High blood pressure, also known as high blood pressure, is characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries. They cause 80% of cases of cerebrovascular disease (CVA) and 40% of heart attacks. Therefore, there are various therapies to lower high blood pressure, including yoga.
Practicing yoga brings benefits for mental and physical health. To reduce stress, three lifestyle changes can help: exercise, reduce weight, and reduce stress.
However, keep in mind that you should avoid certain standing positions, backbends, and inversions if you have high blood pressure. So check with your doctor before avoiding yoga, and check with your instructor to make sure the poses are safe for you.
Gentle Yoga
To lower high blood pressure, you can follow gentle yoga exercises. The routine is most comfortable when performed on a yoga or exercise mat, preferably a non-slip surface.
Form a Limited Angle
This position is great for the hips and stimulates circulation.
Muscle stretching: neck, inner thighs and hips
Muscles worked: lower back
- Sit on your mats and bring the soles of your feet together in front of you, bend your knees as if you were a “butterfly”
- Next, bring your heels as close to your pelvis as possible, gently grasping your toes to assist in this movement.
- As you inhale, sit up. Do not bend the pelvis. As you exhale, press your knees into the ground.
- Gently and keeping your spine straight, begin to bend at the hips, drawing your ribs toward your feet. If you are flexible, you can use your forearms and elbows to put pressure on your knees. This movement should be smooth, not forceful.
- Lower yourself as far as you can comfortably without loosening your spine, then release the tension in your neck by letting your chin drop.
- Hold 3 to 5 slow, even breaths.
Make the Bridge
The bridge position strengthens the hamstrings, abdominal muscles, and gluteal muscles. Therefore, it can help relieve hip and lower back pain.
Muscles Extended: The muscles of the lower back and hip.
Muscles worked: gluteals, hamstrings, abdominals and rectus.
- Release your feet and place them on the floor with your knees bent while lying flat on the mat. Your legs and feet should be parallel and hip-width apart, and your arms should be at your sides.
- As you inhale, rock your pelvis so that your stomach comes to rest and your lower back is gently pressed into the floor. From there, in one smooth motion, lift your hips up while pressing into your feet.
- Hold this position for a few breaths with your hips in a diagonal line from your chest, not higher. Avoid lower back strain by lifting your hips up to your abdomen, and your hamstrings and glutes can support the movement without arching your lower back.
- As you exhale, gently bend your spine toward the floor, one vertebra at a time, from your upper back down.
- As you rest and prepare for the next bridge, make sure your spine is neutral. This means that the lower back is slightly higher off the ground, taking into account the natural curvature of the lumbar spine.
- Do this 10 times with 10 slow, even breaths.
Bend Knee Forward
This is a therapeutic pose for high blood pressure. This is because it can improve digestion and calm the brain, while toning the spine, shoulders, legs, and groin.
Muscle Stretches: calf muscles (calf muscles), hamstrings, spinal extensors, latissimus dorsi (lats)
- Sit on the mat, extend your right leg out in front of you, and bring your left foot up to where your right leg meets your thigh.
- Press your left hand into the crease of your hip and thigh and your right hand into the floor as you inhale and sit up straight. Tightening the spine, rotate the torso slightly so that the navel is in line with the right thigh.
- As you exhale, begin to lean forward from the upper thigh, not the hips. When you do this, you can use a strap or towel around your foot and grab both ends. Or, if you prefer and don’t compromise your flexion or spine, you can reach for your leg or foot as you bend over.
- Your elbows should be bent to the side as you move forward. Keep your spine and neck long as you walk around your spine forward on your right leg.
- When you reach a comfortable stretch for your hamstrings, calves, and back, pause for a moment. Inhale and feel how your spine lengthens. Exhale and lean forward again, deepening the stretch.
- Hold the position for 3 deep, even breaths. Sit down carefully, switch legs, and repeat on the other side.
Legs on the Wall
This is a negative and reassuring reflection. Since the heart and head are level, this is a safer option for people with high blood pressure. However, it’s important to check with your doctor before adding this pose to your routine.
Stretched muscles: hamstrings and hips
- Lay the rug perpendicular to a wall that is level with the floor. Sit parallel to the wall on your mat.
- Lie down with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent.
- Using your lower back and upper tailbone as a pivot point, lift your feet and gently rotate your torso so that you are perpendicular to the wall. Place your bones at the base of the wall.
- Once you’re comfortable, extend your legs toward the wall. You can place a pillow or folded blanket under your lower back if you feel better, but try not to go too high at this angle unless you talk to your doctor first. Keep your shoulder blades in contact with the ground at all times to avoid neck strain.
- Rest your arms at your sides with your palms facing up. Hang heavy hips on the mat.
- You can hold this position for as long as you want.