Yoga for Cooler Days: Warming Poses to Keep Your Body Balanced
Unlike more intense forms of exercise, gentle yoga prioritises mindful movement, making it an ideal choice when you’re looking to stay warm without overexerting yourself. Each pose flows into the next, encouraging blood flow and stretching areas prone to tightness in colder weather, such as the lower back, hips, and hamstrings. Alongside the physical benefits, gentle yoga fosters a sense of calm and inner warmth that can be incredibly grounding during busy or chilly days.
Whether you’re looking to start your morning with vitality, wind down after a long day, or simply stay connected to your body’s needs, this practice is here to support you. Think of it as a gentle reset—like wrapping yourself in a soft, comforting blanket for both body and mind. Plus, the deliberate focus on breath work in yoga naturally heats the body from the inside out, amplifying the feeling of warmth.
I invite you to roll out your mat and embrace warming yoga sequence. Not only will it help you maintain flexibility and balance, but it will also allow you to enjoy slower rhythms of the cooler months. Let’s flow into this new season with grace and intention.
Why Yoga for Cooler Days.
Cooler days can be a challenge for the body, and yoga provides a gentle solution to help you adapt to these seasonal shifts. When temperatures drop, our muscles tend to contract, and circulation can slow, making movement feel less fluid. Over time, this can lead to stiffness or discomfort, particularly in areas like the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Yoga offers a way to counteract this tightness through mindful stretching and strengthening, keeping your body supple and energised and, mind positive and focused.
Another challenge of cooler weather is maintaining consistent energy levels. Reduced sunlight and colder air often contribute to fatigue or lethargy. Yoga’s flowing movements and focused breathing stimulate the body’s internal systems, promoting better blood flow and enhancing overall vitality. It’s an antidote to the sluggishness that can creep in during the fall and winter months.
Additionally, yoga has a grounding effect, which can be especially helpful as life speeds up during the holiday season or when the shorter days leave you feeling scattered. Spending even 20-60 minutes in a warming yoga sequence can help calm an overactive mind while improving physical, mental resilience to the changing weather.
Beyond its physical benefits, yoga also supports emotional well-being, which is equally important in cooler months. Seasonal transitions can bring about changes in mood, and gentle movement combined with deep breathing releases tension and elevates your sense of inner warmth. Certain poses, like twists and backbends, encourage circulation to your organs, helping to boost digestion and immunity, both of which are often impacted during colder months.
Finally, yoga doesn’t require much to get started—just a quiet space, a mat, and your willingness to show up. It’s a practice that adapts to your needs, whether you’re looking for invigorating flows to warm up or restorative poses to wind down. No matter your level of experience, it’s a beautiful way to stay connected to yourself and aligned with the slower, reflective energy of the season.
The Warming Yoga Sequence
Here’s a simple flow to stay warm and balanced:
1. Seated Cat-Cow (Sukhasana variation):
Start seated with your legs crossed. On your inhale, arch your spine and lift your chest (Cow). On your exhale, round your back and draw your chin to your chest (Cat). Repeat for 8-10 breaths to warm up the spine.
2. Child’s Pose with Side Stretches (Balasana):
From a kneeling position, fold forward into Child’s Pose. Stretch your arms to the right for a few breaths, feeling a gentle warmth in your side body, and then switch to the left. This pose releases tension while promoting relaxation.
3. Low Lunge with a Twist (Anjaneyasana):
Step one foot forward into a low lunge, keeping your opposite knee grounded. Raise your arms overhead, then twist gently toward your front leg, placing one hand on your thigh or the ground. This pose strengthens and warms the hips, legs, and core. Switch sides.
4. Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose):
From a standing position, step your feet wide apart and turn one foot out. Bend the knee of the turned-out leg to form a 90-degree angle while keeping the other leg straight. Rest your forearm on your bent knee or reach your hand down to the ground while extending your opposite arm overhead. Feel the warmth and stretch through your side body, chest, and legs. Repeat on the other side.
5. Modified Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana):
To prevent overexertion, try a gentle Downward Dog by keeping your knees slightly bent. Hold for 5-7 breaths to stretch your hamstrings and energize your body.
6. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana):
Sit with your legs extended and reach for your feet, allowing your spine to gently fold forward. This pose calms the nervous system and promotes circulation in the legs.
7. Reclined Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana):
Lie on your back and gently twist your knees to one side while keeping your shoulders grounded. This pose supports digestion and helps you unwind.
8. Final Relaxation with Visualisation (Savasana):
End with cosy Savasana, lying down on the mat supporting your head and shoulder with a cushion, bolster under your knees and, cover yourself with a warm blanket. Imagine a warm, glowing light spreading through your body from he crown of your head to the bottom of your feet. Bring the awareness into your breath in-breath and out-breath to stay present. Stay here for 5-10 minutes, embracing peace and warmth.
Come and Join Julia to keep you warm and balanced.
If you’re ready to embrace the benefits of yoga this season, I’d love to welcome you to one of my classes… if you like to join my community and, sharing your yoga experience with others. Start your mornings energised with online sessions at 7:30 AM, perfect for setting the tone for the day. Or, if you’re craving the supportive connection of an in-person experience, join me for Gentle Yoga in the studio on Sundays at 10 AM.
Looking to unwind and reset in the evenings? My Thursday Yin and Restorative Unwind & Reset class at 5:30 PM online is designed to ease stress and promote deep relaxation. Or join me midweek for an Evening Harmony class in the studio on Wednesdays—a perfect way to balance your mind and body as the day winds down.
And don’t forget our upcoming monthly special: Restorative Embodiment—90-Minute Immersion with Sound Bath, happening on Friday the 20th at 6:30 PM in the studio. This transformative class combines deeply restorative poses with the healing vibrations of a sound bath, creating the ultimate opportunity to release tension and support yourself during these darker days.
I invite you to come along to any (or all!) of these classes and carve out time to support your well-being as we navigate this cooler, cozier season. Let’s embrace the change together—on the mat. Check all the classes here.
Practicing yoga regularly builds a steady momentum of healthy movement that supports balance on every level—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Over time, this consistency fosters strength, resilience, and mindfulness, laying the foundation for greater longevity and overall well-being.
For One to One Personalised Sessions, get in touch directly – julia@juliakhealthyliving.com
I can’t wait to see you!
Much love, Julia xx