Written By: Prerna Mittra | Published : April 24, 2025 3:44 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Himalayan Siddha Akshar
What Is The Role Of Yoga In Managing Blood Pressure And Heart Health? (Photo: Freepik)
Yoga and heart health: One of the most important organs in the body, heart health needs to be prioritised, and experts recommend the practice of yoga for blood pressure management and overall health. The heart is responsible for supplying blood to every other organ and often ends up taking a lot of stress due to poor lifestyle habits. According to Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, an author, columnist, and founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa, the practice of yoga helps in enhancing awareness and conscious upkeep of the heart. Yogic tools like 'yoga nidra' are focused on providing rest and recovery to the heart, which is critical for maintaining and optimum functioning of the cardiovascular system, says the yoga and spiritual leader. Read on to know about some yoga asanas that can reduce stress and increase heart strength.
Akshar explains that mindful breathing helps in regulating the breath and balancing both channels. For this, you need to sit in a comfortable posture with the spine straight and both palms facing upwards, on the knees. With your eyes closed, start focusing on the movement of the breath. Inhale for 3 seconds, hold the breath inside for 3 seconds and exhale slowly in 3 seconds. Practise for at least 3-5 minutes daily.
Benefits: This can calm down an anxious mind, and is helpful in increasing awareness. It also regulates blood pressure and heartbeat, and releases stress.
To practise this, you must sit in a comfortable posture with the spine straight. Place the left hand on the left knee, with the right hand blocking the right nostril; inhale from the left, then block the left nostril and exhale from the right. Continue it. Practise for 5-11 minutes.
Benefits: It immediately stimulates energy towards the heart, stabilises the heartbeat, releases anxiety and regulates the blood pressure. It has a direct impact on balancing the function of the parasympathetic nervous system.
First sit in Vajrasana pose; inhale while lifting the arms, bringing the pelvis up. Balance on the knees, maintaining hip distance. One-by-one, drop each hand on the corresponding heel; make sure not to lean back. Fully open the chest, drop the head back, relax the neck, keep pushing the pelvis forward. Hold for 20-30 seconds, repeat three times.
Benefits: It gives expansion to the chest, stimulates oxygen towards the lungs and heart, increases lung capacity and builds cardiovascular health.
This is an extremely powerful practice for the recovery of the organs, says the expert. According to him, it can increase awareness of the entire body. "While stress is mainly viewed as mental, the body holds a lot of stress; yoga nidra helps in recognising and consciously releasing the accumulated stress. Its regular practice reduces blood pressure, regulates heartbeat, improves sleep quality, enhances emotional health and builds mental strength to manage stress more effectively. It can be practised daily, especially at the end of the day before bedtime to release the stress of a hectic day," he advises.
