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Benefits of Surya Namaskar – You Will Never Skip The Workout After Reading This!
Sometimes, life can get boring and dull! You may feel that you have lost all the spark that had kept you going once upon a time! It is in those times that you need a change in your daily routine. Here are some amazing benefits of Surya Namaskar that will convince you to make it a daily aspect of your life so that you add something new and totally empowering into your life!
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Why Choose Surya Namaskar?
Surya Namaskar is the most refreshing art form which may seem simple but in reality is a life enhancing experience since it helps in improving your health in each and every aspect.
The stretching art helps in proper blood circulation throughout your body, improvises your cardiovascular health, enhances your digestive health and strengthens your respiratory system.
The best thing about practicing Surya Namaskara is that it also helps in weight loss, helps in the healthy maintenance of skin health and hair health.
In short, Surya Namaskara is something that enhances every aspect of your health, All you have to do is make it your early morning hobby!
Here is a Quick List of Some Amazing Benefits of Surya Namaskar
1. Benefits of Surya Namaskar For Weight Loss
Weight loss is a dream for many but only few can turn it into reality.
The trick lies in balancing the intake of calories and the burning of unwanted calories.
Surya Namaskara is one easy way to shed calories but the challenge lies in knowing the pace at which one must perform Surya Namaskara and knowing the number of rounds to be performed to achieve a successful weight loss.
Weight loss seekers should necessarily practice it at a fast pace to achieve their goals.
One round of Surya Namaskar (which consists of 12 poses) is known to burn 13 calories.
You can estimate the number of rounds that you need to practice depending on your current weight.
Practicing 12 rounds (12 poses of Surya Namaskar) is usually suggested to reap the maximum health benefits with weight loss being the major advantage.(1)
2. How Surya Namaskar Imparts a Natural Glowing Skin?
No matter how many external beauty tips you follow to flaunt a flawless skin, nothing can be as good as following a natural skin care regime that enables a healthy skin from within.
You need minimal cosmetic application when your skin is naturally glowing with grace. Here is how Surya Namaskar benefits you!
Yoga enhances blood circulation
For your skin to become naturally healthy and clear, a proper blood circulation is essential.
Surya Namaskar requires you to stretch and relax deeply which enables the flow of blood to every organ of your body.
You can acquire a smooth & flawless skin with Yoga
For a change, you can start practicing Yoga from tomorrow to witness a remarkable change in your skin texture within just two weeks.
People who have been practicing Yoga from a long period bear a glowing skin with a smooth texture due to the amazing impact that the exercise shows on their health.
The process of rapid exhalation and inhalation can help in a successful detoxification of your body.(2)
3. Keeps Your Body in A Perfect Shape
Who doesn’t love getting into a perfect shape? We all do, but one point to be remembered is that your dream of acquiring a perfectly toned body should be fitness oriented rather than just being confined to external looks and appearance as a mere beauty aspect.
This will help you gain much more confidence while presenting yourself to others.
While most of the people prefer going to the gym to gain fitness, yoga is something that enriches one’s mind and spirit apart from just benefiting physical health.
In 10 studies involving experiments conducted on candidates, changes were observed in weight loss and flexibility of the body. (3)
It is much more important to know that consistency is the secret to success and without self discipline, one cannot expect the results.
4. Keeps Your Heart Healthy & Happy!
Not many are aware of the fact that heart health is something that should be considered as a serious aspect.
There is a need for a much greater awareness since there has been a massive increase in the number of cardiovascular diseases every year.
Surprisingly, it is the heart diseases that have been accounting to the maximum number of deaths each year.
Surya Namaskar can keep your heart beat normal and can also increase the working efficiency of the organ. There is an increased flow of blood from the heart to other organs of your body and vice-versa. (4)
5. Prevents Constipation & Promotes Healthy Digestive Health
Practicing yoga early in the morning can keep your digestive system upright.
It can particularly help in preventing constipation and gastrointestinal troubles.
In fact, yoga can also help people with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) which is a condition of chronic constipation. (5)
It helps in a better flow of blood to the digestive organs, thereby helping in easy digestion. The postures also help you get rid of any unwanted gases that have been trapped in your stomach.
6. Regulates Your Menstrual Cycle
Irregular periods have numerous causes. One major cause that has been subjecting most of the women to irregular periods is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) as it is usually known as.
Surya Namaskar can undoubtedly regulate your periods since it can regulate your hormones and it is the hormonal abnormalities that cause disruption to your menstrual cycle.
It is essential for women suffering from PCOS to know that Surya Namasakar performed at a fast pace and with a much intensity can bring you the desired results.
You need to perform at least 12 rounds at a fast pace to get your periods regularized.
7. Reduces Anxiety & Keeps Your Mind At Peace
Stress and anxiety are common to occur for someone who has a busy life schedule. It is how well we manage the levels by involving ourselves in recreational activities.
Yoga involves deep inhalation and exhalation which refreshes your mind and reduces the stress levels.
It is much recommended to practice Yoga at the place that is close to nature so that it soothes your mind and calms your soul.
Studies conducted among a group of students have proved that Surya Namaskar can quiet the mind, provide calmness and help people get rid of negative emotions. (6)
8. Keeps Your Sleep Cycle Perfectly Alright!
Facing sleep troubles is common for everyone at some point of life. The real problem arises when there is an underlying health condition that has been causing irregular sleep patterns.
The most common disorders that cause irregular sleep cycles include kidney diseases, thyroid disorders, breathing troubles, anxiety, phobias, dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
Being subjected to disturbed sleep patterns for more than three weeks is an indication of insomnia which requires you to consult the doctor.
