Tempted to buy expensive or special conditioners, shampoos or serums? All of us are crazy about long and shiny hair that can hold the highlights and the orbs. Given today’s lifestyle and habits, we have to work hard to hold on to those thin strands that make guest appearances as we age. But, hey, all is not lost in paradise. We can age gracefully and still have our long tresses with some effort on our part. We need to focus on the right asanas for getting the most of our overall health and fitness. And, yes, with the help of the yoga asanas below, it is 100% possible to promote hair growth, and reduce the hair loss we are experiencing.
Prevent Hair Loss and Promote Hair Growth with these Yoga Asanas
Let us take stock of the basic types of yoga asanas and how to do them. The following we need to practice, to get the best hair days. The asanas that will help with the hair growth and prevent hair loss are very simple and easy to do. These are everyday asanas with a whole lot of other benefits, but, the main thing they address is hair generation. Let us briefly take a look at the method of doing these asanas. Also, we will discuss the best times to do them. Let us see the way they will benefit the person who practices it, everyday, diligently.
Here are the best asanas to practice for hair growth and reducing hair loss:
1. Kapalabhati
3. Balasana
4. Vipareetha Karni
5. Uttanasana
6. Vajrasana
(For other types of asanas to practice for a holistic and magnetic personality, check this post. And for yoga asanas and mudras to help reduce acidity and aid digestion, go here.)
1. Kapalabhati
The Kapalabhati is a mode of Pranayama, which focuses on the exhalation , with enough speed and aggression. The benefit of this mode of pranayama is that when we practice it, it expels the toxins that have been accumulated in the system since ages. This pushes toxins out of the lungs, the body and the entire system. Then there is no reason for the toxins to be part of our health system, at all. This is one of the most important pranayama series in the yoga system. The real meaning of the pranayama is shining skull.
This name conveys to us that as we practice this relentlessly, for a specific time period and at a specific time everyday, we establish it to be a habit. This will make sure that it is an integral part of our yoga asana practice. There are evidences all over history, of people( both men and women ) religiously practicing the Kapalabhati, and then realizing suddenly that their tresses have grown in length in amazing ways, unimaginable to others…..
The length of the hair is not gender-specific. Anyone who is into doing this pranayama everyday, sticking to the same timeframe diligently, and with the same length if not more, will benefit abundantly.
2. Adho Mukha Svanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana is also called The Downward Dog pose. This yoga asana is a great corrective for the spine, the upper back, the biceps and the hamstrings, the head as well. In short, it is a perfect amalgamation of all the exercises benefiting all parts of the body, in a cohesive whole. Women and men of all ages can all practice this asana. The continuous practice of this yoga helps with ailments that affect the arms, the calf muscles and the shoulder. This asana helps mainly with another aspect- of stopping hair fall, or even helping the hair grow. Consequently, this asana is great in addressing the body and the hair.
First of all, we need to sit in Sukhasana pose. Next, we go into the cat and camel pose. From the cat and camel pose, the next step is to get the knees off the floor, and directly transition into the Adhomukha Svanasana. The Downward Dog position is a very core strengthening asana. We need to stay here for two rounds of inhalation and exhalation. The Adhomukha Svanasana is a great asana for all ailments that affect the shoulders, the biceps, the calf muscles and the hamstrings and issues related to hair fall as well. The effect is there in a dramatic manner- visibly speaking. Very quickly, you will notice this yoga asana reduces hair loss and promotes hair growth!
3. Balasana
The Balasana, literally translates to – Baby Asana. This asana is relatively easy to do. It brings out the baby in us, so to say. The pose is easy to arrive at. There are many ways to do it, and here is one such: First, sit in the Sukhasana pose. From here, slowly bend forward, and arrive at the Cat and Camel position. This is one of the most relaxing asanas. Most people can practice it – irrespective of their ailments. From the Cat and Camel pose, slowly, bring your knees down. Then stretch your hands in the front, on the floor.
Then, from here, just lie still, but, with your knees bent, and your head touching the floor. This looks like a baby in repose, or the resting baby pose. This asana is very relaxing. After a long day, this asana helps you get back strength and energy. Consequently, this brings a happy state of mind as well. This asana’s greatest benefit is to stimulate the hair follicles in the head by activating them when we bend our head and lie down. In this manner, the hair growth mode is activated and the hair fall mode is arrested. This asana has benefits for the physical body (the hands stretch, the upper back and the lower back stretch and the abdomen also stretches).
