#HealthBytes: Want to quit smoking? Try 5 useful yoga asanas
Smoking is one of the most dangerous addictions affecting humankind. Bad for one's physical and mental health, too, it can result in life-threatening health problems like respiratory issues, strokes, and even cancers. However, not many know that yoga—by helping us calm our mind, enhance respiration, and combat stress and/or depression—can actually aid in quitting smoking. Here are five useful yoga asanas to try.
Kapalbhati Pranayam enhances blood flow, calms your mind
The Kapalbhati Pranayam helps improve your blood circulation, rejuvenates the central nervous system (CNS), boosts your brain power, and clears the body's energy channels, thus helping fight the urge to smoke. To perform it, sit down with a straight spine. Now, take a deep breath with both your nostrils, then exhale forcefully to feel pressure in your stomach. Repeat the process for 5-10 minutes.
Child pose helps calm mind, body
The Balasana (or the child pose) relaxes the body, calms the nervous system, and reduces stress and tension, thereby helping you get rid of the urge to smoke. To perform the asana, kneel on all fours, and relax your buttocks on your heels. Reach your arms far out, with the head resting down on the mat or floor.
Cobra pose enhances respiration, reduces stress
The Bhujangasana (cobra pose) aids in expanding your chest (thus enhancing respiration), reducing fatigue, boosting blood flow, and decreasing stress. This can help you quit smoking. To perform, lie down on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Now, press down with your hands, and lift your upper body back as far as possible. Hold the pose for five breaths. Relax, then repeat.
Shoulder stand aids blood circulation
The Sarvangasana can help lower the urge to light it by improving blood flow, reducing stress, and kicking off depression. To perform it, lie down straight on your back with your feet clung together. Now, slowly lift your legs upwards to form a 90 degrees angle with the ground. You may support your back with your palms by bending your elbows on the mat.
Corpse pose relieves you of stress, anxiety
One of the simplest yoga asanas, the Shavasana, or the corpse pose, helps in calming your body as well as the mind. This way, it brushes off stress, anxiety, and depression, thereby helping you quit. To perform Shavasana, lay down straight on your back, your arms freely opened on both sides, with palms facing upward. Maintain the position for a couple of minutes.
