How Yoga Can Help Keep Your Heart Healthy

Yoga has always been associated with focus and flexibility. People who engage in yoga speak of the many benefits that they enjoy by doing it. Not only has it helped them improve their attention, but it has allowed their body to become flexible in so many ways. 

But little do people know that yoga can be good for their cardiovascular health too. There are heart yoga poses that help improves a person’s heart and health. 

What Makes Yoga Healthy For You?

The practice of yoga dates back to ancient times. It involves holding one’s body and moving through a series of poses, each one targeting to improve a specific part of the body. While it may be focused on improving strength and flexibility, it also comes with breathing and meditation exercises to help achieve a calm mind. 

The stretches and the various poses in yoga help in reducing chronic pain, and many of these are weight-bearing postures, which means they help strengthen the bones and the muscles. This is why many people who want to lose weight also engage in yoga. 

Not only does it strengthen their body, but it pushes them to lose weight so that they can carry themselves better and do more yoga poses. 

How Does Yoga Help Improve Cardiovascular Health

Did you know that you can do yoga to lower heart rate? This may come as a surprise, but it is a fact. Yoga for your cardiovascular health includes poses that promote stress relief, relaxation, and flexibility. 

Yoga also helps improve the heart by helping increase blood flow in the body and improve circulation too. Also, the regular practice of yoga helps lower blood pressure, blood glucose levels, cholesterol, as well as improve heart rate. 

All of these improvements in the person’s body affect his overall health. Through the practice of yoga, they were able to lower the risk of hypertension, stroke, and even heart disease. 

Yoga Poses To Improve The Heart

For those who have been doing yoga for quite some time, they may have felt its benefits to their hearts and overall well-being. 

And yet, there are still many others who have yet to discover what else they can do to get their heart pumping apart from their regular exercise. Stress management is also one of the things that are critical to your overall health. 

Perhaps the most significant benefits people get from yoga is their ability to relax their minds and bodies. It is through this that they can benefit their heart as well. There’s no wonder yoga is considered the best form of exercise and meditation because it’s a combination of both, and it leaves you feeling great about yourself. 

What yoga poses should you do to improve health? Here are some of them in a list: 

Standing Forward Bend

In this pose, your flexibility will be put to the test. You will have to engage in a deep stretch bending forward from a standing position. Keep your legs straight and feet together. Slowly, bring your chest towards the knees while the fingertips touch the floor in line with your feet. 

If reaching your feet or the floor isn’t possible on your first few tries, you may rest your palms in a yoga block in front of your feet. This pose stretches several parts of your body, including your spine, shoulders, hamstring, and groin. 

This pose not only aims to improve your flexibility, but it helps relieve pain. 

Extended Triangle Pose

Keep your left foot in a three to four feet distance from your right foot. While you are standing, turn your left foot about 45 degrees going to the right, while it is at 90 degrees. Then, shift your left hip toward your left heel while your torso leans to the right. As you turn to look up, raise your right arm as if you were reaching for the sky, with all five fingers pointing upwards. 

For three counts, do deep breathing. Inhale, exhale. Make sure to keep your thighs firm and your legs straight. Do the same on the opposite side. 

This pose aims to stretch your chest and strengthen your legs and the torso. All these stretchings could help increase stamina and improve energy. 

Bridge Pose

Lay on your back with your knees bent while your feet are flat on the floor. Place your feet wide apart to bring your knees over to your ankles. As you press both feet on the floor, slowly try to lift your bottom off the floor. Hold it for as long as you can while your hips are directed towards the ceiling. 

Rest both your arms flat on the side. You may slowly roll your shoulders to clasp your hands below your pelvis to provide the extra support. This pose aims to stretch the chest and spine area and to relieve stress as well. It can be very therapeutic for people suffering from high blood pressure. 

Chair Pose

Stand straight with your feet together, and the toes are facing forward. Raise your arms over your head with your fingers facing the upward position. Slowly, bend your knees. Bring your thighs nearly parallel on the floor, and your torso will lead slightly forward over the thighs. 

Hold this position for a minute before you return to your starting position. Repeat until you feel comfortable. This pose engages the muscles on your arms and your legs while stimulating the heart. 

Why Should You Do Yoga?

There is no reason for you not to do it. After reading all the healthy benefits of yoga for the body, the heart, and the mind, there’s just more and more reason to try it out for yourself. After all, when it comes to self-care, you must try everything that can make your life better.