What is the Best Time of Day to Do Yoga?
Time and again, the proponents of yoga must have mentioned, that yoga is flexible. It not only lends you a lot of flexibility, but it also makes sure that you can accommodate it according to your routine. If you happen to head for yoga in rishikesh, you will find out that yoga is for the modern day, busy souls and also for the laid back. That makes it all the more interesting. The best yoga school in rishikesh will likely help you to walk on the path of yoga, without posing any obstacle in the path of your other duties. You can tweak yoga, to suit your lifestyle.
There are so many people, who are relying on yoga, so it must have something better than other forms of fitness and holistic living. You can also learn more about yoga’s offerings, by joining the 200 hour yoga teacher training in rishikesh. Hrishikesh Yoga School is one of the most prominent schools in Rishikesh, which teaches all forms of yoga. Now, let us delve into the facts concerning, what benefits you can derive from practicing yoga at different times of the day.
Practicing Yoga In The Morning
The Ashtanga system and the Hatha Yoga system advises practicing yoga in the mornings. If possible, you will always be encouraged to practice yoga before the sun rises. Many yogis till date, stick to this routine. There are several reasons, why it is so. When you start with yoga in the morning, you do so in the benevolent holy hour. It also provides you with a boost of energy and clarity. The entire day depends on how you start your morning.
⦁ Time Factor – Most people do not have much work in the wee hours of the morning between 4-6 am. So, you can call it the ideal time, also addressed as the ‘Brahma Muhurta’. After 8 hours of sleep, the body is also rejuvenated. You can do almost any pose, unhindered, if you observe closely.
⦁ Health Factor – You will also ideally gain in terms of health, early in the morning, as the stomach will be empty. Yoga is an energetic practice, so when the stomach is empty, your body can use all its other energies to connect with the universe. You will also be able to do the folds and twists in a better manner.
⦁ Sun Salutations – You will be able to do many Sun salutations in the morning, as the sun is also at its most powerful. You can absorb the healing rays of the sun, in the morning. You will also be amazed to know, that the series of poses that you do as a part of Sun Salutations, can activate all the seven chakras. So, it is a complete form of exercise in itself.
Apart from the sun salutations or Surya Namaskar, there are quite a few poses, which are best suited for mornings. Read about them here. If you happen to enroll in the 300 hour yoga teacher training you will get a clear idea of the same.
Yoga Poses For Mornings
So, here are a few poses, which are ideally suited for the morning sessions.
⦁ The first asana, which you will practice while doing yoga in rishikesh is Utkatasana. It is also quite popularly called Chair asana. In this asana, you will be sitting on an imaginary chair. It can generate a lot of body heat. Your cores get activated and so does your glutes and calves, in this pose. It also challenges your mind, to stay alert and active throughout the day.
⦁ Adho Mukha Svanasana is another asana, which finds its way into the morning routines of yoga practitioners. You are involving the entire body, in this asana. Thus, it literally wakes you up, from your deep slumber. You will be able to give yourself a beautiful stretch from the arms, to the back, to the legs.
⦁ Another yoga asana, which is ideally suited for your morning sessions is Trikonasana. It is regarded as one of the classical yoga poses. You will develop a strong sense of grounding, as you go through this asana. It also activates the root chakra.
Practicing Yoga In The Afternoon
If you happen to practice yoga in the afternoon, you will be de-stressing yourself, from the busy mornings and meetings. Moreover, it can set the appetite for the next big meal, the dinner. If you want to have some food before starting, it is always better to have an early lunch, and start after 2 hours at least.
⦁ Muscle Advantage – You will often be encouraged to start with your yoga practice in the afternoon at a yoga retreat. The muscles are also warmed up a bit, before you start off. The case is a bit different in the mornings. So, you may feel less stiff. You will be able to work on your flexibility in a better manner in the afternoon.
⦁ Challenge Advantage – You get two kinds of advantages in the afternoons. You would already have a lot of energy in the afternoon, so you can engage yourself in vigorous practice. If you work at any workplace, and come back home all stressed out. It is a good time to start your yoga session, to recuperate.
⦁ More Flexibility – The muscles of the body are more supple as you would have moved yourself quite a bit since the morning. So, when you get down to do yoga practice in the afternoon, you will be able to do more difficult poses, that require a lot of twists and stretches. The yoga course will help you to develop a routine, that suits you. So, you will have more time for other work as well.
