The benefits of yoga are unlimited. It helps in improving the digestion and makes you stronger physically as well as mentally. Yoga is great for improving the flexibility of the body and to reduce stress, depression and anxiety. You can lead a peaceful and relaxed life by practicing yoga regularly. Although yoga is recommended for everyone, some people like pregnant women, senior citizens and people with some disability or disease are afraid to do harsh physical activities and therefore refrain from attempting yoga. For such individuals a number of gentle yoga poses are there, which one can do easily, without much physical strain. They can do these poses even by sitting on a chair. These gentle yoga poses offer you a lot of benefits if you do them regularly. Before starting to do these yoga poses, it is always recommended that you take the advice of a doctor.
Start your yoga routine with the following:
- Warm up your body.
- Do a few simple stretching exercises before you start yoga.
- Always do warm-up exercises before you start to do yoga. If not it can lead to injury.
- Always remember not to practice yoga after you have had a heavy meal.
- It is always recommended that you do yoga on an empty stomach. You can also do it two hours after the meal.
- Make it a point to practice yoga asanas regularly.
- Consult your doctor before you start doing any new yoga asanas.
Best and Easy Relaxing Yoga Poses:
The yoga poses that we are going to discuss are suitable for most of the people, including the chronic pain patients and senior citizens.
Bridge Pose:
Bridge is a yoga asana that helps in stretching your abdominal area and improves the functioning of the organs. It is also good for stimulating you thyroid and to improve digestion and metabolism.
Breathe in, Breathe out:
This is called ‘pranayama’ or breathing exercise. This is effective for activating your body and helps you to relax. You can treat various problems of your body like indigestion, bloating, stomach pain, asthma, heartburn and gas by practicing pranayama regularly.
To do this, sit on the ground cross –legged and put your palms on your knees. Close your eyes and deeply breathe in and then hold for a second. Then you can breathe out deeply. Concentrate on your breathing. This is the simplest form of pranayama. There are also other ways to do pranayama.
Chair pose:
This pose is very easy to do, and is a gentle exercise excellent for people who suffer from cardiovascular problems. Doing this exercise regularly provides you a healthy heart and improves the functioning of your heart.
How to do it:
- Stand straight on the floor.
- Swing your arms to the side and lift your arms above your head. Inhale as you do this. Make sure that your palms face inward.
- Next you have to bend your kneed and as you do this, exhale. Make a right angle with your upper body and the top of your thighs.
- Stay in this position for a minute and then stand straight as you inhale.
- Lower your arms while you exhale.
Downward-facing dog pose:
This is a pose good for stretching your body and to get you relief from stress. It is also good for improving the functioning of your digestive system. If you are suffering from nausea, indigestion and heartburn, you must not do this exercise as it inverts the upper part of the body. However, this is good for your gastrointestinal tract.
Extended triangle pose:
This pose is good for making you energetic and to get your body into proper alignment. Doing this pose is good for improving the performance of your abdominal muscles and organs. You can get rid of stress and anxiety by doing this pose.
Inversions yoga pose:
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Inversions are excellent for your digestion as it improves the functioning of your abdominal muscles, thyroid and pituitary gland and makes your digestive system healthy.
One-legged wind releasing pose:
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Body aches and back pain are always common with the aged people. This is caused due to stiff or weak muscles. Practicing yoga helps in making your muscles stronger and offers support to your back.
One-legged wind releasing pose stretches your body gently and is useful for your mid and lower backs as well as your hips. It stretches the muscles and is good for curing the lower back pain.
How to do it:
- Lie on a mat in the sleeping position. Bend your knees and keep your feet touching the floor.
- Now you have to pull your right thigh towards your chest.
- Try to strengthen the other leg that is kept on the floor and relax your foot. Keep your pelvis and right buttock touching the floor.
- Relax your muscles as you breathe deeply.
- Repeat the same procedure with the other side also.
Seated forward bend in a chair:
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Doing this pose is good for lowering the risk of heart diseases and to maintain normal blood pressure levels.
How to do it:
- Sit on a chair with your knees together and out your feet flat on the ground.
- Inhale
- Bend forward as you exhale, round your shoulders and bend your back forward.
- Keep your arms on your sides.
- Do this and count till three before you release your body.
Standing forward bend pose:
This pose is also known as ‘big-toe-pose’. Doing this is beneficial for the proper functioning of your liver and kidneys and helps in flushing out toxins from the body. This pose ensures proper digestion and makes you calm. You also get relief from stress if you do this regularly. Since this pose inverts your oesophagus, you must not do this if you have stomach upset or heartburn.
Staff pose:
Staff pose focuses on your legs, hands, back and joints. It provides strength to your body and makes the muscles of mid-back and quadriceps flexible.
