“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.”
— Anonymous
True to these words. Smokers trying to quit smoking should start their day with the right habits. Only then will they be able to control their cravings throughout the day.
That’s where yoga steps in.
These physical activities can divert your mind, relax the lungs, reduce cholesterol levels, stimulate circulation and wake up your mind naturally without nicotine intake. Ultimately, killing the urge to light up the first morning cig.
This guide walks through five yoga poses that anyone giving up smoking can try in the mornings.
Which Morning Yoga Poses Can Help Quit Smoking?
Hold off on smoking before physical activity, and if you use vape kits, save that first puff until later in the day. No matter if it’s a nicotine-free vape or a big puff like Hayati Pro Ultra 25000, it’s still best to give your lungs a clean start.
Here is the list of poses to try:
1. Cat-Cow
Bent down on the floor. Align wrists with shoulders and knees with hips. Take the first inhale and let your belly sink, chest open, and tailbone rise like a gentle stretch (Cow). Next, on the exhale, curl your spine upward, chin tucked toward the chest, like a stretching cat. Move slowly for 6–8 breaths.
Why This Works
Studies show smokers have reduced lung capacity compared to nonsmokers (NIH, 2021). Cat-Cow helps restore mobility in the chest and lungs, making it easier to take in more oxygen.
2. Mountain Pose
Stand up nice and tall, feet spaced hip-distance, with your arms hanging relaxed at your sides. Press your heels into the floor, lengthen your spine, and roll your shoulders back. Let your palms face forward, chin slightly tucked. Take slow, steady breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Why This Works
Smokers usually develop a slouched posture from coughing, chest tightness, or stress. Mountain Pose lifts the chest and lengthens the spine, and helps open the rib cage so the lungs have more room to expand.
3. Cobra Pose
Lie face down with your hands beneath your shoulders. Push into your palms as you raise your chest, keeping a soft bend in your elbows. Pull your shoulders back and down, gaze forward, and hold for 20 seconds.
Why This Works
According to the American Lung Association, deep chest-expansion exercises can aid recovery by improving oxygen flow and lung elasticity (ALA, 2020). Cobra Pose reinforces the physical act of opening up the lungs, reclaiming space where smoke once lingered.
4. Nostril Breathing
Press your right thumb gently on the right nostril, breathe in through the left. Then, close your left nostril with the ring finger and exhale through the right. Repeat the process by closing your right nostril. That’s one cycle. Continue for 20 cycles.
Why This Works
Research has found that breathing exercises can reduce nicotine withdrawal intensity and lower relapse rates (Bock et al., 2019).
5. Bridge Pose
Lie straight down on the mat. Next, bend your knees and bring your feet close to your sitting bones. Press your feet firmly into the mat. Check that your knees point straight ahead and don’t splay outward. You lift your hips toward the ceiling. Wait for 30 seconds and slowly bring your hips down.
Why This Works
In one clinical review, chest-opening postures were shown to support better pulmonary function (Khanna & Greeson, 2013). Expanding the chest encourages deeper breathing and eases the tension smokers often carry in their ribcage.
Wrapping Up
The journey to quit smoking all starts with the right habits and morning routines. But don’t forget, along with all the above yoga poses, cutting down the daily nicotine intake is also important.
You can switch to an alternative device, like Hayati Pro Max Plus, for the same cig-like experience but in a safer way. This helps you replace the burnt tobacco smells with flavourful vape juices that produce zero smoke.
Plus, you can also install yoga and quit-smoking apps to track your progress.
