5 Yoga Poses to Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is also called a silent killer, because you won’t always know what hit you until it already does. Good enough if the consequences don’t end your life prematurely. But, more often than not, untreated high blood pressure can weaken and damage arteries, resulting in serious health problems.

So, the moment you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, you should take steps to minimize damage to the rest of your body. Better yet, prevent it from happening.

Now, you can prevent or control high blood pressure naturally or ‘unnaturally’. Between the two, you stay healthy with the former.

One of your natural options would be yoga. Studies show that regular yoga stretches keep your muscles and arteries flexible and pliant, which help to lower blood pressure naturally. The seat-and-reach test that patients are asked to perform share the same ideas as yoga, as it tests for flexibility of the arteries.

What is even better is that yoga is pesrfectly safe to do and will not raise your blood pressure, even if you bend your body downward. In the event that you feel hot or dizzy, you can always do the child’s pose until all bodily functions return to normal.

1. Downward-facing dog

Enjoy a good overall stretch with the downward-facing dog pose, which mimics a dog bending forward. You can perform the regular position or place a support for your head. It can be 2 or 3 blankets, folded lengthwise and placed under your chest area, extending out. This particular yoga pose increases circulation to the brain, and helps relieve headache, fatigue and insomnia.

2. Corpse pose

The name might be alarming, but this is actually a very relaxing pose. Simply lie flat on your back, and focus on your breathing. When you breathe in, hold your breath, clench your fist, and squeeze all your muscles. When breathing out, make the ‘haaa’ sound.

3. Child’s pose

This not only relaxes you if you feel dizzy while practicing yoga, but also helps lower blood pressure by calming the nervous system. So sit up on your heels, with your hips right on top, bend forward, and then lower your forehead to the floor, with arms kept close to the body. Hold, then slowly uncurl until you’re sitting on your heels again.

4. Legs up the wall

This pose is pretty straightforward, with the name practically giving it away. You’re going to need a support, such as a firm round bolster, or thick blankets neatly folded. Place the support under your lower back, and adjust until it feels most comfortable to you. Raise both legs up and place them vertically against the wall. Hold for 5 to 15 minutes. Make sure to not pull the support from under you, but slowly slide off of it instead.

5. Bound angle pose

Bend your knees and pull your heels towards your pelvis. Press the soles of your feet together. Bring your heels close to your pelvis as comfortably as possible, and then drop your knees to the side, towards the floor. Sit up straight and tall. Hold the position for 1 to 5 minutes.