Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a common disorder wherein the blood's long-term pressure against the arteries is strong enough to induce complications such as heart disease. The quantity of blood the heart pumps, as well as the amount of resistance to blood flow in the arteries, influence the blood pressure. An increase in blood being pumped along with narrowing arteries can both result in high blood pressure. Although there are various medications and diet alterations that can help better your blood pressure, you can try incorporating some yoga positions to help stabilise your blood pressure.
Here are some yoga positions to help you reduce high blood pressure:
- Pranayamas: This are among the easiest yoga practices you can use to lower your blood pressure. As they are breathing exercises they can be performed anywhere and do not require any pieces of equipment. One of the most easy Pranayamas are Nadi Shodhan Pranayamas. This is how you can perform Nadi Shodhan Pranayamas:
- Sit with your back straight and your legs folded
- Place your right hand's tips of the index and middle finger on your forehead, between your eyebrows
- Now, gently place the thumb over your right nostril
- Place your ring finger on the left nostril
- Lift your thumb and inhale from your right nostril and place your hand back on your right nostril
- Exhale from your left nostril and then inhale from the same nostril
- Repeat this a few times
- Make sure to not force the breathing, this exercise is supposed to be gentle and relaxing
- Virasana: Also known as the ‘hero pose', it is a great yoga pose for almost everyone. It is ideal for beginners and requires minimal movement. This is how to perform Virasana:
- Place a yoga mat or cushion under you to avoid hurting your knees
- Sit straight on your legs fold backwards
- At this point, your feet soles need to be facing the ceiling and should be placed on the sides and not touching your buttocks
- Place your hand on your thighs
- Make sure your back is straight and stretched as far as possible
- This position might cause pressure on the knees hence, keeping cushions or something comfortable is advised
- Hold this position for a few minutes or until you are comfortable and release
- Janu Sirsasana: This is also called ‘head-to-knee pose' is another effective stretching yoga pose. This not only helps lower your blood pressure but also increases flexibility in the body. This is how to perform janu sirsasana:
- Sit on the floor with your left leg folded in (how you would normally sit with your legs folded)
- Place your right leg straight facing front
- At this point, your left foot should both be pointing towards the right and your right foot should be pointing at the front
- Now take both of your arms and use them to hold your right leg
- At this point, your head should be facing your right leg, hence the name ‘head-to-knee pose'
- Hold this position for a few seconds and release slowly
- Repeat this on the other side and do 4-5 sets
- Balasana: This is another low-intensity yoga pose that lower blood pressure and also helps relax the body and mind. This is how you can perform balasana:
- Sit straight with your legs folded
- At this point, your feet are supposed to be facing upwards
- Now, slowly bend your torso forward on the floor
- At this point, your arms should be extending forward as well, as far as possible
- Your face should also be facing the floor as well as your palms
- Your calves, forehead, and palms should all be touching the ground in this position
- As it only stretches your body and is a resting pose, it provides comfort and relaxation
- Hold this position for 10-15 seconds and perform 4-5 sets daily.
In case your blood pressure is high often, we encourage you to see a doctor a receive the correct medication and diet. Along with this, you can try these relaxing yoga poses to help lower your blood pressure.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
