Head over heels

Anil Juneja

When we want to bring something out of the bottle, we usually turn the bottle upside down; the same goes for our body… you can turn your body in that inverted position in order to bring out plenty of health benefits. Yes, turning ourselves upside down intentionally can be super-beneficial!

We have ‘inversion’ poses or exercises in which the head is below the heart. In yoga, there is a popular inversion pose, the headstand. Considering its multi-faceted and extraordinary health benefits, it has been baptised as the ‘king’ of all yoga poses. There are lots of other poses such as handstand, forearm stand, shoulder stand and for beginners, easier poses like downward facing dog, standing forward bends and child pose. Beginners can also try advanced poses like head-stand or hand-stand but you have to make sure you do it under the guidance of an expert or you do it carefully with the support of the wall.

Keeps you sharp

In inversion poses, because of the gravity, the blood flow is more towards the head, so the brain, the pituitary and hypothalamus glands get more oxygen and blood. It also gives the heart a break from pumping blood up to the brain. This process improves circulation, increases mental functioning, improve concentration; memory, mental clarity, sharpness and can give you a strong will-power also.

Keeps you strong

In inversions, when we hold the position, we use the muscles of our upper body, which improves body balance and helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles, arms, back, shoulder and neck. In inversion poses, you put your body in different positions, utilising muscles that are not usually used in gyms or any other form of exercises.

Keeps you disease-free

Inversions clean and give massage to the internal organs, which helps improve your immune system by removing toxins from the body.

Keeps you young

Regular indulgence in inversions can slow down the ageing process and because of the improved blood circulation in the face, eyes and head, gives you a natural face-lift. It reduces wrinkles and gives a natural glow to the face. It can also stop the greying and falling of hair. It decreases the chances of acne and other skin- related problems.

Keeps you active

If you practice inversion poses, you will have less lethargic and sick days in your life. Better flow of oxygenated blood into the brain keeps you energetic and enthusiastic throughout the day.

Keeps you calm

Inversion poses gives you the ability to manage stress, gives you mental clarity and strength to handle difficult situations. These poses bring health and vitality to the whole body while calming and soothing the mind as well as spirit.

(Juneja is a Chandigarh-based fitness expert)