We have a special blog post this week featuring a fun Q&A with our dear friend and founder of the newest app to download today, Yoga Wake Up. (#YourWelcome) With this app, you can wake up to the sounds of yoga + meditation, instead of your usual alarm or dose of social media to kick off your morning. Research concludes that alarm clocks and snooze buttons disturb your sleeping patterns and leave you feeling groggy throughout your day – gross! Yoga Wake Up has different audio sequences that you can perform without even crawling out of bed. #signmeup
Below is the exclusive inside scoop behind Yoga Wake Up with founder Lizzie Brown, we hope you love getting to know her and the vision behind the app as much as we did:

 

What inspired you to create the app?

My husband and I have been practicing yoga for years and he came home one morning, completely inspired following a class he loved at Equinox Marina Del Rey called Spirit Yoga. The teacher, Jen Smith, always starts the class in savasana “corpse” pose and then eases you into some simple stretches and meditation before she gets you on your feet and into a full vinyasa flow class. It’s a lot like waking up from bed; this easy, relaxing feeling right before your crazy day starts.

Joaquin came to me with the idea of building an app that played audio yoga similar to the style of how Jen’s class starts out. He actually road tested it on me by guiding me through simple stretches straight from bed. We agreed – there’s no better way to wake up.
How has this app changed your yoga practice? 

A lot of our users report that it inspires them to workout, go for a run or something once they’re up because their bodies feel more awake and limber. For me, it’s more subtle, visceral. Connecting to your breath and setting the intention first thing in the morning, even just committing to yourself for 15 minutes when you first wake up. It encourages me to be more thoughtful and more self-aware, and that’s the “yoga” for me.
What do you hope this app brings those who download?

We would love for people to attribute their positive morning feeling to Yoga Wake Up – most of us move too fast. The app gives you a reason to take a beat, don’t reach for Facebook or the news, and instead have some “you” time.  We hope people take advantage of that gift!
What is your favorite wakeup to get you kicked off for the week? What about the weekend?  

So true that we choose something different based on what day of the week it is!  I LOVE anything by Tamal for getting me ready for the week, specifically, “Yogi’s Coffee” or “Balance”.  If I’m in a silly mood or pumped for the weekend, it’s all about Arielle’s Reggae Reset.
What wakeup do you recommend someone use after a stressful day?

My friend Emilie Perz has the most beautiful voice, strong and soothing, warm but clear. I love her “Heart Meditation” – even though it’s technically led from bed in the morning, it can be played anytime and is just so calming!
What is next for YogaWakeUp?

We’re launching the new version in New Orleans at Collision Fest and plan to record some jazzy wakeups with local teachers there, so that’s very exciting. Eventually we would like to record teachers all over the country. We would also like to record wakeups in Spanish and additional languages. Hope to also have an Android version by the fall.
Where can we catch you on social? 

@yogawakeup on Twitter and Instagram and www.facebook.com/yogawakeupapp.  We’re going to also be creating stories from Collision so hope you’ll follow along on our startup journey!

 

It’s the little things in life, like the first 15 minutes when you wake up, that spark joy + peace in your daily life. Download the app today and get your Zen on.