Howdy babes! As you may be well aware by now, our family-owned Retreat Ranch is located in beautiful Marble Falls, Texas. In this neck of the woods, we get an average of 226 days of beautiful sunshine. That translates to roughly 226 beautiful morning sunrises to harness energy through morning yoga.
Call it kismet, but I’m a big fan of practicing yoga at the first light of dawn, so our Ranch’s location is perfect for me. Why? Sunrise yoga has some truly awesome mind and body benefits for those who choose to wake up and kiss the sun. Let’s get into it!
1. Sunrise Yoga does Your Body Good, Literally
There’s something thrilling to be said about waking up and doing a few good stretches before climbing out of bed. The science behind it shows that when we stretch first thing in the morning, it helps relieve any circulatory issues we carry in our body from the night before. Furthermore, it increases your blood flow, working as the perfect energy primer for the rest of your way too long and busy day.
Sunrise yoga takes your morning stretch even further. By practicing yoga first thing in the morning, you allow your body to naturally wake-up and self-regulate. It also tackles morning soreness head on which, for persons with autoimmune illnesses, can offer a world of relief. What’s more, your heart benefits from the perfect caffeine free energy booster. Say adios to those pain in the A$# morning coffee jitters and add that extra change from skipping your Starbucks morning run in your piggy bank (or maybe not because it makes you happy to still grab one)!
2. Early Morning Meditation Improves Mental Wellness
Ok, so we know that a key component of practicing yoga is the meditative benefit. By getting our mind right first thing in the morning, we can:
- Release tensions from the previous day
- Bring clarity to your wants, needs and goals for the new day
- Reduce stress, anxiety, and tension so you can better manage whatever the day throws your way
There’s something to be said about the calm before the storm. During that time, we humans prepare mentally for what could come and organize our space for safe harboring. The same applies to sunrise yoga. It affords us the mental space to peacefully prepare our mind and body before the hustle and bustle of the day.
When we bring it back to science, studies have found that yoga reduces our cortisol levels. This is a BIG deal because cortisol is our ‘stress’ hormone. By practicing sunrise yoga daily, we train our body to better regulate the release of this hormone, thus serving as a natural antidepressant remedy.
Why Sunrise is a Very Special Time in the Day
Beyond the science-y bits, it’s believed that the most powerful energy releases right as the sun crests. Practicing sunrise yoga allows you to harness that energy for your day in a natural, free, and self-sustainable way.
This is something that I have personally found to be true. In fact, I go into quite a bit more detail about the benefits of sun and moon cycles in our online Yoga Teacher Training Program.
I encourage you to choose a day and set your alarm to wake up before dawn. Roll-out that yoga mat and as you move through each pose, revel as you kiss those morning sun rays.
PS- did you know horse yoga is a thing? Well it is! And it is one of the most powerful ways to practice being present during your…well yoga practice. It is fast becoming one of my favorite ways to practice yoga. Stay tuned for a horse yoga retreat!
