This question comes up a lot. When is the best time to practice yoga or exercise for that matter? There are a number of different factors to take into consideration when planning your daily yoga practice outside of personal preference. Keep in mind that consistency and structure of when you do yoga is an important part of deepening and taking your practice to the next level.
Your relationship to the sun and moon, the time of the season and the temperature can surely affect what part of the day you choose to practice. Since everyone is affected differently by the weather and most experience four seasons, your time of practice may have to slightly change. Since some love the colder months while others love the heat of the warmer months letting your mind and body help you decide makes the most sense.
If you are a morning person who wakes up with the sunrise raring to go on your toxic free yoga mat each day you may decide that early is best for you. Or if you are more of a night person who likes to sleep in and stay up late, you may benefit more from practicing at sunset. Generally, it is often recommended that you either practice yoga in the morning or early evening as a full practice can be invigorating and keep you up at night. The best yoga DVD for increased energy and deep relaxation offers both types of practice for you.
The last aspect to take into consideration is whether you are looking to your practice to energize yourself for the day or to calm and relax yourself before going to bed. Some poses will wake you up like backbends and sun salutations while other poses such as forward bends and child’s pose will calm your mind and body. Since sleep deprivation is a common issue for Americans, many practice the best yoga poses for a better night’s sleep naturally rather than popping a pill. In a nutshell, the lesson learned is to find a time of day that works for you and stick to it because consistency is key to success.
Read more from NY Yoga Writer Cristina Pierce here.
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