Yoga expert shares 4 simple asanas to reduce chronic fatigue and inflammation

Beat burnout with the help of yoga. If you hustle hard, make sure to rest harder. Yoga can help combat chronic fatigue and the resulting inflammation.

Staying on top of the game, grinding, hustling at work, and upskilling, may have become the norm in a fast-paced world that romanticises hustle culture, but your health is silently screaming for help. Sadly, sometimes the modern lifestyle leaves little to no room for proper self-care. What happens is your daily exhaustion piles up, which you so conveniently shove under the carpet, slowly building up to chronic fatigue. In turn, fatigue increases inflammation, and as a chain reaction, inflammation raises the chances of chronic diseases. This is why setting time aside for self-care to wind down with yoga is essential for maintaining long-term health.

Yoga helps reduce the daily fatigue from the constant grind of a hectic lifestyle. (Freepik)

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, yoga expert and founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa, shared how yoga can help beat fatigue and inflammation from the fast-paced lifestyle of today.

He said, “The health index of a society is a direct reflection of lifestyle. Most diseases that the world is currently suffering from are autoimmune diseases, which are predominantly lifestyle disorders. With extended work hours, digital exposure, and a sedentary lifestyle, dedicating time for self-care has become a challenge, leading to burnout and fatigue. Yoga provides a holistic approach to overcoming these challenges through simple yet powerful practices."

 

1. Balasana

 

Benefits: Stretches the spine, reduces backache, promotes hip flexibility, reduces fatigue, relieves tension and calms the mind.

How to do:

• Sit in Vajrasana
• Inhale and stretch your arms up, without lifting your torso or pelvis.
• While exhaling, lean forward and place your palm on the floor, forehead between your palms.
• Make sure your spine is fully elongated, your chest is resting on your thighs, and your glutes are in contact with your heels. You may close your eyes.

2. Sanchalit Marjhari-Asana

Benefits: Improves back flexibility, restores spine health, releases tension from the neck, promotes good posture and stimulates abdominal organs reducing inflammation.

How to do:

• Start from a tabletop position. Make sure your knees are in line with your hips, shoulders in line with your wrists, spine parallel to the floor, and shoulder distance between the legs.
• Now, as you inhale, push the chest downwards as you extend your chin upwards, while pushing the hips outwards, thus creating an inward bend in the spine.
• Next, exhale and curl your spine outwards, bring your chin to your collarbones, squeeze your belly inwards and look towards your belly. Repeat this movement from upward-facing cat to downward-facing cat 8 – 10 times.

3. Kapalabhati Shuddhikriya

Benefits: Cleanses the channels and stimulates energy towards the skull. An uplifting practice that activates the nervous system, enhancing mental agility.

How to do:

• Start in sukhasana(seated posture), stabilise the breath, and keep the spine straight.
• Start forcefully exhaling while pulling the stomach and abdomen inwards; the rest of the body should be relaxed.
• Continue for 50-60 strokes, active exhales, passive inhales. Take a break to normalise the breath, repeat 2-3 rounds.

4. Yoganidra

 

Yoganidra helps to rejuvinate you, easing from the coiled up stress in body.(Freepik)

Benefits: It is an extremely powerful practice for conscious relaxation and recovery of the organs. It increases awareness of the entire body and helps in mindful observation as well as rejuvenation of all systems. Regular practice of Yoganidra reduces blood pressure, regulates heartbeat, improves sleep quality, enhances emotional health and builds mental strength. While stress is mainly viewed as mental, the body holds a lot of stress, and Yoganidra helps in recognising and consciously releasing the accumulated stress.

How to do:

• Lie down in a quiet place and close your eyes.
• Take deep breaths and calm yourself, letting go of your tension in the body.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.