As it is very commonly known, doing yoga regularly not only reaps benefits for your physical health but your mental and spiritual well-being as well. And its innumerable benefits help to improve the quality of your life greatly.
Yoga Asanas For Lungs
There are so many aspects of your health that can be improved with the help of yoga practices. And one such aspect is your lungs. So, get your yoga mats because you are about to perform some yoga asanas for healthier lungs and better breathing.
1. Ardha Matsyendrasana – Sitting Half Spinal Twist
As the name suggests, this yoga asana helps in increasing the flexibility of your spine and increases the supply of oxygen to your lungs, thereby opening up your chest. Doing the asana:
- Firstly, stretch your legs and straighten your back.
- Now, bend your right leg and then bring your left foot around the corner of your right knee while simultaneously taking your left hand back.
- After that, stretch your right arm upwards, and using your elbow, push your knee back; hold your right foot.
- Now, put your left hand on the right knee and your right hand behind you.
- Straighten your spine and look back over your left shoulder.
- Stay in the same pose for a few seconds and breathe slowly but deeply.
Ardha MatsyendrasanaOther benefits of this asana include strengthening your abs, flexibility of hips, improvement of digestion, and energizing the spine.
2. Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose
This is one of the best yoga asanas for better breathing and it also helps to open up your heart and lungs. It stretches out your lungs, chest, and abdomen, due to which it is of immense help in improving the overall functioning of your body. It tends to work wonders for people with asthma. Doing the asana:
- Get comfortable on your mat and lie down on your stomach.
- Now, come onto your forearms. Make sure that your elbows are directly under your shoulders in a way that they are parallel to each other.
- Stretch your legs straight backward.
- Now, spread your toes widely and press the top of your feet into the mat.
- Roll your inner thighs up and the outer ones down; lengthen your lower back by pressing your tailbone towards your feet.
- Lastly, press down your forearms, thereby lifting your chest.
- Hold the pose for about 30 seconds and then relax your body.
Besides helping your lungs, this asana also helps to relieve stress, helps with fatigue, tones your buttocks, and strengthens your spine along with stimulating your abdominal organs.
3. Matsyasana – Fish Pose
The fish pose helps in stimulating your blood circulation and helps stretch your lungs, thereby improving the balance of oxygen and helping you breathe better. Doing the asana:
- Lie on your back and make sure that your knees are bent and flat.
- You can also bend them in a way that they remain crossed.
- Slowly lift your hips slightly and then slide your hands under your hips.
- Inhale deeply; bend your elbows and simultaneously push your upper body.
- Slowly, tilt your head backward while still keeping your chest in an elevated position.
- Keep breathing in and out and maintain the asana for as long as you are comfortable.
This is one of the best yoga asanas for better breathing and besides that, it also strengthens the muscles of your upper back and the upper part of your neck, thereby improving your posture in totality. And it also relieves tension from your neck and shoulders to a great extent.
4. Trikonasana – Triangle Pose
This pose opens up your chest cavity and thus provides a smooth passage of travel for air to reach your lungs. It thus facilitates better breathing. Doing the asana:
- Place your legs 3 feet apart and stand straight.
- Now, angle your right foot at 90 degrees, and your left foot at 15 degrees. And then, align the center of the arch of your left foot with the center of the heel of your right foot.
- The weight of your body should be falling on both your legs in an equal amount and your feet have to touch the ground.
- Inhale deeply. Now, slowly exhale, and while doing that, lift your left hand upwards as you bend your body from below your hips in the right direction, and touch the ground with your right hand.
- Both your hands should be in a straight line.
- While doing that, you also have to ensure that your body is bent and your pelvis and chest are open.
- Stretch your body as much as you can as per your comfort.
- After doing this, relax your body and repeat the asana by switching your main leg this time, i.e., with your left foot.
Other benefits of Trikonasana include stretching and flexibility of your hamstrings, calves, knees, joints, ankles, and hips, massaging your internal organs, is a stress booster, and also helps in improving digestion.
5. Sukhasana – Sitting Crossed-Leg Pose
This is one of the most commonly known and highly prevalent yoga asanas for healthier lungs and better breathing. It helps in increasing blood flow to your lungs and also clears out dangerous toxins from your lungs. Doing the asana:
- Sit in the way you do when you meditate normally.
- Now extend your legs forward. After that, bend your knees and cross your left shin in front of your right shin.
- Keep moving your knees to bring them closer and when you feel your feet directly underneath, stop moving them.
- Now, slowly draw a deep breath, hold it for 3-5 seconds, and exhale at the same pace.
- Maintain the pose for as long as you feel comfortable and continue with inhaling and exhaling.
- You could also try out different breathing techniques while you are in that pose.
This pose not only facilitates better breathing, but it has numerous other benefits like strengthening your back posture, relieving stress, helping with focus and concentration issues, reducing anxiety, etc. So, put an alarm for tomorrow morning and keep your yoga mats ready because these yoga asanas for healthier lungs are going to help you in amazing ways.
Besides, meditating or practicing yoga early in the morning is truly calming and peaceful.
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