The first thing many of us reach for in the morning is a cup of coffee. But there is something else that can boost your energy and help you de-stress.
Nutritionist, yoga teacher and author of The Yoga Body, Lola Berry said just 10-minutes of yoga in the morning can help reduces stress levels.
‘Yoga is great for getting rid of work-related stress, and most forms of stress, as it helps to calm the fluctuations of the mind,’ she told FEMAIL.
‘When you first rock up to a yoga class you’ll find you’re focused on your to-do list but as you move your body to breath (that’s literally what vinyasa translates to, movement connected to breath) the mind settles and you become more in the “now”.
Lola Berry (pictured) shared with FEMAIL the top four yoga poses that will help you de-stress before and after work
‘Yoga will help to bring you back into the present moment. This is a quote I love to share in yoga classes: What time is it? Now. Where am I? Here. Who am I? This moment. When we come back to the “now”, stress seems to subside.
According to Lola, there are four simple poses that will help you take a break from the ‘analytical mind’ which can be the result of long work hours.
1. Legs up the wall
‘This is one of the fastest ways to help calm your nervous system,’ said Lola.
‘You literally just get your butt as close to the wall as possible then let your legs lean up against the wall. It will bring blood back to your head and help to calm you.’
Lola, an author, yoga teacher and nutritionist shared the various poses she swears by to reduce stress
‘Yoga will help to bring you back into the present moment,’ Lola told FEMAIL
2. Forward fold
This pose is as simple as it sounds.
‘Fold your body over and dangle your arms or or hold them either side at the elbows,’ she said.
‘Even if you’re stressed at work, just get up from your desk and try it. You’ll instantly feel as though you’re letting go of baggage.’
3. Camel pose
‘Camel pose is a lovely heart opener which is said to help with anxiety and depression,’ explained Lola.
‘Come into the post by starting on your knees (toes can be hooked or not) and then lean back with your upper body.
‘Be sure to listen to your spine here and only go back as far as feels good.’
4. Up dog
‘Up dog is used as a transition pose in vinyasa yoga but it’s a brilliant heart opener and great for making you feel happy,’ said Lola.
‘[The] trick is to keep your thighs off the mat when you peel your heart open.’
Lola first took up yoga at the age of 23 because she wanted to lose some weight (left, before, right, now) – she said she was 20 kilos heavier than she was now
Speaking previously to FEMAIL, the 32-year-old, said first took up yoga at the age of 23 because she wanted to lose some weight.
‘I was around 20 kilograms heavier than I am now, so knew I needed to do something about it. I took up the practice and paired it with a Paleo diet. Before I knew it, the kilos were dropping off,’ she said.
But it wasn’t just weight loss benefits that Lola soon saw. She said that she also soon began to feel calmer in her mind and more positive:
‘There’s a saying in yoga, about how it calms you and makes you feel more clear and positive,’ Lola said. ‘Yoga was a gift I gave myself.
‘Yoga helps me to feel “whole”,’ said Lola. ‘It’s like I’m putting forward a kinder, happier, more heart-filled version of myself.’
‘If you haven’t tried yoga before you might think it’s lot of meditating and hippy jazz, but if you practise the asanas (the yoga poses), it does wonderful things for your body – it improves posture, flexibility, strength and even aids weight management.
Her new book, The Yoga Body (pictured), is out now
Nowadays, Lola swears by yoga – and still practises several times a week, while also teaching her clients.
‘Yoga helps me to feel “whole”,’ she said. ‘It’s like I’m putting forward a kinder, happier, more heart-filled version of myself.’
Her new book, The Yoga Body – The Ultimate Guide to Detoxing, Building Strength and Eating Mindfully, aims to show what it can do for you too.
The Yoga Body by Lola Berry is published by Pan Macmillan. To celebrate International Yoga Day on Thursday June 21, Nimble Activewear is holding a yoga class, led by Lola Berry, to raise funds for i=Change. To buy tickets or find out more, click here.