Doctors usually come with the suggestion to practice Yoga to cure sleep problems apart from the medication that the treatment involves.(7)
9. Releases Stiffness and Provides Flexibility
The major benefit of Yoga is that it imparts a great flexibility to your body since there is a lot of stretching involved in the art form.
People who have particularly been accustomed to a sedentary kind of lifestyle can practice yoga on a regular basis to change their body’s flexibility.
If you are someone who cannot avoid a desk job, Surya namaskar is absolutely what you need to keep up a healthy lifestyle despite the restricted and confined physical lifestyle. (8)
Immersing yourself in the beauty of nature around you and relaxing your muscles and mind with immense stretching and twisting enables you to experience a blissful life.
10. Boosts Your Confidence & Keeps You Motivated
How you look at yourself is important since it is the main factor that gets counted when determining the confidence levels.
To feel good all the time, irrespective of external factors, you need to do a lot of groundwork.
Involving yourself more into life enriching activities will never let your spirits go down even when there is something undesirable happening in your life.
Getting up along with the sunrise, spending some alone time with nature while practicing yoga can keep up your confidence levels and reduce the stress since Yoga positively impacts your mind and body.
12 Poses of Surya Namaskar
Here are 12 exact poses of and how one should practice them to obtain the maximum benefits of Surya Namaskar.
1.Prayer Pose (Pranamasana)
- Pranamasana is the primary Surya namaskar poses that helps one begin their workout regime with a perfect start.
- Stand erect with your hands left free along the sides of your body.
- Raise your hands slowly and join them right in front of your chest (assuming the pose of Namaste).
- Make sure that your feet are placed close to each other, tight and intact.
2. Raised Arms Pose (Hastottanasana)
- Gradually raise your hands, unwind them from the pose of Namaste and stretch them backwards as much as possible.
- Make a deep inhalation while raising your hands.
- Do not move your feet while getting into the pose.
- Remain in the position for 2 -3 seconds and shift to the next pose.
3. Standing forward bend (Hasta padasana)
- Slowly lower down your hands and move them towards your toes while bending down.
- Try to touch the tips of your toes with your forefingers and ensure that your knees are straight as you are trying to bend down.
- You may not be able to touch your toes at first attempt but you can try the maximum stretch in the attempt to touch by your 12th round of Surya Namaskar.
- Make sure that your forehead touches your knees as you bend down.
4. Equestrian Pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
- Place your hands on the floor, right in front of you and extend your left leg on to the front.
- You can simultaneously extend your right leg backwards, as much as possible.
- Stay intact in the position for 2 seconds before you move to the next pose.
5. Stick Pose (Dandasana)
- Gradually extend your left leg backwards.
- Now, both your legs are extended backwards with your body assuming a straight line.
- Remain in the posture for 2 seconds before you get ready for the next pose.
6. Ashtanga Namaskara
- Begin to rest on the floor completely such that every part of your body right from your chin to the toes is in touch with the floor.
- One major exception is that your belly region and pubic region should be pulled away from the ground.
- You can take the help of your hands to support the ground as you try to pull the lower abdomen away from ground.
- Remain as such for 2-3 seconds and move on to the next position.
7. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
- Raise the upper part of your body upwards along with your head and stretch the upper part backwards, as much as possible.
- Let your hands remain intact on the ground such that your palms are touching the floor.
- The pose assumes that of a snake which is why it is known as the cobra pose.
8. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- Slowly lift your hip region away from the ground, along with the upper region of the body.
- Get into the downward facing dog pose with only your hands and feet touching the floor.
- Raise your hip region as long as you can, keeping in mind that only your hands and feet are in touch with the ground.
- Do not bend your knees in the process.
9. Equestrian Pose (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
- Gradually bring your right leg forward and raise your arms to stretch them back as much as you can.
- Stay intact in the pose for 2 seconds before you change it to the next step.
10. Standing forward bend (Hasta padasana)
- Bring your hands in front of you to place them on the floor.
- Straighten both your legs and bring your hands closer to your toes such that your forefingers are touching the tips of your toes.
- Roll your head inwards and try touching your knees with your nose.
- Remain in the position for 2 seconds before you switch on to the next pose.
11. Raised Arms Pose (Hastottanasana)
- Slowly raise your arms and stretch them backwards along with your spine.
- Bring your feet close to each other and let them be close and intact.
- Extend the stretch backwards, as much as you can.
- Stay as such for 2 seconds before you get back to your very first pose – Pranamasana (prayer pose).
12. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
- Lower your arms down and bring them back to the initial position (hands placed alongside your body).
- Stand erect with your spine set straight and make yourself comfortable in the position.
- Get ready to start the next round of Surya Namaskar as soon as you complete the mountain pose (or) Tadasana.
Start by performing 5-6 rounds of Surya Namaskar poses each day and continue to increase the number to 12 rounds within 2-3 days.
Ensure that you perform the workouts at a much faster pace until you start breathing heavy and fast.
These reasons will compel you to start Surya Namaskara right from tomorrow. Here are the best benefits of stretching yourself to the early morning sunrise!
Bottom line
Surya Namaskar is the basic workout of Yoga that brings some unbelievable changes to your overall health.
The advantages of Surya namaskar are such huge, it is a one shot solution for all your health problems.
Practicing Surya Namaskar regularly helps in improving your cardiovascular health, enhancing your skin health, makes your body flexible, boosts your confidence levels, keeps up your digestive health, regularizes your menstrual cycle, helps you sleep better and reduces your anxiety levels.
Furthermore, surya namaskar helps you achieve your weight loss goals and become slim fit.
Why wait? All you need is a place close to nature, a Yoga mat and a little bit of self discipline to start your day with freshness and enthusiasm.
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