SUMMERTIME ASANAS

DURING HOTTER MONTHS, IT IS BETTER TO PRACTISE YOGA EITHER AT DUSK OR AT DAWN

Janusirsasan: Every yogi

■ knows that at the end of their asana routine, the best way to cool off is perhaps by practising janusirsasana. It immediately switches on the parasympathetic nervous system and so the body begins to cool off.

Padhastasana: It is an easy

■ asana, as you don’t really need to warm up. Just by dropping your body forward, you will be relaxing your nervous system, and reducing your body heat.

Merudandasana: The spine

■ allows you to relax deeply, thereby once again moving from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous system activation. This helps you to cool off.

Ardha matsyendrasana: A

■

complete side twist that helps relax you deeply. It’s

great after a yoga or exercise routine and also at anytime (morning or evening) when your stomach is not full.

Shavasana:

Shavasana along with deep breathing relaxes the nervous system more than any other yogasana. And, this instantly brings downo body temperature.

■ Left nostril breathing: Close your right nostril and breathe through the left nostril. Slowly the parasympathetic nervous system activates and this causes adrenaline to be reduced, thinking becomes calmer, heart rate slows and so body temperature drops.

Sheetkari pranayama: It is

■ one of the most effective yoga techniques to beat the heat. Join your teeth, open your lips and draw in an inhalation. As the air passes through your spit, it cools down and hence as it enters your body it cools it from inside. Exhale out through the nose. In about five minutes, the body temperature drops. This is one of the most effective yoga techniques to beat the heat.