You may have difficulty getting quality sleep when you have unhealthy and premature eating habits. However, there are a few excellent yoga postures you can do after supper to ensure your sleep patterns are not disrupted, and they can also help with digestive issues. Keep reading to know more!
Let’s have a look at the effective poses of Yoga after dinner:
1. Downward Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana):
This is one of the most popular yoga poses. This pose can be performed at any time of the day. However, this pose helps better bowel movement and affects the abdomen. Performing this asana is easy. Place your palms a little over shoulder-width apart. Keeping your toes tucked in; proceed to raise your hips. Your chest should move back along with the thighs. The knees should be bent. Remember that the hips should be high; keeping the sole grounded isn’t as important. Hold the position for around 10-15 seconds. Repeat (1).
2. Standing Forward Bend Pose (Uttanasana):
The uttanasana, or the standing forward bending pose, is good for the gastrointestinal tract. It helps push food along the tract and helps relieve constipation or the bloated feeling. To perform this asana, keep your knees bent and try to reach over your stomach and grasp the back of both knees. Ideally, you should feel tension in your hamstrings. If you don’t experience any tension, consider straightening your legs. Hold this pose for about 15-20 seconds. Repeat (2).
3. Camel Pose (Ustrasana):
The camel pose is an effective pose of yoga for digestion after eating, and is also a great exercise for the back. It appears to be difficult to do, and it has been rumored to adversely affect the back. However, studies have proved that Ustrasana not only strengthens the back muscles, but also eases stomach problems and aids digestion (3).
4. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana):
The Dhanurasana, or the bow pose, is another asana that is good for relieving constipation and easing a bloated stomach. It has also been proved to help tone the back, the abdomen and contribute to body flexibility. It is a bit tricky to perform and doesn’t appear all that comfortable. Once you get to the final position, hold the pose for 15-20 seconds before release (4).
5. Child’s Pose (Balasana):
Balasana, or the child’s pose, is another asana that is designed to help clear a bloated stomach and ease indigestion. It is one of the most effective yoga asanas after dinner. To perform balasana, begin from a kneeling position and tuck your chest into your thighs and keep the forehead on the ground. Keep your arms straight at the body’s side. Take a few slow, full breaths. Hold this pose for around 10-15 seconds. Repeat (5).
6. Wind Releasing Pose/Wind Removing Pose/Wind Liberating Pose (Pawanmuktasana):
This pose is designed to help rid you of bloating by making you break the wind. Thus, you must be performing this pose all alone. To perform, roll onto your back, inhale and hold your right knee against your chest. Begin rocking the knee side-to-side to massage your abdominal organs. Take a few deep breaths and switch legs and begin rocking the right knee (6).
7. Corpse Pose (Savasana):
The lazy person’s favorite pose, the savasana, is designed to help you improve body processes. It helps you get revitalized by helping you recover all the energy you lost performing all these asanas listed above. Getting into position is simple. Lie on your back, keep your hands by your sides, with your palms facing the sky and close your eyes. Hold position for 15-20 minutes. Keeping your eyes closed; concentrate on your breathing pattern. This pose is often substituted by the Padmasana (seated pose) for meditation. Usually, you should end your yoga with this pose (7). Do you have a habit of performing Yoga after dinner for digestion? Remember to share any other poses that you feel are good for digestion. Leave a comment below. Can we do Vajrasana after dinner? Yes. Vajrasana can be done after dinner as it helps boost digestion (8). Can we do planks after dinner? No. Since planks focus on the abdominal region and put pressure on your stomach, it is not ideal to do it after dinner. Can we do viparita karani after dinner? No. Doing viparita karani after dinner is not ideal as it involves positioning your legs upwards and may cause discomfort.