Yoga Poses For Afternoons
You can ward off the tiredness or the sleepiness, whatever you choose to call it. Practicing yoga in the afternoon, is like having a sip of warm coffee. The stretching, twisting and the breathing exercises, will help you to overcome the afternoon slump. Yoga can also reduce the muscle stiffness and increase blood circulation. Your energy will get a huge boost, when you do yoga in the afternoon. The best yoga school in rishikesh will help you to face the afternoon lethargy head-on.
⦁ Ustrasana is one of the asanas, which you can practice in the afternoon. The holistic science will help you to fight off the afternoon let
hargy. Post-lunch tiredness will also be addressed after you start practicing this pose.
⦁ Balasana is another asana, which is ideal for afternoon practice. It is one of the asanas, which helps to release tension from the chest region. It also eventually leads to better sleep. It is an excellent resting pose, which you can practice in the afternoon. In this asana, you have to take on the position of a baby in the womb. You have the choice to keep the hands stretched in front of you or you can also keep them turned inwards.
⦁ Janusirsasana is the third asana, which you can do today. It is also called as the Seated Head-to-Knee pose. This one of the few poses, which leads you to twist and bend your body at the same time. Your hamstrings, groin muscles, and hips are in action in this pose. If you participate in sports, then you should do this asana on a regular basis. Moreover, it is a deeply restorative pose, that you can do in the afternoon. If you practice this asana regularly, you will not suffer from indigestion any longer. It is a great workout for the spine as well. You will learn about this asana at the best yoga school in Rishikesh, which is Hrishikesh Yoga School.
Practicing Yoga In The Evening
So, by now, you may know, that there are several other times of the day, when you can do yoga. Morning is the best. However, if you are pinched for time, then you can do yoga in the evening after returning from work. If you practice yoga in the evening, it will aid in digestion. Moreover, there are people, who feel more energetic in the evening, as against the morning time. It will also help you to calm your nerves as well. It also helps you to relax.
⦁ Good Sleep – When you practice yoga in the evening, you can get sleep properly in the night time. This happens as the body is more relaxed. The body is also able to come out of the flight-or-fight response.
⦁ Meditative State – You will be able to practice deep breathing as a part of the regime. Apart from that, you can also include meditation with the asanas. This will assist you to practice mindfulness. Thus, following this yoga practice, you will be able to slip into a deep slumber at night.
⦁ Soothes Sore Muscles and Joint Pain – If you engage in slow and deep stretching in the evening, or just before bed, muscle tension, joint pain, and night aches will be reduced manifold. Many of you may experience body aches and pains after a hard day at work. If you feel uncomfortable after work, then you definitely need to start practicing yoga in the evening. Gentle yoga poses, that are restorative in nature are best for such times. You can get the above benefits, when you engage in sound healing in course in india.
Yoga Poses For Evenings
Malasana – You can practice the Garland pose or Malasana in the evening time. It strengthens the lower part of the body, in the best way. You will be able to stretch the groin area, legs, knees and the back of the body. It also opens the chest and shoulder area. The pose will help you to improve the blood circulation in the Pelvic region, thus improving metabolism and digestion. It is a part of the schedule of yoga in rishikesh.
⦁ Kapotasana – If you want to stretch the lower back muscles and the hips, you can practice this asana. It can also practice the flexibility of the hip and lower back muscles. Moreover, you will also experience proper digestion. It is believed to alleviate mental stress as well, if practiced on a regular basis.
⦁ Ananda Balasana – This is another pose, that you can practice on a regular basis. If you have any muscular issue, then you should try the pose. The pose acts as a good hip opener and a joint opener. It also provides an excellent stretch for the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and the inner thighs. Your brain also tends to be calmer, when you practice such poses on a regular basis. This is one of the parts of the yoga in rishikesh.
Final Words
There is no hard and fast rule, as to the number of hours which you have to devote for your yoga practice. Your body will tell you, about the tenure. When you feel sore from within, you should stop your yoga practice, almost immediately. An hour of yoga practice is what most novices start with. However, it can vary. Some beginners can clock in 90 minutes as well. Experienced yogis often sit for hours on an end in meditative poses, like Sukhasana, or Padmasana. It really depends on your endurance levels and strength. With time, you may also be able to clock in more hours for practice. There may be a few busy bees who are always running for work. So, you can make a schedule, on a weekly basis. You must head to the best yoga school in rishikesh, to learn about the multiple facets about yoga. The best school in the country, Hrishikesh Yoga School will help you to gain knowledge and direction in life.
