Yoga: A Natural Energy Boost

If an energy boost is what you’re after, yoga just might do the trick. Practicing yoga is a natural way to increase your energy level. With a regular yoga practice, you may even find yourself resorting less and less to energy drinks and sugary snacks that add excess calories to your diet.

Deep Breathing in Yoga

One of the simplest ways that yoga boosts your energy is through deep breathing. Yoga breathing exercises reduce your stress and free your mind. Deeply inhaling and exhaling alone will go a long way in calming you and stimulating your nervous system to generate greater energy.

One of the things some people realize when doing a deep breathing exercise is just how often they hold their breath when stressed, or how short and shallow their breathing is in daily life. Making a conscious effort to breathe deeply in a yoga breathing exercise will oxygenate your entire body.

Oxygenation and Toxin Release

In ashtanga yoga and other yoga practices, you engage in warm up practices that generate heat throughout your body. When your muscles heat up and you begin to sweat, your body releases toxins and impurities. It is believed that deep breathing and toxin release work together to bring oxygen to your cells, and activate and release the energy that is lying dormant in your body.

Combining the Breath and Movement

Kundalini is one type of yoga that will really wake you up and give you an energy boost. It is different from other types of yoga in that it can require a great deal of continuous motion. In many yoga practices, you undergo a series of poses and postures that may feel stagnant. However, in kundalini yoga, you combine vigorous movements with a concentrated focus on the breath.

One example of an energizing kundalini movement is sitting on the floor with legs crossed in front of you, upper arms out to the side parallel to the floor and lower arms bent perpendicular to the floor. You are making an L-shape with the arms. You then move your torso to one side while inhaling and to the opposite side while exhaling. Continue to do this repeatedly at a fast pace for several minutes. This movement will stimulate your nervous system and wake up your entire upper body.

If you are going to start a yoga practice to boost your energy level, choose a teacher whose class is geared toward this goal specifically. You will want a class that combines the use of the breath with enough movement for you to feel truly energized.

Hydrate to Energize

Another important thing for those who practice yoga is to hydrate properly. Be sure to drink water before and after your class. In strenuous classes, you will also want to drink water throughout the class. This will ensure that you get an energy boost and do not suffer from the fatigue that often accompanies dehydration.


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