Stretching once has surprising effects

Stretching when you wake up in the morning is the most natural thing to do. Now, a new program, bedside yoga, uses this activity to set the tone for your day and create a sense of calm and contentment that lasts all day. Yoga can help you find your center, and if you do it every day, you will have endless energy to deal with anything you face. Here are the four steps to bedside yoga:

◆Wake up your muscles

Take two to three minutes of deep breathing. Inhale, contracting your abdomen. Exhale, feeling the breath being carried down your spine.

Benefits to the body: It promotes the flow of oxygen to the muscles during the preparation for exercise.

Mental Benefits: Achieve a calm and peaceful mental state.

Increased alertness

Lie flat on your back with your legs together and your arms stretched out to your sides. Bend your right leg and place your knee on your left leg. Turn your head to look at your right arm. Maintain this state for 10 seconds. Do it again in the other direction.

Physical Benefits: Stretches the chest, hips and neck. Stimulates digestion.

Mental Benefits: Activates the nervous system and increases alertness.

Increase self-confidence

Lie flat on your back with your feet together and your toes pointing forward. Extend your arms overhead, keeping them shoulder-width apart. Stretch your arms along your fingertips, elbows straight; stretch your legs along your toes. Maintain this position for 10 seconds, breathing normally.

Physical Benefits: Stimulates circulation and respiration; improves posture.

Mental Benefits: Improves self-confidence and builds a sense of inner strength.

Improve your concentration

Lie flat on the bed with your hands in front of you, palms facing each other. Reach your arms overhead, keeping your palms facing each other. Bend your right leg and place your foot against the inside of your left leg. Do not stretch or compress your legs; position them as comfortably as possible. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

Physical Benefits: Stretches and tone shoulders, arms and back.

Mental Benefits: Creates a calm, positive outward image; improves concentration.