This seven-minute morning yoga routine will mobilize your entire body

It can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise when it's dark and cold outside. But we all know movement is good for our physical and mental health—even a small amount of exercise can help you feel refreshed.

Francine Cipollone, a yoga instructor known as Yoga With Bird, recently shared a seven-minute routine that's ideal for those frosty winter mornings. The short flow will help you wake up gently by mobilizing your entire body. 

Watch Francine Cipollone's seven minute morning yoga routine

This routine is focused on static stretching, which can improve your flexibility. 

Poses like happy baby and child's pose are great for opening up the hips, while puppy pose and cat-cow will stretch muscles in the shoulders and back, which are common problem areas for desk workers.

This is a great routine to come back to on a regular basis if you want to improve your flexibility and range of motion. Plus, you can do it from the comfort of your own home—you don't even need to get out of your pajamas.

It's suitable for beginners too, so don't be afraid to try it if you've never done yoga before.

If you are looking for something a more challenging, you can also use yoga to build muscle. Try this core yoga or these yoga poses for shoulder mobility and strength.

Benefits of yoga

It's no secret that yoga can help with your flexibility. But regularly practicing yoga can improve your mental health, too.

A meta-analysis from the Psychoneuroendocrinology journal showed that holding yoga poses helps regulate your stress levels and reduces the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body. 

Other potential benefits of yoga include improved strength (especially in the core muscles) and better balance. 

Looking for a new mat to support your practice? Read through our guide to the best yoga mats