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10 minutes of Sun Salutation a day has significantly impacted my overall health for years�
Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar is a sequence of yoga poses (asanas) I’ve been practicing for years. I spoke to a yoga expert to learn more about its benefits, and there are so many.
There are different forms of yoga – something for everyone. Surya Namaskar is a Sanskrit phrase that translates to Sun Salutation or Saluting The Sun. The series of poses may look intimidating for a beginner, but you’ll find your body and mind become one with the asanas with time and regular practice.
10 minutes of Sun Salutation changed my life
I wouldn’t dwell on the specific poses or asanas involved in the practice as they are best learned from a Yoga teacher or by watching tutorials by trained practitioners. Instead, I want to talk about its impact on my overall health.
I was in my early ’20s when backache became a persistent issue. I tried a number of exercises – running, aerobics, cycling, and swimming – but nothing helped relieve the pain.
Then, I learned about Surya Namaskar from my best friend’s mother – an ardent yoga practitioner herself. I wouldn’t lie the first days were challenging as I put my body and mind to the test and I almost gave up when the contact ache in my body overpowered the power of yoga.
I started to enjoy it more with time and regular practice for changes in me became evident. As well as the physical strength, Sun Salutation also brought me peace, and it became easier to focus on daily tasks after engaging in as little as ten minutes of Surya Namaskar to repeat the complete series a few times.
I noticed I sweat more within a few times of Sun Salutation, compared to jogging or cycling. Most importantly, my back became stronger and more flexible, so I didn’t experience discomfort from sitting in the same position for a prolonged time.
Practicing Surya Namaskar at the beginning of the day is just as important as my morning dose of coffee and it’s helped me through tough times when I couldn’t trust my mind and body. It’s made me more disciplined about my diet and sleep. It’s the best self-care I could have ever discovered.
Expert weighs in on its benefits
Yoga Expert and founder of Pathak Yoga, Bassanti Pathak, told The Focus that Sun Salutation comes with several mental and physical benefits.
Physical benefits:
In addition to strengthening your muscles and increasing your flexibility, Surya Namaskar is good for your immunity and all your organs, according to the yoga expert.
“Because of the alternating compression and stretching of the abdomen, it strengthens your digestive system and also helps with the metabolism as it regulates any digestive dysfunction you might have,” she explained
It’s believed to “massage your inner organs (liver, intestines, kidneys, spleen), strengthen your abdomen to keep your organs in place, and eliminate blood congestion.”
Sun Salutation further “heightens your heart rate to facilitate blood circulation, improves blood quality, and helps an efficient gas exchange. It lowers chronic high blood pressure and heart palpitations and it warms your extremities.” Bassanti says it’s good for your skin and works against hair loss because of increased oxygenated blood to your head.
She further added: “It keeps your spine elastic and your back supple, so it’s beneficial for people who suffer from scoliosis and those who wear high heels a lot. It can regulate your thyroid through compression of the throat.”
Mental Benefits
The yoga teacher said: “Through stretching and strengthening of the spine, regulating the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system sparks it into action in a safe and controlled way so that – with a balanced approach towards recovery – Surya Namaskar will help your parasympathetic nervous system work better, which can help with insomnia and sleep issues.”
Owing to the effect it can have on the autonomic nervous system, the yoga practice can be of great benefit if you suffer from depression and anxiety, says Bassanti.
Bassanti Pathak is the CEO of Pathak Yoga, a London-based corporate wellbeing services provider. Having learned yoga from her father at the age of four, Bassanti and her sister Mira combine the ancient art with the latest scientific research to inform their classes.
Before becoming a full-time yoga teacher, Bassanti worked as a banker, film producer, and screenwriter. She was educated at Bonn, Harvard and Clark.
