The sun salutation, or what is commonly known as Surya Namaskar is one of the most popular yoga asanas performed by people across all ages. While most people think Surya Namaskar strengthens the back and the muscles, what they mostly forget is that this particular exercise is a complete workout of the body that does not require any heavy equipment.
The Surya Namaskar yoga focuses on all the body parts equally and helps in blood circulation throughout the system. It also helps the body and mind to break free from the exhaustive and monotonous routine lifestyle and rejuvenates it.
If and when the Surya Namaskar is practiced the right way at the right time, it can totally change your life. The results of this yoga might be slower than other fast workout routines, but the outcome is really worth the effort. Surya Namaskar also detoxifies your digestive system and skin like never before.
If you practice Surya Namaskar regularly, it will enhance the size of your solar plexus, thereby strengthening your creative talent, intuitive abilities, decision-making and leadership skills. This yoga, surprisingly, boosts your confidence, as well.
When is the correct time to Practice Surya Namaskar?
Although Surya Namaskar can be practiced at any time of the day, to get the optimum benefits of the exercise, the most appropriate time is to practice it at sunrise.
It is not a superstition, but the sun rays aids in revitalizing your body and freshen up your mind. Practicing Surya Namaskar at noon can energize your body instantly. Surya Namaskar can also be practiced at dusk, as it helps you to unwind after a long and tedious day.
Surya Namaskar Benefits
Surya Namaskar can be practiced at any time and at anywhere. All it requires is a little but constant dedication and just 10 minutes from your busy schedule every morning. Trust us, the results won’t disappoint you, at all! Furthermore, aside from rejuvenation Surya Namaskar also has several health benefits and can really save you a trip to your shrink or even the cost of antacids.
1. Weight loss
Practicing Surya Namaskar at a faster pace than usual is a good cardio exercise that helps you to lose weight faster. Doing Surya Namaskar faster is the equivalent to doing burpees. Adding to that, it involves all the muscles from the toe to the neck and sweats every part of the body equally.
Furthermore, the Surya Namaskar pose helps in stretching the abdominal muscles causing the extra pounds around the belly to shed automatically. This exercise also improves your metabolism.
Surya Namaskar is a full-body workout, even though it might look really simple, and helps in burning a lot of calories. Practicing this exercise for 30 minutes can burn as much as 416 calories, compared to running (which burns 414 calories), weightlifting (199 calories), tennis (232 calories), rock climbing (364 calories) and football (298 calories.)
Surya NamaskarDo we still need to convince you?
2. Bright and radiant skin
Since Surya Namaskar is a full-body workout and involves all the organs and muscles of the body, it aids in boosting your blood circulation. The proper blood circulation of the body and face can render an unbelievable and radiant glow.
Moreover, it makes your face look naturally flushed. Surya Namaskar is also capable of preventing wrinkles and early ageing. You must perform this yoga asana every day for the best results.
3. Aids the digestive system
Surya Namaskar boosts the digestive system and ensures smooth functioning of the digestive glands and the organs. This yoga specifically increases the blood flow to your digestive tract, ensuring better functioning of the intestines.
The forward pose of the Surya Namaskar especially helps in increasing the abdominal space on the inside of your body by stretching. Through stretching, it releases the trapped gas from your digestive system.
4. Regulates the menstrual cycle
If you suffer from irregular periods, congratulations! We have found you a cure for the incurable without any birth control pills. Surya Namaskar helps in better regulation of your menstrual cycle and eases out menstrual pains or dysmenorrhea.
Regular practicing of the movements of this yoga also helps in easing the process of conceiving and childbirth. Perform Surya Namaskar every day for developing stronger abdominal muscles and for a less painful menstrual cycle.
5. Lowers blood sugar levels
Practicing Surya Namaskar regularly helps you to keep your blood sugar in check. In today’s day and age where we mostly lead a very mechanized life with no real exercise and high dependency on store-bought or packaged food rich in preservatives, it is of utmost necessity to keep your blood pressure and blood sugar in check. Surya Namaskar performs this duty for you diligently. It also prevents numerous heart diseases that might affect your body.
6. Cures anxiety
Practicing Surya Namaskar regularly improves your mental health alongside your physical wellbeing. It helps in improving your memory, calms your nerve cells and releases the pent-up anxiety from the brain. It regulates and normalizes the activity of the endocrine glands and is especially beneficial to people who suffer from thyroid.
7. Detoxification of the body
Surya Namaskar helps in maintaining an efficient inhalation and exhalation process and makes sure that the lungs are properly ventilated and the blood is provided with adequate fresh oxygen to remain sufficiently oxygenated. This helps in the detoxification of the body by discarding the carbon dioxide from the blood and other toxic gases from the body.
8. Cures Insomnia
Surya Namaskar aids in improving your sleeping habits and normalizes your sleep pattern. It relaxes and calms the mind and allows you more quality and peaceful sleep. Furthermore, this exercise oxygenates the brain and ensures that all the hormones, cells and muscles are working well.
Surya Namaskar Poses
The Surya Namaskar is a magical yoga asana that includes almost all the other yoga asanas to incorporate into one master exercise. Its main purpose is to ensure that the whole body is involved in the exercise and every muscle of the body is worked out.
Surya NamaskarThe Surya Namaskar includes the following poses:
- Pranamasana
- Hastauttanasana
- Padahastasana
- Ashwa sanchalanasana
- Parvatasana
- Dandasana
- Ashtanga Namaskara
- Bhujangasana
Surya Namaskar Steps
Surya Namaskar includes the various steps given below:
Step 1: Pranamasana
Step 2: Hastauttanasana
Step 3: Padahastasana
Step 4: Ashwa sanchalanasana
Step 5: Parvatasana
Step 6: Dandasana
Step 7: Ashtanga Namaskara
Step 8: Bhujangasana
Step 9: Parvatasana
Step 10: Ashwa sanchalanasana
Step 11: Padahastasana
Step 12: Hastauttanasana
Perform Surya Namaskar reap its numerous benefits!
Also Read; Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayam
