How admirable and desirable Rapunzel’s locks are! But Rapunzel locks these days are almost impossible. With growing pollution and changing weather conditions, we face hair fall more than hair growth. Other than these, stress, unhealthy eating habits, digestive problems, insufficient blood supply to scalp, hormonal imbalances and medication are some other reasons that results in poor hair health.
How yoga helps to deal with your tresses?
When there is insufficient blood flow to the scalp, we face hair problems. There are certain yoga postures where the head is placed downwards that helps blood to flow freely and also in sufficient amount. This in turn provides oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles. Yoga asanas for hair growth and many other hair problems have gained great popularity off late. Here are some yoga exercises that keep hair problems away and showering you with long and beautiful tresses.
1. Apanasana (Knees to chest pose):
- Lie flat on the floor on a yoga mat.
- Now fold legs at your knees and bring them close to your chest.
- Hold your knee caps with both palms. As you hold knees with palms your fingers should be facing the feet.
- Now inhale straightening your arms and taking legs away from you. As you exhale bring legs close to you.
- Continue with this breathing and knee movement pattern for a minute or two as per your convenience.
- When done, move legs away from body and do a side twist with folded knees; once to your right and then to your left.
- Then straighten your legs keeping hands by your side with palms facing downwards to do a Savasana. Keep your breathing normal.
This asana removes all digestive problems you had been facing. It also helps in proper digestion.
2. Matsyasana (Fish pose):
- Lie down flat on the mat keeping hands beside your thighs with palms facing downwards.
- Now slide hands beneath your buttocks.
- Take a deep breath and lift your chest and head. Drop your head back and look at the wall behind you. Your buttocks should be on the floor.
- Rest your torso on your elbows and the crown of your head.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds as per your comfort level.
- To release from this posture. First straighten your head carefully.
3. Pavanmuktasan (Wind releasing pose):
- Lie flat on the ground with palms beside your thighs.
- Now fold your right leg at the knees.
- Clasp the knee with both your arms.
- Life the leg and bring it close to your chest still clasping knee with hand.
- Exhale to raise your head and shoulders and bring your nose close to the knee as much as possible.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds.
- Repeat with left leg in the same way. You can also try with both legs.
4. Sasangasana (Rabbit pose):
- Come to place yourself on the ground with all fours.
- Place your head on the ground simultaneously with your shoulders coming down and hand now resting on your elbows.
- Now move your hips forward slightly so that your head rolls forward and the crown of your head touch the ground. This will stimulate the scalp.
- Hold this pose for quite some time.
If you are a patient of high blood pressure, it is better to avoid this pose.
5. Ustrasana (Camel pose):
- Sit with your knees on the ground. Your feet should be pointed out and your thighs should be perpendicular to the ground. Keep your spine straight. Place your palms on your hips fingers towards your back.
- Once you have positions yourself thus, slowly bend backwards. Your head should be tilted backwards and you should be looking up to the ceiling.
- Now grasp the heels with your hands to support yourself in the posture. First grasp the left heel with your left hand and then the right heel.
- When you have grasped both the heels, stay in this position for 30 seconds. Breathe normally.
Apart from these yoga asanas there are also some pranayamas that aid head full of healthy hair.
1. Kapalbhati Pranayama:
Often referred to as the king of all yoga asanas, kapalbhati or fire of breath is a magic asana for many health related issues.
- Sit cross-legged with the plams resting on your knees facing upwards. Your fingers should be in Prithvi Mudra (tip of ring finger and tip of thumb touching).
- Do deep breathing for a minute to relax yourself and flush out all thoughts from your mind. Concentrate on the pranayama.
- When you inhale for the next time, throw out the air through your nose with full force. You’ll feel your abdomen contracting inwards automatically.
- Inhaling will happen automatically through the nose.
- Repeat this process of natural inhalation and forced exhalation for 30 times for beginners. If you are in practice, do for 100 times at a stretch.
If you are practicing this for the first time there is a high chance that your back may start paining after some time. Stop doing immediately and practice again the next day. Everyday practice will gradually reduce pains.
2. Ujjayi Pranayam (Energising breath):
In this breathing exercise, we will breathe neither through the nose or mouth, but through our throat. Let us learn how to do it.
- Sit in sukhasana with legs crossed and palms on your knees.
- Take few normal breaths before starting the special breathing.
- Constrict the back of your throat. Now try inhaling through your throat. When you inhale through throat a hissing sound is produced.
- Now breathe out through your throat again.
- You can feel the contraction in your abdominal muscles when you’re breathing in and out.
These simple yoga postures and asanas if practiced with punctuality will give you the much desirable long and healthy hair.
