The heart is an essential part of our body. As per the doctors, the number of heart patients is increasing day by day. It is possibly due to our hectic lifestyle, diet, and lack of awareness. These days, yoga has become the first choice to accomplish physical and mental wellness. It allows the functional strategies to command the body, heart, and mind. Yoga exercises intensify cardiovascular health in different ways. Make a 30-minute yoga routine that helps in the healthy functioning of your heart. Here some exercises that you can do at home:

1. Deep Breathing: Breathing is a normal process for us but the correct way of breathing makes a difference. For deep breathing, sit in a comfortable position on the ground. Close your eyes and take a deep breath through nostrils, fill your lungs and stomach with air. Try to hold it for 3-5 seconds. Then, exhale through the mouth. Do it for 10-15 times. This process reduces the tension and helps you to stay calm and relaxed. It also controls your heart rate and blood pressure. This process cleanses and improves your respiratory passage.                                                                                 

 

2. Mountain Pose (Tadasana): This asana strengthens your vertebral column and keeps your heart healthy. Stand straight with your toes touching each other. Your thighs should be firm. Now breathe in and lift your heels, arms, shoulders, and chest upwards. Interlock your hands with palms facing the ceiling. Look straight, hold the pose for a few seconds and feel the stretch. While exhaling, lower down your arms and come back to the original position. Repeat it a couple of times as you feel good. 

 

3. Downward-facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukho Svanasana): This exercise brings your blood flow to the brain. It strengthens your shoulder muscles, chest, arms, and extends lungs. How about we start now? Get on your hands and knees like a table. While exhaling, lift your hips. Your elbows and knees should be straight. Your body will be forming an inverted V-shape. Press your hands into the ground and look towards your navel. Stay in this position till you feel good.

 

4. Cat Stretch (Marjariasana): This yoga asana boosts your blood circulation and controls your heart rate. It improves your digestion and tones your belly. For practicing this pose, come on your hands and knees and form a table with your flat back. Place your hands directly under the shoulders and knees under your hips. The top of your feet should be touching the mat. Breathe in and stretch your shoulders backward, drop your belly towards the floor and lift your chin little up. This position creates a dip between your shoulders and hips. This is called the cow stretch. Now while exhaling, lift your belly and look towards your navel. This is called the cat stretch. 

 

5. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana): This is a standing exercise and improves both physical and mental balance. This pose boosts your health and is a great relief in sciatica. This is an easy posture. Stand straight and bend your left knee, place your lifted foot on the right thigh. Once you feel balanced with an erected spine, breathe in and lift your arms upwards overhead. Touch your palms. Try to maintain the balance and look straight. Be in the same position for a few seconds and while exhaling, bring down your arms and keep your left foot on the ground. Then, in the same way, put your right foot on the left thigh. 

 

6. Half Lord of Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana): This pose clears the sides of the chest and opens the spine and hips. Sit straight on the ground with the extended forward. Now bend your both knees. Place your right leg under the left leg. The right foot should be outside the left leg and left foot outside the right leg. Keep your right-hand straight behind your back and while inhaling lift your left arm at the 90 degrees. Now twist your upper body towards the right and look over your shoulder. Stay in this position for 20-30 seconds. Now exhale and slowly come back in the original position. Now do the same for the other side. 

 

7. The Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): This yoga posture is very beneficial for your neck, chest, lungs, heart, kidney, liver and abdomen. It is also helpful in nasal congestion. This posture looks like a bridge. First, lie down on a mat. Bend your legs and brings your feet near the butts but at a little distance so that you could make a balanced bridge. Keep your arms close to your body. Tighten your hips and slowly move torso upwards. Interlock your hands and then lift your chest diagonally to make a perfect bridge. As you feel good, stay in the same position and slowly return on the ground. 

 

8. 8. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): This yoga asana clears the passages of the heart and lungs, improves digestion, and lower back pain, strengthen your arms, and shoulders. All you need to do is, lie down on your belly, the chin should be touching the floor. Place your hands close to your chest and palm touching the ground. While breathing in, lift your chest upward and press your palms against the floor. Keep your legs straight. Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds. While exhaling, return to the original position. Do it for 5-10 times as you feel comfortable. This asana is also helpful in neck and shoulder pain. 

 

Yoga Poses To Avoid If You Are A Heart Patient

If you have been diagnosed with any heart condition, consult your physician before practicing any yoga poses. Below are some yoga exercises that you should avoid if you are a heart patient. 

1.Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand): In this asana, your blood circulation flows against gravity as you will be standing on your shoulders. This could be harmful to your heart.

2. Sirshasana (Head Stand): Again in this pose, your heart needs more force to pump blood as you will be standing on your head. Don’t do this exercise.
3. Viparita Karani (Legs Up The Wall): In this posture, your legs are in an upward position against the wall. So, the blood flows toward your heart with pressure.
4. Chakrasana (Wheel Pose): Your body will be rolled and it will be hard for you to synchronize the breathing pattern and will put lots of pressure on your heart.
5. Halasana (Plough Pose): This yoga pose is again a big no for a heart patient. Your legs will be lifted overhead and create great pressure on your heart.