A Morning Reset for Parents and Teachers

Hi I’m Alexia Nicole! I’m a Yo Re Mi Teaching Artist, as well as an actress and writer. I am so excited to give you some great wellness tips to try. Feel free to send these to friends and family, especially other teachers and parents! You can check out my other wellness videos for grown-ups on Instagram at @wearewellnyc. Enjoy!

Parents and Teachers - Do you ever feel like you need more rest even when you first wake up? Well, this is not uncommon. Usually, this feeling is the result of sleep inertia, the transitional state from being asleep to waking up! Most people are typically coming from a laying down position for about eight hours, and your body builds up tension. There are many benefits to stretching your muscles when you first wake up; one being that you lengthen and relax your muscles releasing endorphins and increasing your blood flow! Every morning you might need something different. I do a quick body scan to see where I need to release tension. Sometimes it might be my neck because I was on my computer and scrolling on my phone the previous night, other times it might be my legs because I went too hard in the gym trying to make up for my missed workout sessions, overall you do what you need to do for you.

Here are some restorative gentle yoga poses for starting your day:

1. Cactus arms

2. Seated side stretch

3. Forward Fold

4. Neck and Shoulder Rolls

5. Crossbody Stretch

6. Figure 4 stretch

7. Child's pose

These are only a handful of the many poses that can help you feel refreshed and stretched out! You can do it for 10 minutes or 3, whatever you need for the morning!

Try This: Seven Gentle Activities to Start Your Day

Sometimes movement isn't the first thing you want to do when you wake up, as every day is different and your body might be craving moments of stillness. Before leaving the bed, here are 3 ways you can start your day!

Mindfulness Meditation is a great way to find stillness and gives you space to reflect.

Pay attention to your breath! Breath work is crucial as it is our lifeline. Start your day with deep breaths, giving yourself more oxygen and giving your body. Some benefits of deep breathing include an increase in energy, alleviation of pain, stimulation of the lymphatic system (denotifying the body), and improved digestion! Who wouldn't want to give your body all that goodness, when it's easy as 1, 2, 3. Literally, inhale 1,2,3 - hold - exhale 3,2,1. See, how easy was that?

Journaling is another great way to start your day and align your thoughts before your feet even hit the floor. Journaling looks different for everyone, as these are your private thoughts coming to life on a page. You might write about your dream from the previous night, a couple of things you are looking forward to going for the week, or it might be a to-do list; I know when I wake up sometimes my head can feel scrambled and I just need pen and paper to figure out my thoughts.

Try This: Three Centering Activities for the Morning

Life can be overwhelming, sometimes even before the day begins. Having a morning routine can help you feel energized and ready for the day ahead - especially when your day includes taking care of children, and teaching them important lessons! Taking care of yourself is crucial because it's hard to give from an empty cup. When creating a morning routine, be gentle with yourself as it will most likely change and look different than it did when you first began.

Also, side note: You can also use these before you go to bed! Who doesn't love a BOGO deal! I do! Enjoy :)

READ NEXT: On Best Relaxation Practices

• The Restorative Benefits of Reclined Twist Pose
• Too Much Sitting? Lizard Pose Releases Tense Hips

Save this article for later and don’t forget to download the Yo Re Mi app for children’s mindfulness and musical yoga videos.

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