7 Yoga Asanas Working Woman Should Practice for Wellness and Self-Care

Yoga Magic: Here are 7 effective yoga asanas every busy woman should practice to release stress and calm her insides from busy schedules.

Establishing your own needs first and taking time to relax, meditate or exercise are just some of the simple self-care practices that can significantly improve the quality of life of a professional woman. They communicate to the rest of the family that this is her “me” time and that they are not to be bothered by others when setting personal boundaries. Only by starting with such modest acts of self-care as yoga can women reclaim some of their own time for vital self-care.

Some women have hormonal imbalances, which increase the risk of physical, psychological, and emotional problems. By forming a habit that improves body strength, hormonal balance, and self-acceptance, yoga helps women manage their lives. 30-45 minutes of yoga, when combined with a breathing exercise like pranayama, can reduce stress, increase sleep quality, and regulate vital bodily processes like heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure, among others. Just squeeze some morning or afternoon time out of your hectic schedule.

1. Navasana (boat pose): Begin by lying on the floor on your back. Keep your hands at your sides and your legs together. Now slowly raise your legs without bending them. Also, lift your upper body off the ground and stretch your arms toward your legs. Hold this position for about three minutes, and then return to the original position.
2. Vasisthasana (side plank): Begin in a plank position, shift body weight to right hand, wrist below shoulder, drop heels to right side onto mat, turn body to left side, and lift left arm into the air at shoulder height and turn it. Raise your hips as high as possible toward the ceiling.
3. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana: Begin by lying on a mat with your legs extended directly behind your body, the front of your legs resting on the floor, and your upper body resting in the air by pressing your palms into the mat. She extends her arms to stretch and lift her thighs and shins off the floor.
4. Bhramari Pranayama: Do some preliminary conditioning in Sukhasana or any other meditative pose. Sit in a firm chair with an upright back, if you cannot sit on the floor. Keep your body straight above the waist and your spine upright. Inhale completely and then exhale slowly, smoothly and continuously in a controlled manner from the nostrils with a little force, making a buzz like that of a black bee. Keep your mouth shut throughout the practice. The sound does not need to be very loud, but it should create vibrations. Practice 5 rounds/session, with breaks between rounds.
5. Anulom-Vilom Pranayama: Close your eyes and sit in Padmasana. Use the right thumb to close the right nostril. Inhale slowly through your left nostril, taking in as much air as you can to fill your lungs. Remove your thumb from your right nostril and exhale. As you exhale, use your middle finger to close your left nostril and inhale through your right nostril. Remove your thumb from your right nostril and exhale. Perform for 2-5 minutes.
6. Ujjayi pranayama: Begin by inhaling and exhaling naturally. Tilt your head down, blocking the free flow of air, and inhale as much as you can, making a sound through your throat. Hold for 2-5 seconds. Close your right nostril with your right thumb as you exhale, and exhale through your left nostril. Repeat 10-12 times as long as you need.
7. Kapalbhati Pranayama: This breathing technique involves passive inhalation and active exhalation. So inhale normally, inhale as much air as possible, and exhale forcefully. Try to pull your stomach muscles as close to your spine as you can on the exhale. Perform for 2-5 minutes.

(With input from IANS)