What is blood pressure?
Wondering what urged me to write about yoga for blood pressure? Yes, this two-word disaster that has ruined the lives of many of us. Blood pressure is actually nothing but the pressure of blood circulating in our body. When the blood flows in our arteries, it exerts pressure on the walls of the arteries, this pressure is known as blood pressure.
It is measured as mmHg, that is millimeters in Mercury. You can always check your blood pressure through multiple blood pressure monitors available in the market. For more information on blood pressure monitors, just check out:
The normal blood pressure for any person is 120/80 mmHg, it means that highest pressure exerted by the blood would be 120 mmHg and the lowest would be 80 mmHg.
Whenever the blood pressure readings go differently than this value, we call it high or low blood pressure.
The main cause of disturbance in the blood pressure readings is stress. When a person suffers a stress or a mental trauma, the blood pressure deviates. The most disappointing fact about blood pressure problem is that there are no clear symptoms of it.
When you suffer from high blood pressure or low blood pressure, the signs are very subtle and are easily ignored. However, your body still shows you signs and indications that something is not right inside. To know the symptoms more closely and take immediate action, visit:
Common Symptoms of Blood Pressure- High Blood Pressure and Low Blood Pressure
Self-analysis and precautions are the most important points to keep in mind when dealing with blood pressure problems because no one can detect the symptoms better than you.
What is low blood pressure and high blood pressure?
The reading lower or higher from the standard reading are called low blood pressure or high blood pressure respectively.
The higher reading is called systolic blood pressure and the lower reading is called diastolic blood pressure. Even if you don’t suffer from hypertension (high blood pressure), you should make sure that you keep your blood pressure reading low. Any kind of over-pressure is obviously not a good thing.
So, why yoga for hypertension or high blood pressure? Higher readings of blood pressure become a problem when they cross the scale of 140/90 mmHg. The symptoms are negligible and effects are drastic.
High blood pressure or hypertension can lead to cardiac arrests and heart attacks. Yoga for blood pressure helps you deal with hypertension in a natural way and you can happily avoid eating sedating pills and keep your blood pressure in check.
Low blood pressure is actually good and doesn’t act as a problem until the readings are as down as 90/60 mmHg. This condition is called hypotension and the patient may feel dizzy and fatigued.
Hypertension is the more common phenomenon than hypotension but, however, low blood pressure or hypotension cannot be neglected as it drains out the physical energy from a person and he/she keep feeling weak, fatigued and dizzy. Yoga for blood pressure regime should include yoga asanas for low blood pressure that are effective in keeping the blood pressure in check.
Can a person with blood pressure do yoga?
Absolutely yes! A person who is suffering from hypertension or hypotension should definitely do yoga for blood pressure and hypertension control.
Yoga is not just a pack of body-twisting exercise but it is a complete module for self-care and health. So yoga for blood pressure control has many exercises specially designed to regulate and control hypertension and hypotension.
Yoga for blood pressure is a must do for all the people who lead a stressful life and are too dependent on pills to control their hypertension.
What are the benefits of Yoga for Blood Pressure patients?
The only reason for hypertension is stress and that’s the exact point where yoga for blood pressure hits.
It has always been said that treat the root cause of the problem if you have to eliminate completely. Yoga for blood pressure does just that. External medicines help the body to reduce the blood pressure whenever it goes high. The relief is immediate but not permanent.
Popping in too many chemicals and synthetic medicines is also not a good idea. So, what is the natural cure? Cut the stress out of your life. No stress, no hypertension!
Practicing yoga for blood pressure helps you reduce stress in the most natural way. As you begin practicing you will observe changes in you from the very first day.
Yoga for blood pressure teaches you to befriend your body and look after it. It teaches your self-care and self-worth.
Yoga for blood pressure is the most natural way of treating hypertension and a person does not require any external medication. If practiced with firm belief and consistency, yoga for blood pressure has given amazing results and has proven to be extremely beneficial in treating hypertension.
Yoga Asanas for High Blood Pressure
Balasana: Very easy and extremely beneficial pose to do for yoga for blood pressure. It is a relaxing pose and instills calmness in a person’s mind. Practising this pose as a part of yoga for blood pressure regime helps a person treat hypertension as the blood flow is directed towards brain in a channelized manner, unlike Shirsasana or Sarvangasana. Let’s see how to do it:
- Sit in Vajrasana and rest your hips on your toes.
