Shirshasana is called the king of all asanas for the major benefits it has to offer. Doing Shirshasana every day improves your mental and physical health. It is one of the main poses in Hatha Yoga. The positive effects of Shirshasana can be felt in the whole body.
Doing this posture may sometimes feel like a party trick, but it has so many more benefits. The health benefits of Shirshasana are basically unlimited. This posture has healing properties, but you need to exercise caution while doing it.
If you have a healthy neck and back, then you may get the most benefit from doing this pose.
How to do Shirshasana – Step-by-Step Guide
If you don’t exercise caution by doing Shirshasana, you may get hurt. You need to do it slowly to get the most benefits. Doing it wrong can lead to accidents. Here are the steps to do Shirshasana:
- Start by choosing a calm and quiet place to do the asana.
- Make sure to stay focused on the asana. Kneel down, bend, and bring your head to the yoga mat.
- Shift your body weight towards your lower body, and lift one leg.
- Take your first leg up, and then take your second leg along.
- Rest your hands with your palms folded near the head. Doing this supports your head.
- Make sure your body is as straight as possible. Any small imbalance can cause your body to fall and lead to injury.
- Stay in this position for a couple of seconds.
- Practice breathing slowly in this position.
Variations of Shrishasana
Once you’re comfortable doing the ordinary Shrishasna, you can even try out some variations. After you reach the headstand position, hold your legs horizontally to the floor. Spread your legs wide apart and try to hold the position for as long as possible.
If you’re a beginner, you can practice against the wall to keep you from falling. If you’re using the wall for support, don’t lean on the wall.
Coming Out of The Pose
To get out of Shirshasana, come down slowly by keeping one foot towards the roof. Start lowering the second foot slowly. Be calm and relaxed and be in the position for a few seconds. If you try to come out of the post suddenly, it can put unnecessary strain on your back.
Benefits of Doing Shirshasana
- Relieves Stress
Shirshasana is known as a posture that cools your body. It helps you draw your attention inwards. It is incredibly helpful if you’re having anxiety, stress, fear and other negative thoughts. Breathe long and slow while you’re doing Shirshasana and you’ll be able to relieve additional stress.
- Increases Focus
Helps in increasing your focus. When you’re upside down, it increases the blood flow to your brain. It can improve mental function, and increase focus. Shirshasana is known to clear your mind, keep it sharp and clear.
- Increases Blood Flow to Eyes
When you do Shirshasana, you’ll be sending extra oxygen and blood to your head. It also means that there will be more blood flow to your head. This increased blood flow will prevent macular degeneration and other eye-related issues.
- Increases Blood Flow to the Head and Scalp
When you practice Shirshasana, it sends more blood to your scalp, thus improving nutrient delivery to the scalp. Over time, it improves the quality of your hair, and will help you grow better hair quality.
- Strengthens Shoulders and Arms
As you’ll be holding your entire body in your hands, it will automatically improve the strength of your hands and arms. If you’re looking to improve your upper body strength and muscle endurance, then you can do this post.
- Helps With Digestion
when you’re upside down, the effects of gravity will remove stuck materials from your digestive system, release trapped gases, and improve blood flow to digestive organs. If you focus on your breathing as well during Shirshasana, then it will have double effects.
- Flushes Your Adrenal Gland
Standing upside down will squeeze your adrenal gland and will clean them. These glands are responsible for building stress hormones. The cleaner your adrenal glands are, the better they’ll function. It will help you get rid of stress.
- Decrease Fluid Build-up In Legs, Ankles, and Feet
Fluid build-up in your body can be painful and discomforting. When you stand upside down, it will help in flushing out the built-up fluids in your body, thus relieving the uncomfortable feeling of edema.
- Develops Strength in Core Muscles
Doing a headstand is an awesome way of developing core muscles. You’ll be relying on your core strength to hold your legs up and to keep your balance. Having a strong core makes you more durable and less prone to injury.
- Stimulates Lymphatic System
The lymph system is also known as the garbage dump of the body. This network of nodes removes waste items from your body. When you stand upside down, you’ll be simulating your lymphatic system, and will be able to remove toxins from your body.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While Doing Shirshasana
If you want to avoid getting injured, you need to avoid these common mistakes while doing Shirshasana.
- The hips can go beyond the shoulders, otherwise, you may end up placing your elbows too far from each other.
- The head may land in the wrong posture. Either too far towards the forehead or too far towards the back of the head may hurt your neck in the wrong way.
- You should not do Shirshasana on any hard surface.
- Breathing too quickly or too slow may end up reducing the effects of Shirshasana.
FAQs on Shirshasana
Yes. Shirshasana is good for improving hair health. It can increase the flow of blood to your head and scalp and helps reduce hair fall. It even increases hair growth. That’s not all, it improves the facial complexion.
Beginners should by holding the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Once you become practiced, you can increase the time as per your progress.
Yes. You should. Doing Shirshasana everyday day for 15 minutes can give you endless benefits. According to all Yoga experts, mornings are the best time to perform this asana and get the best results.