Five minutes when you wake. That’s all it takes.
- Full-body stretch. Reach your arms overhead, stretch your legs long, feet together. Inhale and gently contract every muscle, then on a long exhale, let out a loud sigh and fully release.
- Ankles and wrists. Roll each in one direction 5 times, then the other. Then flex and point your feet 10 times, and open and close your hands – fingers spread as wide as you can before closing into a soft fist.
- Shoulder rolls. Sit on the edge of your bed with feet on the floor. Bring your shoulders up to your ears, then roll them back and down your spine. Repeat 5 times.
- Cactus arms. Sitting tall, spine long, feet hip-distance apart, bring your arms into cactus position (upper arms out from the shoulders, forearms hinged toward the ceiling, fingers reaching). Inhale as you bring your forearms together, expanding across your upper back. Exhale and draw them back so your shoulder blades gently kiss. Repeat 5 times, slow and steady with your breath.
- Neck release. Sitting tall, reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling, then gently drop your right ear to your right shoulder. Hold for 5 breaths. Slowly roll your chin to your chest and over to the other side. You might also turn your face gently up to the ceiling and then down, noticing where you feel the stretch.
- Final stretch to the heavens – End with a stretch to the gods above – with head and eyes and both hands open and arms wide. Hold for 5 breaths, breathing deeply & calmly through the nose.
