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6 Tips For Waking Up At 6 AM

2/17/2019

Whether you have to wake up early for work and are really struggling to make this a positive experience or you want to make the most of your day and are envious of all of those chipper “morning people”, we’ve created a list to help you make this dream a reality. The benefits of waking up early are endless and include mental clarity, productivity, and improved quality of sleep, all of which can become addictive once your body gets used to it. If you’re fulfilled with the way your routine is now, then stick to it. But if you’re looking to make a change in your lifestyle maybe this is for you.

Here are 6 enjoyable ways to make this transition:

BEDTIME ROUTINE
Waking up early doesn’t need to come at the cost of losing hours of sleep. It’s just about adjusting your routine so you’re able to get to sleep sooner. Going to bed early can seem just as daunting as getting up early but when you have a night time ritual you follow it makes both a lot easier.
Ever experienced going out late with friends or having a late workout and getting home exhausted but still unable to snooze? Our bodies need time to wind down before finding some quality shut-eye. About an hour before bed try:

Having a hot bath or shower to allow your muscles to relax
Dimming the lights or lighting a candle

Making a cup of warm herbal tea
Avoiding any big meals or screen time
Reading a book
Diffusing essential oils like lavender, y-lang-y-lang, bergamont, chamomile and rose
Engaging in 10 minutes of meditation

Incorporating these simple steps into your night routine will over time signify to your brain that it’s time to shut off and will make falling asleep simple.

PREPARATION
When waking up at 6 AM, the last thing you want to be thinking about is making your lunch or stressing over everything you have to do that day. Starting the day with a clear mind and having everything for your day already laid out for you is ideal.

Meal prep will save you an abundance of time and thought in the morning. When we are tired first thing in the morning our bodies tend to crave sugar so you might go for the quick and easy bowl of sugary cereal instead of a nutritious protein packed smoothie or eggs and healthy fats to feed your brain first thing!
Make your to-do list the night before. This will get everything down on paper so you won’t lose sleep thinking about everything you have to remember to do the next day.
Lay your clothes out for the next day whether you plan to work out or don’t want to waste time choosing your outfit for the office.

EXERCISE TO ENERGIZE
Working out in the morning will increase your productivity because you will have that extra boost of energy in your system. Starting your morning with a sweat will help clear your mind and make you feel accomplished and ready to tackle the rest of your goals for that day.

Book yourself into a yoga class the night before or schedule an early gym workout with a friend to hold yourself accountable.
Go for a morning walk to help clear your mind and get your endorphins going.

Any movement in the morning helps as your body has just been still for 8 hours and is craving it.

MAKE IT EXCITING
Make your morning something that you fall asleep excited to wake up for. You may be thinking…“well I just have to get up and go to work and that’s not exciting.” Life is all about what you make of it. Focus on little things that bring you joy.

Make a big warm cup of coffee or tea
Listen to your favourite podcast while you get ready
Make yourself a creative and satisfying breakfast
Read a chapter of your book
Catch up with your best friend
Use your favourite exfoliator in the shower
Watch a clip of your favourite comedian while you do your makeup

If you’re going into this challenge to wake up earlier with a completely negative outlook it’s never going to get easier. Try to soak up that hour of quiet time before the rest of the world gets up.

FIND A BUDDY
I’m sure you’re not the only one with a goal to wake up earlier. Find someone in the same boat as you and hold each other to it! We are much more likely to do something when we know we’re letting someone else down if we don’t.

Text or call each other when you wake up and chat while you get ready
Plan to meet for early coffee before work and catch up on emails
Schedule an early workout class together and sign up the night before

You won’t want to stand them up! It’s really difficult to stick to a routine of going to bed early when you are surrounded by night owls. Knowing you’re not the only one in bed by 9pm makes it a lot easier and you’ll feel better for it.

CONSISTENCY
Consistency is SO key. It’s hard to wake up at 6am on weekdays when you’re sleeping in until 10am on weekends. You can’t expect your body to adapt to different sleep patterns so quickly. If you have a day off and really feel you need the extra sleep or are out a little later than usual the night before, keep your wake window within 1.5 hours of your regular scheduled wakeup.

