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International Day of Yoga 2019: Yoga Poses To Treat Asthma

International Day of Yoga, also known as Yoga Day, is celebrated anually on 21st June, since its inception in 2015.

Asthma is a respiratory condition in which some things trigger the bronchi of the lungs, causing them to swell and block the airways [1] . Asthma attacks have been known to be quite deadly if not treated on time. Though asthma cannot be completely cured, there are a lot of ways to help manage the condition and improve the quality of life for people suffering from it.

With more and more people being aware of their bodies and indulging in wellness, yoga is getting popular for its amazing benefits on the human body. Moreover, certain poses of yoga have also been known to help manage the symptoms of asthma and increase the quality of life in asthmatic patients [2] .

Asthma

If you are suffering from asthma and are looking for longterm ways to manage the condition, we present to you some yoga poses that are known to be quite beneficial for asthma.

1. Pranayama (Breathing) [3]

Asthma
  • Kapalbhati pranayama is the best for asthma treatment.
  • Sit in an upright position with your legs crossed. Your back, neck and spine should be aligned in a straight line.
  • Close your eyes and take a deep breath through both your nostrils until your lungs are full with air.
  • Now exhale through both the nostrils forcefully. Your stomach would go deep inside when you do this. As you exhale you feel some pressure in your stomach.
  • Repeat this process for 5 minutes.

2. Sukhasana (Decent Pose) [4]

Asthma
  • Sit on the floor with your legs crossed.
  • Make sure that the heel on your legs touch the inner thigh of the opposite legs.
  • Your back and shoulders should be straight.
  • Now place your right hand on your heart and your left hand on your stomach.
  • Close your eyes and breathe slowly.
  • Hold the pose for 5 minutes and relax for a while to continue again.

3. Baddha Konasana (Butterfly pose) [5]

Asthma
  • Sit with your legs stretched in front of you.
  • Now fold your legs inwards to your knees and bring the heels of your legs together.
  • Hold your ankles and pull your heels to your hips. Your legs will look similar to the wings of a butterfly.
  • Start breathing and bring your body forward so that your chest touches the big toes.
  • Hold the pose for 3 minutes and relax.

4. Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) [6]

Asthma
  • Stand straight with your hands stretched to your side and your feet apart.
  • Rest your left hand on your left hip.
  • Now breath in and bend on your right and touch your right feet with your right stretched hand.
  • Breathe out once you touch your feet.
  • In the same position, try to straighten your right leg while simultaneously lifting your leg left from the floor and shift your entire weight of the body on your right leg.
  • You can hold the pose for 1 minute and continue to the other side.

5. Marjaryasana (Cat Pose) [6]

Asthma
  • Stand on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Your knees should be aligned with your wrists elbows and shoulder.
  • Your head should be in a neutral position with your eyes looking down. Inhale in this position.
  • While exhaling, you can arch your back towards the ceiling.
  • Continue breathing like this for 5 minutes and relax before continuing again.

6. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) [6]

Asthma
  • Lie on your stomach with your hands on either side of your body.
  • Now prod your torso up by placing your hands on the sides of your chest and bend your back in an arch.
  • Breath in and out and hold this position for at least a minute.
  • As you exhale, gently release your body back to the floor.

7. Samakonasana (Straight Angle Pose) [6]

Asthma
  • Sit upright with your legs stretched in front of you.
  • Now move your legs to either side of your body and try to stretch them as much as possible.
  • Next, fold your body forward with your hands stretched straight ahead of you.
  • Hold this pose till the count of 5.
  • Ease out of the stretch comfortably and gently. Breathe steadily as you come out of the position.

8. Pasasana (Noose Pose)

Asthma
  • Stand upright.
  • Now bend your knees in a squatting position. Your heels should be touching your buttocks and your chest should be pressed against your legs.
  • Hold your hands at the back and twist your body to the right side. The upper part of your left shoulder should touch the top of your right knee.
  • Hold this position till the count of 5 and repeat by twisting the other side of your body.

9. Mathsyasana (Fish Pose) [6]

Asthma
  • Sit with your legs crossed.
  • Now slowly begin by lifting your chin up and looking at the ceiling.
  • Start bending your spine backward until you can rest your head on the floor behind you.
  • At the same time, it is important for you to keep your spine arched and away from touching the floor.
  • Hold this position for 20 seconds while slowly breathing in and out.
  • Next, slowly relax your spine and bring your head up and get back to the normal sitting position.

10. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) [7]

Asthma
  • Lie on the floor with your legs stretched forward.
  • Bend your knees inwards with your feet touching your buttocks.
  • Now slowly lift your buttocks away from the floor to form an arch.
  • Your hands should be stretched on either side of your body with your palms facing down.
  • Hold this pose for 5 seconds before coming to your original position.
View Article References
  1. [1] Balkissoon, R. (2008). Asthma overview.Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice,35(1), 41-60.
  2. [2] Nagarathna, R., & Nagendra, H. R. (1985). Yoga for bronchial asthma: a controlled study.Br Med J (Clin Res Ed),291(6502), 1077-1079.
  3. [3] Gupta, A., Gupta, R., Sood, S., & Arkham, M. (2014). Pranayam for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Results from a randomized, controlled trial.Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal,13(1), 26.
  4. [4] Saxena, T., & Saxena, M. (2009). The effect of various breathing exercises (pranayama) in patients with bronchial asthma of mild to moderate severity.International journal of yoga,2(1), 22.
  5. [5] Subramanian, S., Elango, T., Malligarjunan, H., Kochupillai, V., & Dayalan, H. (2012). Role of sudarshan kriya and pranayam on lipid profile and blood cell parameters during exam stress: A randomized controlled trial.International journal of yoga,5(1), 21.
  6. [6] Yang, Z. Y., Zhong, H. B., Mao, C., Yuan, J. Q., Huang, Y. F., Wu, X. Y., ... & Tang, J. L. (2016). Yoga for asthma.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4).
  7. [7] Kan, L., Zhang, J., Yang, Y., & Wang, P. (2016). The effects of yoga on pain, mobility, and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review.Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine,2016.

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