The most common form of heart disease is when the heart is not getting enough blood and oxygen supply. This can be due to the narrowing of the arteries due to ageing or due to blockage by cholesterol plaques. In medical terms, it is known as Ischemic heart disease or coronary heart disease (CHD).
The deaths and disability from CHD have more than doubled in the last 30 years. Chest pain, abnormal heartbeats, Heart attack, and Heart failure are some of the common complications of CHD.
In the medical field, there are some solutions for CHD, and generally, they are going for bypass surgery, where a new artery is created by passing the blocked one or putting stents in the blocked arteries. Now many people have started following Yoga for the prevention of CHD or even after suffering their first heart attack to prevent further damage to the heart.
YOGA and HEART
The practice of yoga has been around for thousands of years and still maintains its popularity today. When most people think of yoga, meditation, and relaxation are certainly two things that come to mind. While these are important reasons for the health benefits that they provide, they even go beyond finding your happy place. Considering all the workout fads that came and went over the last decade, there must be many. Yoga is just more than just a trend and how it can help your heart.
1 It reduces stress– Imagine yourself in a stressful situation. One of the first steps you take to calm down is usually deep breathing. This is the practice of pranayama yoga, which is breathing-based, focusing on inhaling and exhaling, meditation, and relaxation.
2 It can help reduce the risk of heart disease– high cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar are all factors that increase your risk for heart disease. Yoga can improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels by improving metabolism and can lower blood pressure by improving artery relaxation.
3 It tones and strengthens your muscle, along with burning calories– While some forms of yoga focus solely on meditation and relaxation, others emphasise toning your muscles. Regardless of the pose, you utilize your own body to build up strength, no additional workout materials are needed. Not all types of yoga can be classified as aerobic exercise, but classes like Vinyasa yoga will up your heart rate and get those calories burning.
4 Sleep– Sometimes it is hard to wind down after a long day and get ready for some much-needed sleep. Try using some of the breathing and meditation techniques you learned in yoga class to slow down your heart rate and prepare for a good night’s sleep.
We all know exercise is good for health. Going for long brisk walks can be repetitive. Switch it up and try some yoga.
Yoga for the heart- 5 asanas that keep your heart healthy
1Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)- This pose has numerous benefits. When practiced regularly, it improves blood circulation. It also improves the spinal column and enhances both balance and pose. It expands your shoulders and opens up your heart.
How to do?- Stand straight on the floor. Bring both arms in front of your chest and join palms in a prayer position. Bend your right knee with the sole of your right foot on the inner side of your left thigh. Keep your left leg straight and hold the position. Take a minute’s break and do it on other side with the other foot. Repeat 5 times.
2 Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)- The cobra pose helps in stretching the chest cavity and invigorating the heart muscles. Moreover, it helps in getting rid of belly fat.
How to do?- Put your heat on the ground while lying flat on your belly. While keeping both your hands on either of your shoulders, put pressure on your palms and lift your body up from the torso while stretching your back and belly muscles. Now, straighten out your arms and keep your shoulders pressed against your back. Fix your gaze at a point on the ceiling hold this stance for 15-30 seconds, and exhale as you return to the starting position.
3 Veerbhadrasana (Warrior Pose)- The pose helps improve balance in the body and increase stamina. It also relieves stress and enhances overall blood circulation. By keeping the heart rate in check, it also helps in reducing the risk of arrhythmic conditions.
How to do?- Move your feet about 4 inches apart in the forward direction while standing straight on the ground. Now, turn your left foot out in the forward direction and your right in by about 15 degrees. Lift both your arms sideways and level them with your shoulders. While breathing out, bend your left knee and slowly turn your head to the left. While maintaining your breathing spread your hands wider. Now maintain position by softly pushing your pelvis downward. With the right foot in front, repeat with the opposite side.
4 Ardha Matsyedraana (sitting Half Spinal Twist)- When the top part of the body is twisted on both sides, the entire spine is affected and the sides of the chest are opened. It normalizes the pulse rate, activates the cardiac muscles, and relaxes the spinal column. Daily exercise lowers the risk of heart attacks and heart blocks by preventing the blood from accumulating too much cholesterol. This posture is suitable for yoga for heart blockage.
How to do?- Sit upright with your feet together, your legs spread out and your back straight. Right foot heel next to left hip by bending right leg. Put your left leg over your right knee at this point. Your left hand should be behind you, and your right hand should be on your left foot. Turn the neck, shoulders, and waist to the left while glancing over the left side shoulder. Maintain posture as you keep breathing. Reverse the process on the right side, returning slowly to the place where you began.
5 Savasana (Corpse Pose)- This posture in yoga for heart health allows your body to relax and helps manage your stress levels too.
How to do?- Lie down with your arms on the side, keep your legs stretched out, and close your eyes. Relax your body and breathe slowly, continue this for a few minutes.
You can take the help of YouTube to watch these asanas performed by experts. If you are not used to doing yoga, it is always advisable to take the help of professionals before starting these asanas.
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Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
5th October 2023
Prakash mahadalkar
Very useful information. No doubt yoga is one of the greatest tools for physical and mental fitness and has been practiced for centuries.