Boost your brainpower with yoga

There are many benefits to yoga, from better posture, greater flexibility and injury prevention to a greater understanding of the nature of our minds and emotions.

This ancient practice can help us sustain balance and harmony even when facing the stresses of modern life. Stress and anxiety can cause your brain to malfunction, and this is what these simple yoga postures can help avert – without leaving you as twisted as a pretzel.

1. Yoga Detoxification

Stimulate and improve the digestive process in a non-invasive way by practicing Laghoo Shankha Prakshalana once a week, combining five specific yoga postures with the drinking of six to eight glasses of lightly salted water. It helps expel toxins and residues from the digestive track, reducing the stress burden on this system in the most effective way. It also reduces psychological stress and leaves you feeling cleaner on the inside and more energetic on the outside.

2. Pranayama (Breath Control)

Incorrect and shallow breathing reduces the lungs capacity and builds up stagnant air in the lower region of the lungs, which increases the carbon toxicity in the blood, increases the burden on our nervous system and leads to pH changes of the blood. This is not a healthy state of being for correct cellular activities and therefore practicing conscious inhalation and exhalation such as alternate nostril breathing is important in restoring good breathing habits. It also has a soothing effect on the entire nervous system.

Inhale slowly and deeply with the left nostril, hold your breath
Slowly exhale with the right nostril
Now repeat the same with right nostril – inhale and then exhale with left nostril
Practice daily for at least 10 minutes

3. Plow pose (Halasana)

This inverted yoga pose is great for stretching and strengthening the neck, shoulders, abdominal and back muscles, helping to improve blood flow to the brain and calming the nervous system. It reduces stress and fatigue.

4. Shoulder stand (Sarvangasana)

Known as the “queen of all yoga postures”, the shoulder stand is a powerhouse of a pose. It is a complete pose, meaning that it helps the entire body function better: From soothing your nerves and strengthening your heart and respiratory system, to nourishing your brain – as the power of gravity sends more blood and oxygen to this vital organ to help improve all cognitive functions magnificently.

5. Meditation

10 minutes of meditation every day reduces the effect of mental and emotional stress. It also helps us to sharpen focus and improve memory.

Adjust and be comfortable in a sitting position with closed eyes. Mentally, watch all the parts of your body one by one (2 minutes), draw attention to the natural breathing and feel the breath passing in the throat (20 breaths/2 minutes), then shift the awareness to the navel in the abdomen and feel the natural breath there (20 breaths/2 minutes), now feel the movement of your breath between throat and navel (40 breaths/4mins). End with gentle awareness of your surrounding sound and space.