Yoga and Heart Health: Which Asanas Should You Avoid?

Yoga is a versatile practice that merges physical poses with mindful breathing, allowing you to develop strength, flexibility, balance and a profound sense of relaxation. Yoga offers a wide range of styles, like hatha, anusvara and ashtanga, so there is something for everyone. Some styles are great for building strength and toning your body, while others focus on meditation and relaxation, allowing you to choose what feels best for you.  

Research indicates that yoga provides significant advantages for heart health as well as enhancing mental and physical well-being. This age-old practice, which has existed for thousands of years, is increasingly acknowledged for its potential to improve heart health, reduce blood pressure and enhance overall cardiovascular function.

Benefits of yoga for heart health

Yoga is a great exercise to remove heart blockage. Yoga improves blood flow, reduces stress and promotes cardiovascular health. Techniques like Anulom Vilom (alternate nostril breathing) can be helpful in reducing blood pressure and increasing the oxygen in the heart. Yoga for heart attack recovery focuses on slow, deep breaths and gentle stretching to release tension and facilitate healing.

However, this requires exercising caution for those with heart conditions as some poses may strain the heart or circulatory system. For people with heart disease, mindfulness should be practised with a focus on slow movements and poses that remain rooted in circulation and relaxation.

Yoga poses to avoid for heart health

Be sure to avoid poses that excessively strain your heart. Here are some yoga poses to avoid for heart health:

• Chakrasana or wheel pose: In this pose, you bend back into a semi-circle. This helps improve the flexibility of the spine and helps with ailments like diabetes. That can put pressure on the heart, increasing blood flow. However, it is not a good fit for people who have heart conditions.
• Halasana (plough pose): This is done by lying on your back, raising your legs over your head and touching the floor with your toes. Although it stretches the spine and relieves stress, it can add strain to the heart by forcing the circulation of blood against the force of gravity and should not be practised by people who have heart conditions.
• Karnapirasana (ear-closing pose): Bringing the ears towards the knees close strengthens the spine and allows the blood pressure to rise. It opens the airways, which is good for asthma, but it gives you a push, which is not good for the heart, which is why it does not suit someone with heart disease.
• Sarvangasana (shoulder stand): Balancing on the shoulders helps strengthen arms and relieves constipation. However, heart patients should not try it since it requires the heart to pump more vigorously against gravity to circulate blood.
• Sirsasana (Headstand): A pose in which the head balances and has the benefits of relaxation and headache relief. But people with heart disease should steer clear of this one. The inversion causes the heart to put in extra effort to push blood around.
• Viparita Karani (simple inverted pose): You lift the legs and hips up and back, supporting them with your own hands. People with heart conditions should avoid this because it puts an extra load on the heart and increases blood circulation to the lower body.

Is pranayama good for heart health?

When practising pranayam for heart health, it is essential to take a few precautions as follows:

• Always consult a healthcare provider before beginning any pranayama practice, especially if you have existing heart conditions.  
• Start with gentle, slow-paced breathing exercises, gradually increasing duration and intensity.  
• Avoid holding your breath for extended periods if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.  
• Always practice in a comfortable, quiet space to reduce distractions and stress.

Individuals with heart disease, high blood pressure or hernia should avoid ‘Kapalbhati’ and ‘Bhastrika Pranayama’. Beginners should exhale gently during Kapalbhati, avoiding excessive force. ‘Shitkari Pranayama’ is unsuitable for those with low blood pressure and should not be practised in winter. Avoid ‘Agniras Pranayama’ if you have a hernia, high blood pressure or recent stomach surgery.

Conclusion

Yoga asanas can be highly beneficial for overcoming various health issues and promoting overall well-being. However, in yoga for heart problems or other medical conditions, certain poses should be avoided. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting yoga and practice under the supervision of a qualified instructor.