May 9 (Punjab Khabarnama) : With the high heat of summer, dehydration and heat strokes are a given if your work keeps you outdoors for a long time. India had reported 20,000 heat-related deaths in adults over the age of 65 annually in 2000, which rose to about 31,000 deaths by 2021.
Yet yoga has several practices to beat the heat with. These can be practised by all, including senior citizens who may be having hypertension, cardio-respiratory diseases and diabetes.
Sheetali Pranayama: This pranayama helps cool down the body and affects those centres of the brain which maintain temperature control. Besides cooling the body, it reduces excitement and anxiety. It can be used as a cure for insomnia if practised before sleeping.
· Sit comfortably in a cross-legged pose or on a chair with back straight and the body relaxed.
· Open your mouth and stick your tongue out as much as comfortably possible. Then curl the sides of your tongue so that you make a funnel of your tongue.
· Then inhale through the folded tongue and feel cool air touching your tongue and the upper palate.
· Inhale as long as comfortably possible.
· Close your mouth and rest your tongue.
· Hold the breath for a few seconds inside, then exhale through the nose.
· You can start with five rounds and under severe heat conditions, go up to 10 rounds.
· You can practise this anytime, anywhere. Best done with closed eyes to maintain internal awareness on the cooling effect of your practice.
Sheetkari Pranayama: Sit comfortably as you would do for Sheetali.
· Grid your teeth with top and bottom molars set together.
· Separate your lips so that you expose your teeth.
· Then inhale slowly though the side of the mouth. You will feel cool air entering through the side of the mouth.
· After inhalation, close your lips.
· Hold the breath inside for a few seconds.
· Then exhale through the nose.
· This is one round. Start with five rounds and go up to 10 rounds.
· You can keep the eyes closed for best results with internal awareness.
Kaki Mudra: A mudra is a gesture. Here the gesture is to pucker the mouth like the beak of a crow and hold the gaze at the nose tip. This not just cools the body and calms the mind, but does wonders for skin and complexion, removes wrinkles and is anti-ageing. Those with severe eye, retinal or ear problems must do this practice under expert guidance.
· Sit in the base position of the above two pranayamas.
· Pucker your mouth so that your mouth is like the beak of a bird.
· The tongue inside should be relaxed.
· Fix your gaze at the nose tip, Nasikadrishti.
· Then take a deep slow breath through the beaked mouth.
· You will feel cool air entering your through the lips.
· Close your mouth after full inhalation.
· Keep the breath inside by puffing up your cheeks.
· Then exhale through the nose.
· This is one round. Do five rounds initially and take it up to 10 rounds or as long a comfortably possible.
Shavasana: Research has shown that this practice brings down body temperature and is one of the simplest and enjoyable practices. It relaxes your nervous system and helps you cool down by lowering your body temperature, using gravity to bring the blood back to your heart.
All you have to do is lie down. Keep your body motionless and continue breathing deeply.
Become mindful and bring your awareness to your body parts, starting with the right foot, moving onto the right knee, and to the entire right leg. Then repeat the same with the left leg. Similarly, move upwards to your head.
Stay healthy, stay happy.