountable. It’s much easier to get up in the morning when you know you’re not doing it alone.

Mary Lee is a researcher for the sleep science hub Tuck.com. She specializes in sleep's role in mental and physical health and wellness. Mary lives in Olympia, Washington and shares her full-sized bed with a very noisy cat.