Yoga can be helpful to maintain physical fitness, but it can also calm your mind and bring peace to you. Yoga has other health benefits too, including helping with anxiety, depression and pain. Yoga is also effective in dealing with stressful events and can relieve you from migraine.

What Is Migraine?

These are headaches, but more intense than the common headaches. They are characterised as throbbing pain on one side of the head and can be accompanied by nausea, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound. It can last anywhere between a few hours to a few days.

A 2014 study published in the International Journal of Yoga titled Effect of Yoga on migraine: A comprehensive study using clinical profile and cardiac autonomic functions found that headache frequency and intensity reduced for those who practiced yoga regularly.

Which Poses Can Help?

Child's Pose

• Kneel on the floor and keep your toes together, spread your knees as wide as you can.
• Lower your buttocks on your heels.
• Sit up straight and adjust to this position.
• After you inhale, lean forward so that you head and chest rest between or on top of your thighs. Rest your forehead on the floor.
• Keep your arms extended, palms facing down.
• Hold for a minute and allow your neck and shoulder to release the tension.

This pose can calm the nervous system and reduce pain.

Bridge Pose

• Lie on your back on the floor, with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
• Extend your arms, palms flat on the floor.
• Now, lift your pelvis upward, following your torso. Your shoulders and head must remain on the floor.
• Make sure your thighs are parallel to your feet. Your weight must be distributed evenly.
• Hold this for a minute.

This pose opens the chest, heart, and shoulders and can reduce anxiety.

Downward Facing Dog

• Start on your hands and knees and align your waist under your shoulder and knees under your hips.
• Stretch out your elbows, relax your upper back and spread out your fingers and press down. Your weight must be evenly distributed between your hands.
• Lift your knees off the floor and straighten your legs.
• Lift your pelvis and lengthen the spine.
• Hold this for two minutes.

This can increase circulation to the brain.

Corpse Pose

• Lie on the floor with your back to the ground.
• Let your legs spread slightly apart, move your arms to your sides and your palm must face the ceiling.
• Hold this position for between 5 to 30 minutes.

This can restore your body to a state of rest.

Yoga is an adaptable exercise that has poses and asanas to accommodate people according to their needs. Not everyone can perform the exercises at the same level as an experienced yoga practitioner. There are standing, flowing as well as sitting poses, these ranges allow people with all kinds of abilities to practice yoga, whether they have mobility issue, or motor control issues etc.

When it comes to conditions like heart issues, high blood pressure and blood sugar issues, people have to be very cautious. While controlling food helps them improve their health, without exercise it is not easy to do so. If you are also struggling with these issues but are unsure of what exercises you must do, try yoga. There are many poses that can help you build your health and live a healthier life like Vajrasana pose. It is a simple sitting pose that not only improves high blood pressure, but also reduces back pain, increases focus etc.

What is Vajrasana Pose?

In Vajrasana, when you kneel and sit back, it gently takes some of the pressure off your knees. This position is often used when you're doing breathing exercises to calm your mind or when you're meditating to feel more peaceful inside. People who follow Ayurvedic medicine, an old Indian system of health, believe that sitting in this way helps your body become as strong and stable as a diamond. It's about finding strength in being still and focusing your energy.

Here’s how to do it

• Begin by kneeling down on the floor. Consider placing a yoga mat underneath for added comfort to your knees and shins.
• Bring your knees and ankles together so they are touching. Point your feet straight back behind you, in line with your legs. The soles of your feet should face upward, and your big toes should touch gently.
• Exhale slowly as you gently lower your buttocks down to rest on your heels. Your thighs will naturally rest on top of your calves in this position.
• Place your hands on the tops of your thighs. Gently adjust your pelvis by rocking slightly backward and forward until you find a comfortable and balanced seated position.
• As you inhale and exhale slowly, focus on straightening your spine. Imagine a gentle lift from the base of your spine to the crown of your head, helping you sit tall. Gently press your tailbone slightly towards the floor.
• Straighten your head so you are looking directly forward, with your chin parallel to the floor. Rest your hands on your thighs with your palms facing down, keeping your arms relaxed. Breathe gently and evenly in this pose.

When Should You Avoid Doing Vajrasana

Before you start doing any yoga exercises, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. They can tell you how yoga might affect your current health and suggest ways to do it safely so you don't have any problems. Here are some reasons why you should avoid doing this pose.

• If you have recently undergone surgery on your knees.
• If you have a condition that affects your spinal cord, particularly in the lower vertebrae (lower back)
• If you have intestinal ulcers, a hernia, or any other intestinal problems such as an ulcer or hernia
• If you are pregnant, it's important to speak with your doctor before attempting Vajrasana.

One of the biggest benefits of yoga is its effectiveness to relieve stress and help you focus on your current self of well-being. While you may think yoga needs to be done in a certain place at a certain dedicated time, most yoga poses do not need extra bells and whistles. All you need is the right yoga pose. One such yoga pose that you can do anywhere and anytime is Padmasana. It may look similar to sitting cross-legged, but there are slight differences between them.

