Surya namaskar for Overall Fitness

What is Surya namaskar?

Surya namaskar is also known as ancient sun salutation is a form of yoga which is extremely helpful for body and mind. It has 12 strong and powerful poses which helps in the overall flexibility of the body. In Sanskrit, Surya means sun and namaskar means greeting or salutation. 

In the ancient times, Rishis of India claimed that different parts of our body are controlled by different devas or the divine powers. The solar plexus which is located behind the navel, or the center of a person’s belly is the central part of our body. It is also known as the second brain of our body which is connected to the sun. They believed, practicing Surya Namaskar regularly can enhance these solar plexuses and thereby increases a person’s creative energies and physical abilities

Benefits of Surya namaskar

1. Improves blood circulation: Surya namaskar comprises of breathing modulation while exercising the poses which helps in the oxygenation of all the organs of the body. Exhalation helps in breathing out the toxins from the body. 
2. Great for skin: Series of breathing exercises will keep the oxygen flowing which helps in elasticity of skin and helps the skin breathe. 
3. Improves flexibility: Surya namaskar helps in bringing back the flexibility of the body because of its unique poses. It helps in toning of muscles. 
4. Helps in mental balance: Surya namaskar has meditative results which helps in the proper coordination of nervous system with the rest of the body. 
5. Helps in menstrual flow: Surya namaskar has various poses which works on the muscles and ligaments which are related to menstrual flow. This helps in proper contraction and flexibility of those muscles. It also helps in combating the pain related to period flow. 

The present study reports that Surya namaskar has positive physiological benefits as evidenced by improvement of pulmonary function, respiratory pressures, hand grip strength and endurance, and resting cardiovascular parameters. Surya namaskar must be done in smaller rounds and then work your way up to maximize its benefits! 

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-Written by Sushmita Majumdar