The word sirsasana is a word in Sanskrit. It is made up of two words, “sirsa,” meaning “head,” and “asana,” meaning “pose.” The word can translate to mean “headstands pose.” There are many health benefits of sirsasana as it is one of the asanas of yoga.
Sirsasana, commonly known as the Headstand, is an advanced yoga pose with numerous physical and mental benefits. This challenging asana requires strength, balance, and determination to master, but the rewards are worth every minute of practice.
The physical benefits of sirsasana yoga include improved circulation, increased lymphatic drainage, strengthened core muscles, and improved alignment throughout the body. On the mental side, sirsasana can reduce anxiety and stress, improve concentration, boost energy levels, and create feelings of vitality and joy. With time and practice, a consistent pose of a Headstand can help cultivate a more balanced and positive outlook on life. This asana has known as the ‘king of all yoga postures.’
It originated in India and has practiced in various forms for thousands of years. An 1893 Sanskrit text, Yogatattva Upanishad, mentions the pose to obtain higher consciousness and spiritual connection. Even today, headstands remain popular among advanced practitioners as they combine physical strength and mental focus. Regular practice can increase the body’s power, flexibility, and clarity of the mind while instilling a sense of lightness and ease.
There are many exciting benefits of sirsasana yoga. The top 12 discussed below will surely motivate you to practice this asana daily to keep your body healthy.
1. Relieves Stress
Sirsasana, or Headstand, is an inversion pose in yoga, and the benefits of sirsasana include reducing stress and anxiety. Inverting the body helps relieve tension and stress by improving circulation, relaxing the nervous system, and increasing energy flow. Additionally, the practice of Sirsasana encourages you to be more mindful. It helps to reduce the mental and emotional stress which most of us experience in our routine life. Practicing Sirsasana can help you promote well-being, relaxation, and stillness.
2. Removes Dark Circles And Reduces Strains From the Neck
Sirsasana stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands, which increases blood flow through the neck and head area, including the eyes. This helps to improve circulation to the eyes, decreasing eye strain and allowing them to relax. This can also reduce dark circles, eventually forming in the eyes through a lack of circulation and oxygen. Furthermore, increased circulation carries oxygen to the cells, promoting overall eye health. It also helps you to improve neck posture, reducing tension and strain caused by activities just like extended sitting in front of a TV.
3. Helps To Keep the Brain Healthy
Sirsasana is one of the most essential yoga poses for the brain, as it helps improve your brain functions, health, and energy levels. It brings fresh, oxygen-rich, and nutrient-rich blood to your head and brain, supports better concentration and mental clarity, decreases stress, and helps with lymphatic drainage, which is vital for detoxifying the body and removing toxins. Additionally, when performing sirsasana, your body is inverted, and your blood pressure has naturally lowered. This blood pressure reduction helps reduce headaches and increase stress levels, giving a person more clarity of mind and relaxation, thus helping to keep the brain healthy and balanced.
4. Strengthen Your Arms and Shoulders
Sirsasana yoga, or Headstand, is an inversion pose requiring significant body strength and control. By bearing your body weight, you are strengthening your arms and shoulders due to the weight you are supporting with your arms. Even more than that, the shoulder muscles are activated to stabilize your body while upside down. The pressure on the shoulders helps to strengthen your shoulder muscles and build strength in the arms.
To get into the pose safely, you must engage your core and abdominal muscles to keep your body in the correct alignment. Additionally, keeping your body steady in posture requires the active engagement of the arm muscles, which helps build strength. Over time, with regular practice of Sirsasana, you will experience strengthened and toned shoulder and arm muscles.
5. Facilitates Digestion
The benefits of Sirsasana also include improved Digestion. This posture helps to stimulate your digestive system by reversing blood circulation. By changing the blood flow from head to stomach, this pose brings fresh oxygen to the digestive organs and helps to reduce stagnation.
Sirsasana also helps to promote Digestion by calming the nervous system, which, when in balance, reduces stress and helps optimize digestive functioning. Additionally, Sirsasana stretches and tones the entire abdominal area, helping to improve the elimination process. Finally, the inverted posture helps to move the contents of the gastrointestinal tract, encouraging food movement through the digestive system.
6. Stimulates The Adrenal Gland
Sirsasana has thought to help stimulate the adrenal glands in several ways. During the sirsasana, the head has placed below the heart, that causes an increase in blood move to the area, which can result in a surge of endorphins and other hormones released by the adrenal glands. This can also stimulate your pituitary gland, which can further stimulate the adrenal gland. Additionally, due to the increased energy and focus that is associated with headstands, this can help to improve your energy levels and help the body to handle stressful situations better.
7. Healthy Hair Growth
Your hair also gets the benefits of sirsasana. It stimulates your scalp and hair follicles, improving head circulation and hair growth. Holding your head in the inverted position on the Headstand for a few minutes daily can help increase blood flow and oxygen around the scalp, nourishing the hair follicles. This, in turn, encourages healthy hair growth. Doing headstands regularly can also help you to slow down and even prevent hair loss.
