Develop better health, self-confidence, inner peace and stress-free life by imbibing yoga in your daily lifestyle. Yoga is actually a stronger armour for health and happiness than any other things in this mechanical world. It becomes even more important as you age. Doing few yoga asanas and poses everyday can make a world of difference for your well-being. So, it’s smart to invest few minutes in practicing yoga on a daily basis that may make you happiest and healthiest.

Regular yoga helps in maintaining a good body shape, vigour, healthy mind and calm soul. It helps in relieving stress and improves quality of sleep. Yoga is powerful and can be practised by anyone, anywhere and is extremely beneficial to be done in morning time after a long sleep of seven to eight hours. At this time your mind is totally relaxed and responds to movements positively and more effectively. The amazing benefits of countless yoga asanas are many and have also been demonstrated scientifically. It is a real challenge to choose few best among them that can be practised every morning.

As the International Yoga Day is here, let’s take a look at 10 best yoga asanas that may take care of your overall-being.

Chanting ‘Om’ mantra in Padmasana:

Benefits: This asana calms the mind and stretches the knees, ankles, hips, strengthens the spine and the upper back by increasing circulation in spine and pelvis. It can ease menstrual discomfort and distress in female reproductive organs. The chanting of ‘Om’ mantra in lotus pose may purify, liberate and unite the body, mind and soul. It is good to start your yoga schedule.

Caution: Avoid this asana if you have recently suffered from a chronic injury to the knees, ankles or hips.

Surya Namaskar:

Benefits: It can keep you youthful and healthy even in old age. This asana is one of the best ways to start your day fresh. It gives you rock-hard abs, improves digestion, helps you detox, improves flexibility, promotes regular menstrual cycle, tones arms and legs, strengthens the spine, improves weight-loss and one’s overall health.

Caution: Pregnant women, patients of hernia, high blood pressure and backache should not practice this exercise.

Vajrasana:

Benefits: This asana helps in digestion, getting rid of constipation, fights stomach disorder, calms mind, increases blood circulation in body and helps in reducing the hips.

Caution: A person suffering from joint pain, should avoid this asana. People who have any spinal column ailment especially on lower vertebrae should not attempt this pose. Those suffering from hernia, intestinal ulcers and other diseases of small and large intestine should consult an expert before practicing this pose.

Dhanurasana:

Benefits: Dhanurasana strengthens the back and abdominal muscles, stimulates the reproductive organs, opens up the chest, neck and shoulders, tones the legs and the arms, releases stress and fatigue, relieves menstruation discomfort and constipation and helps in curing kidney disorders.

Caution: Patients with heart problems, high blood pressure, hernia, duodenal ulcer, appendicitis, colitis should avoid it.

Trikonasana:

Benefits: This asana is good to burn fat, improve digestion, relieve backache, manage stress, improve mobility of joints of hips, neck and spine, strengthen muscles in thighs, hips and back, provide stamina and balance energy.

Caution: Avoid this asana if you’re suffering from migraine, severe back pain, diarrhoea, high blood pressure, neck or back injury, cervical spondylitis and knee problems.

Natarajasana:

Benefits: Natarajasana rejuvenates and stretches the spine, tones leg muscles, strengthens ankles, reinforces arms, opens and expands chest.

Caution: Avoid doing it if suffered from any knee injuries or in early stages of recovery, use a belt around the foot to hold the leg if stretch is too tough on the shoulder.

Ardha Matsyendrasana:

Benefits: It increases hips and spine flexibility, improves digestion, stimulate heart, kidney, liver, lungs, relieves fatigue, sciatica, backache, menstrual discomfort, clean internal organs and energises the backbone.

Caution: It should be avoided during pregnancy and menstruation. People suffering from heart, abdominal or brain surgeries, hernia or peptic ulcer, severe spinal problems should not practice this asana.

Adho Mukha Svanasana:

Benefits: This asana strengthens abdominal muscles, improves circulation, digestion, tones hands and feet and decreases anxiety.

Caution: Make sure that your bowels and stomach are empty before performing this asana. Avoid practicing it if you’re troubled with high blood pressure, dislocated shoulder, diarrhoea, weak eye capillaries, detached retina or carpel tunnel syndrome. Pregnant women should consult their doctor before doing this asana.

Nadi Shodha Pranayam:

Benefits: This asana is best for purification of blood and respiratory system. Deep breathing improves the blood with oxygen. It gives strength to respiratory organs. It balances the working of nervous system.

Caution: People who have undergone abdominal surgery, heart surgery or brain surgery should consult the medical expert first. Don’t rush to increase the proportions.

Shavasana:

Benefits: It releases stress, fatigue, depression and tension. It calms the mind and improves mental health. Shavasana is good to stimulate blood circulation and relax the whole body.

Caution: Modify it either by keeping the knees bend or hands/cushion under the back and the knee. If you’re pregnant or suffer from acid reflux, keep the head propped up.

It has been proved that the practice of yoga out on a regular basis may mitigate the symptoms of many ailments. If you make it a habit, you’ll feel mentally fresh and physically fit. A lot of health issues can be sorted out with it.

Never do any yoga asana immediately after having food. Give a gap of minimum three hours. Don’t attempt to learn yoga asanas on your own without the guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced instructor.