"You’re moving very stiffly," my partner pointed out at the end of 2024, as I bent down to tie my shoelace—and he was right. Like many people, I spend hours working at my desk and my muscles are often tight when I clock off.
Stretching usually gets little to no attention in my daily routine. I might squeeze in some guided stretches before and after a workout class or do a back stretch while waiting for my lunch to heat up, but I rarely make the time to do a dedicated flexibility session.
Determined to make 2025 the year of change, I decided to commit to five minutes of stretching every morning. I spotted Yoga with Bird’s five-minute morning yoga workout for busy people, rolled out my mat and got started.
Thirty days later, I feel more supple, awake and energized.
How to do the five-minute morning stretch routine
Five minutes might not sound like much, but it’s more than enough time to enjoy a full-body stretch.
This practice starts with a nearly three-minute-long child’s pose, which was great for relieving tension in my hips and back—two areas that often feel stiff after sleeping.
The routine then eases into cat-cow, downward-facing dog, cobra pose and a forward fold—all of which take my spine through essential movement patterns, like flexion and extension.
Here's everything I learned after doing 30 days of yoga.
Stretching doesn’t have to complicated
Many of the exercises in this practice are considered accessible yoga stretches for beginners, which anyone can do.
While I’m not new to yoga (I’ve been practicing for more than 10 years), I still found these foundational moves satisfying and effective at easing tension. By the end of the session, my muscles felt lighter and my whole body felt noticeably more relaxed.
My flexibility improved fast
It probably comes as no surprise that my flexibility improved but I was surprised with how quickly I saw progress. At the start of this challenge, I was unable to touch the floor in a forward fold. After a week, the floor was within reach and 30 days later I could place my hands comfortably on the ground.
It boosted my focus
This was the most unexpected benefit. I consider myself a morning person but it can take me a good 40 minutes to fully wake up and get going.
Adding stretching to my routine started my day with a sense of purpose. Moving first thing also helped me feel more productive. Plus, I’ve noticed I complete my morning tasks more easily and with greater concentration.
Shop yoga mats
I find it useful to have something soft and supportive underneath me when I practice these stretches. All of the below options come from our round-up of the best yoga mats and are ideal for routines like the one above.