8. Drain Lymphatic System
Sirsasana (Headstand) can help to stimulate your lymphatic system. When practicing this pose, you should be careful of breath and pay attention to your body and the sensations you may feel while maintaining the posture. As you reach the end of the posture, you may feel increase in your body temperature and a more significant release of toxins and lymphatic fluid. Additionally, the inversions present in Sirsasana help to promote greater blood flow to the glands responsible for draining the lymphatic system, which helps to stimulate the cleansing action of the lymphatic system.
9. Treat Insomnia
It may sound like an exaggeration, but sirsasana or Headstand can help treat Insomnia. This inverted yoga posture involves supporting the body with the arms. At the same time, your head and shoulders remain in contact with the floor. Although it may initially seem uncomfortable, sirsasana’s pressure on the neck and face can be very calming and help relieve body tension.
In addition, it has believed to stimulate the pituitary gland, which assists with regulating hormones, helping to improve overall sleep quality. Inverting the body may also boost circulation, supporting a better night’s rest. Awareness of pre-existing medical conditions is essential, as this pose can be dangerous when practiced incorrectly.
10. Spiritual Benefits of Sirsasana
There are many spiritual benefits of sirsasana, along with physical and mental benefits. It is known to open the upper chakras, allowing higher energy levels to flow. Physically, it helps to stretch and strengthen your body while providing a good circulation of blood to the brain. Practicing Sirsasana can also enhance concentration and focus and help bring clarity and peace of mind.
Some more benefits include better lymphatic drainage, improved posture, decreased water retention, and a more robust sense of well-being. On an emotional level, the Headstand helps to bring calm and peace. It can help to reduce tensions that one may have been subconsciously carrying. On a spiritual level, the Headstand brings a sense of balance and grounding that can help uplift the spirit.
11. Strengthen Core Muscles
Sirsasana, or Headstand, strengthens your arms, shoulders, and core muscles. It consists of supporting the body with the arms while lifting the feet off the ground and then shifting the body weight onto the top of the head. This requires effective engagement and strengthening of the core muscles, including the transverse abdominals, deep hip rotators, oblique, and erector spine. Practicing sirsasana regularly can help build strength, awareness, stability, and balance.
12. Best Yoga Asana For Face
The benefits of sirsasana for face include:
Improved complexion: Doing Sirsasana can help improve your complexion, as the increased blood flow and oxygen to your face help nourish and heal your skin.
Reduced wrinkles: Regular practice can help reduce wrinkles and age spots on your face. It also helps tighten loose skin, giving it a firmer and smoother look.
Glowing skin: The increased blood flow and oxygen help produce collagen and elastin, essential for healthy and glowing skin.
Strengthened muscles: This pose helps strengthen the facial muscles, giving you a more youthful and alert look.
Reduced stress: Practicing Sirsasana can help reduce stress and tension in your face, leading to a more relaxed and refreshing look.
People might have concerns and queries about performing sirsasana. Let’s discuss a few of them here.
It is best to practice Sirsasana in the morning (ideally after your practice) or before bed. Avoid doing it in the afternoon, as your body may be tired and less able to benefit from the posture. It is also important to avoid practicing Sirsasana after eating or drinking, as it can cause nausea or discomfort.
How To Do Sirsasana?
Begin with your hands and knees on a yoga mat or other stable surface. Place a clean towel or folded blanket on the mat.
Place your forearms and wrists approximately shoulder-width apart, with your hands positioned in front of your shoulders. Lower the tops of your feet to the floor and push your outer arms inward.
Curl your toes under, and carefully lift your hips up and back. Walk your feet toward your shoulders a few steps and press the tops of your feet and thighs into the floor.
Engage your core and slowly begin to lift your legs toward the ceiling. You can use your core and gluteal muscles to help lift your legs. As your legs come up, press your feet and the top of your legs into the floor.
Gently walk your feet closer to your head, straightening your legs as you go. Once your legs are straight, press the crown of your head into your mat.
Conclusion – Benefits Of Sirsasana
The Benefits of Sirsasana are numerous. It is an excellent asana or pose for strengthening the core muscles and opening the heart to greater peace and relaxation. It can reduce stress, improve posture, and aid in preventing back pain and other chronic conditions. This posture has also positively affected Digestion, boosted energy, and increased lung capacity. Additionally, the quieting of the mind associated with the elevated body position can bring clarity of thought, inner stillness, and peace. With mindful practice, Sirsasana can be a powerful tool for cultivating a sense of contentment and well-being.
Henry Scott is a seasoned blog post author with a focus on sports science. With a Master’s degree in Sports Science and 11 years of writing experience, Henry is a treasure trove of knowledge, offering unparalleled insights into sports management, medicine, nutrition, and psychology.
Henry Scott is a seasoned blog post author with a focus on sports science. With a Master’s degree in Sports Science and 11 years of writing experience, Henry is a treasure trove of knowledge, offering unparalleled insights into sports management, medicine, nutrition, and psychology.
