Benefits of Bhujangasana for Health and How to Perform It

Maintaining a healthy body enables you to stay active all day long. To achieve a healthy body, it is essential to uphold a balanced lifestyle, regular exercise habits, and nutritious eating.

Regular yoga practice can help you become fit physically and enhance overall wellness. Yoga can also relieve stress and despair for free.

Continue reading to learn more about the health benefits and how to perform Bhujangasana.

What is Bhujangasana?

Bhujangasana is a Sanskrit term that means snake position and is also known as ‘cobra pose’. The posture is like a snake expanding its hood. It is an old asana from the 17th century. The Sanskrit yoga book "Gheranda Samhita" classifies it as Hatha yoga. Bhujangasana is also a component of the Surya Namaskar in yoga.

What are the advantages of Bhujangasana?

The snake position provides physical and mental benefits to yoga practitioners.

Physical benefits of Bhujangasana: 

1. Reduces abdominal fat

Reducing fat in the abdomen is a difficult element of exercising. Bhujangasana allows the abdomen to expand and elongate. It also helps you burn more calories, which lowers abdominal fat.

2. A solution for all your lower back pain

Prolonged sitting leads to spinal compression, which can cause back pain. However, performing a thorough spine stretch from the ground up, such as Bhujangasana, aids in fortifying it. This practice serves as a powerful method for alleviating everyday back pain. Individuals of all ages can utilize it to ease their discomfort.

3. Increases arm power

Yoga strengthens your shoulders, biceps, and triceps because it works on your arm muscles.   

4. Increased flexibility

The snake pose stretches the full body muscles, leading to increased flexibility.

5. Alleviates sciatic nerve pain

Bhujangasana helps relieve sciatic pain in middle-aged individuals. It eases the muscles in the affected leg through stretching. If you have severe sciatica pain, try consulting a physiotherapist. Book your yoga session today.

6. Minimizes the consequences of asthma

When you breathe deeply, the cobra pose helps clear your respiratory system. It improves lung capacity, which lessens the impact of asthma or other respiratory issues.

7. Helps several parts of your body

The primary body parts that benefit from this yoga pose are the arms, chest, buttocks, spine, and abdomen. Any pain in these physical areas is alleviated.

The cognitive advantages of Bhujangasana

One feature that distinguishes yoga from other forms of exercise is mental serenity. Yoga boosts your body's happy hormones and helps to balance your mood.

1. Rejuvenating Yoga

Bhujangasana can be performed after a long day of tension. This allows the body to recover the energy it has lost. Additionally, it improves blood circulation throughout the body. This allows the body's cells to receive an ample amount of oxygen and nutrients.

2. Addressing headaches and anxiety

Anxiety and stress are prevalent today. It causes restlessness, headaches, and sadness. Yoga practitioners recommend yoga as a stress reliever as an alternative to medication.

3. Function as a mood booster

Bhujangasana elevates the mood and relieves stress. It has a big impact on your emotional health.

Additional advantages of Bhujangasana

• Therapy for any menstruation issues.
• It improves digestion and increases metabolism.
• Relieves constipation and flatulence.
• Maintain a fit and upright posture.
• Boosts self-confidence and improves alertness and cognitive function.

How to practice Bhujangasana?

Yoga gurus recommend a standard sequence of steps for Bhujangasana. However, to reduce the chance of spraining your muscles, speak with a yoga instructor before beginning any yoga practice.

1. Lie face down on the ground, toes spread out.

2. Bring your hands up to the chest area. Allow your palms to touch the earth.

3. Contract your elbows while facing each other.

4. Try not to expand your legs for comfort at this point.

5. Now, slowly elevate your body with the help of your hands.

6. While elevating, inhale to the count of one to three.

7. Hold your breath for six counts while remaining in the same position.

8. Exhale, counting backwards from one to three, returning to the initial stance.

9. Start with a set of three reps and work your way up to more each day.

Remember:

Breathing plays a vital role in the Bhujangasana practice. Therefore, whenever you find some spare time, engage in breathing exercises. Overstretching can potentially damage your internal organs. Consequently, regular practice will aid in increasing your stretching capacity.

How frequently may the steps of Bhujangasana be performed?

The steps of Bhujangasana can be practiced daily, whether in the morning or evening. Spending 10-15 minutes on Bhujangasana could enhance your overall health.

Yoga requires stretches, thus it is advisable to practice on an empty stomach for optimum effects.

Equipment required for the Bhujangasana procedure

Bhujangasana must be practised while wearing comfortable and elastic clothing. Consider obtaining a yoga mat to help support your body. Playing meditation music helps you avoid distractions while practising yoga.

Who must avoid the practice of Bhujangasana?

The precautions for Bhujangasana are as follows:

• Individuals with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (numbness or pain in the hand) should avoid performing Bhujangasana.
• The snake posture can aggravate any injury to the hands, abdomen, or shoulders.
• Individuals recovering from surgery should avoid this yoga position.
• Stretching the abdomen has negative implications for the fetus. Thus, pregnant women should avoid doing yoga.
• Hernia patients must avoid trying the cobra stance.
• Patients experiencing significant neck or spinal discomfort should avoid rigorous yoga.

Yoga positions can be beneficial for relieving physical pain. Bhujagasana's stages and advantages help to decrease mental stress. You must devote your important time to caring for your body.

Conclusion

In India, yoga has enjoyed popularity since ancient times. Among the various poses, Bhujangasana stands out as a well-liked option that provides numerous benefits. Practising Bhujangasana alleviates pain in the shoulders, arms, and back. Furthermore, it improves blood circulation and reduces stress levels in the body. This pose is beneficial for individuals in their middle years, as it strengthens their joints and muscles. Additionally, it assists women in regulating the regularity and heaviness of their menstrual flow.

FAQs

1. What is the best time to perform Bhujangasana?

The best time to do Bhujangasana is 4-5 hours after you have eaten. Prior to trying this pose, it's important to go through a brief warm-up. Practising asanas is most beneficial during the 'Brahma Muhurta' or in the early morning hours.

2. Who should avoid doing Bhujangasana?

Patients with hip, pelvic, knee, rib cage, shoulder, elbow, and wrist ailments should avoid performing Bhujangasana since it exerts strain on these joints. If you have stomach ulcers, receive adequate supervision and avoid the posture if it causes discomfort.

3. Can I practice Cobra Pose every day?

Regularly practising the Cobra yoga pose can offer numerous benefits, such as stretching and strengthening muscles, alleviating symptoms of depression, and boosting self-esteem.

4. Does Bhujangasana remove abdominal fat?

Bhujangasana, commonly known as Cobra asana, is one of the best yoga postures for losing belly fat. This pose can help you improve your posture and extend your body, allowing you to reduce tension more rapidly. It helps to alleviate shoulder and neck pain. Furthermore, it strengthens the abdomen and develops the back and shoulders.