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    • 5 yoga poses to boost energy

    by Hot Dog Yoga

    Last minute Christmas shopping, late night parties and trying to wrap up work before the holidays may leave you feeling exhausted. Try these yoga poses to stimulate the blood flow through the body. Poses that gently stretch the spine in particular can help combat fatigue and boost feelings of vitality.

    Give it a go and let us know if it works for you - don’t forget a short meditation or some heating pranayama e.g. Kapalabhati Breath (Skull Shining Breath) can work wonders too.

    1. Marjaryasana & Bitilasana (Cat & Cow Pose)
       A gentle warm-up, these poses are designed to move prana (life force which flows through the spine). When practiced together, they bring flexibility to the spine, stretch the neck, front and back torso, and softly stimulate the abdominal organs.

    2. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose)
       An energising backbend, this pose opens your chest to let your lungs take in more air. It also stretches the spine, improving blood and oxygen circulation throughout the body. A modification would be Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose).

    3. Urdva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose)
       This deep backbend invites strength and stretch as well as heart opening to energize and release the body from tension. Additionally, because the small adrenal glands located on top of the kidneys are squeezed, this pose gives us a nice little espresso-shot of adrenaline. A modification would be Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose).

    4. Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
       Inversions are huge energy boosters, and handstand may be the most invigorating of them all. Handstand takes balance, which works the core, and requires mental focus, not to mention the shot of adrenaline that comes from being upside down. Try it against a wall for safety or a modification would be Salamba Sarvāngāsana (Supported Shoulderstand).

    5. Savasana (Corpse Pose)
       Savasana might not seem like a pose but it helps your body recover, so you get the most benefit from all of that hard work you just did. Ever heard the “10 minutes of savasana is equivalent to 4 hours of extra sleep” line? While we aren’t sure that is entirely accurate, just 5 minutes in this wonderfully restorative pose can leave you feeling relaxed yet energised.