Winter is characterized by a good physical strength and digestive functioning. However, due to the extreme cold environment aches, pain and stiffness are common during winters. Further, incidence of respiratory infections is high during winters and, to some extent, gastro – intestinal infections also. Simple yoga practices can help keep oneself active and healthy during winters.
Sookshma Vyaayaama & Stretching Exercises
These practices will prevent the pain & stiffness, characteristic of the winters, and improve the flexibility of the joints.
Sookshma Vyaayaama includes the following:
Neck Bending
Forward and Backward Bending/Stretching:
Stand with the feet 2-3 inches apart. Keep your palms on the waist. While exhaling, move the head forward slowly and try to touch the chin to the chest. While inhaling, move the head up and bend back comfortably. This is one round: repeat 2 more rounds.
Right and Left bending/Stretching:
While exhaling, bend the head slowly to the right; bringing the ear close to the shoulder. While inhaling, bring the head to the normal position. Similarly, while exhaling bend the head to the left side. Inhale and bring the head up to normal position. This is one round: repeat 2 more rounds.
Right and Left Twisting:
Keep the head upright. While exhaling, gently turn the head to the right so that the chin is in line with the shoulder. While inhaling, bring the head to the normal position. Similarly, while exhaling, turn the head to the left. Inhale and bring the head to the normal position. This is one round: repeat 2 more rounds.
Neck Rotation:
Exhale; bend the head forward to touch the chin to the chest. Inhale; slowly rotate the head clockwise in a circular motion, exhale while coming down. Do a full rotation. Then rotate the head in an anti-clockwise direction. Inhale; go back and exhale, come down. This is one round: repeat 2 more rounds.
Shoulder’s Movement
Shoulder’s Stretch
Keep the feet together, the body straight and the arms by the sides. While inhaling; raise your both arms sideways above your head with the palm outward. Exhale and bring it down in the same manner. Palms must be opened, with fingers together.
Shoulder Rotation
Stand erect. Place the fingers of hands on the respective shoulders. Inhale and raise your elbows & bring them back when you exhale. Try to touch the elbows in front of the chest on the forward movement, stretch the elbows back in the backward movement and touch the side of the trunk while coming down. Repeat this 2 times rotating from front to back. Do the same in reverse manner.
Trunk Movement
Keep the legs about 2-3 feet apart. Raise both the arms up to shoulder level with palms facing each other and keep them parallel. While exhaling, twist the body towards the left side so that the right palm touches the left shoulder, come back with inhalation. While exhaling, twist the body towards the right side so that the left palm touches the right shoulder, come back with inhalation. This is one round: repeat it two more times. Relax.
Knee Movement
Inhale; lift your arms up to the shoulder level, palms facing downwards. Exhale; bend the knees and bring down the body to the semi squatting position. In the final position, both the arms and thighs should be parallel to the ground. Inhale; and straighten the body. Exhale while bringing down the hands. Repeat it two more times.
Stretching Exercises include practices like chakki chaalan, chapathi rolling, naukasan stretch, pavanamuktasan rocking & rolling and paschimottanasana – halasana stretch.
Yogasana
The digestive machinery is at its best during the winters, however, at the same time people tend to eat more including all sorts of fried foods during this time. Therefore, the chances of getting digestive issues are always more. To prevent the same, daily practice of Yogasanas specifically postures which stimulate the digestive system like Padahastasana, Sasankasana, Pashchimottanasana, Pavanamuktasanas, Bhujangasana etc will ensure a healthy tummy.
Padahastasana (Hand to Feet pose):
Stand straight with legs together hands by the side of the body. Slowly with inhalation take both hands sideways and stretch up above the head, palms facing each other. With exhalation slowly bend the body forwards to touch the palms on the feet without bending the knee joint. Hold the position with normal breathing. Then slowly straighten up with inhalation stretching the hands up, then bring the hands down sideways with slow exhalation.
Sasankasana (Rabbit pose):
Sit on floor with knees bend and feet under the buttocks. Take the hands backwards and hold the right wrist with the left hand. With exhalation bend forwards to touch the forehead on the floor; hold with normal breathing. With inhalation straighten up, release the hands and legs and relax.
Paschimottanasana (Forward bend posture):
Sit on floor with legs stretched forwards. With inhalation raise the hands sideways to take them up, palms facing forwards. With exhalation bend the body forwards at the hip to catch hold of the big toe/ankle joints with the hands, forehead on the knees. Hold with normal breathing. With inhalation straighten up stretching the hands up, with exhalation bring the hands down sideways.
