Yoga for Asthma

Yoga for Asthma – Poses, Pranayama, Benefits, Results

If you have asthma or know someone who does, you are well aware of the stress it may cause. Managing asthma is a lifetime task, but yoga may make it a lot simpler.

As an asthmatic, you should probably avoid any strenuous activity. However, it leaves you with the option of doing mild exercises like walking, running, or swimming. Swimming and running are great, but the effects aren’t quite as specific as yoga.

In comparison to other physical activities 1, yoga will help you obtain more excellent outcomes while exerting the least amount of effort. Yoga, when done correctly, will never be an asthma trigger. 

You can do most of the yoga poses when you’re lying down, which will decrease your chance of triggering an asthma attack.

The respiratory muscles in the chest and neck are utilized when doing yoga correctly. 

It will help relieve asthma triggers such as heaviness, pain, tightness in the chest, wheezing, and coughing. The increased circulation will also help you get more oxygen in your lungs and body tissues.

When practising yoga, breathing through your nose will ensure that you only get the purer form of oxygen in your lungs.

Yoga for asthma has something to offer all asthmatics, young and old. The poses will increase the strength of your respiratory muscles and make it easier for you to breathe. So let’s not waste any time and try out some Yoga poses for asthma today!

Yoga Asanas for asthma patients

  •  Ardha Matsyendrasana (Sitting Half Spinal twist)- The sitting half spinal twist position expands the chest and enhances the supply of oxygen to the lungs, which decreases the chance of asthma restricting you.
  • Virabhadra Asana 2 (Warrior Pose 2)- This yoga asana is beneficial to asthma because it enhances breathing capacity by expanding the lungs. Do not practice if you have uncontrolled heart disease, diarrhoea, or a woman suffering from menorrhagia.
  • Danda Asana (Staff Pose)- It aids in the relief of asthmatic symptoms such as shortness of breath, choking, and throat congestion. During an asthma episode, do this asana with your back against a wall. It also strengthens your willpower and improves your emotional stability.
  • Salamba Sarvanga Asana (shoulder stand)- This position can assist with asthma, bronchitis, and throat problems. It also improves shortness of breath and palpitations but should not be used by hypertensives or during menstruation.
  • Ustra Asana (Camel Pose)- It aids in the correction of posture and the expansion of lung capacity. If you have cardiac issues, you should practice with props. 
  • Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)- This position forces you to maintain a proper body alignment to avoid straining your back. It also stretches the diaphragm and lungs, which helps relieve asthma symptoms.
  • Pavanamuktasana (Wind Removing Pose)- If you have asthma, this position will aid in the relief of constriction in the chest, shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and other related discomforts by increasing lung capacity.
  • Savasana (Corpse Pose)- This asana promotes quiet inner shows to diminish sympathetic dominance, resulting in a calming effect on the body. Asthmatics should do it with their heads and chest lifted on a bolster.
  • Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward facing dog stretch)-  This position aids in the treatment of shortness of breath, palpitations, and severe tiredness. Asthmatics can utilize variants such as a hand on a wall, head on a bolster, and heels against a wall.
  • Setu Bandh Aasana  (Bridge pose)- The Bridge position expands the thorax and lungs while also alleviating thyroid issues. It also helps with digestion and is particularly good in alleviating asthma symptoms.
  • Asana Badhakon (Butterfly pose)- By opening up the chest, the Butterfly position promotes blood circulation, reduces tiredness, and has a therapeutic impact on asthma. Practice it against a wall if you find it difficult otherwise.
  • Poorvottan Asana (Upward plank pose)- The upward plank posture strengthens the wrists, arms, back, and spine while increasing lung capacity and stimulating the thyroid gland.

Prayanama for asthma

Yoga practitioners practice pranayama or controlled breathing. Several types of pranayama can help asthma. Yoga breathing techniques may also aid in the reduction of stress, which can aggravate asthma symptoms. 

