Just think of your heart as the engine of your body that works hard every day without a break. In today’s world, where we have a lot of stress and endless work, we forget to care for ourselves and our health. There is a high chance of increasing heart disease due to long-term stress. When we stress a lot, it can cause inflammation, high BP issues, and an increase in heart rate, which affects our cardiovascular system. What if we tell you that we have something amazing that can change your life- yoga, but not just yoga, yoga for healthy heart? Some people believe that doing yoga will not help, but once you start incorporating it into your daily life, you will know how great it is for keeping your heart healthy, making you feel stress-free, and you will feel happy overall. Join us as we look into how yoga for heart can make our lives fuller and happier. We will discuss how yoga can help improve heart health, the best asanas, how to perform them, and what contraindications each asana has. Let’s get started.
The Ultimate Connection Between Yoga and Heart Health
Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India and has many benefits for the heart. Now, we will discuss the benefits of yoga, from improving blood circulation to reducing stress so you have a solid and durable cardiovascular system. The following are the benefits of yoga for heart health.
- Improves Blood Circulation: Regular yoga practice reduces the risk of heart disease and improves blood circulation. Asanas like Adho Mukha Svanasana, Paschimottanasana, Tadasana, and many more enhance blood circulation. As a result, the heart receives nutrients and oxygen for proper functioning, ultimately improving cardiovascular health.
- Lowers Hypertension: One of the biggest things that cause heart disease and strokes is high blood pressure or hypertension. Some specific yoga poses can control and lower high blood pressure, directly improving heart health.
- Reduces Stress: Many often ask, “is yoga good for heart?” As you might know, yoga has stress-reducing capabilities, and many yoga asanas help reduce stress and anxiety. As we discussed earlier, stress leads to many things, including inflammation and high BP, and yoga can help reduce these conditions, thus promoting a healthier heart.
- Improve Cholesterol Levels: Yoga, done daily, will definitely have a positive impact on lipid profiles. It lowers bad cholesterol, increases the level of good cholesterol, and maintains a balance in heart function, thus helping prevent severe heart diseases.
Yoga Asanas for Heart | Top 9 Asanas Explained
Here are some of the yoga asanas for good heart that can help make your heart stronger and ultimately reduce stress. Let’s dive deep into these poses one by one:
Tadasana or Mountain Pose
Tadasana, Mountain Pose, or Palm Tree Posture, is one of the best yoga poses for healthy heart. This yoga pose improves blood circulation throughout the body and supports heart health.
In order to perform this yoga asana, you need to:
- Stand straight with both your feet at a distance of 2 inches from one another.
- Now, lift your hands to your shoulder, keep your palms facing each other, and interlock your fingers together.
- Slowly bend your wrists outwards.
- Now, inhale and slowly lift your arms above your head while keeping them in line with your shoulders.
- Keep your body steady in this position. Slowly raise your heels from the ground and stand on your toes without losing your balance or moving your feet.
- Breathe in and out normally and stay in this position for around 10 to 15 seconds.
- To release, exhale and lower your heels back to the ground. Slowly release the interlock of your fingers.
- Bring the arms down and come back to the normal standing position.
Contraindications:
Individuals suffering from heart disease, vertigo, or varicose veins should not do this yoga asana. Do not hold on to this pose if you are a beginner, as it can lead to dizziness.
Vrikshasana or The Tree Pose
Vriksha means Tree. This asana makes the posture of your body steady, straight, and strong, like a tree. This asana improves your neuromuscular coordination. Doing this yoga for healthy heart may also help control blood pressure and heart rate, which aids in heart ailments.
To perform Vrikshasana:
- Stand straight on the floor, keeping the distance between your feet for around 2 inches.
- Focus on any point in front of your eyes. Then, exhale deeply.
- Carefully and slowly bend your right leg, raise it, and rest its sole on the inner thigh of your left leg.
- Please make sure your heel is touching the perineum area.
- After balancing yourself in this posture, inhale deeply and raise your arms over your head.
- Join your hands in such a way that your palms touch each other in a Namaskar pose.
- Breathe normally and be in the pose for around 10-30 seconds.
- To release, bring your arms down slowly, lower your right leg to the ground and stand straight.
- Take a deep breath and repeat the whole process with your left leg.
Contraindications:
People with swelling and pain in joints (arthritis), vertigo, or obesity should refrain from doing asana.
Trikonasana or Triangle Pose
Trikonasana, or Triangle Pose, is one of the best yoga poses for heart and has numerous benefits for heart health. It helps improve blood circulation and ensures that your heart gets more oxygen. It also reduces BP, an essential factor in maintaining heart health.
You can do the following steps to perform this yoga pose:
- Stand straight on the floor and keep a 3-foot distance between both feet.
- Turn your right foot out towards your right.
- Keep in mind that your hips and shoulders are facing the front.
- Now, breathe and lift your arms to the shoulders.
- Now exhale and keep your right palm on the right ankle. If you find it difficult to reach the ankle, you can keep your palm on the knee only.
- Raise the left arm in such a way that it gets aligned with the right arm.
- If it is comfortable, turn your head and look towards the middle finger of your left hand.
- Now, stay in this yoga asana for about 10-15 seconds.
- Now, you can exhale, stand, and bring your feet back together.
- Repeat the pose on the other side.
Contraindication:
If you are suffering from issues like headaches, migraines, low BP, or vertigo, you should not perform Trikonasana. Also, any individual who had recent abdominal surgery should avoid doing this. If you have lower back pain or shoulder injury, you must consult the doctor before proceeding.
Utkatasana or Chair Pose
When performed, Utkasana looks like someone is sitting on an invisible chair, and it is thus called the Chair Pose. This yoga for heart health helps align your spine and shoulders and opens your lungs and heart, improving blood circulation and breathing.
Here is how to perform the Chair Pose:
- Stand straight on the floor, keeping your feet together.
- Take a deep breath in, and exhale.
- Gently bring your hips back and begin to bend your knees slightly.
- Inhale and raise your arms over your head in a Namaskara position.
- Make sure your body weight is on your thighs instead of your knees.
- Stay in this posture for around 4-5 breaths.
- To release, inhale, and get back to the normal standing position.
Contraindications:
Individuals with high or low blood pressure should avoid this yoga asana. People suffering from respiratory complications should not perform the chair pose. People with hip, knee, ankle, or shoulder injuries should also refrain from doing this asana.
Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward Facing Dog Pose
Adho Mukha Svanasana pose, or Downward Facing Dog Pose, is a stretch that strengthens arms and legs, helps keep the back straight, and relieves tension in the shoulders and neck area. This yoga for healthy heart helps reduce heart rate and increase blood flow in the body, including the brain.
To perform Adho Mukha Svanasana:
- Sit in the Vajrasana pose and place your hands on the mat.
- Make sure your fingers are separated and pressing equally on the floor.
- Try to take your legs a little backward.
- Suck your stomach in and tuck your toes.
- Keep space between your stomach and your thighs.
- Now, slowly lift your hips and heels back & up as much as possible, lengthening your spine.
- Drop your head down and straighten your arms. Make sure you do not bend your elbow.
- Keep the neck relaxed throughout the asana, and hold the pose for a few breaths.
- Slowly, go back to the original position and relax.
Contraindications:
Individuals with knee, wrist, shoulder, or ankle injuries should not perform this asana. People who have recently undergone surgeries should avoid this Asana. If you are suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, late-term pregnancy, or blood pressure issues, then you should also refrain from doing the asana.
Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana yoga, or Cobra pose, is yoga for strong heart. This asana targets the chest area, opening up the heart and lungs, helping strengthen the spine, and ultimately reducing stress.
You can follow the steps below to perform the asana:
- Lie on the floor on your stomach and keep your legs at a distance from each other.
- You need to cross your palms to rest your head over them.
- Relax your body and bring your legs closer.
- Now, stretch your arms in your front.
- Keep your head on the floor and place your palms under the chest. Raise your elbows parallel to and close to the torso.
- While inhaling, raise your body, curve your spine, and try to straighten your arms as you arch your back.
- Tilt your head towards the back and look straight up.
- Maintain the pose for 4-5 breaths.
- Exhale and gently go down to the floor. Relax being in Makarasana again.
Contraindications:
Individuals who have issues like hernias and ulcers should avoid doing the yoga pose. Pregnant ladies and people with recent stomach operations should also refrain from Bhujangasana.
