9 Yoga Poses To Relieve Constipation

• Calms the mind and relaxes the body.
• Provides stress relief and reduces anxiety.
• Relieves tension in the neck and shoulders.
• Improves circulation and reduces leg swelling.
• Alleviates knee pain, leg cramps and backaches.
• Softly opens the backs of your legs.

4_Cobra Pose:

Cobra Pose also known as the Bhujangasana is a popular yoga pose that is commonly performed in a cycle of asanas in Surya Namaskar as an alternative to the Upward Dog Pose. This pose is a reclining back-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. It is very good in relieving constipation.

How to Practice Cobra Pose:

• Lie on your stomach with your toes pointing straight back and your hands underneath your shoulders and elbows close to the body.
• Engage your legs and pull your belly in and up.
• As you inhale, lift your chest from the back of your heart. Roll the collarbones up and firm the shoulder blades into the upper back and  slightly down along the spine.
• Lift your head last. Open your heart, with no weight in the hands yet. Extend out through the toes.
• Come down again as you exhale. Repeat that two times.
• The third time you come up use your hands to find your full expression of the pose. Lift your chest from the back of your heart and head follows. Come all the way up to a point where it feels good to you can still maintaining a connection from the pelvis to the legs.
• Bring the side ribs forward and draw the upper arm bones back and lengthen the neck.
• Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.
• To come out lower the body down on as you exhale and take a rest lying on your belly or in Child’s pose.

Benefits of Cobra Pose:

• Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions and relish good experiences and deal with adversity. It can lead to a reduction in anxiety an improvement in mood and decreased stress hormones.
• Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of inflammation. Gratitude is associated with improved overall health by increasing energy and better exercise.
• Gratitude opens the door to more relationships and can lead to improved social support and prosocial behavior. It can make others more likely to extend their help towards you by making mentorships easier to find and maintain.
• Gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness. It helps people feel more positive emotions and relish good experiences.

5_Wind Relieving With Head Tucked:

The Wind-Relieving Pose with Head Tucked  also known as the Half Wind Removing with Head Tucked is a variation of the Wind-Relieving Pose that involves bringing one knee in towards the chest and tucking the chin into the chest. It’s a fantastic pose to relieve constipation.

How to Practice Wind Relieving With Head Tucked:

• Lying on your back, hug your knees into your chest and wrap your hands or forearms around your shin to squeeze them in tighter.
• Press your lower back into the ground and lift your hips by creating a slight curve in your spine.
• Tuck your chin into your chest by bringing your head towards the floor.
• Press the sacrum and tailbone down into the floor as you pull the knees into the chest using the arms.
• Press the shoulders and the back of the neck down into the floor by trying to get the back and whole spine flat to the floor.
• Relax the legs, feet, and hips.
• Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths by breathing deeply into the belly and actively pressing it against the thighs on the inhalation.
• To release: exhale and release the arms and legs to the floor.

Benefits of Wind Relieving With Head Tucked:

• Improved Digestion.
• Reduced Bloating.
• Improved Spinal Health.
• Relaxation.

6_Bow Pose:

Bow Pose or Dhanurasana is a back-bending yoga pose that offers a range of physical and mental benefits. It is very efficient in relieving constipation.

How to Practice Bow Pose:

• Lie on your belly with your arms alongside your body and palms facing up.
• Bend your knees and bring your heels as close as you can to your buttocks.
•  Reach your arms back and take hold of your ankles or feet, one in each hand.
• As you inhale lift your chest off the ground and press your feet into your hands to lift your thighs.
•  Keep your head in a neutral position and gaze forward.
• Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds by breathing deeply.
• Exhale as you gently release your ankles and lower your chest and legs to the ground.

Benefits of Bow Pose:

• Strengthens the back muscles, the back of the thighs and buttocks.
• Stretches the abdomen, chest, shoulders and hip flexors.
• Stimulates the abdominal organs and may relieve constipation.
• Relieves mild backaches, fatigue, anxiety and menstrual discomfort.

Tips:

• If it’s challenging to reach your ankles  you can use a strap around your ankles to extend your reach.
• Beginners can practice by lifting one leg at a time and using one hand to reach back and grab the leg.
• To deepen the pose keep your knees and feet closer together or take hold of the inside of the ankles for an extra stretch on the shoulders and upper back.

7_Garland Pose:

Garland Pose also known as the Malasana is a deep squat that stretches the hips, groin, ankles and torso.It’s a fantastic pose to relieve constipation.

How to Practice Garland Pose:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Bend your knees and lower your hips down towards the floor.
3. Bring your hands to your heart in prayer position.
4. Press your elbows into your inner thighs and use your arms to gently push your knees apart.
5. Lengthen your spine and keep your chest lifted.
6. Hold the pose for five to ten breaths and then release and come back to the Mountain Pose.

Benefits of Garland Pose:

•  Garland Pose is an excellent hip-opener that stretches the hips and groin.
• Practicing Garland Pose strengthens the feet, ankles, and legs.
• Garland Pose can help improve digestion by stimulating the abdominal organs.
• Practicing Garland Pose can help relieve lower back pain by stretching the lower back muscles.
• Garland Pose is a grounding pose that can help calm the mind and reduce stress.
• Garland Pose is an excellent facilitator of good pelvic floor health.

8_Easy Twist:

Easy Pose with Twist is a basic seated yoga posture that provides a greater stretch to the body by relieving constipation and helping to prepare the practitioner for other activities.

How to Practice Easy Twist:

• Sit cross-legged on the floor with your spine straight and your hands resting on your knees.
• Place your right hand on the floor behind you and fingers pointing away from your body.
• Inhale and lift your left arm up and exhale and twist to the right by bringing your left elbow to the outside of your right knee.
• Press your right hand into the floor to help you twist deeper and use your left hand to gently pull your right knee towards your left shoulder.
• Keep your breath smooth, even and deep. If your breath becomes shallow or strained back off a bit in the pose until breathing becomes easier.
• Gaze over your right shoulder.
• Hold the pose for several breaths then inhale as you release the twist and come back to center.
• Repeat the twist on the opposite side by placing your left hand on the floor behind you and bringing your right elbow to the outside of your left knee.

Benefits of Easy Twist:

• Stretches the hips, knees and ankles.
• Increases flexibility throughout the spine, shoulders and chest.
• Helps to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Stimulates and tones your abdominal muscles.
• Improves digestion and elimination.
• Can be therapeutic for conditions such as sciatica and menstrual discomfort.

9_Hero Pose:

Hero Pose or Virasana is a yoga pose that involves kneeling with the buttocks resting on the floor between the feet. It is a gentle stretching pose that opens the hips and thighs. The pose is often used as a seated meditation posture and is a good alternative to Lotus Pose for those with tight hips. It is also very efficient in the relief of upper back pain and in relieving constipation.

How to Practice Hero Pose:

• Begin in an all fours position and bring your knees closer together while separating your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart.
• Slowly lower your hips back until you are sitting on the mat between your heels.
• It is important to use props such as cushions or blocks to raise the hips up if there is any discomfort in the knees.
• This can help reduce the pressure on knee flexion and internal hip rotation.

Benefits of Hero Pose:

• Stretches the thighs, knees, and ankles.
• Strengthens the arches of the feet.
• Improves digestion and relieves gas.
• Improves posture and spinal alignment which can lead to better breathing and mental focus during meditation and pranayama (breath control) exercises.
• Hero Pose is a great alternative to Lotus Pose for meditation and can be used to energize the legs when they are tired.