Yoga Teaching and Learning
​at www.yogauk.com

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Hello Reader

Welcome to the December newsletter for yoga teachers. I hope you are warm and well.

The title of this month's article is: Teaching yoga in winter

See below how to join my free mini-workshop this Saturday (6th December) about How to create your own online yoga course.

See also the free BWY Foundation Course introductory workshop, also on Saturday, which may interest some of your students.

Love and light,

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Keep scrolling for:

🤷🏻 Article: Teaching yoga in winter

👉 News and free resources: Yoga teacher networking meeting dates, creating an online course mini-workshop, and Foundation Course introductory workshop

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Article:

Teaching yoga classes in the winter season

December can be a challenging month for many people. We’re adjusting to the cold weather, there is reduced daylight, the risk of respiratory infections is increasing, and heating bills are rising too.

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There are often deadlines leading up to the Christmas break, social events to attend, family visits to organise, and the holidays can be a lonely time for some.

Our usual routines often change over the winter which can take some planning. But we can also use this time to find moments to slow down, rest and reflect.
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Yoga classes can become a refuge at this time of year. As long as the room is warm enough, it can be a tonic to have a good stretch and then snuggle down under your blanket while being led through a lovely relaxation exercise by a kind voice.

It’s also a time to be quietly with others, which may be particularly meaningful for those who are spending Christmas alone.
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What happens to the nervous system at this time of year

If there is constant low-level stress then the sympathetic nervous system will be over-activated. A relaxing yoga class will stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, and break the pattern of being stuck in 'fight or flight' mode.

Unbroken stress often causes muscle tension, exacerbated by the cold weather. Shallow breathing and less efficient circulation also can occur.

The cold also challenges the autonomic nervous system as it works hard to keep our internal temperature stable as we move from cold environments into warm rooms and back again. This can be an issue for older people and those suffering from dysautonomia, causing a feeling of weakness.

Sometimes the cold weather can cause agitation, restlessness, difficulty settling, low energy and fatigue.

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You may be lucky enough to teach in a toasty warm yoga studio, but many yoga teachers are managing in church or community halls which are not always quite as warm as we’d like.

In my Monday morning class in a community centre there are students who want the noisy heaters on full to stay warm, while others want them turned off for peace and quiet. Sometimes as yoga teachers we have to be diplomats!

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Supporting the nervous system in yoga classes

• Consistency and predictability: Familiar practices and transitions are comforting. They are also safer when muscles might be a bit tighter than usual.
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• Warmth and comfort: Socks, blankets and bolsters can be warming and supportive. Taking a couple of blankets to class can allow you to offer an extra blanket as a comforting gesture to someone looking uncomfortable.
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• Steady pacing: More frequent but shorter pauses and rests during an asana practice can help prevent cooling down. Lots of repeated gentle movements can stimulate the circulation and create warmth.
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• Maintaining interest: Keeping the mind focused and present can be achieved by offering new variations of poses, and using an engaging tone of voice and language.
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• Low sensory load: Lowering lights and reducing any noise can reduce distraction and create a space of peace and quiet at a busy time of year. Candles can be lovely (whether real or electric) and can create a cosy ambience.
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• Choice-focused teaching: Offering options to students helps them to pay attention to their changing winter body and to adapt their practice accordingly.

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Sequencing classes

Starting low and grounded in a seated or supine position with deep breathing and micro-movements can help students to focus and get grounded, without getting cold.

Gradually mobilising with rhythmic movements, starting gently and gradually building, helps to release accumulated tension and stimulates the circulation.

Sequencing using a range of simple poses can work well in winter, ordered in a progressive way, each pose suitably prepared for to avoid injury.

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Restorative practices can be nourishing in the middle or at the end of a class. A restorative pose can be supported using blankets and a wall or chair if these are available.

Returning to the floor and getting back to the ground in savasana towards the end of a practice, can offer a chance to relax and listen to some winter reflections (I’ve included some quotations in this article that you might like to use).

Closing in-person classes with deep breathing and some more mobilising stretches can help prepare students before going back out into the cold weather.

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Anchoring

Yoga classes can provide a stabilising anchor during the sometimes turbulent Christmas season and in the cold of the winter.

A predictable, grounding practice, gently mobilising all the joints and both stimulating and calming the nervous system makes your class a healthful and supportive place to be.

The practices we teach remind students to stay centred, and they can use these practices at home to come back to themselves and stay anchored when they're feeling cold, stressed or overwhelmed.
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News and resources

Yoga Teacher Networking meet-ups

These sessions are short, impactful meetings designed to connect and support us all in our yoga teaching. More info here Join the next session to share, listen, and get inspiration:

• Saturday 17th January 2026 at 10-11am
• Saturday 7th March 2026 at 10-11am

Our friendly meetings are open to all yoga teachers and are free of charge. You'll receive an invitation by email the day before if you are subscribed to this newsletter. (If not subscribed you can sign up here - to unsubscribe select Preferences at the bottom of this email.)

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Resources for yoga teachers:

👉 Workshop: Creating your own online yoga course
​Sat 6th December 2-3pm
​Learn the ins and outs of setting up an online yoga course to create an additional income alongside your classes or for marketing purposes. Led by Andrea, this workshop is free of charge to all yoga teacher subscribers.
​See here for more information and to enrol.

👉 Essential Anatomy and Physiology for Yoga Teaching online study - more information here​
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👉 BWY Foundation Course online - introductory workshop. For your students considering yoga teacher training.
​Saturday 6th December 10am-12
​Email yogauk@gmail.com for more information.

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Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to any yoga teacher friends or colleagues who might be interested in any of the content. They can sign up to receive newsletters to their own inbox at www.yogauk.com
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