We Tried 6AM Yoga For 10 Days, Here’s What We Learned:

by Divi Sharma

Imagine waking up before the sun, driving to a Hot Yoga studio, and doing sun salutations in a 100 degree temperature controlled room before your alarm clock goes off. Sounds insane, right? Not for these morning yogis!

MEET THE SQUAD:

Our mission was clear: drag ourselves out of bed at the crack of dawn and hit the mats while the rest of the world was hitting the snooze button. Why, you ask? For science, sanity, and the subtle promise of becoming morning people—plus, there’s this crazy 10 days for $25 deal at Midtown Yoga and who are we to say no to a crazy good deal, right?

BEFORE THE MATS

PRE-YOGA CONFESSIONS

To start the challenge, I wanted to get an idea of how the Morning Yoga squad was feeling and find out what they were really thinking before swapping their pillows for yoga mats. Here’s a glimpse into their minds: 

Rory: I love going to yoga regularly so I’m excited I can potentially to increase my flexibility, relieve some stress, and open up my pores to watch my skin clear up! Not too crazy about looking like a drowned rat after every sesh though.  

Cooper: Usually in the morning, I sleep until the last minute possible. So the idea of doing yoga everyday at 6AM is giving me some anxiety. I practice yoga a few times a week so my main reason for doing this challenge is to reduce that stress & anxiety, enhance my overall fitness, and because I was voluntold. 

Emily: I usually do distance runs pretty frequently, and practice yoga around one to three times a week. My goal is to make myself less miserable in the morning and build my natural energy levels. 

Reese: I want to try something new… and I’m curious (but mostly doubtful) whether morning yoga is right for me.

Letitia: I’m interested to see how I can fit this into my training schedule, but I'm doing this out of the principle of keeping a promise… I hate that I gave you a favor for helping me with something and you cashed it in for this. I'm trying to stay positive but I—

THANK YOU LETITIA! You won’t regret it!

Divi: I like to challenge myself a lot and I think 6AM Yoga for 10 days will give me structure and help me push my boundaries. Plus… it’s 10 days for only $25?!  

PART 1

TRIALS, TRIUMPHS, AND A FEW TEARS

Let’s be real, the first day was less about enlightenment and more about wondering if it's legal to be awake so early. Our bodies, accustomed to our soft beds and cozy blankets, were suddenly forced into an alternate reality of downward dogs and chair poses. As our journey commenced, each of us were mentally scrolling through our personal feeds—why were we here?

Waking up was the first battle, and making it through the session was the next. Yet, as we pushed through the initial discomfort, a sense of accomplishment began to swell. The real magic happened at the end of that first class during savasana. As we each laid a cold lavender towel across our faces, the crisp, soothing scent melting away our sweat, there was a profound realization of how far we'd come in just one morning. Despite the struggle, we couldn't help but feel proud—proud of showing up, pushing through, and doing something incredibly challenging yet beneficial for ourselves.

But then, the mid-afternoon lull hit and the caffeine took complete control. Day one taught us all a valuable lesson about adjusting to new routines and the importance of getting to bed earlier.

“I've had to apologize for yawning while co-workers talk to me, and then it just feels like a weird flex when I'm like "sorry I've been doing early morning yoga...” –Cooper

The next few days were a blur of sore muscles, stretches, and more yawns. As our bodies began to adapt to the new schedule, so did our minds. For me, I felt the overwhelming sense of pride in leading this crew through the ups and downs. By day three, the novelty had worn off and reality had set in. The early mornings started feeling less like a cruel joke and more like a habit in the making.*** 

“My hamstrings were like OHHH NOW YOU REMEMBER US, but it was a good soreness. Hot yoga helped relax the muscles and stretch the craziness out of my back. Thank GOODNESS. I think going to yoga in the morning also helps me keep up with my skin care routine and exfoliation regiment. Another win!” –Rory

“TBH I've stopped for a bagel, Bojangles, or a fancy matcha every morning as a reward for going and I'm quite driven by my little treats!” –Emily

***At this point, Reese had snuck out of class and was watching us from the small window of the Midtown Yoga doorway. Recent evidence has found that he did in fact drive away to go get brunch instead. 