- Inhale and bend down towards the ground.
- Keep the breathing regular.
- You may stretch your hands forward or backward as per your wish.
- Stay in the position for a few minutes.
- Inhale and exhale deeply for 10 times.
- Feel the blood circulating uniformly within your entire body.
- Bring your hands near your shoulders.
- Sit back slowly.
Matsyasana: An effective yoga for blood pressure, matyasana or fish pose is extremely relaxing and works wonders for relieving stress.
- Sit in sukhasana or padmasana (if you can) and place your palms on your knees.
- Close your eyes and bend your body backward while inhaling. (Keep a support at the back).
- Hold your toes with your fingers while bending backward and rest yourself completely.
- Inhale and exhale deeply for 10 times. Stay in the position.
- Imagine the circulation of blood from your heart towards the rest of the body parts.
- Let your toes lose and slowly come back.
- Open your eyes, relax.
Virasana: This asana is known as hero pose and has many variations. Besides relieving stress, this asana is also famous for reducing obesity. Try this easy yoga for blood pressure and throw your pills away.
- Sit in on your knees with your hips resting on your toes.
- Relax completely and try to keep your toes together. Ideally, one toe should lie on the other.
- Even if you are not able to do so, just place your hips comfortably on your toes.
- Close your eyes and make a namaskar mudra with your hands.
- Inhale and exhale deeply for 10 times.
- Feel the rush of blood receding as you inhale every time.
- Imagine the stress out of your body when you exhale.
- Just blow out your tensions along with each breath you exhale.
- You can keep your hands on your knees, stretch them high above your head or stay in the namaskar mudra. Each position is equally fine.
- Relax and open your eyes.
Baddha Konasana: This relaxing posture is a great yoga for blood pressure as it makes you feel open, free and relaxed.
- Sit upright and straighten your legs in front.
- Now bring your legs closer to your body forming an angle.
- Join your heels together and hold them in your hands.
- Bring your toes closer to your body as much as you can.
- Close your eyes and feel the stretch of your thighs and hips.
- You may do butterfly pose or titliasana if you are an avid practitioner, however be staying in this pose for few minutes is also good.
When it comes to relieving stress, meditation and pranayams work best as yoga for blood pressure. Make sure you do not perform advanced pranayams or bandhas but the regular pranayams are a boon when practicing yoga for blood pressure.
Udgeeth Pranayam: Chanting ‘Om’ for 3-5 minutes can relieve you from stress and make you calm, relaxed and comfortable. Believe it or not, it can instantly lift up your mood and control your hypertension.
Bhramari Pranayam: Much said is less about Bhramari Pranayam. Besides releasing stress from the body, it also helps in sharpening the memory and improving the blood circulation towards the brain, don’t you think that’s exactly what we want from yoga for blood pressure techniques?
Anulom-Vilom Pranayam: What can work better as yoga for blood pressure than the alternate breathing exercise. Anulom-vilom pranayama works on improving your respiratory system and helps you breath deep and holistic.
Extremely beneficial yoga for blood pressure, anulom-vilom also detoxifies your body of harmful toxins passed through the air.
For detailed practices and more insights check out:
Yoga Breathing Exercises for Beginners Kids & Adults With Best Yoga Tips
Yoga Asanas for Low Blood Pressure
Halasana: A nice yoga asana for blood pressure control, it directs the circulation of blood towards the heart and is extremely beneficial if you have low blood pressure.
- Lie down on your back and rest your hands on the sides.
- Lift your legs off the ground and make 90-degree angle with your stomach.
- Slowly, stretch them further and try to bend them back as much as you can.
- You may take the support of your hands if you wish.
- Stay in the position for 10 seconds.
- Relax.
Adhomukh Svanasana: Perfect yoga for blood pressure patients, this asana works wonders for treating hypotension.
- Stand straight in tadasana.
- Bend down and touch the ground with your hands.
- Make an inverted ‘V’ with your body.
- Make sure your heels don’t get lifted from the ground.
