15-Minute Morning Yoga Routine (That You Can Do in Bed)

Starting your day with a morning yoga routine sounds idyllic. You picture yourself moving throughstretches, taking deep breaths, and keeping that sense of calm with you throughout the day.

However, reality tends to play out much differently. Maybe you wake up tired or stiff, with barely enough energy to snooze your alarm, nevermind getting dressed and making it to the yoga studio in time for class. You consider practicing yoga at home, but even the idea of unrolling your mat sounds daunting.

But you don’t have to set the bar so high for your morning yoga routine. In fact, adapting how you practice to your needs helps you stay consistent—even from the comfort of your bed.

15-Minute Morning Yoga Routine to Do in Bed

This is a gentle sequence suitable for low-energy mornings when you need a softer start. As you move through the poses at your own pace, notice how you feel and allow yourself to simply be—exactly as you are.

1. Full-Body Stretch

Lie on your bed with your arms and legs straight, as if you were in Savasana. Take small movements, maybe wiggling your fingers and toes or moving your head side to side. Then let yourself relax into the bed for a moment.

Inhale as you reach your hands overhead and reach your feet away from you, stretching your entire body from head to toe. Exhale and release.

2. Bridge Pose

Bend your knees, plant your feet on the bed, and rest your arms at your sides. Inhale, press your hands and feet into the bed, and lift your hips in Bridge Pose. Exhale and lower your hips to the bed.

3. Windshield Wipers

Separate your feet slightly wider than your hips. Draw your arms into a cactus shape. Exhale and allow your knees to lower toward the left. Inhale and return your knees to center. Exhale and lower your knees toward the right. Repeat Windshield Wipers two more times on each side.

4. Knees to Chest

Draw your knees toward your chest and wrap your arms around your shins or grasp behind your thighs. Breathe here, gently rocking side to side if it feels good.

5. Supine Spinal Twist

From Knees to Chest, grasp your right leg with both hands and straighten your left leg on the bed. Cross your right knee over your body and toward the left. Rest your left hand on your right thigh and draw your right arm into a cactus shape. Keep your right shoulder on the bed in Supine Spinal Twist. For more support, place a pillow underneath your right knee. Breathe here.

Draw your right leg back to center so you’re lying on your back with your right knee to your chest and your left leg straight.

6. Figure 4 Stretch

Bend your left knee and plant your foot on the bed. Straighten your right leg toward the ceiling, then cross your right ankle over your left knee in a Figure 4 stretch. Draw your right knee away from you as much or as little as feels good. Breathe here.

Repeat Supine Spinal Twist and Figure 4 Stretch on the left side.

7. Fetal Position

Roll onto one side with your knees bent and your head resting on your bottom arm in a fetal position. Take a few deep breaths here.

8. Seated Side Stretch

Sit cross-legged or in another comfortable position. Inhale as you reach your arms overhead, interlace your fingers, and flip your palms to face the ceiling. Exhale and lean toward the right. Inhale and return to center. Exhale and lean toward the left. Inhale and return to center.

9. Seated Twist

With your arms still overhead, exhale and twist toward the left as you lower your right hand to your left knee and your left hand to the bed a few inches behind your left hip. Breathe here.

Inhale as you reach your arms toward the ceiling and return to center. Exhale and twist toward the right as you lower your left hand to your right knee, and your right hand a few inches behind your right hip. Breathe here.

Inhale and return to center.

10. Seated Forward Fold Variation

From a cross-legged position, keep your spine long as you reach your chest forward and walk your hands in front of you in a Seated Forward Fold variation. Take a few breaths here.

Then exhale as you allow your upper back to round and your head to lower in your forward bend  For more support, rest your forearms on a pillow or two. Breathe here. Then slowly roll up to an upright position.

11. Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose

From cross-legged, straighten your left leg out to the side. As you exhale, lean to the left and reach your right arm overhead. Rest your left hand on the bed in front of you or on your left thigh. Gaze forward or up toward your right arm in Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose. Take a few breaths here. Inhale and return to center. Repeat on the opposite side.

Closing

End in a cross-legged position or another comfortable seat. Rest your hands in your lap or place one hand over your heart space and the other over your belly. Notice how you feel—without pressuring yourself to feel any particular way.

Maybe you ask yourself, “How can I support myself today?” And consider the fact that you’ve already begun to do so by practicing this 15-minute morning yoga routine.