Practicing certain yoga poses or asanas is an effective way to cool down your body after an intense yoga or exercise session.
A gradual cool-down routine not only offers a good stretch but also keeps your blood circulating and prevents dizziness and lightheadedness.
Importance of cool-down yoga poses
Cool-down yoga poses are important because they allow your body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure to return to their normal state and reduce your chances of muscle stiffness and cramps.
Although your body cools down on its own within a few minutes, doing some yoga asanas can support the process and also offer a variety of mental and physical health benefits.
So, to help you achieve an effective cool-down routine post a hardcore workout, we’ve listed some of the easiest yet most relaxing yoga poses for you to practice. The following poses are simple, relaxing, and can be easily done by all levels of yogis.
5 yoga poses for a cool-down session
Take a look at the five best relaxing yoga poses that you must surely practice after a workout routine:
1. Happy baby pose (Ananda Balasana)
The happy baby pose is another amazing asana that’s great for stretching your body and boosting relaxation after a workout. This yoga pose opens the groins, thighs, and hips and eases lower back pain as well.
To do:
- Lie down flat on your back with your head straight and knees bent towards your chest at a 90-degree angle.
- Make sure the soles of your feet are facing up towards the ceiling.
- Now reach forward and grab the inside of your feet while stretching them towards your armpits. Make sure to keep your knees as apart as you can.
- Once you’ve grabbed your feet, rock your body from side to side and keep on breathing deeply.
2. Supine spinal twist pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)
The supine spinal twist is one of the most effective cool-down yoga poses that offers a gentle stretch to the chest, obliques, and glutes. This pose improves spinal mobility and also counteracts the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
To do:
- Lie down on your back with your legs extended straight. Place your hands on the sides.
- Now bend your left knee and draw it into your chest while rotating slowly and bringing your left knee across your body towards the floor.
- From there, extend your arms straight at your shoulder level in a T-position and turn your head to the left.
- Return to the start. Repeat and switch sides.
3. Child’s pose (Balasana)
The child pose is one of the most relaxing yoga poses you can do after a hectic and intense workout session. It offers a good stretch to the hips, shoulders, neck, thighs, ankles and back.
To do:
- Take a kneeling position and keep the tops of your feet pressed into the floor. Make sure your toes are touching and your knees are wider than your hip width.
- Now slowly hinge forward at your hips and stretch your spine and arms forward. Rest your head on the floor and place your arms straight in front of you. Alternatively, you can also place your hands on the sides with your palms facing up.
- Stay in the position and relax.
4. Butterfly pose (Baddha Konasana)
The butterfly pose is one of the best hip-opening yoga poses you can do to ease stiffness and pain in your hips. This pose also improves flexibility, reduces strain, and is ideal for people who have sitting jobs.
To do:
- Start in a seated position with your knees bent on the sides and the soles of your feet together.
- Interlace your fingers and wrap them around your feet. You can also simply place your hands on your shins or ankles.
- Now lengthen your spine and open your chest and hold the position. To deepen the stretch, apply gentle pressure on your knees using your hands.
5. Corpse pose (Savasana)
The corpse pose is among the best calming yoga poses that relax the nervous system and allow you to wind down. Though it is a simple resting pose, it offers a great sense of relaxation and calmness.
To do:
- Lie down on your back with your arms slightly away from your body and your legs extended straight.
- Relax your shoulder muscles and head and breathe naturally.
- Close your eyes and stay in the position for a few minutes.
Cool-down yoga poses are the best way to recover and relax your muscles and return your mind and body to a calm state. Try the aforementioned poses in a sequence after your next workout session to attain relaxation and stretching benefits.
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