Do you know that there is a single move that you can do for just five minutes every day?
The surprising results? It gives you less swelling, improved sleeping patterns, and reduced feelings of headaches.
You are probably laughing about this claim, as you don’t believe that it is either scientific or an exaggerated claim. It has been proven by several scientific studies for years.
Have you heard of the term Viparita Karani? Or should I say as “legs up the wall?” Yes, that move can help your body relax, without needing equipment, special skills, or a gym membership.
It only needs you, your willingness, and five minutes of your time.
Here’s how the legs up the wall can do you a great favor and make a huge difference in achieving better health.
Boosts Your Blood Flow
Doing the legs up the wall pose helps you control your blood flow throughout your body.
It uses the power of gravity to pull the blood back from your legs. Reversing the direction of the blood back to the heart.
The pose is meant to set a balance, especially if you are standing or sitting all day.
Reduces Leg and Ankle Swelling
Doing the legs up the wall pose helps you reduce the swelling of your legs and ankles.
The pose acts as a reset to your entire legs after a long hour of sedentary activity, such as standing or sitting too much.
Adding it to your healthy routine means draining out the extra fluid found stuck in the lower body.
Helps You Relax and Reduce Your Stress
Doing the pose makes you have a relaxation moment and reduces feelings of stress.
As you lie down and raise your legs, your body naturally comes down as it shifts into a parasympathetic mode.
Doing the pose with consistency makes one achieve a peaceful feeling, softer breathing, and a slower heart rate.
Achieve a Better Sleep
Do you want a habit that makes you sleep better after doing it? Legs up the wall can be your answer to that.
Due to its calming effect, if you do the pose before you sleep, it releases melatonin. Slows down your breathing as if your body is preparing to sleep.
Gives You a Relieved Mind and Soothing Nerves
Aside from sleeping, having a relieved mind and soothed nerves are two things that make your brain ready for the day. The pose is meant to keep your blood flow in your nervous system normal and improved.
Such a pose has been studied by wellness experts as helpful in keeping your mind reset itself from mental feelings such as feeling overwhelmed or anxious.
Improve Your Digestion Process
Do legs up the wall help you achieve better digestion? Surprisingly, yes!
The pose supports a better digestion process by relieving the pressure on your abdominal organs, which happens after eating heavy meals or sitting for too long.
Some who made the pose often claim that their bloating has been reduced over time.
Reduces the Discomfort from Varicose Veins
The pose can aid you in reducing the aches or heaviness that may affect or clog your blood flow.
Although this does not claim that it can erase varicose veins. Legs up the wall acts as a way to prevent the varicose veins from spreading a lot and causing a lot of discomfort.
Helps You Deal with Headaches
Due to its relaxation effect, the pose helps you deal with sudden headaches caused by poor blood circulation, stress, or tension.
The pose is meant to keep your breathing calm, your neck muscles relaxed, and your upper body as relaxed.
Let Your Spine Rest for a While
It’s not just your body that the pose can help you with. It gives your spine the rest that it needs from your long hours of standing or sitting.
It helps your lower spine by decompressing it. Letting your back muscles realize what it feels like to have a vacation, even just for a few minutes.
Supports Your Calf Muscles
Another benefit of the legs up the wall pose is supporting your calf muscles by moving the blood back to the heart.
The pose enables your calf muscles to feel relaxed, to make sure that they will strengthen your legs’ flexibility and balance.
Here’s How You Can Do It:
- Sit sideways next to a wall.
- Gently roll onto your back and swing your legs up the wall.
- Make your hips close enough to the wall to feel comfortable.
- Rest both of your arms at your sides.
- Breathe slowly.
- Hold for 3-5 minutes.
- Roll to your side first before sitting up.
Safety Precautions
It is critical to be aware that the pose may be gentle, but few people are most likely unfit to do the pose.
Among them are people who have neck or spine injuries, someone who experiences frequent tingling or numbness, a person diagnosed with high blood pressure, and a person known for having glaucoma.
If you have another underlying condition that may affect you in doing this pose, please consult your doctor first.
Additional Tips for the Pose
Most of us may find the 5-minute pose boring, or it can be added with something that makes it achievable through different means.
These add-on tips can make you consistent in doing the pose. You can try the following tips so you can do the pose successfully:
- Set a minutes-long timer.
- You can put a folded blanket under the head.
- Dim lights
- Have a pillow under the lower back.
- Play music to ensure calmness throughout the pose.
Legs Up the Wall, Up for Your Health as Well
A healthier lifestyle doesn’t always require making a big habit. Sometimes, the tiniest routine also matters. Contributing to a great lifestyle difference.
The legs up the wall pose is the perfect example where you can also choose a tiny habit to keep your body healthy and active.
Legs up the wall aims to make you achieve a sane mind, easy digestion, calmer nerves, minimal swelling, and better quality of sleep.
It takes just about five minutes of your day. Not demanding time that carves much into your busy schedule.
Do the pose consistently, and it will help your body to improve blood circulation in the long run.