Yoga Effects on Brain Health - The Mind-Body Connection

Introduction:

With the help of yoga, the brain cells can develop new connections and improve the brain cells' health, increasing cognitive skills like memory and learning abilities. Yoga plays an important role in strengthening the part of the brain which helps in memory storage, awareness, and speech. It will help strengthen the part of the brain responsible for information processing, learning, and memory collection. As age increases, there will be shrinkage of the brain, but people who do yoga have seen less shrinkage of the brain cells, increasing the brain's health.

How Does Yoga Affect Brain Health?

It will help decrease stress hormones and produce endorphins or feel-good chemicals. Yoga also helps in bringing increased oxygenated blood to the brain. It will also increase the gamma amino butyric acid or GABA, a brain chemical associated with decreasing anxiety and increasing mood. Meditation helps reduce the limbic system's activities, which will create emotions. Thus reducing stressful situations, anxiety, and depression. Yoga can also help in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Yoga helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and bringing a calm state of mind.

Which Are the Yoga Poses That Help in Improving the Brain Power?

The yoga poses that help in improving brain health and making the brain active include the following -

1. Padmasana or lotus pose.

2. Ardha Matsyendrasana or seated twist pose.

3. Vajrasana or diamond pose.

4. Halasana or plough pose.

5. Paschimottanasana or seated forward bend.

6. Tadasana or mountain pose.

7. Shirshasana or headstand pose.

What Are the Yoga Poses to Improve the Brain Power?

The yoga poses that help improve the brain's power include the following -

• Padmasana or Lotus Pose - Sit straight on the floor in a cross-legged position by keeping the spine straight and the arms on the knees on both sides. Keep the top of the feet against the upper thighs and release the knees towards the floor. Lift the sternum and straighten the spine. Take deep breaths, stay in this position for a few minutes, and relax and return to the normal position. Lotus pore or Padmasana help in coming and relaxing the mind and the brain. It is best to work padmasana in the morning to get better results. It also helps strengthen the abdomen, bladder, spine, and hip region. It helps increase the flexibility of the hip.

• Ardha Matsyendrasana or Seated Twist Pose - Sit straight on the floor by stretching the legs and keeping the hands beside the body on both sides. Bend the right knee, keep the right leg's heel towards the groin, and bend the left knee and keep it over the right knee on the right side. Keep the right hand on the left knee as in waving. Keep the left arm behind the body on the ground and gaze over the left shoulder backward. Take deep breaths, return to normal position, and repeat these steps on the opposite side. The seated twist pose is more effective on an empty stomach in the morning. It helps in calming the mind, reducing stress, and energizing the nervous system.

• Vajrasana or Diamond Pose - Sit straight on the floor in a cross-legged position keeping the spines straight and the hands on the knees. Take deep breaths while lengthening the spine and push the tailbone downwards to the floor. Relax, continue in this position for a few minutes, and return to the normal position. The diamond pose or Vajrasana pose helps in increasing concentration and memory. It also helps in calming the mind and relaxing the body. It also helps increase digestion and reduce hypertension. It can also be used to reduce several urinary problems and reduce menstrual cramps.

• Halasana or Plough Pose - Lie down on the floor in a supine position. Stretch the legs and keep the hands beside the body on both sides. Slowly bend the leg and lower part of the body from the floor. Keep the lower part of the body perpendicular to the floor, the legs over the head, and the feet on the ground. Keep both hands beside the body stretched and the palm facing downwards. Hold in this position for a few seconds to minutes. Relax and return to normal position and repeat these steps a few times. This helps calm the mind and body. It helps stretch the shoulder, back, abdomen, and neck muscles and also helps reduce stress and weakness or fatigue. It increases the flexibility of the legs and strengthens the muscles present in the legs.

• Paschimottanasana or Seated Forward Bend - Sit straight on the floor by keeping the leg stretched forward and both hands beside the body on both sides. Keep the feet stretched straight upwards and slowly bend the upper body forward by touching the head with the knee and chest to the thighs. Hold the ankle of the feet with the hand on both sides. Hold in this position for a few minutes and return to normal. This seated forward bent helps increase memory, reduces stress, and removes negative emotions like irritation and anger. It will increase the cognitive performance of the brain and nourishes the brain.

• Tadasana or Mountain Pose - Stand straight on the floor by keeping the feet apart at hip width. Stretch the body upwards and slowly lift the hands about the head, as in folding the hand or praying. Balance the head over the hips, take breaths, and return to the normal position.

• Shirshasana or Head Stand Pose - Sit straight on the floor on the knees by keeping the spine stretched upwards. Slowly bend the head towards the floor and keep both hands on the head by bending the elbow. Slowly lift the right leg from the floor upwards and lift the second leg from the floor. Try to bring the straight body perpendicular to the floor by keeping the body's weight on the head and the hands on both sides near the head. This headstand pose helps increase blood circulation to the brain and will help in increasing brain health.

Conclusion:

The brain controls bodily functions, including speech, memory, movement, and emotions. Yoga helps activate the brain and improves brain health, thereby keeping the brain active. Keeping the brain active during the yoga session will help in engaging the brain and will reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It will also help to reduce the shrinkage of the brain cells, which causes memory loss, and it can prevent diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, etc.