Yoga provides a holistic health approach and it’s important you know how to use various yoga asanas to improve your lifestyle and health. Here are a few regular and advanced yoga poses that you can perform to increase the functional capacity of your brain.
Yoga for brain: Yoga offers a holistic approach to addressing various health issues, including stress reduction and enhancing brain health. It encompasses a combination of techniques such as mudras (hand gestures) and asanas (poses) that can be highly beneficial. Alongside yoga, adopting positive lifestyle changes is crucial to support overall health.
General Wellness Tips:
- Follow a healthy diet.
- Get sufficient sleep.
- Ensure adequate nutrition.
- Engage in exercise and meditation for physical and mental well-being.
Yoga Techniques: Neglecting the health of the brain and heart can lead to conditions like stroke, paralysis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, acute stress, and anxiety. Here are some yoga practices you can incorporate into your daily life to take care of your brain health and manage stress, promoting your overall well-being:
Padmasana – Lotus Pose:
Padmasana for brain
- Sit in Ardha Padmasana with your right foot over your left thigh.
- Lift your left foot and place it on your right thigh, facing up.
- Pull your feet closer to your hips.
- Drop your knees to the floor.
- Place your palms on your knees, facing up.
- Hold the pose for a while.
- Repeat with the other leg.
Dhanurasana – Bow Pose:
Dhanurasana for brain
- Begin by lying down on your stomach.
- Bend your knees and hold your ankles with your palms, maintaining a strong grip.
- Lift your legs and arms as high as you can.
- Look up and hold the pose for a while.
Chakrasana – Wheel Pose:
Chakrasana for brain
- Lie down on your back.
- Bend your legs at the knees and ensure your feet are firmly placed on the floor.
- Bend your arms at the elbows, with palms facing the sky. Rotate your arms at the shoulders and place your palms on the floor on either side beside your head.
- Inhale, put pressure on your palms and legs, and lift your entire body to form an arch.
- Look back and relax your neck, allowing your head to gently fall behind.
- Distribute your body weight evenly between your four limbs.
Please note that the following asanas are advanced-level poses and should only be practised under supervision if you do not have any heart or brain-related issues:
Sirshasana – Headstand Pose:
Sirshasana for brain
- Begin by placing your elbows down and interlocking your palms.
- Place the crown of your head ahead of your palms, with your palms supporting the back of your head.
- Straighten up as much as you can and walk in towards your head.
- Lift one leg up, followed by the second leg.
- Keep your legs straight or bent, depending on your comfort.
- Stay in the pose as long as you are comfortable.
Halasana – Plough Pose:
Halasana for brain
- Lie on your back.
- Place your palms on the floor beside your body.
- Lift your legs up, supporting your lower back, and drop your toes behind you.
- Hold the pose for a while.
The Importance of Yoga for Brain Health:
In addition to numerous benefits, yoga serves as a scientific tool for boosting intelligence through the use of asanas, breath control, and meditation techniques. Asana practices like Padmasana, Chakrasana, and Dhanurasana activate specific pressure points in the body, providing a massage-like effect on the brain. These techniques balance both hemispheres of the brain and generate energy within it. Yoga also increases grey matter in the brain, directly impacting essential functions such as memory, intellect, coordination, and more.
— Inputs by Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Founder, Akshar Yoga Institutions