Morning vs Evening Yoga Practice
This is a common question that often comes up with regard to the best time to practice yoga. This is nuanced and comes down to students individual lifestyle choices and potentially their natural rythm of energy and sleeping patterns.
Morning Practtice
Traditionally in India, Asana practice is recommended in the morning for various reasons:
Brahmamuhurta - More on this later.
Empty stomach, feeling light in the body and less restricted.
Energy & Metabolism: It gently kick-starts your metabolism, stimulates circulation, and boosts energy levels.
The mind is clear and void of distractions from the day.
Often beneficial for mothers and fathers as the day and evening are busy with family life and work.
The body is a little stiffer which actually aids practitioners not pushing too hard in asana practice.
Ritualised morning devotion creates a consistent intention to start one’s day.
This could be a very long list, as there are numerous benefits to practicing early in the morning compared to the evening. Many Indian traditions are taught early in the morning , as well as the benefits of the shala not being too hot, as it would be in most of India. After the sun is up and high, the temperatures can be very difficult for a rigorous practice such as Ashtanga Yoga.
Brahmamuhurta
(Sanskrit: ब्रह्ममुहूर्त, lit. 'time of Brahma') is a 48-minute period (muhurta) that begins one hour and 36 minutes before sunrise, and ends 48 minutes before sunrise. It is traditionally the penultimate phase or muhurta of the night, and is considered an auspicious time for all practices of yoga and most appropriate for meditation, worship or any other religious practice. Spiritual activities performed early in the morning are said to have a greater effect than in any other part of the day.
Hence Surya Namaskar often being the opening posture in Yoga. A tradition from Tirumalai Krishnamacharya who stated as part of your morning prayer: "Think of God. If not God, the sun, if not the sun, your parents."
Often the reasons given for why this time is so ideal for meditation and asana practice is that the outer environment is serene and the mind is quieter at this time and we are more inclined to go within and less inclined to feel like we are missing out on important jobs or playtime.
Pratyahara (Sensory Withdrawal): The art of turning attention inward, detached from external sensory impressions.
Dharana (Concentration): The ability to keep the mind focused on a single point or object over time.
On a personal note, having practiced very early at different periods of my life, there is definitely a certain vibe you can connect with during the early hours. Outside is quiet, and there is an air of stillness that is not present at any other time of the day. The mind is quieter, which allows you to go inward much more easily, and I would say you move more gracefully and precisely . If practiced consistently enough, this can be a very beautiful time that many practitioners enjoy and cherish.
This has to blend well with other lifestyle choices, family commitments , and work, etc. It's not for everyone to wake up at 3 or 4 a.m. and practice yoga, so we find other ways to establish a consistent yoga practice that suits us.
My shala , for example, opening times are from around 6 a.m. until 9: 30 a.m., which suits most practitioners. It's early enough to practice before work and gives us enough sleep and rest.
Morning Mysore in Oslo
The commitment to a morning practice and conditioning the body to this on a regular basis has many benefits , as listed above, but especially for people who struggle mentally. If you have ever suffered from depression, then you will know how hard it is to get up and be somewhere. Having a consistent morning practice that is as regular as brushing your teeth creates discipline and steadiness and trains the body and mind to do, rather than overthink. This is especially helpful when a student has a caring space to be received.
Also, if you have had a very busy day, your energy is here, there, and everywhere, and usually, the mind is very busy and distracted. You will likely feel more flexible and potentially stronger, but I would say this is less important than the workings of the mind. This is a yoga practice, not just fitness, stretching, and strength work. It's important to distinguish the difference and intention behind what we are doing on our mats.
Evening Practice
The benefits of afternoon or evening practice are that the body tends to be more open and stronger. We have been up for some hours already and have moved around so the body is a little more limber.
This in my mind is really the only benefit as the workings of the mind will have a much stronger effect on the practice and in general I would say it is easier for it to feel more external. Practice can feel more about what you have done physically rather than the deeper internal workings of yoga.
This is not to be critical, but rather an observation. We must find ways for our practices to fit into our lives and for this to feel good and beneficial and not some type of chore or problem to fix.
I will always advocate morning practice but what is more important is that we find a space and time that is sacred and uninterrupted. Just for you to go inward with no distractions.
Out modern lives are so busy as they are and it is important we all have a calm space to go inward without distractions to connect inwardly. This space and time enables us to find the following:
Feeling more centered and grounded.
A time for you and you alone.
No planning, commitments or scheduling.
Finding your inner voice and wisdom.
Connect to our creative self.
The breath, body and mind synchronise.
Again, I could make a very long list about the benefits of having a sacred space. It doesn’t have to be a full yoga shala, but somewhere for you alone.
My home shala
I would say to students, experiment and see what works for you and find a rhythm that fits your lifestyle .
I would also say that morning practice in the beginning can feel tricky, but the body works with consistency. Once you have integrated a morning routine consistently, the body adapts, and it becomes normalized and steady.
Personally , my ideal practice is to wake up at 6 a.m. , have a coffee, and straight to the shala to begin. It 's a great way to start your day with a positive intention and feeling of gratefulness .
To begin embodying a balanced yoga practice into your life, come and practice with my at my shala in Oslo, or head to my Online Studio to start.
