Yoga Poses and Mudras for Your Healthy Heart

Yoga has an assertive impact on both seers and seekers. It is also effective for those in search of nirvana and those simply seeking a healthy way to live life. If you desire better health, start considering the health of your heart. Heart ailments are common these days. To steer away from such conditions, increasing flexibility, relieving stress, strengthening muscles, boosting stamina, etc., are essential. Yoga can be a one-stop solution for all these factors. And the deep breathing exercises in tandem cleanses the body inside-out. Breathing assists the respiratory system and promotes better blood circulation. As a result, it helps in weight loss and improves the health of your heart.

How Is Yoga Useful for Keeping Your Heart Healthy

Researchers reveal that yoga is effective in keeping the nervous system sound and on track. At the same time, it commands control over inflammations that can have mal-effects on your body. It can further reduce the chances of hypertension and improve the production of health-friendly high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol that can open up clogged arteries and improve blood circulation.

People with existing health conditions can also start practising yoga. There is yoga for heart patients. Different postures and mudras can lessen the effects of ailments.

Effective Yoga Asanas to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Maintaining the health of your heart is not easy. You need to improve your lifestyle to stay healthy and fit. Eating healthy food and performing exercises or yoga can go a long way in keeping your heart healthy. Here are some yoga asanas that you can perform to improve your health.

1. Veerabhadrasana or The Warrior Pose

The Sanskrit word ‘Veer’ means brave. Its resemblance to the stance practised by warriors in ancient times is quite striking. Hence, the name.

How To Do It

Keep one leg in a lunge-like position. Your knee should form an angle of 90 degrees. Stretch the other leg back and raise your hands high above your head. The other leg should be at 60 degrees. The legs should maintain a distance of around 3 to 4 feet from each other. If your right foot is at 90 degrees, then rotate the torso to the right and hold the position for a few breaths and vice-versa.

Time Duration

Hold this position for a few seconds and repeat the posture at least 5 to 6 times.

How It Benefits

This posture boosts energize the body and mitigate stress. It is an ideal yoga pose for heart patients as it keeps blood pressure in check.

2. Sukhasana

This simple posture can be done at the beginning or the end of every session.

How To Do It

Sit in a cross-legged position. Your back should be straight and shoulders should be in a relaxed posture. Rest your hands on your thighs with palms facing the sky. Now inhale deeply with closed eyes.

Time Duration

Inhale for 2 seconds, then exhale for 4 seconds. Repeat this asana 3 to 5 times.

How It Benefits

It betters the breathing pattern which in turn enhances blood circulation. It is a simple yoga pose for heart patients.

3. Uttanasana

This asana is preceded by Tadasana.

How To Do It

Stand in Tadasana, and with your hands on your hips, inhale. Then slowly exhale as you bend forward to hold your ankles. Bring your body closer to your legs.

Time Duration

Repeat this 3 to 5 times.

How It Benefits

This asana helps relax your muscles and eases the mind. You can feel calm after performing this asana. In tandem, it lowers high blood pressure from which the heart benefits the most.

4. Padangusthasana

Again you can do it after Tadasana.

How To Do It

Bending forward from the Tadasana pose, hold your big toes with the thumb, index, and middle finger. Inhale while you straighten up and exhale while you bend down.

Time Duration

Repeat this exercise 5 times.

How It Benefits

This pose helps one provide relief from stress. It also improves the functioning of kidneys and liver, which is essential for cholesterol level. It is a good yoga pose for heart patients. The result is improved blood flow in arteries and reduced blood pressure.

5. Setu Bandhasana or The Bridge Pose

This pose derives its name from its similarity with the architecture of a bridge.

How To Do It

Lie on your back and keep your arms close to your body. Bend your knees. Your feet should be hip-width apart. Your arms should rest beside your body. Inhale and lift your back. Raise your pelvic area. Try to touch your chin to your chest. Your thigs should be parallel to the floor. Hold this posture then relax.

Time Duration

Hold the posture for 30 to 60 seconds.

How It Benefits

This is an excellent yoga asana for heart patients as it improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure level, and stretches chest muscles. It can lessen depression, stress, and anxiety too.

6. Trikonasana or Triangular Pose

The body takes the shape of a triangle in this posture, Hence, named aptly Triangular Pose.

How To Do It

Stand straight with your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot to 90 degrees and the left foot inwards. Inhale, then exhale deeply while bending your body to the right. Place your right palm on the ground beside your right foot. Raise your left hand upward. Stretch your body as much as you can then return to normal position.

