The best time to do yoga largely depends on your lifestyle. Image source: Pexels
The Best Time To Do Yoga
It’s no secret that yoga is a great way to stay in shape, but did you know that there are unique benefits that come with doing yoga at certain times of the day? The best time to do yoga varies from person to person, but some people find that some hours are best for taking this practice to your exercise mat. While it’s perfectly fine to have a set schedule for doing yoga, opting for a twice-daily routine can also help you maintain your energy levels and ensure emotional balance throughout the day.
Practicing yoga has many health benefits, from improving your flexibility to boosting your immunity. It can also help you better manage stress and anxiety, on top of improving your bone strength, mental health, and overall quality of life. But regardless of which time of the day you decide is the best time to do yoga, it’s undeniable that practicing it will lead to significant improvements in your life.
Because yoga is a fairly low-maintenance activity, you can try doing it in your desired schedule at the comfort of your home gym. If you want a guided session with a professional, however, you can sign up for a yoga class. This is also a great way to connect with others and form a community of like-minded enthusiasts.
Early risers would say that the best time to do yoga is in the morning. For night owls, an evening yoga session is preferable. If you want to get the most out of your routine, here’s what to consider when choosing the best time to do yoga.
The Best Time to Do Yoga is in the Morning
Doing yoga in the morning can be a good day-starter, especially if you want to do some exercise and meditation before embarking on daily tasks. Yoga sessions are also traditionally done in the morning, which better suits people that are more active in the evening. If you decide that morning is the best time to do yoga, make sure to do some gentle warm-up exercises first so you can stay invigorated throughout your session.
Lets You Practice Yoga at a Comfortable Temperature
Getting up at dawn or before 6:00 am ensures a nice temperature for your session. Dawn is usually the coolest time of the day, making it the best time to do yoga if you want to get enough energy and maximize your body’s flexibility.
Softens Muscles and Improves Digestion
Doing your asanas the first thing after you wake up helps you relieve aches and stiffness during sleep. During sleep, our body fluids and connective tissues tend to build up as muscles continue to rest. When left unmanaged, this stiffness can result in muscle or joint pains. Morning is the best time to do yoga because it allows you to loosen your joints and muscles that stiffened during sleep, improving your blood flow in the process.
Another reason why morning is the best time to do yoga is that it helps boost your body’s metabolism. This means that your body can better absorb nutrients and digest food throughout the day.
Releases Hormones and Improves Concentration
Hormones are the key to regulating our moods and evoking positive feelings. Studies show that morning meditation helps your body produce endorphins and dopamines that make you feel happy all day.
Besides helping your body release happy hormones, morning yoga sessions can also improve your mental focus. Yoga allows your brain to take in fresh oxygen to give you mental clarity for better productivity. Morning sessions help you start the day in a happy and energetic mood, making the early hours the best time to do yoga.
Doing yoga in the morning can energize you throughout the day. Image source: Pexels
The Best Time to Do Yoga is in the Afternoon
Though uncommon, doing yoga in the afternoon also has its benefits. Afternoon sessions can be a great middle ground for early risers and night owls. If you’re somewhere in between, perhaps the best time to do yoga is in the afternoon.
Helps You Destress and Balances Your Appetite
Doing yoga in the afternoon provides midday rest and helps you reset your body. If you’ve had a busy morning, the afternoon can be the best time to do yoga and relax your mind. An afternoon session also allows you to work up your appetite throughout the day. Consider doing yoga around 2-3 hours before mealtime to have a balanced appetite.
Gets You Through an Afternoon Slump
Doing yoga in the afternoon can be restorative, making it the best time to do yoga for some people with a busy schedule. Yoga helps your body release endorphins that can get you through your afternoon slump. As such, an afternoon yoga session can refresh your mind and re-energize you to keep powering through daily tasks.
Gives You the Best of Both Worlds
Some people cannot decide on the best time to do yoga because they are neither morning nor evening people. Practicing yoga in the afternoon is great for people who tend to be more energetic hours after waking up, but also want to wind down at the end of the day.
The Best Time to Do Yoga is in the Evening
In addition to being a form of exercise, yoga also serves as a therapeutic practice. Doing yoga after sundown can help you cap off the day’s events in a relaxing way. The evening can be the best time to do yoga since there’s no need to rush and make time for tasks and responsibilities.
Helps You Unwind from Stress
The evening is also the best time to do yoga because it helps you move away from the stress of daily tasks. Practicing your poses at the end of the day helps you clear your mind and focus on yourself. If you want to unpack your mind and body after a long day, try doing yoga after dusk or once you’ve wrapped up your work schedule.
Promotes Better Sleep
Yoga is meant to promote mindfulness and relaxation—two things that we need to have a good night’s sleep. Yoga helps you reduce mind chatter and meditate before bed, allowing you to get deep and restful sleep thanks to positive effects on your nervous system. Being able to balance your thoughts through meditation prevents you from falling into insomnia and waking up groggy the next day. Instead of lying in bed ruminating, you can decide that evening is the best time to do yoga.
Balances Energy at the End of the Day
Another reason why the evening is the best time to do yoga is that it delivers plenty of health benefits. Doing yoga in the evening helps improve your blood circulation, resulting in lower blood pressure and more balanced energy levels. An evening yoga session can also detoxify your body and encourage cell regeneration to boost your immune system and improve your sleep hygiene.
Helps You Burn Calories
Practicing strengthening poses in the evening helps you better digest the food you ate all day. This also relieves digestion troubles, helping you burn more calories during sleep. Having these benefits means that evening is the best time to do yoga for those actively trying to lose weight.
Soothes Your Sore Muscles
A long day at work can result in joint pains and a lot of sore muscles, especially if you have a desk job. Doing yoga poses before bedtime helps you reduce muscle tension and ease soreness for a more replenishing sleep. The best time to do yoga can be in the evening when you can properly oxygenate your body and release the crunchiness of your muscles.
Doing yoga in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The Best Time to Do Yoga Depends on You
There’s no right or wrong time to do yoga, but you need to properly assess your body and lifestyle to determine the schedule that suits you. Ultimately, the best time to do yoga is not set in stone.
Whether you’re an early bird, a night owl, or somewhere in between, yoga is a healthy practice that can improve your body’s processes while helping you become more mindful and clear-headed to take on any hurdle. Once you’ve decided to commit to your yoga journey, start weighing the benefits of practicing at each time of the day to decide on the best time to do yoga.
We all know that adopting a yoga routine will do wonders for the body. However, it pays to be well-informed about which time of the day can enhance your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being the most.