It is a well-known fact that people who have heart problems require more exercise. This is particularly true for those with a high cholesterol-induced condition, such as coronary artery disease. But people who have a heart condition aren’t always able to perform the same exercises as healthy people, because of obvious reasons. Cardiac yoga can help with that.
What is cardiac yoga?
Cardiac yoga uses the same tools as regular yoga does: accessories that include chairs, mats, pillows, and the likes. They follow the pattern of breathing exercises and include stress and relaxation techniques. The main goals of cardiac yoga include stress reduction, improvement of lung capacity, working on tired muscles, and improving the overall state of mind. According to research, cardiac yoga can also help improve the resting heart rate, which is something required for a healthy heart.
Key points to remember
While cardiac yoga is indeed beneficial, it’s important to know a couple of things beforehand, to really make the best out of this recovery method:
- You should always talk to your doctor before taking on cardiac yoga. If you have undergone some type of medical procedure involving your heart, you might be required to avoid certain poses. Cardiac yoga poses need to be adapted to be safe for people with heart problems, so you’ve recently had coronary artery bypass graft surgery, you might want to avoid standing on your head, for now.
- Remember to work at your own pace, and don’t force yourself to do things that cause you pain. If you’ve done yoga before having a heart problem, some poses might have been easier back then, but are more demanding and painful now.
- If you experience any pain while doing certain cardiac yoga poses, make note of them and talk to your doctor about it. You may be required to make some adjustments. If you have a heart problem, you shouldn’t test your limits and see how long you can last in a specific position. If it hurts, remember where and what you were doing, and then stop.
- Half the goal of cardiac yoga is having a healthy heart. The other half is relaxing both your mind and your body. If you see these cardiac yoga sessions as more of a chore or obligation, you’ll never be able to fully relax, which means that you won’t enjoy all the benefits that it has to offer. Take long and deep breath, become aware of your body and free your mind of whatever else is around you.
What studies have to say
Back in 2009, the University of Maryland conducted a study meant to discover if there are any health benefits to yoga. The results of the study showed that cardiac yoga was just as good (if not better) at improving heart functions (such as heart rate) and total cholesterol levels.
Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine published the results of a study that pinpointed how yoga sessions render the same results as isometric strengthening exercises. During the research, 36 people had their blood pressure and heart rate monitored before and after a yoga session. The session consisted of 23 different poses, with one pose performed at a time.
Examples of cardiac yoga poses
While there are many different good poses to adopt, you should always ask for more expert advice before including them in your yoga sessions. If you are attending yoga classes, tell your instructor about your heart problem, and they will know exactly which poses are right for you.
If you’re going cardiac yoga alone at home, talk to your doctor about the poses you have in mind, to see if they pose a threat for you. Some of the most common and efficient cardiac yoga poses include:
- Tadasana (Mountain pose). This is meant to make your spine more powerful, while also allowing you to focus on deep breathing exercises that expand the lungs.
- Trikonasana (Triangle pose). This is a standing yoga posture that mimics cardiovascular exercise. The pose forces the chest to expand, while also increasing stamina.
- Vrikshasana (Tree pose). The tree pose can help you work on a more balanced posture since you’ll be standing on one leg, with your hands above your head. The pose opens the heart, and also broadens the shoulders.
- Marjariasana (Cat pose). This pose is often adopted after a more demanding one because it helps lower the heart rate.
- Setu Bandhasana (Bridge pose). The bridge pose stretches the spine and improves blood flow in the chest.
Conclusion
If you attend yoga classes, this isn’t something that you should stress over. If you let your instructor know about your heart condition, they will know what poses serve your purpose best. Those that perform cardiac yoga at home should talk to their doctor about the postures that would most benefit them and know which ones should be avoided.