PART 2

PUSHING PAST THE DOUBT

Once we were halfway through the challenge, our routines began to solidify. However, there was a good bit of self-doubt that began to crash our 6AM party. 

"Wouldn't more sleep be better?" we wondered. 

With plenty of options for different class times at Midtown that let you to stay in bed just a little longer, our early morning torture felt self-imposed. Why choose dawn when dusk was an option? But those thoughts quickly dissipated as we noticed subtle changes, like watching a slow-motion montage where everything starts clicking into place.

“I still think it’s hard to wake up for an early morning class, but after every session I feel so BEAUTIFUL! It’s like I’m driving to the studio listening to rage music, and then driving back from the studio, I’m listening to happy, hype music and just feeling like an absolute goddess.” –Divi

“I’m falling asleep more easily, and sleeping better through the night. I also wake up without my alarm clock sometimes for the 6 am class, which was kind of alarming to me but in a good way!” –Cooper

“I've definitely become more flexible. I was at Muay Thai the other day and a lot of my kicks were smoother. There’s also a LOT more people in the morning yoga classes than I expected and I feel more motivated being surrounded by an entire community of morning people.” –Letitia

PART 3

THE WINNER’S CIRCLE

As we moved past our halfway mark, the physical changes were undeniable. Muscles were toning, postures were improving, and even our breathing seemed easier, more rhythmic. Poses that felt impossible on Day 1 began to feel like second nature by Day 8. It wasn’t just about getting through the class anymore; it was about mastering the moment and crossing our own personal records. 

“These classes have been really great for helping me loosen up a bit more than I would with just normal stretching, plus, I think the balance has been strengthening the under used muscles in my hips to make them less achey. My mental state has changed in that I'm now much more addicted to buying yoga sets because I've seen so many cute colorful ones in class!” –Emily 

The day we unrolled our mats for the final session, there was an overwhelming sense of accomplishment surrounding each of us at having overcome such a challenge through such different personal journeys. We didn't just make it to the winner's circle–we OWNED it, unlocking new achievements both physically and mentally with each sun salutation. 

While every day wasn’t total zen and peace, and sometimes making time for yoga felt like a form of torture more than an experiment—the post-yoga high was undeniable no matter what. We had started as a group of semi-reluctant participants and ended as a tight-knit team of morning warriors, waking up and conquering the day with enthusiasm, something that had once seemed impossible.

So, would we do it again? Should you? Here’s our take:

Rory: Yes definitely–I’m HOOKED! I was SO glad one of the classes ended up being the last day of one of my favorite teachers—I would've missed it if I didn't do the challenge!

Cooper: Don't be afraid to walk into the studio like a zombie. Get everything ready the night before so you just have to get out of bed and leave your house. Get there early, and you just get to lay right back down on your mat anyway which is kind of like hitting the snooze button on your alarm anyway.

Emily: Realistically it's REALLY hard to commit and do something like 6AM yoga everyday. If you are up for a challenge then definitely try it! But if you reach the point where you skip a session or two, think about the ways you could make adding classes into your regular routine more do-able.

Reese: If you don't try it, how will you know if it is or isn't for you?

Letitia: The first two days I felt energized but the 3rd day was horrible for me physically as I was getting up at 5AM and then training and conditioning for Muay Thai until 9pm. I got to the point where I had to take the 4th morning off and reset my body but I came back on the 5th day and felt energized again. I guess I’d say: listen to your body and adjust according to that.

Divi: My life has changed and I honestly can’t see myself returning to my old habits again. I guess I could switch a morning session for an evening one sometimes, but I don’t want to deny the fact that I’m a morning person now. I embraced the challenge, and I am so grateful to be rewarded for it—and I’m proud to say I helped other people enhance their lives in my discovery journey too!

So if you’re up to the challenge of practicing discipline, learning cool yoga moves, and buying a few new celebration outfits, we’re here to support you! At Midtown Yoga, we’re not just practicing yoga; we’re cultivating resilience, fostering community, and giving you the building blocks to become a sunrise champion. So why wait for a new day to make a change? The perfect moment is now, and we'll always be here to cheer you on to greatness.