Also known as the Lotus pose, it is a pose that symbolises peace and resilience. While you can definitely practice this at home, if you have a comfortable work chair you can practice this a well. While it may be a bit difficult to sustain this pose, you will notice many differences in your body after a while of doing it.

Benefits of Padmasana

Regular practice of Padmasana offers several physical benefits. It provides a beneficial stretch to the muscles of the thighs, calves, ankles, and hips. Additionally, it can help in correcting minor irregularities in the spinal alignment and positively affect the pelvic region and the lower abdomen.

Beyond the physical stretch, Padmasana offers therapeutic advantages. By encouraging an erect spine it helps to correct posture. It also enhances flexibility in the lower extremities, specifically stretching the ankle and knee joints. Furthermore, it can improve blood circulation in the abdominal area and may be helpful in managing menstrual discomfort and sciatica issues.

What Else Does It Help You With?

Beyond the physical stretch, Padmasana offers therapeutic advantages. By encouraging an erect spine, it helps to correct posture. It also enhances flexibility in the lower extremities, specifically stretching the ankle and knee joints. Furthermore, it can improve blood circulation in the abdominal area and may be helpful in managing menstrual discomfort and sciatica issues.

The practice of Padmasana involves several muscle groups working together. These include the hip abductors, flexors, and medial rotators in the hips. The pose also engages the muscles around the knees and elbows, as well as the ankle plantar flexors in the ankles.

How to Do Padmasana

1. Gently bend your right leg at the knee. Carefully fold it inwards and place your right heel on top of your left thigh. The sole of your right foot should be facing upwards.
2. Now, bend your left leg at the knee and fold it. Bring your left heel on top of your right thigh, aiming to cross your ankles. Ideally, your heels should be positioned as closely together as is comfortable.
3. Try to gently press both of your knees down towards the ground as much as feels natural and safe.
4. Maintain an upright posture with your head, neck, and torso aligned in a straight line. Gently draw your abdomen inwards to support your spine.
5. Place your left hand below your navel, with the palm facing upwards. Rest your right hand on top of your left hand, also with the palm facing upwards. Allow your shoulders and hands to relax.
6. Remain in this pose, focusing on your natural breath or gently directing your gaze towards a chosen point.
7. Gently release your hand position, allowing them to rest comfortably on your knees or thighs.
8. Slowly and carefully lift the leg that is on top with the support of your hands and place it back down on the mat. Then, gently unfold your other leg.
9. Finally, slowly straighten both of your legs back to the initial stretched-out position.

Seeing kids grow up is a rewarding feat for parents. The kids who used to be no taller than your legs seem to grow up too soon. While kids are biologically bound to grow taller, many factors can affect it. We are often reprimanded for slouching and sitting in a bad posture, however these often fell on deaf ears. However, these are very important factors to consider, not just for height, but also for your back health.

Many times, your posture prevents you from reaching your true height potential. When you slouch and compress your spine for long, you are bound to shorten your height. The Cleveland clinic explains that doing yoga can help you strengthen your posture and express your height properly.

For children, exercise plays a big role in their height growth. Other factors include what kind of food they eat and their lifestyle choices. Certain yoga poses are believed to stretch the body in ways that can potentially stimulate growth hormone production and improve posture, contributing to a taller appearance. Additionally, yoga is known for its relaxing properties, helping to alleviate emotional and mental stress, which can indirectly support overall well-being. Here are some you should try.

Yoga Asanas Children Should Do To Grow Taller

It is important to note that all the yoga postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) described below should be practiced under the careful supervision of a certified yoga instructor. They can provide personalized guidance, ensure correct alignment, and help you avoid potential injuries.

Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

This standing pose stretches the whole body, from your feet to your fingertips. This lengthening action feels good and is thought to encourage the body to produce more growth hormones. Stand tall with feet together, raise arms overhead while inhaling, lift onto your toes, stretch upwards, and then gently come back down.

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

Lying on your stomach, this pose stretches your lower and upper back, along with your abdominal muscles. It can also help reduce fat around your waist. By lifting your upper body using your arms while keeping your lower body grounded, you lengthen your spine, which is beneficial for increasing height.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

Sitting with legs straight out, bend forward from your hips, reaching for your toes. This stretches your hamstrings and spine. Practicing on an empty stomach, ideally in the morning, is recommended. Besides stretching, it's believed to aid digestion and stimulate organs involved in growth.

Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Standing on one leg with the other foot placed on your inner thigh, raise your arms overhead with palms together. This balancing pose is thought to stimulate the pituitary gland, which is key in producing growth hormone. Hold the pose steadily, focusing on balance and a gentle neck stretch.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Standing with feet wide apart, bend sideways, reaching one hand towards your foot while extending the other upwards. This pose strengthens your legs and core, stretches your hips and hamstrings, and helps align your spine. Proper spinal alignment can contribute to a taller and more upright posture.