- Stay in the position for 10 seconds.
- Relax.
Pawanmuktasana: Along with treating hypotension, this asana also takes care of your digestive system and relieves you from gastric problems.
- Lie on your back and inhale deeply.
- Lift your left leg and bring it closer to your chest.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds.
- Without releasing the left leg, lift your right leg as well.
- Keep the breathing regular and bring the right leg closer to the chest.
- Hold the legs with your arms.
- Stay in the position for 10 seconds.
- Relax.
Sarvangasana: This asana must be avoided by people suffering from hypertension but it is effective yoga for blood pressure control for people suffering from hypotension.
- Lie on your back.
- Inhale and slowly lift your legs upright.
- Try stretching them as much as you can.
- Lift your torso and upper body as well. Take support from your hands.
- Stay in the position for 10 seconds.
- Relax.
Yoga for Blood Pressure for Adults
All the above exercises can be comfortably done by adults as a part of yoga for blood pressure module. Surya Namaskar is a complete exercise set for treating hypertension. However, while doing yoga for blood pressure, the practitioner should keep in mind that the Surya Namaskar poses should not be done rigorously and the flow should be comfortable and easy. To get the complete details of how Surya Namaskar is performed correctly, please visit:
http://healthlove.in/health/yoga/surya-namaskar-yoga-steps-images-pose-mantra-benefits/
Yoga for blood pressure can be safely performed by adults suffering from hypertension to cure their ailment. While practicing you should just keep some water handy and also can take some support. Try Iyenger Yoga or furniture yoga as it is playfully called.
There are also other different types of Yoga for blood pressure. Just avoid head-satnds and poses where your think the blood circulation is directly towards the head.
For more insights on different types of yoga for blood pressure, you may like to check out
Different Types of Yoga Asanas Meditation for Beginners With Their Benefits Pictures Explained
Yoga for Blood Pressure for Old and Elderly People
Yoga for blood pressure can be started at any age. The only change for old and elderly people is that they should definitely make use of support and practice yoga for blood pressure in a relaxed way. Rushing may result in adverse effects.
The practice should be mild and yoga for blood pressure control should be based more on pranayam and breathing exercises, rather than physical twists. Sitting asanas should be given more weight than the standing ones.
Standing poses like Uttananasana or Virbhadrasana can be performed but not rigorously.
You may also design your yoga for blood pressure regime by culling useful information from here:
Benefits of Yoga for Kids Men Women with Long Term Psychological Health Benefits
Best Yoga for Blood Pressure Patients
The best yoga for blood pressure patients is pranayam. Yes, above all the exercise, the breathing exercises are essential for people looking forward to hypertension control.
The root cause of hypertension is stress and mental pressure. Pranayams are the most effective remedy for stress management and pressure control. Also, breathing in and out deeply improves your respiratory system and purifies your blood.
Purification, in turn, helps the blood to circulate properly through the body, that’s exactly what we need for hypertension control. Hence, pranayams are the best yoga for blood pressure patients.
Useful Tips for Doing Yoga for Blood Pressure
Now I think you are all set to begin yoga for blood pressure control and fight away your hypertension the yoga way! Before you begin, I think you should keep in mind some handy tips to make your yoga for blood pressure exercise session a comfortable and a happy one.
After all, we don’t want you to have bad experiences. Just check out the useful and important tips for doing yoga for blood pressure.
- Consult your doctor before taking up any class or session for yoga for blood pressure control. Your doctor will be able to recommend proper exercises for you according to the intensity of your problem.
- Always use support with the asanas where it is required. Do not try to perform asanas without a support even if you are a regular yogi. Suffering from hypertension and hypotension tend to make you dizzy and uneasy with even the slightest irregular circulation of blood. So, be ready to beat the heat!
- Avoid yoga poses and exercises that directs the blood flow towards the head or heart. This can deteriorate your condition and might affect adversely. Strictly avoid asanas like Shirshasana or Sarvangasana for hypertension. For hypotension you may do sarvangasana but still, these should be avoided as far as possible.
So, shun all your fears and get ready to bid farewell to those nasty pills! Do yoga for blood pressure and make your like (hyper)tension free.
R. Devashree Gehlot
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