Can You Do Yoga During Fever? Who Said No?

a) Sheetali Pranayama

Sheetali means 'cooling down' in Sanskrit. This pranayama is meant to cool down the entire body. In this technique, air is inhaled through the mouth and exhaled through nostrils. This action of inhaling through the mouth cools down the entire body and relaxes the central nervous system, thereby helping to cure fever.

How To Do It?

-Sit in the Sukhasana (cross-legged posture) or Vajra Asana (or lotus posture) pose
- Role your tongue and inhale through the passage of your rolled tongue.
- After inhalation, close your mouth and hold the breath.
- After about 6 seconds, exhale from your nostrils.

b) Anulom Vilom Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of The Art of living, describes Anulom Vilom Pranayama as an energy channel that cleanses and purifies your entire body.

How To Do It?

- Cross your legs and sit in the Ardhapadmasana or Padmasana posture (lotus posture).
- Now place one hand on your lap with your palms facing the ceiling. Place the thumb of the other hand on one nostril and fold the index finger.
- Keep the ring finger extended, so that it can be used to close the other nostril.
- Now inhale deeply through one nostril while keeping the other one closed with your finger. Then, open the other nostril and close the one you breathed in from and exhale. This is one cycle. You could do at least 10 such cycles to start feeling the difference.

c) Kapalbhati

The passive inhalations and forceful exhalations help to clear the nasal passage. With this breathing technique, the body releases almost 80% of the toxins out through exhalation.

How To Do It?

- Sit comfortably in the Sukhasana pose.
- Now exhale through your nose and pull your stomach in towards your spine. When you loosen your stomach muscles, you will automatically breathe in. Quickly contract your stomach muscles again and exhale.
- Initially do it for 50 times. Afterwards, you can increase the number of cycles.

d) Downward Facing Dog Pose

This posture moves white blood cells through your body as well as drains the sinuses.

How To Do It?

- Stand in Tadasana (Mountain pose)
- Place your hands in a prayer posture and raise your folded hands upwards.
- Exhale and hinge into the standing forward bend position.
- Inhale and extend your spine into the standing half-forward bend position.
- Exhale and step or jump back to your original standing posture.

e) Matsyasana Or Fish Pose

Matsyasana or the fish pose can help to extend the chest and the lungs, giving you an increased breathing capacity.

How To Do It?

- Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

- Now, straighten your legs, place your arms on either side. Now raise your hips, one side at a time and place your hands under each hip.
- Bend your elbows and push your upper body off the floor. Only raise your chest and tilt your head backwards.
- Hold on in this position for five counts.

c) Seated Spine Twist

Twists help in detoxifying the body by getting the cells or certain impurities moving as well as activating the secondary organs of the immune system.

How To Do It?

- Sit with your legs in front. Bend your right knee and place the right foot outside of the left knee (you can keep your left leg stretched out or folded in, like a half-cross-legged seat).
- Wrap your left arm around the right leg and place the right hand on the ground behind the sacrum.
- As you inhale, lengthen your spine and exhale to relax. Do this for 5-10 breaths and repeat the side.