Do you find yourself feeling run down, sluggish or hitting the snooze button in the morning. You might be thinking well I have 3 kids and I am completely sleep derived so yes, tired is a constant I understand – oh wait that is me.

So yes, I understand feeling tired especially in the morning. Here are some of the things that I do to get the blood flowing and to help quickly energize myself on those especially sluggish mornings.

When you first get out of bed do these following stretches:

Forward Bend (stand feet hip width apart and try to touch the ground) about 5 times

Side to side twist (stand with your feet shoulder width apart, stretch your arms out and twist and bend so your opposite hand is reaching your opposite foot – Right hand to left foot) about 5 full times per side

Now that you are feeling more awake get your feet moving – if you are any of my old boot campers you will remember my love for “Fast Feet”. Stand with your feet hip width apart, bend your knees so you are in a low squat and run in place as fast as you can for 30 sec-1 min. This will get your blood flowing, I promise.

Next do 30 sec-1 min of jumping jacks

The final sequence to this quick get you going in the morning routine is 5-10 sun salutations. This will help lengthen and strengthen your muscles all over your body and get your mind balanced and in tune with what you need for the day. If you aren’t familiar with sun salutations go to this link from Yoga Journal to see the full sequence.

http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2881

Try this 10 minute routine tomorrow when you are feeling a little sluggish or even if you feel refreshed. I promise you will have more energy during the day and won’t be reaching for that second or even first cup of coffee when you get your body moving first thing in the morning. Enjoy!!