5 easy ways to incorporate yoga into your busy day

If your intention for 2022 is to start yoga or commit to a more regular practice, this can be challenging when considering how to actually incorporate a yoga practice into our busy lives. While the benefits of yoga are so beneficial for reducing stress and anxiety (which then has profoundly positive effects on things like immune health, blood pressure, and longevity), all too often many of us tend to put our own needs first after those of others. Especially if you have a demanding job or a family to support, a one-hour yoga class can seem like an unrealistic luxury. So if you want to enjoy the brilliant benefits of yoga without taking too much time out of your day, read on for 5 easy ways to seamlessly integrate yoga into your current lifestyle!

1. Morgen Pranayama

Jumping to turn off your alarm is a stressful way to start your day. Therefore, calming your nervous system before you get up all day ahead is one of the most valuable things you can do. Practice 5 rounds before getting upsama vritti pranayamaor “equal breathing,” which can calm the body and mind and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest system” – and when we are relaxed, the body functions much better. To practice, breathe in, count to five, hold for five, breathe out for five and hold for five again, then repeat four times. (Link removed) can help you understand the importance of healthy breathing, while (Link removed) will provide you with additional pranayama techniques to explore depending on the effects you want to trigger.

2. Sonnengrüße

When you fill the kettle in the morning, it takes between two and four minutes to boil, so while you're waiting for your morning cup of organic (link removed), go through a few roundssurya namaskaror “Sun Salutation.” (link removed) explains how these traditional yoga postures and movements effectively help stretch and strengthen the entire body, increasing blood circulation, lymphatic flow and therefore your health, before you've even had your first cup of tea or coffee! By the way, if you're trying to cut down on caffeine; (link removed) is a naturally caffeine-free choice to wake up your day.

3. Mantras für unterwegs

On the way to work - as long as it's completely safe - a simple mantra practice is a yoga technique that harnesses the power of sound for great benefit. Mantras like,Oh'or'Um'or even simple humming helps communicate with the vagus nerve (a long nerve that runs from the brain to the gut, connecting to all vital organs along the way). The vagus nerve constantly senses our breathing rate, heart rate, gut health, and even whether we are psychologically stressed, and then tells the rest of the body how to respond. When we hum, we tell the vagus nerve that it's okay to relax, putting the body into rest and digest mode, where our immune and digestive systems function best. The buzz also increases nitric oxide, which can help lower blood pressure, increase athletic performance, and reduce muscle soreness. Play mantras to sing along with in the car or bring it with youMantras in motionby Erin Stutland with you on your commute to discover a variety of mantras ranging from relaxation to concentration, energizing or preparing for sleep.

4. Yogische Augenübungen

If you spend your workday in front of a screen, you know how tired and irritated your eyes can get. We have evolved to look up and around all day, looking at many different objects near and far, rather than focusing on a single object up close, which can lead to eye strain, headaches and migraines. Taking a short break at work can go a long way in refreshing your brain and eyes and reducing that familiar feeling of tiredness at the end of a long day at your desk. Just as our circadian rhythm influences our sleep-wake cycle, we also have smaller ultradian rhythms that cycle throughout the day. One of these ultradian rhythms influences our bodies and minds in such a way that most of us are able to focus on a task for about 90 minutes on average before we really need a break. Knowing this can help us be much more efficient when needed and helps us give the body an important moment to regenerate. Set a timer for 90 minutes (of course you can choose 30 or 60 minutes if that suits you better), when the timer is up and it's time for a break, turn away from the screen and close your eyes briefly (eyes use about 20% of our energy throughout the day). Then open your eyes and visualize a clock in front of you. Move your eyes on the clock to 12, 6, 9 and 3, then to 12, 6, 3 and 9. Next, move your eyes around from 1 to 12 and then back from 12 to 1. Next, look at something far away from you, then something in the middle, and finally something near you. All of this can help replenish and revitalize the eyes and also restore the brain's ability to concentrate. To soothe your eyes at the end of the day, use the (link removed) and block sleep-disturbing light at night with the (link removed)

5. Achtsame Momente vor dem Zubettgehen

At the end of a long day, we can turn to a glass of wine, a Netflix show, or a bar of chocolate to unwind, but all of these things have their own negative effects. For a calming balm, practice just a few restorative yoga poses before bed, such asBalasanaor 'Child's Pose' and a supported restorative backbend with a (link removed). You can practice these postures while mindfully guiding your awareness through your body and relaxing each limb as well. A gratitude practiced just before bed can also help improve mental and emotional well-being (link removed) on your bedside table to doodle before you fall asleep.

Are you planning to make yoga a part of your 2022? Do yoga techniques fit into your busy day? Or commit to a regular studio class with a favorite teacher?