Time Duration

Maintain the pose for a few breaths then repeat it on the other side.

How It Benefits

It relaxes the mind and calms down the anxiety level. This pose also opens and strengthens the chest area, and improves the digestive system.

7. Shavasana

This asana is one of the simplest asanas and you’ll have no trouble doing it.

How To Do It

Lie down on your back with your hands resting beside your body. Your palm should face upward and ankles should be relaxed. Now close your eyes and slowly start inhaling and exhaling.

Time Duration

Maintain this posture for a minimum of 5 minutes.

How It Benefits

An ideal yoga for heart patients, this asana helps in repairing cells and tissues. It reduces blood pressure and assists in developing a better balance of the air element in the body.

8. Bhujangasana or The Cobra Pose

‘Bbhujanga’ in Sanskrit means Cobra, hence the name Bhujangasana or cobra pose.

How To Do It

Lie down on your stomach and place your arms close to your chest. Your feet should touch each other. Place your chin on the ground. Now slowly inhale and raise your body. Your hips should remain firmly on the ground.

Time Duration

Hold the pose for 15-20 seconds. Then repeat.

How It Benefits

This yoga is good for heart patients as it expands the chest area and relaxes muscles. As a result, blood circulation gets better and the heart feels reinvigorated.

Best Yoga Mudras for a Healthy Heart

Apart from these yoga poses, there are few mudras that can be considered perfect yoga mudras for heart patients.

1. Apana Vayu Mudra

The mudra is known for its ability to strengthen the heart and regularise palpitation.

How To Do It

Sit in Padmasana. Stretch your hands and place your palms on your thighs facing the sky. Now with your middle finger and ring finger touch the tip of your thumb, and fold your index finger to touch the base of your thumb. Keep your little finger outstretched.

Time Duration

This mudra is good for heart patients. Try doing it for 30 minutes per day in two separate sessions.

How It Benefits

The pose improves blood circulation and is highly impelling as a provider of immediate relief to people suffering from cardiac arrest. It eases the pain and improves blood circulation.

2. Prana Mudra

As the name suggests, this mudra increases life force.

How To Do It

Sit in Padmasana and stretch your hands, with your palms resting on your thighs and facing upwards. Close your little finger and ring finger enough to make them touch the tip of your thumb. Keep the index and middle fingers stretched outward.

Time Duration

There is no constraint regarding time and repetition. Practise this mudra in your leisure time.

How It Benefits

This yoga posture can clear clogged arteries. So, patients can try this yoga as heart blockage treatment.

3. Surya Mudra

You can practice this for a better thyroid gland state.

How To Do It

Sit in Padmasana with your palms resting on your thighs and facing the ceiling. Bend your ring finger and touch the base of your thumb with it. Apply gentle pressure on your ring finger with your thumb and keep the other fingers outstretched.

Time Duration

Practise this mudra twice a day. Hold the pose for 5 to 15 minutes.

How It Benefits

Lowers the level of bad cholesterol and reduces the chance of heart blockage.

4. Linga Mudra

This is a highly recommended yoga mudra for heart patients.

How To Do It

Sit in Padmasana and stretch hands in front of your body and clasp your hands, while locking your fingers. Just keep your left thumb up in a way that it faces the ceiling, then enclose it with the index finger and thumb of the right hand.

Time Duration

Practise this mudra on an empty stomach for at least 20 minutes.

How It Benefits

The mudra can help you control diabetes and obesity, and in the process, cardiac problems.

5. Ganesha Mudra

Named after the Lord Ganesha, this is probably one of the best yoga mudras that you can perform.

How To Do It

Sitting in Padmasana, let your hands rest on your thighs. Slowly lift the hands up and bring them close to your heart. Your left palm should face outward while the right-hand’s palm should be directed inwards. Now clasp your fingers well. Exhale deeply while stretching the palms in opposing direction. Then relax them slowly while slowly inhaling. Later change the face of the palms. Right-hand palm should face the sky. Repeat the same process.

Time Duration

Repeat this mudra 6 times.

How It Benefits

This is perfect yoga mudra for heart patients as this one has various benefits for the heart. It reduces bad cholesterol level, clears up bronchial tubes, enhances the quality of blood circulation, opens up heart chakra and strengthens it.

All these yoga postures and mudras aim at reducing heart-related troubles. The better it is, the merrier your life will become. Practise these yoga asanas and mudras and stay young at heart.

Also Read:

Incredible Benefits of Yoga for Your Entire Family
Unique Yoga Styles You Must Try Out
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