Hypertension and yoga

What is hypertension?

Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood against the blood vessel wall. High blood pressure occurs when there is increased tension or pressure in the arteries. The greater the pressure, the harder the heart has to work.

Yoga as a treatment

There are many different treatments for high blood pressure from pharmaceutical drugs to alternative stress reduction therapies. The risk of hypertension is that it often does not manifest noticeable symptoms early on. When hypertension is left untreated, it can lead to stroke or even heart attack.

Stress reduction and managing a healthy lifestyle can make a difference in treating and preventing high blood pressure. Yoga has proven to make a difference in lowering the blood pressure of those with hypertension. Yoga can help to not only reduce stress but it can also improve the functioning of the endocrine system (a secondary cause of hypertension).

Yoga should not be the only treatment used for extreme hypertension, it can make a difference. Regardless, it is important to check with your doctor before staring a practice.

Poses to be practiced with hypertension

• Relaxation: Start lying on the back or on a breathing pillow in svasana. It is best to visulaize calming and relaxing the body- starting with the feet and slowly moving up to the head. You can also try to visualize white light or healing energies.

• Ujjayi breath: Deep breathing in and out of the nose. Focus on lengthening the inhales and the exhales. Upon exhaling, try to soften the back of the throat and think of blowing air out the ears. Begin each class by focusing on this breath and developing a rythm of the breath.

• Majariasana: slow, flowing �cat/cow� sequence, focusing on movement in the spine and the link between inhalation/exhalation and the movement of the spine. This is practiced by getting on all fours, hands shoulder width apart, knees hip width. Drop the belly and arch the low back toward the floor on the inhales, pull the belly into the spine and arch the upper back toward the sky on the exhales. Starts to open up the subtle energy nadis to encourage the flow of prana. Improves blood circulation to the kidneys and assists in cleansing of wastes through the urinary system.

• Janu sirsasana: Sitting on the floor- one leg out, the other in tree pose. Use a bolster or chair if the hamstrings are tight or if there is any discomfort in the lower back. This forward bend provides a slight spinal twist and the opportunity to stretch the back of the body while inducing a calmer mental state and a more inward focus. The pose quietens the sympathetic nervous system and tones and activates the kidneys.

• Setu Bandhasana: Bridge pose. Lie on back, knees bent, feet on floor, hip distance apart. Inhale lift the hips toward the sky, exhale and lower hips and back to the mat. Practice 5-10 times flowing in and out with the breath and focusing once more on the link between the breath and the movement. A gentle back bend that opens up the heart space and lungs.

• Ardha matsyendrasana: seated spinal twist. practice this with an open or closed twist, deepening the twist experienced in the forward bend and massaging the abdominal organs. Helps release built up tension in the shoulders and neck. Also believed to assist emotionally and psychically to �untwist� the knots of the lower mind. Improves circulation to the abdominal organs and spinal nerves.

• Jathari parivartanasana: lie on back raise legs to sky and extend over the right for a few breaths then bring up and extend over to the left.This helps to release the spine in preparation for the practice of yoga nidra.

• Yoga nidra � 20 minutes. Yoga nidra is also known as yogic sleep or svasana (often the final resting pose practiced in yoga.) Yoga nidra reduces muscular, emotional and mental tensions in a very systematic way. This section is probably the most directly and clearly therapeutic of all the practices chosen for those who suffer from hypertension as well as many other health ailments.