10 Yoga Techniques to Beat the Heat this Summer

The heat and humidity of summer can make us feel lethargic, thus making it tempting to neglect regular exercise and overall fitness. A clever way to bypass the sluggishness, beat the heat and take care of our health all in one stroke, is practicing yoga. As a simple and effective way to relax and cool down the body, there are certain yoga techniques best-suited for summer.

You can practice these ten asanas in summers:

1. Marjariasana or the Cat/Cow Pose

The heat and accompanying tension in the body can lead to a tight neck and back. Holding this tension in the body also blocks our chakras, thereby trapping heat in our bodies. Doing the cow/cat pose can help relieve neck tension and release this heat.

2. Padahastasana

A straightforward asana that involves stretching up the body from the waist, exhale and bend forward until both palms resting on the ground. This pose does not require a lot of warming up. It helps relax your nervous system, improves metabolism, thus reducing body heat.

3. Merudandasana

In this asana, the spine is allowed to relax completely; this switches your body from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic state of the nervous system, and as a result, helps you cool down. This can be a valuable addition to your summer yoga routine.

4. Ardha Matsyendrasana

This asana is a seated side twist, usually done at the end of your yoga or exercise session. It is a great way to stretch your body and is very relaxing. It is recommended that you should avoid doing this asana when your stomach is full, or you have just eaten.

5. Matsyasana or Supported Fish

Supported Fish is a great yoga technique for opening up the chest muscles, relaxing the shoulders and neck and stretching the entire front of your body. This pose calms the nervous system too.

6. Sukhasana or Easy Pose

This pose is done by sitting in a comfortable position, ideally with some back support. Deep breathing in this asana relaxes your spine and whole body. It helps calm the nervous system by placing your body and mind in a cool state. An additional tip would be to practice Sitali breathing in this pose. This can help in improving Pitta dosha imbalance, which is believed to be common in summer.

7. Viparita Karani or Legs Up the Wall

This is a favourite for many practitioners. In this asana, putting your legs up against a wall increases blood flow to your core, helps reduce stress and alleviate headaches, improves circulation and digestion, and calms the body and mind.

8. Shavasana

This is another favourite asana for many, and an important addition to yoga for hot weather. An extremely relaxing pose, Shavasana releases tension from the body, deep breathing allows the nervous system to relax and instantly reduces body temperature. This is often done towards the end of a yoga session.

9. Janusirsasan

Most yogis practice this at the end of their routine. Since this yoga technique switches on the parasympathetic nervous system instantly, it is considered one of the best ways of cooling off. It involves stretching one leg out in front of you while seated and folding the other one and then bending forward stretching to grab your foot while your head rests on your knee.

10. Pranayam

Pranayam, a breathing exercise, is an extremely integral component of yoga, especially summer yoga. Its the ancient practice of controlling your breath. You control the timing, duration, and frequency of every breath and hold. The goal of pranayama is to connect your body and mind. It also supplies your body with oxygen while removing toxins.

Conclusion:

While different forms of exercise can seem unappealing or daunting due to the heat, yoga is a great way to stay healthy in summer. In addition to asanas, meditation is also a valuable addition to your everyday routine and should be practiced jointly. It is vital to cultivate healthy lifestyle habits, however, this may not be enough. Because of the uncertainties of life, such as the onset of certain health conditions, it is wise to set up protection in the form of health insurance. Not only will this provide you with the necessary financial support, but it will also put your mind at ease. Continuing to maintain a healthy diet and practicing these cooling summer yoga poses can help significantly reduce the likelihood of health conditions.

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