How to shake off a bad night's sleep
After a poor night of sleep, it can be super tempting to hit the snooze button on the alarm (many times).
But even though you may have to drag yourself out of bed, there are some techniques to help make you feel awake in mere moments.
Triyoga teacher and expert in yoga sleep therapy Lisa Sanfilippo recommends doing a series of movements for an energising full-body wake-up.
"One of the best methods for dealing with morning exhaustion is to do some simple body movements to improve your focus and activate your body-brain wake-up cues," she noted. "These three simple poses and stretches for just 10 minutes first thing in the morning will help mop up after a bad night's sleep."
1. Do a back stretch
Start by placing your bottom against a wall and fall forward while keeping a slight bend in the legs.
"Holding the opposite elbow in your hands. This should allow the muscles in your back to elongate," the expert advised. "Then, lift your torso up and begin to bend and straighten your knees slowly to lightly raise your heart rate."
2. Get the blood moving
Facing the wall, place your hands against it so that they are at the same height as your hips, with a slight bend in the knees.
"Move side to side slightly through the hips and elbows so stretch into the side body and bring circulation into the chest," explained Lisa.
3. Do some breathing exercises
With your back to the wall, bend your knees, bottom to the wall and slide downward in a little bit of a slow bounce.
"Extend your palms out directly in front of you, palms level with your shoulders and facing down. Hold for between two and five breaths," she added. "This movement will power up your legs and leave you feeling awake and steady."
