Yoga asanas for healthy lungs

Yoga will strengthen the muscles of your chest, increase your lung capacity and boost oxygen intake.

Besides keeping your lungs smoke-free, practicing yoga is one of the best things you can do for the health of your lungs. Yoga will strengthen the muscles of your chest, increase your lung capacity and boost oxygen intake. Celebrity yoga expert Sunaina Rekhi recommends some of these poses for improving the functioning of your lungs.

Yoga mudra or yoga pose

This posture will boost the blood flow to the lungs while washing out the toxins from the lung tissues. This asana will also help your physical and mental balance and focus.

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Steps:

Sit in sukhasana or easy pose.
Now hold your left wrist with your right hand behind the back.
Inhale and pull your shoulders behind and expand your chest.
Exhale and bend forward and touch your right forehead to your right knee.
Inhale and return to the starting position.
Repeat the steps and touch your forehead to your left knee.

Matsyasana or fish pose

Matsyasana or fish pose will support the balancing and distribution of oxygen in the body circulating stagnant blood and encouraging deep respiration by stretching and strengthening the lungs.

Steps:

Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Now straighten your legs and place your arms on either side.
Raise your hips, one side at a time and place your hands under each hip.
As you exhale, bend your elbows and push your upper body off the floor.
Now raise your chest, and tilt your head backward.
Hold this pose for a few breaths and rest your back on the floor.

Padma sarvangasana or lotus shoulder stand

Padma sarvangasana will purify your blood and supply an adequate amount of oxygen to your lungs. You should pay more attention to the quality of your breath while you perform this asana.

Steps:

Start with salamba sarvangasana or supported headstand.
As you breathe out, bend the knees and cross them to bring your left ankle onto the right thigh and your right ankle onto the left.
Breathing in, stretch your legs up towards the ceiling. Try to bring your hips forward and your knees close to each other.
Hold this pose for a few consecutive breaths, unfold your legs and slowly lower your body.

Ardha matsyendrasana or the sitting half spinal twist

Postures such as ardha matsyendrasana that twist and stretch the spine will stimulate the glands in the body that boost the immune system. They induce deep abdominal breathing that enhance the functioning of the lungs.

Steps:

Sit with your legs stretched out straight in front of you. Make sure that you keep your feet together and your spine erect.
Bend your left leg and place the heel of your left foot beside your right hip.
Now, take the right leg over your left knee.
Place your left hand on your right foot and your right hand behind you.
Twist the waist, shoulders and neck to the right and look over the right shoulder.
Hold and continue with gentle long breaths in and out.
To come back to the starting position, release the right hand first, the waist, and then chest, lastly the neck and sit up straight.
Repeat on the other side.

Nadi shodhan pranayama or alternate nostril breathing

This deep breathing technique has therapeutic benefits for your respiratory system. It has been shown to improve lung functions in patients with asthma.

Steps:

Sit comfortably with your spine erect and shoulders relaxed.
Place your left hand on your left knee and your palms open to the sky.
Now place the tip of your index finger and middle finger of your right hand in between your eyebrows. Place your ring finger and middle finger on left nostril and your thumb on the right nostril. You are to use the ring finger and the little finger to open and close the left nostril and thumb for the right nostril.
Press your thumb gently on the right nostril and breathe out through the left nostril.
Now inhale through the left nostril. Now remove the right thumb from the right nostril, exhale through the right.
Again breathe in from the right nostril and exhale to complete one round of nadi shodhan pranayama. Continue breathing in and breathing out from alternate nostrils.
Complete nine rounds of alternatively breathing through the nostrils. Make sure you keep your eyes closed while you do the pranayama. Practise this deep breathing technique 2-3 times a day.