5 Yoga Asanas to Strengthen Your Spine
Modern living is getting to us, we start our days off with hour long traffic jams followed by more sitting behind a desk. The lifestyle can be harmful and strenuous in the least and turn out disastrous for our health in most cases. So, what is the most common symptom of stress and declining health? –Back pain. With over 10 million new cases of back related problems arising in India alone, back pain is slowly turning into an epidemic that is considered a common side effect of adulthood; how much of that we accept and live with is entirely up to us. The real sideeffects of back pain aren’t noticeable immediately, but a couple of months of prolonged pain and we notice issues ranging from shortness of breath to acidity to fatigue. It does not paint a very pretty picture for the future. But fret not! If you believe that living with pain is not normal, then these five back exercises are just the solution you need. 1. Ardha Matsyendrasana or the Spinal Twist - ●Helps stretch the back muscles and spine ●Increases oxygen supply to lungs ●Increases flexibility and helps cure disc related injuries Here’s how you can do this asana - ●Sit erect with legs stretched out, feet placed together and spine erect. ●Bend your left leg in a way that your left heel lays next to your right hip. ●Next, place the right leg next to your left knee (take it over the knee). ●Twist your upper body towards the right, and gaze over your right shoulder. Keep your spine erect. ●Hold this pose for 30 to 60 and take deep breaths. ●Slowly release the right hand, followed by the waist, and then the neck to sit straight. ●Repeat the above steps on the other side. 2. Setu Bandhasana or the Bridge post – ●Stretches the chest, neck, spine, and hips ●Improves circulation of blood ●Helps alleviate stress and mild depression ●Stimulates the lungs, thyroid glands, and abdominal glands Here are details that help you perform the asana - ●Lie down on your back. ●Draw your feet towards the hips. ●Keep your feet parallel to each other. ●Next, lift yourself up with your stomach going upwards along with your back, hip and thighs. ●You can use your hands to support your back if needed. Hold the pose for some time and breathe normally. ●Slowly come down and relax. ●Repeat. 3. Bhujangasana or the Cobra – ●Stretches muscles in the shoulders and decreases stiffness of the lower back ●Strengthens the arms and shoulders ●Increases flexibility ●Improves menstrual irregularities Here’s how you can do Bhujangasana: ●Lie on your stomach with your toes flat on the floor. Let your forehead rest on the ground. ●Keep your legs close to each other with your feet touching each other. ●Place your hands under your shoulders. ●Take a deep breath and slowly lift your head, chest and abdomen; navel touching the ...
