Best Summer Yoga Poses With Manisha Kohli

With the summer season in full swing and high temperatures raging throughout the day, it is imperative to maintain a healthy lifestyle now more than ever. With the #HealthySummerWithActivLiving campaign, let your mental and physical well-being take precedence over heat-induced lifestyle conditions.

Take a cue from holistic well-being expert Manisha Kohli and remain cool and relaxed this summer by practicing 3 yoga asanas to beat the heat. She also goes on to display pranayama or effective breathing techniques and meditation.

These yoga asanas will calm your body down, settle your nervous system down, switch off your parasympathetic nervous system, and will help in releasing endorphins to replenish your mood. These yoga poses are simple, safe, and effective. People from all age groups can perform these asanas.

Yoga asanas:

Janusirsasana – The side bend yoga posture can be performed on both sides. Sit on your yoga mat and take your right leg out while keeping your other leg close to the pelvis. Inhale as you bring your hand up and exhale while reaching your big toe. If you cannot reach your toe, you can place your hand on your calf, knee, or thigh. Bring your other hand to the toe and bend down as you try to touch your head to your knee. Stay in the position for 30 to 60 seconds. Inhale and come back from that posture. Repeat the same on the other side.

Padhastasana – This yoga posture helps in releasing body heat and unties the knots that you may feel in your back. Stand with your feet slightly apart, raise both your hands, and inhale. As you exhale, elongate your spine and start dropping down. Touch your feet, the floor, or the mat, and straighten your legs. If you cannot straighten your knees, then keep them bent. Next, drop your head down which is the heaviest part of the body and keep it relaxed. Let gravity elongate the spine to loosen all the muscles you contract while sitting. If you want to test the limits of your flexibility, then you can also hold your ankles from behind and go deeper into the stretch. Hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds. Roll up with your hands raised over your head and exhale.

Ardha Matsyendrasana – Keep one leg close to your body, and the other leg bent in front. Sit straight, keep your knee in line with the ankle, and keep one hand back for support. Stretch your other hand, keep your spine straight and inhale. Take your raised hand across, stack it near the opposite knee, and twist. Make sure that you use your stomach muscles to turn. This yoga pose helps lower your body temperature and improves your digestive system. Hold this pose for 30 to 60 seconds for an enhanced body posture. Breathe normally.

Pranayama:

Chandra Bhedi Pranayam – This left nostril breathing technique lowers your heart rate and can be performed anytime during the day. Keep two fingers in the center of your forehead, close your right nostril and breathe in and out only through your left nostril which is your Chandra Nadi. Continue for 5 to 10 rounds. 

Meditation: Meditation is essential for your mental wellness. Close your eyes to practice visualization. Breathe in through your nostrils and exhale through your mouth. You can visualize anything that infuses a sense of calmness in you and continue for a minute. 

If you feel uneasy while performing any yoga poses, then stop immediately. Do not strain your muscles. Practice these yoga asanas for a longer period to see the difference.

Find the different ways to cope with the extreme summer heat by tuning into the #HealthySummerWithActivLiving campaign.

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