Paschimottanasana or Seated Forward Bend Pose
Paschimottanasana yoga, or Seated Forward Bend, is one of the best yoga asanas for heart that is very beneficial. It improves blood circulation throughout the body, including the heart. Additionally, it reduces stress and calms the mind, positively impacting heart health.
To do this Asana:
- Sit straight on the floor, keeping your legs in front of you.
- Now, take a deep breath and keep your arms over your head.
- Once done, exhale, bend from your waist, and try to touch your feet with your hands.
- Make sure to keep your spine straight.
- If you are uncomfortable touching your toes, you can touch your ankles or the shin.
- Now, stay in the asana for a few deep breaths. You can hold the asana from 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Now, inhale and lift yourself and your hands back again.
- Exhale, lower your arms, and be in the normal sitting position again.
Contraindications:
People suffering from slipped discs or recent abdominal surgeries should not perform the asana. Also, if you have regular back pain, stomach pain, or diarrhea, you should refrain from doing Paschimottanasana. Pregnant ladies also should not do this pose.
Padangusthasana or Big Toe Pose
Padangusthasana, or Big Toe Pose, is yoga for strong heart that positively impacts cardiovascular health and reduces the risk of heart disease. This forward bend will calm your mind and relieve stress, which can lower BP and reduce the stress on the heart.
This is how you can do Padangusthasana:
- Stand in the Tadasana position with feet a little apart.
- Inhale, and keep the hands by the side of the waist.
- Now, exhale and bend forward. You can also bend your knees if needed.
- Keep your back completely straight.
- As you bend forward, fold your elbows and try to touch the big toes with your thumb and first two fingers.
- If you are finding it difficult to reach your toes, you can use a yoga strap or hold your shins.
- Now, inhale deeply and try to lift your chest slightly.
- To deepen the stretch, you can gently pull your toes. Relax your head and neck.
- Be on the asana for around 4-5 breaths.
- To release, inhale, slowly return to tadasana, and keep your back straight.
Contraindications:
Those who have osteoporosis and back pain issues should take caution while doing this yoga for strong heart. Pregnant women and people with recent abdominal surgeries and high blood pressure should avoid the asana.
Savasana or Corpse Pose
Savasana pose, or Corpse Pose, makes you calm and relaxed and improves your mental health. This best yoga for healthy heart increases your overall mindfulness, thus improving memory and concentration. This asana also helps to reduce blood pressure by relaxing the body and lowering the heart rate.
To do Savasana:
- Find a quiet and comfortable place, and lie flat on your back.
- Keep your legs slightly apart and arms by your side. Make sure to keep your palms up.
- Now, close your eyes and relax.
- Breathe naturally, without controlling it, and try to focus on your mind.
- You can stay in this asana for at least 5 to 15 minutes.
- Now, to release the pose, take a deep breath. Move your fingers and toes and roll towards the left side before sitting up.
- Finally, sit quietly for some time and open your eyes gently.
Contraindications:
If you have acidity issues, you should not perform such yoga asanas for healthy heart. Also, if you have injury or pain in the hips, spine, or back of your thighs, you should either refrain from doing the asana or consult your doctor, as sometimes, during such pain or injuries, it is not recommended to lie on the back.
Final Thoughts
By now, you might be sure that yoga for heart is a great way to keep your heart healthy and happy. If you perform the asanas that we mentioned above daily, it will help your mind, body, and heart to work better together. It will help increase blood circulation, lower high blood pressure, and get you rid of stress. Yoga asanas for good heart is something that anyone can do, whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi. And do you know what the best part of yoga is? It will always make you feel good and help you live happier. So, why don’t you give yoga for good heart health a chance to make your heart healthier?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which yoga is best for heart?
There are many yoga asanas for healthy heart. Some of them are: Tadasana, Vrikshasana, Trikonasana, Utkatasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Bhujangasana, Paschimottanasana, Padangusthasana and Shavasana. You can add these asanas to your daily routine and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Is yoga good for heart?
There are many benefits of yoga for heart, including reducing stress, improving blood circulation, lowering blood pressure, and improving cholesterol levels, all of which ultimately impact heart health positively.
Can pranayam improve heart health?
Yes, Pranayama is a breath control technique that improves blood circulation and contributes to stronger heart health. Dirga Pranayama, Nadi Shodhana, Kapalbhati Pranayama, Bhramari Pranayama, and Bhastrika Pranayama are some yoga asanas for good heart health.