Pavana muktāsana (The Wind Releasing Posture):
Lie down flat on the back. Bend both the knees. Exhale, bring both the knees towards the chest. Inhale, interlock the fingers and clasp the shin below knees. Exhale, raise the head till your chin touches the knees. Hold the posture. Bring the head back to the ground. While exhaling, bring the legs back to the floor. Rest in Śavāsana
Bhujangasana (Cobra pose):
Lie prone on the floor. Keep palms on either side of the chest and with inhalation slowly raise the upper part of the body upto naval region. Hold and then slowly drop the body down with exhalation.
Pranayama
Heating Praanaayama practices must be adopted during winters to balance the environmental cold. This includes Surya Anuloma viloma, Surya bhedanam, Bhastrika, Bhramari etc.
Surya Anuloma villoma:
To practice Surya Anuloma Viloma Pranayama, sit straight in any comfortable meditative posture like Padmasana, Vajrasan or Sukhasana. Adopt nasika mudra in right hand; bend the index and middle fingers keeping the remaining three fingers straight. Now with the thumb gently close the left nostril (Chandra Nadi). Inhale deeply through the right nostril (Surya nadi), hold the breath for few seconds and exhale slowly through the same nostril. Relax a few seconds and then again repeat the practice.
Surya bhedanam:
To practice Surya Bhedanam Pranayama, sit straight in any comfortable meditative posture like Padmasana, Vajrasan or Sukhasana. Adopt nasika mudra in right hand; bend the index and middle fingers keeping the remaining three fingers straight. Now with the thumb gently close the left nostril (Chandra Nadi). Inhale deeply through the right nostril (Surya nadi), hold the breath for few seconds and exhale slowly through the left nostril. Relax a few seconds and then again repeat the practice.
Bhastrika:
Adopt any comfortable meditative posture like Padmasana, Vajrasan or Sukhasana. Practice deep inhalation followed by slow exhalations through both nostrils. Gradually increase the speed of the inhalation – exhalation cycles. When heat is experienced stop the practice and conclude with one round of Surya Bhedanam, as described above.
Bhramari:
Sit straight in any comfortable meditative posture like Padmasana, Vajrasan or Sukhasana. Keep the eyes closed. Adopt Shanmukhi mudra; gently close the ears using thumb, eyes using index finger, nostrils using middle fingers, upper lips with ring fingers and lower lips with little fingers. Now, inhale deeply and then slowly exhale making a humming sound. Relax a few seconds and then again repeat the practice.
Note: Avoid cooling practices like Chandra Anuloma Viloma, Chandra bhedanam, Sitakari and Seethali during winters.
Suddhi Kriya
Undergoing the Yogic suddhikriya can help to prevent respiratory & GIT infections. These includes Vamana Dhauti, Neti, kapalabhati.
Vamana Dhauti:
This practice is performed in the early morning by consuming around 1.5 to 2 lt of lukewarm saline water followed by initiation of vomiting by tickling the throat till the entire water is vomited out. Appropriate rest with light meal, preferably Khichadi/Kanji with ghee is advised as post therapy regime.
Neti:
Helps in purifying the upper respiratory tract, especially the nasal canal. This can be performed in two ways, viz. Jala Neti and Sutra Neti. For Jala Neti around 100-150 ml lukewarm saline water is filled in the neti pot. Standing with legs apart, body slightly bended forward water is introduced into the right nostril turning the head towards left. Breathing through the mouth, the water is allowed to flow out through the left nostril. Same is repeated in the left nostril, turning the head towards right. For Sutra Neti, cotton neti sutra is smeared with ghee and standing erect the thread (sutra) is introduced in one nostril slowly pushing it inwards till one can feel it in the throat. At this point, the thread is pulled out through mouth with the index finger and middle finger while the other end of the thread is retained at the nostril. Both the ends are held with either hand and moved to & fro to clear the nasal tract and then the thread is pulled out completely. Same is repeated on the other side.
Kapalabhati:
It purifies the lungs and the head. Sit in a comfortable posture, spine and neck erect. Inhale deeply followed by rapid forceful exhalations, with contraction of the abdomen. Repeat 3 cycles.
To balance the environmental cold during winters stimulating Asanas and Praanaayaamam are advised. However, precaution must be taken in individuals with systemic ailments like heart disaeses, diabetes, hypertension, insomnia etc as over stimulation may worsen the disease.