New Delhi: Women have the talent of doing several tasks single-handedly. This can lead to a lot of stress and worry. Be it working professionally or as a homemaker, yoga can act as a stress-buster in women’s life. Prioritise and give yourself much-needed time to self-care by practicing yoga daily.
Here are some benefits of yoga. Take a look:
1. Enhances emotional stability: To stay away from stress and anxiety, practicing yoga is the best solution. Yoga can drastically change the mood in a positive sense and balance your emotions. Yoga allows the brain to release dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins which enable to get rid of stress and anxiety.
2. Maintains fertility and menstrual health: Yoga can help you to remain cramp-free during periods. Asanas such as Baddha Konasana, Balasana, Vajrasana can be practiced to improve your menstrual health. Besides, it boosts fertility and builds strength and stamina within you.
3. Helps in increasing flexibility and strength: Practicing yoga for at least 30-40 minutes help in increasing flexibility and strength.
Take a look at some of the asanas you can perform on a regular basis:
1. Baddha Konasana
- Begin by assuming Dandasana
- Fold your legs and bring the soles of your feet together
- Pull your heels closer to your pelvis
- Gently push your knees down
- Empty air from your stomach, lean your upper body forward, and place your forehead on the floor
2. Setu Bandhasana
- Lie down on the floor, and bend your knees keeping your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.
- As you exhale push your tailbone upward and lift the buttocks off the floor.
- Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel.
- Interlock your fingers and place your hands below your pelvis extending the arms to align over your shoulders.
- Lift up until the thighs are about parallel to the floor.
- Align your knees over the heels
- Lift your sternum toward the chin
- Hold the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- To release, exhale and bring the spine slowly down onto the floor.
3. Chaturanga Dandasana
- Begin with plank posture
- As you exhale, lower your body down into half a push-up, such that the upper arms are parallel to the floor
- Your elbows must touch the sides of your ribs as you lower yourself to maintain a 90-degree angle in the crook of the elbows
- Your shoulders must be drawn in
- Your wrists and elbows must be perpendicular to the floor and your shoulders must be in line with your body
- Hold the asana for 10-15 seconds
4. Chakrasana
- Lie down on your back
- Fold your legs at your knees and ensure that your feet are placed firmly on the floor
- Bend your arms at the elbows with your 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 up to form an arch
- Relax your neck and allow your head to fall gently behind
5. Dhanurasana
- Begin by lying down on your stomach
- Bend your knees and hold your ankles with your palms
- Have a strong grip
- Lift your legs and arms as high as you can
- Look up and hold the posture for a while
Stress and anxiety can lead to many health-related problems in women including PCOD, hyper or hypo tension, weight loss, or obesity amongst others. Thus, yoga can help you improve your mental and physical health drastically.