Which yoga poses and exercises are good for your brain?

Yoga is an ancient practice that has been around for thousands of years.

It was developed in India as a way to connect the mind and body. The goal of yoga is to create a balance between these two aspects to achieve inner peace and improve overall health.

In fact, studies have shown that regular yoga practice can lead to many mental health benefits, such as reduced stress levels, improved focus, clearer thinking, better sleeping habits, lower blood pressure levels, and more.

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Best Yoga Poses and Exercises For Brain

Here's a look at a few such poses:

#1 The Pigeon

The pigeon pose is a great way to stretch thr hips and thighs, which can help relieve tension in the lower back.

It can also help relieve tension in the shoulders and neck, as well as release tension from the hips and groin. The pigeon pose helps you get into a comfortable position and allows you to relax more easily during exercises like Yoga Nidra.

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#2 Cat and Cow

• Begin the pose by lying on your back, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.
• Exhale as you press your hands into the mat, and lift your hips up and back to flatten out your lower back into a neutral position.
• Lift through the top vertebrae of your spine, rolling down through each vertebrae till you are looking at a ceiling that's moving up at an angle in front of you (a view known as 'cow').
• Breathe deeply for five breaths, and slowly return to the starting position by pressing through the heels and rotating from side to side till all the muscles have been stretched.

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#3 Seated Spinal Twist

Here's how to do a seated spinal twist:

• Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you and arms by your sides, palms facing up.
• Bend from the waist, letting your head drop back as you bring one leg towards the opposite arm. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute, and repeat on the other side.
• This pose stretches out tight hips and hamstrings, which can cause tension headaches (and achy necks). It also releases tension in the lower back, which can help with sciatica pain or numbness in the legs.
• You'll feel more relaxed after doing this pose.

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#4 Fish Pose

The fish pose is a gentle backbend that stretches the spine and opens up the chest. That can help relieve tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back, which are common areas of tightness after a long day of sitting.

It's also helpful for people with chronic pain, depression, or anxiety disorders and good for anyone who wants to improve their mood by decreasing stress.

The fish pose is also useful for improving sleep quality, as it releases tension from the back muscles — especially if you practice this pose before bedtime.

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#5 Bridge Pose

The bridge pose, also known as setu bandha sarvangasana, is a great way to strengthen the core and improve balance.

The deep stretch in this pose can help relieve low back pain by increasing blood flow through the spine and releasing tension in tight muscles.

If you have trouble maintaining good posture throughout the day, the bridge pose may be for you. The position of the body in this pose resembles a tabletop or table—the hips are lifted off of the floor while supporting weight on hands and feet.

Holding this position helps strengthen the abdominal muscles used for good posture, which can result in less slouching at work or long periods of sitting at home.

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#6 Child's Pose

It's done as follows:

• Sit on your knees with your legs under you and arms out at shoulder height, palms up.
• On an inhale, bring your chest to your knees, and wrap the arms around the shins or calves if possible; on an exhale, drop the head and gaze down at a 45-degree angle
• Allow your neck to relax; close the eyes if desired
• Inhale for two counts, hold for four counts and exhale for eight counts (counts are per breath).

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Takeaway

As we’ve seen, yoga is an excellent way to boost brain health. It can help with memory, improve your focus, increase attention span and even give your mood a lift—all of which are important for keeping up with the daily demands of work and life.

However, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to be a yogi. Just incorporating some simple yoga poses into your day can make all the difference.

So go ahead: take a moment before starting work tomorrow morning, or after lunchtime if possible.

Sit down on the floor with crossed legs or another pose that feels comfortable for you. Close your eyes, and breathe deeply in through your nose and then out through the mouth.

Notice how relaxed that makes your body feel (if so). Feel free to change position if needed too—there is no right way to do yoga