Do you feel a little bit blocked? These yoga poses for constipation gently massage your digestive tract, so you can bid farewell to constipation.
Constipation, which is characterized by having fewer than three bowel movements per week, hard, dry stools, and painful or challenging stools, affects a lot of people. 16 out of 100 adults and 33 out of 100 people over 60 have the condition, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Keep reading and find below 11 yoga poses to relieve your constipation.
Table of Contents
Yoga for Constipation
- 1. Sukhasana (Easy Seat)
- 2. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
- 3. Matsyendrasana (Seated Supine Twist)
- 4. Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
- 5. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
- 6. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- 7. Malasana (Yogi Squat)
- 8. Marjariasana (Cat-Cow)
- 9. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
- 10. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
- 11. Ardha Pawanmuktasana (Half Gas Release Pose)
1. Sukhasana (Easy Seat)
Get into it: if possible, sit cross-legged on the ground. In order to increase your level of comfort while performing this posture, you can also use a yoga block, bolster, or blanket. To open your chest and increase the area of your diaphragm, place the palms of your hands on your knees. Eyes closed, concentrate on your breathing. Make a conscious effort to fill your lungs completely with air by inhaling through your nose for a count of four. When you gently exhale through your nose, make sure to push the air out of your belly and hold your breath for a count of two at the top. Eight to ten times should pass after this breath.
How it helps: Your central nervous system can be calmed by directing your intention toward your breath. You won’t be able to poop by worrying about not being able to do it. Exhaling through the belly will also aid in stimulating the intestines.
Read More: How To Do Easy Pose In Yoga?
2. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
Get into it: Place both of your legs straight out in front of you while sitting on the floor or the edge of a folded blanket. Exhale slowly as you gently fold yourself over your legs after taking a deep breath in and raising your arms overhead. Hinging at the hips is the correct way to do this. Hold onto your feet, ankles, or shins while gently pushing yourself only as far as your flexibility will allow.
How it helps: The forward fold while seated reduces anxiety and improves blood flow to the brain. Along with gently stimulating your stomach and intestines, folding your legs over works to stimulate your liver and kidneys, which helps with digestion.
3. Matsyendrasana (Seated Supine Twist)
Get into it: In the same manner as in the Seated Forward Fold, start with your legs straight in front of you. Draw a deep breath in as you tuck your right knee into your chest, keeping your right foot firmly planted on the ground. Put your right hand behind you for support as you lengthen your spine. As you exhale, turn to bring your left elbow across your body so that it either rests on or is just outside of your right knee.
How it helps: Twists work wonders for GI tract stimulation. Twists also help to increase blood flow to this area of the body, which encourages the bowel movements that are required to relieve constipation.
4. Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
Get into it: On your back, flatten yourself out to start. Hugging your knees or shins with your arms, inhale deeply and bring both knees to your chest. After a few breaths, hold this position and then slowly release.
How it helps: Another posture that is excellent for massaging the abdomen and aiding in the release of trapped gas is the wind-relieving pose. You’ll probably get winded, as its name implies. Practice this posture in private for added comfort.
5. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Get into it: Sit on a block or place your heels on the ground and get down on all fours to start. Keep your feet tucked under you with your big toes touching, and allow your knees to open slightly beyond hip-distance. Take a deep breath in, then bend forward and relax into the position. Continue holding your hands out in front of you, bringing your fingertips closer to your forehead until they are touching the mat. Stay relaxed and keep taking deep breaths.
How it helps: The Child’s Pose is a highly therapeutic position that promotes relaxation and CNS control. Additionally, by massaging your body’s internal organs, this posture helps to promote bowel movement.
- Related Post: Benefits Of Child’s Pose
6. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Get into it: Lay flat on your stomach with your toes pointed out at the beginning. Put both of your palms on your mats in a straight line with your shoulders. Activate the muscles in your legs and abdominals by pressing through your palms.. Allow your gaze to avert to the ceiling as you lift your chin just a little. Hold this position for five to seven breaths while taking gentle breaths.
