When women choose yoga poses, they do so with their goals in mind. It could be to manage menstrual cramps or to relieve stress. If you are looking for an asana that involves stretching and something that calms your mind, go for balasana. It is a relaxation asana, also called the child’s pose. The interesting thing about it is that it does more than just calm the mind. Read on to discover the benefits of balasana or child’s pose and how to do it properly.
What are the benefits of child’s pose or balasana?
Doing Balasana is like being a child: relaxed, calm and collected, says world-leading holistic health guru and corporate life coach Dr. Mickey Mehta. Here are some benefits:
1. Balasana helps to become stress free
When you put your head on the floor and exhale, you are literally exhaling all your mental and emotional stress. It brings clarity and creativity and clears up confusion, changing your emotional tapestry.
2. Balasana helps improve digestion
Performing child’s pose on an empty stomach can help stimulate organs such as the kidneys, liver, gallbladder and intestines. It helps improve digestion, says the expert.
3. Balasana helps improve hip mobility
Balasana stretches the hip flexors, which can become tight from prolonged sitting or strenuous physical activity. This in turn can help improve hip mobility.
4. Balasana helps in getting rid of back pain
Stretching the spine, elongating it a little, takes a lot of tension off your back and neck. This helps control pain in these areas.
5. Balasana helps to sleep better
You can do balasana after a tiring day at work or strenuous exercise. It can help relax and calm your muscles so you can sleep well.
How to do balasana?
If you do an asana incorrectly, you cannot benefit from it.
• Begin by kneeling with your knees about hip-width apart and your big toes toward each other.
• Maintain a straight back by sitting on your heels.
• Bend your hips forward and extend your arms forward as you take a deep breath and then exhale.
• Place your arms at your sides and place your forehead on the mat or a pillow.
Focus on relaxation and deep breathing and hold this position for about thirty seconds at a time. But if you can do it longer, you can even hold the pose for two minutes.
But if it’s a little difficult for you, adjust the position if necessary or place a pillow under your knees, especially if you have knee problems.
Balasana Variations
You can opt for balasana variations to break the monotony:
1. Extended child’s pose
To increase the stretch in your shoulders and back, extend your arms as far forward as possible in this version, Dr. Mehta suggests.
2. Twisting Balasana
Starting with the standard position, place one hand on the wrist and slowly rotate the torso to one side.
Although balasana is a good and safe asana, people with knee or ankle injuries and pregnant women should avoid it. If you have high blood pressure, do not lower your head for too long.
Others may benefit from adding this pose to their yoga practice. Always pay attention to your body, and if you have any specific concerns or medical conditions that may interfere with the practice, speak to a yoga instructor or your doctor.