The Sun is the source of life on the planet. Living on earth means we have to be in sync with the sun and its rays. We all are aware that sun rays are a very important element for our health. In our academics all over the world, we have been taught the importance of sun to live a healthy life. But when we grew up, we adopt the habits just opposite to the sun, fall in love with late night schedules and wake up late in the morning. We work in a closed room, use electric lights and get very less or no natural sunlight. As a result, people begin to suffer  from winter blues, a seasonal depression. This is actually the energy of sunlight that makes us feel happy during the brighter days in comparison with the grey days. 

“Atapa Snana” is the yogic phrase that describes “The healing science of Sun”.  Ancient yogis and civilization across the world knew how to use the sun to heal our body, clean the blood of various pollutants and micro-organisms.  In the west, we also have history to use sun therapy known as “Heliosis”. In the modern world, it is known as “Heliotherapy”. 

As we look at the ancient history, all the Gurus, yogis and yoga students conduct their yoga practice during the early morning and at an open place where they can get direct sun exposure. The morning yoga session gives the two-times benefits: strength, flexibility of yoga and the energy of natural light.

The biggest health benefits of consuming the natural lights are 

• It lowers the blood pressure
• It lowers the cholesterol
• It helps in cleansing the blood and blood vessels
• It increases the oxygen content in human blood
• It feeds us Vitamin D that helps to increase the strength of our bones. 

Here are some important guidelines from ancient yoga sutra and Ayurveda text that encourage you to prefer morning yoga session to stay healthy: 

1. Become a Morning Person – Study says that the people who make the most of their time, are the morning people. A dedicated morning yoga practice makes us a morning person and gives the opportunity to utilize the maximum time of our day. Rather than wasting the day sleeping, make a habit of getting a little early to energize yourself for the day. 
2. Get the chance to Salute the Sun – From the ancient time, yogis start their yoga practice with Surya Namaskar i.e. Sun Salutation. It is actually to greet the rising Sun and gain its energy. It is the most loved yoga sequence. Sun salutation is a sequence of 12 powerful yoga asanas. One round is practiced on the right side and one round on the  left side. That forms the 24 movements that represent the 24 hours of the day. This particular asana sequence heats up and energizes our body from head to toe. It tones our muscles including the abs. The ancient sages believed that the manipura i.e. Solar Plexus Chakra, located behind the navel in the body, is connected with the sun which is responsible for our creativity and intuition. The particular chakra is activated by practicing the Sun Salutation i.e. Surya Namaskar which is practiced with rising Sun. 
3. Develop Mental Clarity – From ancient times, it is stated that the hours between 4:00 am to 6:00 am are the  best time for meditation and yoga practice because our mind is in completely resting position and outer world is not yet in action to divert it. So, there is a sense of stillness in the ambience which is helpful to meditate and achieve mental clarity. 
4. Best time for Breathing Practice – During early morning time, our mind is in completely rest position which is helpful to focus intently on each inhale and exhale and improve the quality of breathing. It is an instant way to bring ourselves into the present moment. If breath awareness can become a habit, we can use it to become more aware of the  present moment at any time of the day. Isn’t it wonderful? Amazing….
5. Create best “Me-time” – From a busy scheduled life, it is difficult to get the “Me-time”. The extra hours in the morning are one of the best ways to spend time with you. A morning yoga practice gives you the feeling that you have done something for yourself that day. 
6. Help to avoid procrastination – We all set New Year resolution to be healthier but only few people achieve. Most of us have the habit of procrastination. If you are that person, make your morning yoga session very first item in your to-do list of the day. Morning yoga session will give you the feeling of achieving something at the beginning of day which helps to build confidence and avoid the guilt of procrastination.
7. Remove the Muscles Stiffness – During the overnight, our muscles rest and if we don’t move and stretch them, the layers of connective tissues and fluids get collected between them. It is essential to remove this fuzz as it may cause stiffness, common body aches and pains. So, experts recommend stretching out the body at the beginning of the day to feel physically healthy. 
8. Improve the digestion system of the body – Ayurveda states that 90% of our health depends on the health of our digestive system. We can eat healthy foods but if our body can’t absorb it properly, then it is not going to improve our health. The yoga practice in the morning helps to boost the metabolism of the body that improves the health of our digestion system.  
9. Body Move on for the day – If you are doing a sitting job at a desk all day long, then a morning yoga session is as important as your breakfast. Yoga postures like backbends are effective to open the muscles of the spine and hips. By practicing these yoga postures in the morning can energize us for the rest of our day. 
10. Prolong the benefits – A morning yoga session improves breath awareness, healthier digestion, stimulated circulation and energy levels which work as a catalyst during our day performance. Morning yoga sessions not only stretch your hips, open up your shoulders and lengthen your spine but also lift up your mood for the rest of the day. They make you  feel centered, focused and ready to own the day. From ancient times, it is a cultural symbol to wake up before the sun rises as it has its own health benefits. If you practice yoga postures during that time, you get additive benefits to your physical, mental and spiritual health. 

So, if you are beginner to yoga, then choose the earliest morning hours as per your comfort and schedule for 21 days and you will notice the difference in your health. Also, if you feel any issue and health challenge, you can consult with a yoga studio or participate at a beginner-friendly yoga teacher training session to learn the practice of yoga postures and meditation techniques properly.