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5 Simple Yoga Poses to Reduce Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force your blood travels at as it flows throughout the vascular system. The major pathways of blood are arteries, and when blood flows through them, it applies some force on their walls, which is known as blood pressure. Let us see how yoga impacts blood pressure, and the major yoga asanas suitable for it.

About Yoga

Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Yuj', which means 'to join' and Patanjali is considered to be the founder of modern yoga. According to them, the meaning of Yuj is to stabilize the mind for the union of Atma (soul) and Parmatma (super controller). However, other interpretations have given it different meanings. For instance, according to Shankaracharya, the definition of yoga is the withdrawal of sense organs from worldly objects and their control or, according to the Gita, it is simply the evenness of temper. There are eight different elements of yoga:

● Yama – means social discipline

● Niyam – means personal discipline

● Asana – means slow stretching activities performed to improve whole-body fitness.

● Pranayam – means systematic and rhythmic control of breathing

● Pratyahara – means withdrawal of senses

● Dharana – means fixing the attention on a single object

● Dhyaan – means the process of controlling the mind through meditation

● Samadhi – means a state of super consciousness which is the state of union with God

About Hypertension

A very common health problem that arises in many people is hypertension, also known as high blood pressure which is nothing but the pressure applied by blood on the walls of arteries is greater than usual. Some common blood pressure readings are:

120 over 80 – Normal Blood Pressure

120 to 139 over 80 to 89 – Prehypertension

140 to 159 over 90 to 99 – Stage 1 of Hypertension

160 or higher over 100 or higher – Stage 2 of Hypertension

Causes of Hypertension

Many reasons can cause hypertension and there's no pinpoint cause of its occurrence in a human being. However, there are a few defaulters which contribute heavily to causing hypertension. Some of the common factors are as listed below:

● Heavy diets filled with fat, salt and cholesterol

● Chronic diseases such as hormone and kidney problems, high cholesterol and diabetes

● Hereditary with family history of hypertension

● Lack of movement and physical activity

● Old age

● Being obese or overweight

● Medication such as birth control etc.

● Usage of tobacco

● Consumption of alcohol and many more

Yoga for Blood Pressure

It has been proven scientifically that yoga is the best and most effective cure to control and reduce blood pressure. Here are the top five yoga asanas you need to perform to bring down your blood pressure:

Shavasan

Also known as the corpse pose, this asana involves lying down on your back and closing your hands while freeing your hands and legs. This is a mental asana, so you need to relax your breathing while thinking about peaceful thoughts.

Benefit of this asana:

• relaxing body and mind

• lowering blood pressure

• helping body restrict problems in the internal systems

AdhoMukhaSvanasana

It is the best yoga to control blood pressure. Also known as the downward-facing dog pose, this asana involved a person lying down with all limbs touching the ground and slowly lifting the hip as far as possible while keeping the head down to form V but inverted.

Benefit of this asana:

• It releases stress while promoting circulation, which lowers a person's blood pressure

• Even enhances functioning of cardiac system.

Sethubandhasana

Also known as the bridge pose, this asana involves a person lying on his back with all his limbs touching the ground. Then a person should slowly lift their hip as far as possible while keeping the neck and head firmly on the ground and extending the hands to touch the legs.

Benefit of this asana:

• It increases the blood flow by elevating the heart, thus bringing down the blood pressure. It is great yoga asana for controlling blood pressure.

ViparitaKarni

Also known as the legs up the wall pose; this involves a person lying on his back with all his limbs touching the ground. Then a person should lift their legs and toes as high as possible along with their hips while keeping them as straight as possible and keeping their neck and head firmly on the floor.

Benefit of this asana:

• It elevates the heart, which increases blood flow and reduces blood pressure. It is an awesome yoga for blood pressure.

Uttanasan

Also known as the forward bent pose, this asana simply involves bending down with your fingers touching your toes and your knees straight.

Benefits of this asana:

• It helps the blood reach the head and improves circulation, which brings down the blood pressure.

Conclusion

As we have seen, yoga is highly effective in bringing down the blood pressure of a person. Yoga is mainly done by people seeking long-term benefits without intoxicating their bodies with medications. Being a natural remedy, it is virtually timeless and is accessible to every person around the globe. Practicing yoga to control blood pressure involves synchronizing your breathing with your body movements, and this simple technique will relieve your stress and tension, thus bringing down your blood pressure naturally.

Sources: Netmeds, Wikipedia, Family Doctor

Disclaimer: This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website, or in any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Kindly contact your doctor before starting a new medicine or health regime.

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Published on July 29, 2022