Headstand (Sirsasana): How To Practice, Benefits And Precautions

Sirsasana, also known as a headstand offers incredible physical, psychological, and mental health benefits. If you are a beginner, here is how you can do it correctly.

Sirsasana is a head asana. 'Sirsha' means 'head,' and 'asana' means 'posture,' so Sirsasana is a head asana. It is an invigorating pose that, if done wrong, can result in significant injuries. Sirsasana is known as the "King of All Yoga Poses" in ancient yogic writings because of its incredible physical, psychological, and mental health benefits. However, this yoga pose demands both strength and technique. Long hamstrings, a flexible spine and shoulders, and a strong upper body are all required for this position. It's critical that you keep concentrated when attempting this stance. Since it is one of the difficult yoga poses, read carefully how to do it and the precautions you need to take to avoid problems.

How To Do A Headstand: A Step-By-Step Guide

1. Place your wrists beneath your shoulders and knees under your hips while on your hands and knees.
2. Bring your forearms to the floor, elbows directly beneath your shoulders.
3. Hands should be clasped around the opposite elbow. Make any necessary adjustments to ensure your elbows are shoulder-width apart.
4. Relinquish control of your elbows using your hands.
5. Interlace your fingers as you clasp your hands together on the floor.
6. Place your head's crown on the floor. The top of your head should be pointing down, not forward or backward. Rather than your hands holding your skull, the rear of your head will rest at the bases of your thumbs.
7. Lift your hips and straighten your legs as if were doing Downward-Facing Dog.
8. Step your feet in close to your head till your hips are as close to your shoulders as possible.
9. Now, lift your feet off the floor by using any of two methods:

Method 1

• Bring your right knee to your chest by lifting your right foot
• Take a couple of deep breaths in and out. Inhale and activate your core muscles when you feel stable
• Exhale as you elevate your left foot and pull your left knee into your chest alongside your right in a calm, controlled movement
• Take deep breaths and keep your core engaged. As you become more comfortable with this balancing act, you can keep your knees tucked. Lifting the legs up should be done slowly.

Method 2

• Straighten both your legs and slowly lift your right leg towards the ceiling
• Now exhale and ensure that your right leg is perfectly aligned with your torso
• Inhale and lift your left leg up close to your right once you can balance it. Don't forget to keep your core engaged

Some Modifications You Can Try

• Headstands can be difficult to do, so here are a few modifications to begin with:
• Try practising against a wall
• You can also use a spotter someone who can help you out with the pose and help you avoid injuries

Benefits

For someone with a strong back and neck, and can do this pose, here are some health benefits of doing a headstand:

• Often referred to as a cooling posture, a headstand helps relieve stress, fear and ward off anxiety
• This pose helps increase the blood flow to the brain, which in turn can help improve mental function and increase the sense of focus
• When your body is upside down, you are allowing the nutrients and blood to reach your eyes and head. This is believed to help prevent several eye problems including macular degeneration
• Doing this pose regularly can help optimize the nutrient flow to your head and scalp, thereby improving hair quality and texture
• This posture involves the strength of your shoulders, head, and neck, which helps strengthen your upper body and build muscle endurance
• It can also help those with digestion problems by increasing nutrient absorption
• If you tend to spend long hours standing up, then this pose can help decrease the chances of fluid build up in your legs, ankles, and feet
• Did you know a headstand is a major core workout? To keep your legs up and maintain your balance throughout the pose, you'll need to rely on your core strength. Having a strong core makes you more durable and less prone to injury
• When you flip onto your head you will be directly activating your lymphatic system and so helping to remove toxins from your body

Precautions

Doing Sirsasana incorrectly can injure your neck or back, so make sure you do it carefully. One of the most important things to keep in mind is to talk to your doctor before you start a yoga practice to avoid unwanted injuries. Also, people who suffer from any of the following health conditions should avoid doing a headstand without professional supervision:

• Hypertension
• Heart problems
• Constipation
• Kidney problems
• Thrombosis or blood clots inside a blood vessel
• Conjunctivitis
• Migraine
• Glaucoma
• Arteriosclerosis or thickening and hardening of artery walls