Bio-Hacking Our Nervous System: Starting Our Day Right
Amy Musto
February 2025
Most of us are desperate for just a few more minutes of sleep, but let’s be honest, you’re already awake and sleepily hoping that an extra 5 minutes in bed isn’t going to help. Imagine if you allowed yourself 10 minutes in the morning to gently wake up so your nervous system can have a head start? This approach would give you a better start to your day, more energy, and help soothe aches and pains.
As a yoga teacher, nurse, mom, and animal caretaker, I need these 10 minutes in the morning. My practice is what sets me up for the day. There are moments when I hear an unpleasant sound coming from my dog and I need to jump up and race him out the door. My nervous system is on red alert for the day, not a good start.
This easy guide is designed to be done in 10 minutes and you can certainly race through this and finish in half the time, but that is only going to charge up your nervous system and defeat the purpose. I’ve included modifications that hopefully will meet your individual needs.
These stretches can be done while sitting on the edge of your bed, or in a chair or sitting cross-legged on the floor. You choose where your practice happens on a day to day basis.
Start lengthening your spine by sitting up tall. Imagine there is a string attached to the top of your head and someone is gently pulling it up towards the ceiling. Pause here for a full inhale and exhale.
On your next inhale lift your right arm up towards the ceiling and hold while taking three deep breaths. Allow your gaze to fall towards the floor or float to the ceiling, or anywhere in between. Let the right arm fall back to your lap.
Repeat with three deep breaths while holding your left arm to the ceiling.
If lifting your arm is not comfortable, try bending your arm at the elbow until you are comfortable. If lifting your arm at all is not right for you, focus on sitting quietly with your eyes closed, picturing yourself lifting your arm while taking three rounds of breaths.
On your next inhale let your belly fill up with air, and as you exhale imagine pulling your belly button towards your back.
Once you’ve done this, hold this feeling and twist your upper body to the right and hold for three deep breaths.
After the third round, release and come back to center. Pause for one full round of breaths.
First inhale, and as you exhale, pull that belly button back in and twist the upper body to the other side for three rounds of breaths.
Come back to the center and relax. If twisting is too much for you at the moment, sit, breathe and imagine yourself moving into the twist.
Lastly, on your next inhale, lift your arms up like you were getting ready to hug a crowd of people. As you exhale, bring your arms back and give yourself a hug. Inhale with the arms wide open, and as you exhale switch the positions of your arms so that the opposite arm lays on top. Inhale arms go wide, lift that chest, put a smile on your face even if you don’t feel like it. Exhale again while bringing your arms back into a hug. You can stop here, but if you have more time and it feels good, why not do a few more. Again, if this is too much for your body, close your eyes, breath and imagine yourself moving through these motions
Now you’ve done your 10 minute routine, you have moved your spine in 6 different ways allowing energy to fill and flow. Next on your To Do list is to go out and conquer your day and
be the best version of yourself.
Namaste.
