2020-01-03T09:24:32
SURYA NAMASKARA Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation is a practice in incorporating a sequence of some twelve gracefully linked asanas. The set of 12 asana is dedicated to the Hindu God Surya. In some Indian traditions, the positions are each associated with a different mantra. Benefits of SURYA NAMASKARA: 1. Your body becomes toned and flexible: Surya Namaskar various poses engage different parts of your body. As a result, your whole body ends up getting toned. It also makes your body more flexible. This results in improving your overall posture and makes it easier to balance your body. 2. Weight loss: The regular practice of this yoga technique boosts your metabolism, which helps to reduce weight in the belly area. Along with that, it also stretches your abdominal muscles, strengthens your skeletal muscles, and prevents unwanted fat deposition in these regions. 3. Beautiful hair and skin: Surya Namaskar enhances your blood circulation. As a result, the natural glow of your skin returns. Along with that, it also prevents the occurrence of wrinkles, hair loss, and greying of hair. This gives you a youthful and radiant look. 4. Blood Pressure and Heart–related problems: Sun Salutation is a natural remedy for blood pressure fluctuations. It is also very beneficial for heart muscles and is an excellent way to treat irregular heartbeats. This yoga technique also reduces your sugar levels. As a result, the risk of heart attack reduces, and your eyes, kidneys, and nerves stay healthy. 5. Improves energy and awareness levels: Like other asanas, this routine also focuses on breathing exercises. This relaxes your mind and sharpens your intellect. A relaxed mind, combined with a healthy body causes your energy levels to rise and makes you self–aware. 6. Absorption of Nutrients becomes easier: In the modern age, people don’t have time to sit down and enjoy a healthy meal. This has led to the development of an unhealthy lifestyle, which in turn has caused an increase in many illnesses such as PCOD, PCOS and obesity. By performing Surya Namaskar daily, you can boost your digestive system and prevent many diseases from occurring. Enhanced digestion makes it easier for the body to absorb nutrients. Better nutrient absorption regulates hormones and enables the body to perform vital functions smoothly. Thus your overall health improves. 7. Mood Swings and emotion stability: Deep breathing techniques, combined with specific asana, have a positive effect on your nerve cells. Performing Sun Salutation proves beneficial for your brain. It can create a sense of balance between your brain’s left and right side. This increases your emotional stability and enhances your creative and mental capabilities. In addition to that, practicing Surya Namaskar improves the functioning of your endocrine system, especially your thyroid glands. This causes a decrease in anxiety and mood swings. It also induces a calming effect which enables you to concentrate and allows you to think clearly. 8. Helps regulate the menstrual cycle: Females with irregular periods can use this yoga technique to regulate their menstrual cycles. The daily practice of this routine can also make childbirth easier. Furthermore, it can also alleviate extreme period pain. 9. Insomnia: Surya Namaskar helps insomnia patients. It releases stress, tension, relaxes the mind and induces sleep. It also ensures that you don’t become dependent on drugs and can fall asleep naturally. 10. Detoxifies your body: An integral part of Sun Salutation is the inhalations and exhalations. If done correctly, it can help in the proper functioning of your lungs. Along with that, the amount of fresh oxygen supplied to your blood also increases. This releases carbon dioxide and other gases from your system and detoxifies your body. 11. Bone health: The lack of Vitamin D weakens an individual’s bones and can also cause skeletal deformities. People suffering from Vitamin D deficiency also have a high risk of heart diseases and premature death. Since Surya Namaskar is performed while facing the sun, it helps your body to absorb the required amount of Vitamin D. This ensures that both your bones and body remain healthy. Contraindications: Despite its many benefits, you must refrain from performing the Surya Namaskar if you are suffering from the following ailments: 1. Heart patients should consult a doctor before starting this yoga routine. 2. If you are suffering from back problems, you must practice Sun Salutation under your yoga teacher’s guidance. 3. People having high blood pressure issues can avoid this sequence. 4. Arthritis leads to knee stiffness and thus hinders mobility. Since Surya Namaskar involves knee movements, you must perform it with caution if you are an arthritis patient. 5. People suffering due to hernia must refrain from practicing Sun Salutation as well. 6. If you have a severe wrist injury, you can give this yoga sequence a miss. 7. Pregnant women should not practice Sun Salutation as it puts pressure on the back and abdominal regions, thereby harming both the mother and the fetus. 8. Women must also avoid performing Surya Namaskar while on their periods.