Pre-2020, wellness could have been construed (by those who hadn't seen the need for it) as a fad. Despite a continually growing industry, skeptics were a plenty, and it wasn't until the first lockdown struck that many of the aforementioned thought otherwise. 

Fast forward to the end of the year and acts of wellness are being practiced and appreciated by nearly everyone! Whether that be taking a moment to meditate, moving your body with a workout or doing some breathing exercises, every little helps when it comes to maintaining mental wellbeing. 

And that brings us to our favourite activity that does exactly that: yoga. Being a practice that promotes calmness while invigorating every single muscle – yes, every single one – it's the perfect pick-me-up for your body and mind. In light of this, we've looked to Claire Missingham, a world-class Yoga teacher at the renowned private members health club KX, to explain why you should be doing a bit of yoga every-day. Learn about how beneficial it can be for you below, and then try a 10-minute session for yourself!


What are the benefits of incorporating yoga into your daily routine, even if it's only ten minutes?
The benefits of a regular yoga practice are trifold: breathing deeply helps our central nervous system to regulate, rebalance and come back into homeostasis; great for moments of stress or anxiety. Breathing consciously and deeply also has a wonderful effect on bringing in a positive mood and the health of your lungs: exactly what we currently require!

Moving the body even for 10 minutes allows all of the systems such as the digestive system, endocrine system (hormones and mood feelings) and mostly importantly our muscular and fascial system to stretch, relax and get stronger, creating a cellular intelligence where you may not tangibly know what works, but it just does!

Lastly, 10 minutes of yoga, breathing and incorporating intention/gratitude or appreciation for what you can do has incredible benefits on your focus, self-perception and connection to your spiritual/deeper self, meaning you are in tune with your own ‘truth’. When we feel dissipated, rushed, busy, worried and have many responsibilities, it’s hard to feel connected to this quiet space inside, but once you do, you will yearn to have 10 minutes to reconnect with you. I always say it’s like going for a cup of tea with yourself and checking in, you will always feel calmer and more grounded, yet stronger physically and emotionally.

How do the moves in this particular routine help energise you for the day?This short sequence moves omni-directionally, so your body is getting a good all round stretch and strengthen, as are the hemispheres of your brain, so you may have better and more rational decision making too.

How would you recommend building up confidence with yoga for those who are new to it?
The joy will be in repetition. Do not worry ever about the execution of a pose or alignment being right first time: this comes with time. For instance, taking 4 postures in a flow in the morning, in the same order, at around the same time, will bring confidence and stability, then you can add more, then more. One step at a time just breathe, focus and practice thankfulness for even a small amount of time for yourself.

Yoga is extremely worthwhile for our muscles, but how positive is it for one's wellness?
A sense of wellness can be described as: feeling steady, strong, grounded, honest, supple, happy and enthusiastic about our lives. When we feel these together, we are in a place of union inside. Yoga means union. Voila! 

Incorporate 10 minutes of yoga into your daily routine, with Claire's practice below:



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