Like any real change you want to make in your life, you are going to have to commit to make it work. That’s not to say you should feel guilty about sleeping in one day or staying up too late. Just don’t get discouraged by one or two slip ups and bounce back into your preferred routine as soon as possible. The more you implement a habit the easier it becomes.

Written by: Katelyn Stewart

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Spotlight on Restorative Yoga

2/11/2019

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There is no more beautiful ending to a stressful day than a glorious Restorative practice. As the least “impacting’ form of yoga, Restorative allows folks to have space to breathe, relax, and release the mind in a series of postures that require little to no physical effort. The key to this type of yoga is to simply let go, and it is difficult for anyone to not enjoy the gentle, soothing effects of this meditative form of yoga.

At LLY we offer a Restorative Hatha class Tuesday's (monthly from 8:45pm-9:30pm). With this offering we wanted to make sure that you had some more info from our Restorative teacher Elizabeth about what this class can offer YOU!

We sat down with Elizabeth and asked her a few questions; here is what she had to say...

Q: What is Restorative Yoga?
A: Restorative Yoga is exactly what it sounds like! It is a gentle, passive and relaxing form of yoga. Restorative uniquely combines the principles and health benefits of both yoga and meditation at the same time, as it encourages a mindful connection between our body and mind with the end-goal of relaxation. Just like other types of yoga, Restorative still involves making various poses with our bodies; however, we’ll take advantage of using the floor and some yoga props (pillows, blocks & straps), allowing gravity to assist us in fully relaxing and releasing our bodies to the mat. Some of these poses include seated forward folds, laying twists, legs up the wall and gentle backbends.

Q: What benefits can I experience from a Restorative Yoga class?
A: Due to its slower pace and passive nature, Restorative Yoga serves as an amazing compliment to all fitness and lifestyle routines. This method is ideal for all fitness levels and anyone seeking an opportunity to relax and decompress their tired body and busy mind. These longer-held poses and deep breathing techniques will allow our hard-working bodies and minds to slow down and gently open to stretch and release tight muscles. You’ll experience a greater sense of mental and physical relaxation during the class, that will follow with you after the class as well - take note of how well you may sleep that night!

Q: What do I need to wear, bring, do for this class?
A: Wear comfortable clothing (even pajama pants will do!) that will allow you to move and rest comfortably, as we’ll be sinking into these poses for a while. Bring your yoga mat, a foldable blanket and a pillow (we'll provide the blocks and straps) to comfortably support your contact to the floor. You’re more than welcome to bring an extra blanket, eye pillow/mask, water or tea, or anything else you may need to make the practice your own.

This class is all about YOU creating a restorative space for yourself! So please arrive with an open mind, open heart, ready to release some mind-body tension and open yourself to a calm, restorative energy.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE RESTORATIVE HATHA SCHEDULE

Written by: Elizabeth Fox

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Teacher Feature: KATELYN

2/6/2019

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What's your name?

Katelyn Stewart

What brought you to yoga? What keeps you coming back to yoga?

I started yoga to keep fit physically in high-school and fell in love. It wasn't until years later that I discovered how much yoga had an impact on my mental well-being. I started leaning on yoga when things got tough and now continuously notice the difference in my happiness when I keep up a regular practice.

What pose(s) are you currently working with (favourite, challenged by etc.)?

My favorite pose would have to be sleeping hero. I swear I could stay there forever, I love it! I'm currently working on engaging my arms without hyper-extending my elbows in many poses.

Why Liberty Life Yoga?

I truly believe building a community through yoga is so important and that's what LLY is all about. So many people rush into a studio, get their workout done, and rush out to the rest of their busy day. For me, yoga is all about connection!

Words of Wisdom for someone thinking of trying (Liberty Life) Yoga?

Try it! It's accessible, affordable and you'll meet a lot of awesome people with similar interests to you.

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6 Tips For Waking Up At 6 AM

Spotlight on Restorative Yoga

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE RESTORATIVE HATHA SCHEDULE

Teacher Feature: KATELYN

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