Surya Namaskar Benefits - Significance and Side effects

Surya Namaskar benefits us in many ways that we cannot often imagine. However, if you remember, there are exactly 12 poses of Surya Namaskar that alone can bring a huge change in your spirit, body and mind.

Don’t believe it?

Why not try it out for yourself?

Before we venture out into the overall benefits, we must try and find out more about the 12 poses of Surya Namaskar and how each Surya Namaskar position would help you in different ways.

Guess the number of calories burnt from performing one round of Surya Namaskar lasting near a 10-minute?

You burn exactly 139 calories in one round, which is more than what you burn by performing one round of swimming. Calories burnt in Surya Namaskar when you do it 12 times, each of a 10 minutes span x 12 rounds coming to 120 minutes that is 2 hours in a day.

a) Benefit of Pose 1 and 12: Tadasana

1) Helps in returning balance to your body.

2) Stimulation of the respiratory system is promoted by the Tadasana

3) The back, shoulder and the neck muscles are exercised.

b) Benefits of Pose 2 (and 11): Urdhva Hastasana

1) It facilitates digestion and digestive system.

2) It exercises the arms and the shoulder muscles.

3) It strengthens and tones the spine.

4) Back and hip become more flexible.

c) Benefits of Pose 3 (and 10): Padahastasana

1) It helps the blood circulation process.

2) Abdominal tracts are toned using the Padahastasana

3) Back and leg muscles are stretched

4) Spinal nerves and lymphatic systems are stimulated.

d) Benefits of Pose 4 (and 9): Ashwa Sanchalanasana

1) Spine gets a firm message.

2) Hand and wrist muscles are strengthened.

e) Benefits of Pose 5 (and 8): Parvatasana

1) It strengthens the circulatory system and the heart.

2) The wrist and the arm muscles are also strengthened immensely.

3) Neck and shoulder stress is relieved.

f) Benefits of Pose 6: Ashtanga Namaskar

1) Leg and arm muscles are strengthened.

2) Flexibility of neck and shoulders increases along with relief of tension from them.

3) Arms get stretched during the process along with the shoulder, back and neck muscles.

4) It also exercises the back muscles.

g) Benefits of Pose 7: Bhujangasana

1) Circulation to the digestive system is increased.

2) Digestive tract gets toned.

3) Upper and lower body is stretched.

4) Flexibility of the back is promoted.

5) Nerves in the spine are stimulated.

h) Pose 8 through 12:

It is often the repletion of the earlier poses so their benefits also get repeated.

Also See: All Surya Namaskar Mantras with Meanings

Let us look at the overall benefits of Surya Namaskar

Benefits of Surya Namaskar Yoga in humans can be definitely felt by those who often aspire to have a gleaming skin and also try to lose weight with immeasurable unhealthy means. But, if you can just hold back your disbeliefs, I must tell you that the ancient world links you to a process of healthy living. Surya Namaskar is one way to achieve a glowing skin and the unnecessary fat in your body also would come down with this particular exercise.

Let us have a look at the general overall benefits of Surya Namaskar,

1) You can lose weight easily

If you can get a hold of the various steps, slowly you would be capable of increasing the speed of Surya Namaskar. Surya Namaskar Yoga for weight loss is quite renowned and it would help you lose weight comfortably. Your abdominal muscles are stretched outwards and thus your belly can comfortably shred weight, thus benefiting you, by improving your metabolism.

2) A glowing skin is a perpetual promise.

The blood circulation to your face is increased immeasurably. Surya Namaskar benefits for skin and face to have a radiant glow could be accompanied by lesser formation of wrinkles and Crow’s feet. Early ageing of your skin would be prevented through Surya Namaskar. Obtain good results by performing the Surya Namaskar every day.

3) You can vouch for your digestive system

It allows smooth functioning of your digestive system by enhancing the blood flow to your digestive tract, and by helping the intestines perform better. When you do the forward pose it increases the abdominal space on the inside allowing the release of excess gas stored in the digestive system.

4) Menstrual Cycle is regularized

Menstrual cycle becomes less painful, there is a stronger abdominal muscle and the exercise allows the lessening of the fat from the ovaries and uterus, thus making them more active.

5) Blood sugar level comes down easily

Surya Namaskar benefits blood sugar level stays at bay, since the frequent expansion and contraction of the stomach exercises the pancreas that leads to the stimulation of the pancreatic cells responsible for the blood sugar level.

6) Anxiety is cleared or improved

It helps improve memory, it can aid you calm down and thus clears anxiety. The adrenal glands get a perfect message and thus, anxiety clears off.

7) It helps in body detoxification

Your body detoxifies very well through a more empowered inhalation and exhalation process. Lungs do get a lot of air and are appropriately ventilated with the fresh rush of blood and oxygen passing through the respiratory system. It helps the body get rid of carbon dioxide and other toxic and gaseous substances.

8) Insomniacs can definitely sleep well.

If in the middle of the night you feel like you need to sleep, since you have not slept ever since you put your head on the pillow, get up and do the Surya Namaskar once or twice. Surya Namaskar benefits include ensuring a good sleep and you would feel more and more energetic.

Also see: Significance of Bhanu Saptami

Surya Namaskar Side-effects

Performing the postures well is an extremely important responsibility, if you want to keep away from the Surya Namaskar side effects. Take more care of your neck; do not suddenly begin the exercise before warming up your body.

1. a) Neck injury could come up if you do not take care while performing the second posture.
2. b) Do not randomly stretch your back muscles too much and don’t bend down too randomly.
3. c) Try to spread the pressure on your palm instead of putting pressure on your fingers while performing the fourth posture.
4. d) Do not touch the ground with your abdomen and do not place your hips very high up in the air during the fifth pose.

People who must not attempt Surya Namaskar

Disadvantages of Surya Namaskar are often more for people and must not be done by those people who have the below problems.

• Spine problems
• Pregnant women after the second month.
• People who have kidney stones or suffer from any grade of chronic kidney disease.
• People who have undergone open heart surgeries in the recent past.
• People who have hernia and yet to operate it.
• People who suffer from appendicitis and have not performed the appendectomy yet.
• People who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for any form of cancer, brain tumour and other such debilitating diseases must abstain from performing such a heavy exercise.

Surya Namaskar postures ensure an overall growth and development of your body. It ensures your body functions better under stress; it helps you strengthen your bones, back and also makes you stronger internally- both mentally and spiritually. Apart from performing the Surya Namaskar, ensure you bathe daily in cold water that can ensure your entire body’s cells are charged completely. Before you do it in the morning you must try to bathe in cold water or even tap water can work. You can also rub your body with the sweat that flows out of your body; this makes your skin glow and also helps to retain a lot of energy. Do not drink water, more than the body needs, follow your thirst and also intake 10% extra water. Benefits of Surya Namaskar Yoga are many and you need to explore the various steps of Surya Namaskar to know it.