4. Vipareetha Karni
The Vipareetha Karni is actually a mudra in yogic language, but assumes the status of an asana by itself. Many people confuse this asana with a Shirasasana, which is the Headstand. However, there’s a lot of difference between a Vipareetha Karni and a Shirasasana. In the Vipareetha Karni mode, our torso rests on the floor or the ground. The legs alone are raised. While the legs may be raised without any support, with some props we can be sure to do the same asana with more effect. In the case of the Vipareetha Karni, which means opposite mode or opposite pose, literally, the body is subjected to the anti- gravity mode.
Once in this asana or position, the anti-gravity status affects the working of the body in a positive manner. For as long as we are in the position, the blood flow is also in the opposite direction. That means, the blood flows in the opposite direction, towards the head. This enables the nutrients and the focus and the attention to go towards the head as well. This means the hair, too. As blood flows towards the scalp, the head and the hair – hair growth happens naturally and hair loss is greatly reduced. This is a go-to asana for good and quick hair growth, if done diligently, for a few minutes, at least once a day.
5. Uttanasana
This asana appears easy and simple, but no… ! To perfect the Uttanasana pose, you must practice consistently. For example, we recommend practicing this asana everyday. The first step is to stand straight, as one would, in a typical Tadasana pose. From here, slowly raise your arms, with the palms facing the sky or the ceiling. From here, continue to raise the arms. Stretch them on the side, like long wings.
As you take your arms up, go to the highest point up, link your hands and turn them to invert the clasp. Inhale throughout this process. Now, slowly exhale, and then bring your arms down, simultaneously bending forward as you exhale, and then take the hands towards the feet, and hold on to the ankle, for support. Initially the knees need not be locked- this facilitates easy movement of the torso to be in alignment with the lower part of the body, the legs.
The ideal state would be – at this point , to be in this state for a stretch of time, such as three breaths, which is a series of inhalation and exhalation or stay here for about two to three minutes. In this asana, the head is lowered, and the head literally touches the legs, which is a downward state. The blood flow will hasten towards the head in this state. This is tan important first step towards practice of exercises or asanas related to stopping of hair fall, or facilitating hair growth. If you do this asana very religiously, adhering to the timeframe, the time length one stays in that state, the blood flow is directed towards the scalp and the head compulsorily, for a few minutes everyday without fail, and this helps us in our journey towards a hairfall-free life.
6. Vajrasana
The Vajrasana is the simplest of all asanas in the entire plethora of asanas, and is easily the most powerful one, as it hits the bull’s eye spot-on! Vajrasana is also called the Thunderbolt position, and thunderbolt it is! This asana can bring electrifying changes in the digestive system, facilitating a dramatic make-over of our physical body. This is not an asana, but a state of being seated. In this, first we have to be seated in the sukhasana or the normal squatting position. (Incidentally, did you know that in India, China and the other countries of the Far East, the Sukhasana is a way of life? When people sit on the ground, or the floor, on a small towel, or a carpet or a mat, they sit in a very normal, sukhasana or the swastikasana pose, quite normally, as if it is inherently a very ordinary state of sitting?)
From the Sukhasana, slowly, bend forward. This is a Cat and Camel look-alike state. From here, take the legs and bend them under the butt. Then sit on the bent legs in an easy manner. This is also the state where the same things such as pranayama that we do while in Sukhasana can be done. All we need to do is to be in this state for a considerable stretch of time.
The Vajrasana Yoga Asana Benefits the Digestive Systems, Prevents Hair Loss, and Promotes Hair Growth
When one sits in this position, they will feel positive effects on their digestive system. The bowels move with more ease; the blocks are eased and the abdomen starts to function in a very normal manner. When the gut is in an excellent state, the next visible area where the gut’s state is felt, is in the state of the hair. This immediately stops hair fall, enhances hair growth. Stay in this kneeled position for sometime, with the palms placed on the thighs , and then our spine erect and our vision straight.
Tips that make it a ‘hair-rising’ experience!
Not everyone is lucky to have genes that give us great looking hair, naturally. It is here that we need to take the dictates of the ancient seers and the sages seriously, for their advice is but a time- tested one. Therefore, when we start to practice the asanas in a diligent mode, in the most focused manner, ensuring that the practice is never interrupted by small obstructions, then we are working towards our ultimate objective- to have those beautiful, shiny tresses.
These asanas can be practiced in any order or sequence everyday, for best results. There are no side effects or contraindications for these asanas, even if we go overboard one day, doing more than what we have charted in our timetable. The end result of asanas is always a positive one. It is to our benefit that when we intend improving the state of our hair by these asanas, the other areas such as the biceps, the triceps, the upper back, the lower back, the hamstrings the calf muscle and the digestive tract also improve on the side.
The result is a shining newly minter YOU, because of the time and the intent invested in ourselves.
If you are still contemplating which style of yoga is best for you and what benefits each of them offers, check this post.