Have you ever enjoyed snow up in the hills during winter? Are you caught up due to the low temperature freezing your body? Yoga in winter rescues you so that you can appreciate the natural beauty in the mountains. Here are five reasons to motivate you to roll out a mat for some yoga asanas this winter.
Acclimatizes you to enjoy the snowy mountains
Treks and hikes are an effective way to beat the monotony in life. Breathing exercises and yoga asanas come in handy when you need to acclimatize in the oxygen-deficient mountainous air. No more keeping yourself away from a mountainous adventure this winter when yoga can help you through this.
Maintains your daily activities
With shorter daylight during the winter season and lesser vitality, it becomes difficult to complete daily activities within the given timeframe. Regular yoga practice makes it possible to manage your day. Asanas increase blood circulation in the organ system. Thereby, you feel energized and improve your physical and mental performance.
Keeps your skin supple and soft
Chappy lips, cracked skin, and sometimes even bleeding heels are a few signs of harsh winter winds and dry indoor heat. Yoga practice balances hormones and removes wastes that stagnate your intestines. All this results in supple and soft skin that you often feel like touching.
Ignites your digestive fire
Cool-weather results in a slower metabolism. Yoga makes your digestive system happy when you practice Surya Namaskar and sweat. The heating nature of the yogic practice increases metabolism to assimilate nutrients and burns out waste products (ama). Thus, it removes diseases caused by the imbalance of water, earth, and wind elements in the body.
Manages joint pain
Research says, “Yoga offers a good value addition as a non-pharmacological intervention in joint pain management.” Yoga has proven to be a positive effect on pain relief. Some studies demonstrated that people achieve better muscle strength and stamina as well as steadiness and flexibility after yoga.
Testimonial
Krithika Krishnan, 28, PR Executive, shares, “Sri Sri Yoga worked like magic for my back and shoulder pain. I’m so much stronger and fitter now!”
Final Thoughts
You may be into gyming, running, swimming, and cycling throughout the year, but if you roll out your yoga mat in winter, your medical expenses decrease. All thanks to yoga to keep you in good health.
Based on inputs by Pooja Gupta, Faculty, Sri Sri Yoga
Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s wisdom talks
Written by: Pratibha Sharma
Reference link
Integrated yoga therapy on pain
Related link
Immunity-boosting yoga to fight cough and cold
FAQs on yoga for winters
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’, which means ‘to unite’. Yoga is a 5,000-year-old Indian body of knowledge. Yoga harmonizes the body, breath and mind through pranayamas, yoga asanas (yoga poses) and meditation.
Generally, your appetite increases and you may indulge during festivals and social events in winter. Make yoga your priority to burn calories by practicing specific poses of yoga for winter that engage your core muscles and hip flexors. Like, shoulder stand, boat pose and more.
- Yoga prevents office absenteeism as it safeguards you against cold, cough and viral fever.
- Yoga helps to remove the computer strains on the neck, shoulder and back muscles.
- Office yoga enables you to address better common workplace issues.
Vata dosha is prominent in winter. Practice grounding yogasanas like Hatha Yoga and focus on holding postures to balance vata dosha.
Kapha dosha is prominent in late winter. Practice more heat-generating yoga postures like fast pace Surya Namaskar with the ujjayi breath, plank pose, warrior poses, etc.
