Shirshasana is also known as the Headstand Pose, and it is one of the most revered poses for its many physical and spiritual benefits. One of the main benefits of shirshasana is that it lowers your blood pressure. It also has been linked to improved concentration and well-being. Many people today find themselves struggling with neck and back problems, which can limit their ability to practice this pose.
There are many benefits of shirshasana if done regularly and the ones we have listed here are only a few of them. The pose requires some strength and balance, but anyone can do it and benefit from it.
Here are 15 surprising benefits that you may not know about shirshasana :
1. Stimulates the Immune System
Blood flow to your brain may be slowed in this position, which allows your lymphatic system to function more effectively. This will allow your body’s defenses to do their job more efficiently, which can help prevent many illnesses and diseases as well as boosting immunity.
2. Increases Circulation
When you are upside down, your blood vessels dilate and expand letting oxygen flow into your bloodstream more freely. It is an excellent idea for people with low blood pressure to practice this pose regularly.
3. Strengthens Core Muscles
Balance is key when performing shirshasana, which means you need to have strong abs, lower back and glutes. These core muscles are used in just about every other yoga pose as well so having them strong will help with overall strength, flexibility and stability too.
4. Burns Calories
The deep breathing that is required in this pose burns a significant number of calories, which will also strengthen your lungs and make you more physically active.
5. Strengthens Jaw Muscles
By using your neck muscles, you can lift your jaw to look at the ceiling, which may help relieve any tension that may be causing headaches in some people. This is particularly true if you have a stressful job where long hours are required.
6. Opens the Throat
Inhaling deeply from the front of the body activates the thyroid gland, which helps stimulate its function. By doing this, your thyroid will function better, which will then encourage your metabolism to speed up, helping you burn more calories.
7. Helps to Get Better Focus
When you are upside down, your brain receives more oxygen than when you are standing. This can help to improve short term memory and concentration levels, as well as your overall cognitive abilities.
8. Lowers Blood Pressure
Being upside down increases blood circulation to your brain and heart, which helps lower blood pressure in the body, and this is one of the many shirshasana benefits that is greatly essential to the human body.
9. Acts as a Natural Diuretic
Your kidneys produce extra potassium during shirshasana, which helps them to excrete excess sodium from the body, which is responsible for high blood pressure. This is another one of the many benefits of the headstand.
10. Helps with Arthritis
When you practice shirshasana regularly, it has been shown to improve joint mobility and flexibility in people who suffer from arthritis. This is another amazing one out of all the many headstand benefits.
11. Gives Healthy Hair and Scalp
The headstand pose is directly linked to healthier hair growth as it stimulates the circulation of blood through the head. This can boost the natural colour of your hair and leave it looking much shinier.
12. Helps to Relieve Stress
The deep breathing you do in shirshasana will release tension in your body and make you feel much more relaxed and peaceful. There are many shirshasana benefits that are good for the human body and helping to relieve stress is definitely one of the most amazing benefits that you can get.
Shirshasana helps to release tension in the body and this can be a very useful one for people who are carrying a lot of stress. It can also help to restore balance in those that may be going through a period of high stress.
13. Purifies the Nervous System
Shirshasana helps to balance your autonomic nervous system by activating parasympathetic forces, which are responsible for rest and repair including digestion, increased circulation, deeper breathing, relaxation of muscles and organs, deepening sleep and healing as well as energy conservation.
14. Aids Digestion
By getting upside down, your esophagus, stomach and intestines are inverted, which helps to encourage the movement of all food through your system more efficiently and effectively. This is one of the many shirshasana benefits.
15. Helps Emotional Balance
When you practice shirshasana regularly, it is believed that it will help you live with more emotional balance which provides a deeper sense of well-being and can help you feel less stressed.
Other Benefits of Shirshasana
Slows Down Ageing
Being upside down allows fresh oxygen to supply your hair follicles which helps to slow down the aging process for skin, hair and nails. It may even reduce wrinkles in the face and neck.
Benefits the Brain
Shirshasana helps to improve oxygenation of the brain, which is vital for cognitive functioning, mood and digestion but also keeps it protected from toxins circulating in circulation. It is also believed to help promote deeper sleep which is another benefit of shirshasana.
Benefits the Heart
Being upside down increases blood flow to the heart and surrounding areas to create balance in the body.
Reduces Inflammation in the Body
The inverted position of shirshasana helps to reduce inflammation in the body. This is a great benefit of shirshasana when it comes to long term health as inflammation has been linked to many diseases but it is also good for short term relief from pain as well.
Helps with Fast Weight Loss
If you are interested in weight loss, then this should be a very beneficial pose for you because shirshasana can help you shed those extra pounds quickly and easily because of all the benefits that it provides.
How Often Should You Do Shirshasana?
Shirshasana is a good pose to practice regularly but if you are new to yoga, it is recommended that you do this pose once or twice a week, at the most, because of its intensity. If you try to do it more than that, you could experience dizziness and nausea. If you are interested in losing weight, then it is recommended that you practice shirshasana twice a week because there is also a strong link to weight loss and this is one of the many benefits of shirshasana.
Shirshasana has many benefits for long term health but it can also help with short term relief from pain too. If you want to get the best benefits from shirshasana, then it is recommended that you do it properly, which means that you should always make sure that the proper guidelines below are followed.
Conclusion
Shirshasana will have a great impact on your health, the way that you feel and your overall well-being. It is a very beneficial pose and will be one of the shirshasana benefits that you will definitely love. Shirshasana is definitely something that you should try out to see if it is right for you or not. It will have a great impact on your physical and mental health as well as a profound effect on the way that you feel.
FAQs
What are the benefits of shirshasana?
Shirshasana has many benefits for body and mind. It increases blood circulation, which helps to promote healthy hair, skin and nails. It also gives a deep sense of well-being and helps to boost your overall health.
What is the most important part of shirshasana?
The very important part of shirshasana is to come up right side up, with your head and shoulders back but keep your spine still until you are upright. It is a very important step in the process which will help to get the most out of your practice. Make sure that you do not lose your balance or try to make it easier by using props or doing it on a flat floor. If you do this, it could put unnecessary pressure on your neck and decrease the benefits from this pose.
Are there any side effects of shirshasana?
No, there are no known side effects of doing shirshasana.