Humans have worshipped the Sun for ages not only because it provides light and relaxation but also because it offers several health benefits. This is why people have been practicing Surya Namaskar as a sign of respect and to reap more health and mental benefits. It is a yoga exercise with 12 poses offering holistic physical exercise that expresses gratitude towards the Sun, the source of all lives.
The 12 asanas in Surya Namaskar help promote vitality, give individuals more strength, and help them unlock potential in both body and spirit. Also, sun salutation helps lose weight, improves skin and hair, and offers other benefits.
Practicing for 11, 100, and 108 times has different benefits, extending beyond religion. Here, we will discuss the common benefits and then explain the 100 Surya namaskar and 108 Surya namaskar benefits.
Also Read: Meditation for Beginners : Simple Tips to Begin
When Should One Perform Surya Namaskar?
Ideally, Surya Namaskar should be practiced on an empty stomach in the morning, and the series of poses should be completed facing east within an hour after sunrise. The reason behind this is that the fresh air and UV rays that the sun emits during this time benefit the skin and bones. Surya Namaskar, when practiced early in the morning, helps bones absorb Vitamin D.
However, due to the busy schedule, if you cannot practice it in the morning, you can do it on an empty stomach before or after 6 p.m. or 5 hours after the meal when your stomach is empty. While practicing, it ensures the mat is positioned towards the east, and your focus is on the breath. This will help achieve more benefits.
As you pay attention to your breath and practice sun salutation, you can experience transformation in your mind, body, and spirit.
10 Benefits of Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar comprises a sequence of 12 poses, which should be performed only after a body warm-up. Also, if there is any discomfort or pain during the practice, you should check whether or not you are performing the poses correctly. You must consider what your body says when practicing any form of physical exercise. If you feel tired, do not push yourself it is okay to take a break.
You can’t win a race in a day without practicing; therefore, to reap the benefits and improve your mental and physical well-being, you need to keep practicing the poses. As you keep practicing them, you will see that the stress levels are reduced, the quality of sleep improves, there is weight loss, and you also become more flexible. Moreover, the bodily pain starts to go away.
Here we explain 10 benefits of Surya namaskar
1. Improved blood circulation
Surya Namaskar enhances blood circulation. As you inhale, exhale, and focus on breathing, oxygen reaches every part of your body, helping your lungs open up and oxygenate, eliminating carbon dioxide and toxins from your system.
2. Improved digestion
Surya salutation also helps improve digestion as you stretch and practice forward bending poses, the blood flow in the intestines improves, ensuring the smooth functioning of the digestive tract. Further, it helps release trapped gas by creating room for abdominal expansion.
3. Helps reduce weight
Some people think going to the gym or doing excessive cardio are the only ways to reduce weight. But let me tell you, Surya Namaskar also helps in weight reduction. As blood circulation and metabolism increase, losing body fat and achieving the ideal body weight becomes easy. Yoga practice helps strengthen and tone muscles, benefiting the overall system and helping reduce extra fat from the body.
4. Detoxifies your body
The 12 poses you practice in Surya Namaskar help release toxins from the body. As the oxygen and blood flow increase and there is a lifestyle change, toxic gases are released from the body. The person feels light and can see the benefits of sun salutation within 15 days.
5. Strengthens lower body
Surya Namaskar works to strengthen the lower regions of your body. A person’s different positions help strengthen muscles and lower body, thereby helping relieve discomfort and enhancing hip strength. Also, it promotes communication between the brain’s right and left hemispheres.
6. Rejuvenates hair growth and skin
As the blood circulation and oxygen flow throughout the body, incorporating yoga asanas within Surya Namaskar, regardless of age, promotes hair growth and skin glow. Furthermore, this improved blood circulation contributes to a complexion by preventing wrinkles and restoring radiance to your skin.
7. Strengthening joints and muscles
Surya namaskar is an age-old yoga practice that everyone can practice regardless of gender. As you practice it the joints and muscles strengthen, helping you walk perfectly without any issues. One should set a practice time to make it a part of the daily routine and avoid facing joint and muscle pains.
Performing Surya Namaskar regularly helps enhance flexibility and even helps recover from different muscle pain.
8. Regulates mensural cycle
Another of the advantages of performing the Surya Namaskar routine is its ability to regulate and balance the mensural cycle. This is especially beneficial for women with periods and positively affects childbirth.
9. Promotes calmness
Sun salutation promotes a sense of calmness in the body, leading to relaxation within the brain and impacting mental well-being. Poses such as downward-facing dogs and cobras are particularly helpful in relieving anxiety. The entire sequence of Surya Namaskar aids in reducing stress and anxiety by stabilizing the thyroid and endocrine glands.
10. Manage blood pressure
Practicing Surya Namaskar poses is a solution for those seeking ways to manage blood pressure. Sun salutations support heart health by addressing heartbeats and strengthening heart muscles.
To fully enjoy the benefits of practicing Surya Namaskar, make it a part of your routine.
Also Read: How to Find Peace of Mind In 40 Ways
Benefits of performing 100 Surya Namaskars
Most people believe that performing the sequence of surya namaskar 100 times in a row works wonders and helps reduce those extra kilos. As a person performs 100 repetitions of sun salutation without pausing, the muscle groups get engaged and activated. Also, the core, arms, and legs start to strengthen, thus giving them a shape and reducing the excess fat.
As you practice Surya Namaskar 100 times, your metabolism is boosted, and unwanted kilograms are dropped without extra effort. However, this doesn’t mean you can binge eat or eat fried and unhealthy food, do 100 sun salutations in a go, and then say there is no weight loss. While practicing these 12 yoga poses, you need to eat healthy and drink sufficient water. As you note what you eat and control the calories while practicing surya namaskar, you will see the weight and the inches dropping.
Surya Namaskar – Embrace Healthier Living
For generations, Surya Namaskar has been associated with traditions while offering natural benefits recognized since ancient times. This yoga practice has been providing health advantages since the Vedic era, and it combines a range of benefits into one package. Practitioners have experienced the Sun’s life-giving power through this yoga practice, passed down through generations to preserve its artistry and incredible benefits in today’s world.
We hope you will incorporate this practice into your daily routine and reap its benefits.