How it helps: Gas is a side effect of constipation. You can pass flatulence with ease and style by stretching your abdominal muscles and digestive organs in the cobra pose.
7. Malasana (Yogi Squat)
Get into it: Start by standing with your feet just wider than your hips. Just enough toe spread will cause your heels to point in the same direction. Begin slowly lowering your hips toward the mat as far as you can comfortably do so as you exhale. This is acceptable and will get better with practice if your heels start to lift. Put a block or bolster under your bottom to help with comfort. Starting with your palms touching, gently place your elbows inside of your knees. Press your knees outward a little bit with your elbows, and lengthen your spine as much as you can.
How it helps: People eat and poop in this position in many parts of the world. The posture known as malasana is great for improved digestive responsiveness. It works to stimulate the colon and improve overall colon function.
8. Marjariasana (Cat-Cow)
Get into it: Start out on all fours, shoulder-width apart with your knees and palms pressed into the mat. Drop down into the belly opening through your chest as you inhale, arching your spine and tilting your head upward. Exhale while curving your spine inward like a scared cat, pulling your belly in and lowering your chin to your chest.
How it helps: Your abdominal muscles and organs expand and contract in this position. It works wonders for bloating relief, gas pain relief, period pain relief, and digestive tract stimulation.
9. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
Get into it: On your belly, start by lying. Exhale and reach behind you with your right hand, grabbing your right foot or ankle. On your left side, repeat this motion. Open your chest, lift your entire body up, and gently press your pelvis down toward the mat. Maintain your balance by keeping your chest open and keeping your pelvis on the mat while pressing your feet or ankles into your hands. Depending on how it feels, you can either hold for a few breaths or gently rock forward and backward.
How it helps: The abdominal and stomach muscles are flexed in the bow pose. This motion helps to improve digestion and lessen GI tract sluggishness.
10. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
Get into it: Start on all fours with your back to the table. Place your arms shoulder-width apart and flatten your palms into the mat while spreading your fingers widely. Inhale slowly and tuck your toes under. Begin lifting your knees as you exhale, and as you do so, drive your hips upward. Legs should be as straight as possible, with the soles of the feet pointed toward the mat and your eyes directed toward your belly button.
How it helps: A posture that inverts the body is called down dog. The heart can be raised above the level of the head in inversion poses, which helps the lymph and blood circulate more freely. The digestive tract is also turned inside out, which facilitates the movement of waste through the intestines.
11. Ardha Pawanmuktasana (Half Gas Release Pose)
Yoga’s Ardha Pawanmuktasana, which compresses the ascending and descending colons on the right and left sides, stimulates the nerves that help with ejection by assisting with constipation.
- Hug your right knee in close to your ribcage on the right side.
- Put your left leg straight down on the mat. Right shin toward chest by enclosing it in your hands and pulling.
- Hold for as long as two minutes, then switch to your left leg.
12. Halasana (Plow Pose)
In addition to its reputation for relieving back pain, halasana gently compresses the abdominal organs to aid in digestion and relieve constipation.
- Your knees should be bent so that they are close to your chest as you lay on your back.
- Lift your legs and hips up toward the ceiling while contracting your abdominal muscles. Then, slowly lower your toes to the ground while keeping your legs extended.
- Firmly press your upper arms into the ground.
- Roll down gradually until your back is on the mat to exit the position.
Final Thoughts: Yoga Poses for Constipation
When you haven’t had a bowel movement in too long and are feeling bloated and uncomfortable, practicing yoga for constipation can be quite helpful in easing the symptoms and providing you with alleviation.
Try below 11 poses to help relieve your problem:
- 1. Sukhasana (Easy Seat)
- 2. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)
- 3. Matsyendrasana (Seated Supine Twist)
- 4. Pawanmuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose)
- 5. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
- 6. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- 7. Malasana (Yogi Squat)
- 8. Marjariasana (Cat-Cow)
- 9. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)
- 10. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
- 11. Ardha Pawanmuktasana (Half Gas Release Pose)
Yoga for constipation is not meant to be a cure, but when used in conjunction with diet and other methods, it can help you reduce symptoms and enhance your general health.
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