Three yoga practices to calm your mind and body
The coronavirus pandemic has forced all of us to stay at home. While staying at home is the right thing to reduce its spread, it has made us all lazy and inactive.
So, if you are also in the list of people who live by the excuse that they will start working out as soon as the gym reopens, you need to try yoga.
Yoga, as we all feel, is not just about twisting your body in different poses but something that helps you achieve balance of mind and body, making you feel calm and relaxed. It also reduces visible signs of ageing, improves blood circulation and helps your skin glow. Yoga doesn’t just help you achieve your fitness goals but also works on your inner self.
Here are three yoga practices that can help you destress and stay fit:
1. Pranayama
Prana means life and yama means the extension of the breath. Pranayama refers to controlled breathing exercises like Kapalbhati, anulom vilom, even count breathing, bhastrike etc.
These exercises help stimulate your lungs and other organs. It also helps in decluttering your mind, boosts your immunity and helps you sleep better.
When you practice deep and mindful breathing, your brain gets more oxygen, which helps you stay calm and think better.
2. Suryanamaskar
From Ashtanga to Iyengar, there is not just one but many variations of Surya namaskar. Surya namaskar is considered to be a total body workout as it works on all the muscles and helps open knots in the body if any. The exercise also helps you sweat out toxins. The poses also help you rejuvenate and prepare you for the long day ahead.
3. Yoga kriyas
Hatha yoga involves many cleansing practices. These practices help one achieve a clean body and mind. These kriyas include Neti (cleansing of the nose), Dhauti (purification of the oesophagus and stomach), Trataka (concentrating on a candle/point) and Basti (cleansing of the intestines).