Which exercise is best for asthma?
Pranayama methods include ujjayi, dirgha pranayama, and Nadi Shodhana. Each style serves a specific function. 

Dirgha pranayama, for example, aids in the appropriate use of the diaphragm, boosts oxygen in the blood and calms the body and mind. 

Asthma breathing techniques that involve pranayama can also include yoga for increased fitness. Now that you have all the facts, you can decide which breathing technique is best for you.

Yoga breathing methods can help manage asthma symptoms by relaxing the body and mind, calming the nervous system, increasing oxygen intake, increasing lung capacity, increasing body temperature, expanding chest size and elasticity of lungs, improving circulation in tissues and organs of the body; and decreasing blood pressure. 

Techniques of pranayama for asthmatics

Breath control pranayama practice

The primary pranayama practice consists of four breathing cycles that focus on Slow Inhalation, Holding breath within, Slow Exhalation, and Holding breath outside.

Alternate nostril breathing

In Sanskrit, alternate nostril breathing is known as Anuloma Viloma Pranayama. Asthmatics will benefit from it as well.

How do you do Anuloma Viloma pranayama?
Take in one breath in through the right nostril and out through the left. Then, breathe in through the left nostril and out through the right. This procedure takes 15 to 30 minutes.

Kapalbhati kirya

Kapal is a Hindi word that means “forehead,” and bhati is a Hindi word that means “bright.” Therefore, it is called kapalbhati because it gives the face a glow and assures a beautiful and glowing complexion.

In addition, it is a full-body workout that strengthens the lungs and the respiratory system as a whole. For asthma patients, doing this method in the morning in fresh air is more effective.

Bhastrika pranayama 

Bhastrika is a Sanskrit word that means “bellows.” Therefore, Bhastrika pranayama is known after the sounds of breathing that resemble the blowing of bellows. This pranayama is performed with complete diaphragmatic and abdominal power.

How do you perform Bhastrika pranayama?

Benefits of yoga and pranayama for asthma patients

  • It boosts the flow of oxygen to all areas of the body.
  • It promotes relaxation and tranquillity by relieving stress.
  • It improves focus, creativity, and cognitive brain processes.
  • It aids in improving mind and body control, the regulation of emotions and the relief of tension.
  • It alleviates asthmatic symptoms by exercising respiratory muscles and having an effect on respiratory centres.
  • It also improves lung capacity by making lung tissue more elastic and surrounding muscles more flexible.
  • Kapalabhati and bhastrika can assist in strengthening respiratory muscles, particularly the diaphragm, which can help postpone fatigue during asthma episodes.
  • Bhastrika breathing can make your lungs healthy and strong.
  • You can practice Bhastrika pranayama in both mild and severe cases of respiratory problems.
  • It increases the supply of oxygen to all parts of the body and purifies it, which is very beneficial for asthma patients, who often suffer from poor quality air.

Results of yoga on asthma patients

  • Mood improvement.
  • Stress reduction.
  • Reduction of medication usage.
  • Improved oxygen intake.
  • Improved lung capacity.
  • Lowered blood pressure.
  • Strengthened respiratory muscles, which could help prevent respiratory fatigue during episodes of an asthma attack.
  • Widened stomach area.
  • Increased lung capacity of asthma patients after practising yoga breathing techniques. 

Conclusion

A consistent practise of these postures and breathing methods for 15-20 minutes per day can significantly lower your chances of having an asthma attack and may even help you get rid of it. 

A few minutes of meditation will also improve your experience and help you relax. At the Happiness Program, you may learn about the advantages of yoga and meditation.

Because you have control over your asthma, you will determine how much you enjoy your life. With a powerful shield-like yoga, you may enjoy life to the fullest and be carefree. 

Yoga allows you to broaden your skills and experience life to the fullest. You can achieve it through learning of few basic breathing techniques that you can practice every day. 

Learning to breathe correctly means that you are capable of living life at your most total capacity. All that will matter is that you will be enjoying your life without limiting yourself by something like asthma.

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