A healthy digestive system is important for feeling good every day, having steady energy, and being healthy overall. When your digestive system is working well, meals feel lighter, your metabolism stays active, and problems like bloating or pain happen less often. Many people don’t realise that how you move, stand, and breathe can affect your digestion. Yoga has certain poses that gently massage the organs inside, improve blood flow to the abdomen, and stimulate the nervous system in ways that help digestion. Doing specific yoga poses on a regular basis can help with indigestion, gas, and getting more nutrients from food.
Yoga for Digestive Health
The balance of your digestive system depends on how you move, stand, and breathe. When you sit or lie down in a slouched position, your stomach area gets compressed, which can slow down digestion. Gentle stretches and twists make room in the torso, which lets organs like the stomach, liver, and intestines work more freely. Deep, controlled breathing makes this process even better by increasing the flow of oxygen and activating the vagus nerve, which is important for controlling the contractions of the digestive muscles.
Here are four yoga poses that help with digestion in different ways. Each pose works the core muscles and internal organs to help the digestive system work better. These poses combine stimulating twists and calming stretches that help relieve stress and encourage healthy movement in the digestive tract.
7 Yoga Poses That Help You Find Inner Peace and Balance Your Emotions
Seated spinal twist to get your intestines moving
Many people know that the Seated Spinal Twist is good for digestion. Twisting movements help get rid of stagnant energy and get more blood to the organs in the abdomen. This action helps peristalsis, which is the wave-like contractions of muscles that move food through the digestive system.
This quick 8-minute workout is a great way to build lean muscle and fits easily into busy days.
This 8-Minute Workout Is Quick and Easy to Fit Into Busy Days and Helps Build Lean Muscle.
To practise, sit comfortably with your legs straight out in front of you. Put your right foot outside your left thigh and bend your right knee. Breathe in to make your spine longer. As you breathe out, turn your torso to the right and put your left elbow on the outside of your right knee for support. Relax your shoulders and slowly turn your head to the right. Take deep breaths and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds. Go back to the middle and do it again on the other side.
This pose gets the liver and kidneys going and makes the lower intestines work harder. It also stretches the hips and lower back, which can get tight after sitting for a long time. Doing it after meals or in the afternoon can help with bloating and keep your digestive system working more smoothly.
Cat Cow Pose: A Gentle Massage for Your Stomach
Cat Cow is a simple, flowing move that warms up the spine and gently stretches and compresses the abdomen. This rhythmic movement increases blood flow to the digestive organs and makes the core stronger.
Get on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. As you breathe in, let your belly soften toward the floor, lift your chest, and tilt your tailbone up to get into Cow Pose. When you breathe out, round your spine, pull your navel in, and tuck your tailbone into Cat Pose. For 10 to 15 slow breaths, keep moving between these two positions.
The back-and-forth motion increases blood flow to the stomach area, which helps digestion go more smoothly. Cat Cow also helps to relax the lower back, which can help with the pain that often comes with digestive strain. Doing this sequence in the morning or after sitting for a long time can wake up the body and speed up digestion.
Pose to Help with Gas and Bloating
The Wind Relieving Pose is all about getting rid of gas and bloating. This position gently squeezes the stomach, which helps release gas that is stuck and encourages movement in the colon.
With both legs straight, lie flat on your back. Breathe in and pull your right knee toward your chest. Interlace your fingers around your shin and gently pull your knee closer. Let your left leg rest on the floor. Take deep breaths and hold for 30 to 45 seconds. Let go and switch sides. For even more effect, pull both knees toward your chest and hold them there for the same amount of time.
What Really Happens to Your Body When You Commit to Doing Just 15 Squats Every Day
This pose helps relax the lower abdomen and helps waste move naturally through the digestive system. It also stretches the lower back and hips, which can help with pain that might be mistaken for digestive pain. Doing this pose after meals or in the evening can help ease digestive problems and help you sleep better.
Bridge Pose to Get Your Digestive System Going and Relax
People often think of Bridge Pose as a way to stretch the spine, but it also helps the digestive system in a big way. When you lift your hips, you stretch the front of your body gently and let go of the tension in your stomach. This improves blood flow and gets your organs working better.
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your feet about hip-width apart and let your arms hang down by your sides. As you lift your hips up, press firmly into your feet and arms. Open your chest and gently pull your shoulder blades together. Keep the pose for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing steadily the whole time. Then, with control, lower yourself down.
Bridge Pose helps the organs in the abdomen work better and makes it easier to breathe deeply. Taking deeper breaths brings more oxygen to the body and turns on the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps with digestion. When your nervous system is calm, your digestive processes work better. Doing this pose in the evening can help your body relax and keep your digestive system running smoothly.
Easy Ways to Include These Poses in Your Daily Life
Adding these four yoga poses to your daily routine doesn’t take much time and can help your digestion a lot. You can do the following sequence after meals or whenever your stomach hurts:
- Start with Cat Cow for two to three minutes to get your spine ready and get your blood flowing.
- Do Seated Spinal Twist on each side for one to two minutes to get your intestines moving.
- Do the Wind Relieving Pose to let out gas and ease bloating.
- Bridge Pose is a good way to end because it relaxes and stimulates the stomach.
Doing this sequence regularly can help your bowels move more regularly, make you feel better, and help your digestive system work more smoothly. For the best results, do yoga along with mindful eating, drinking enough water, and doing light activities like walking after meals. Drinking water before practice can also help your circulation and get rid of fluids that have been sitting in your digestive system.
Breathing is a big part of yoga that focuses on digestion.
When you take deep breaths through your nose, the diaphragm gets bigger and the pressure on your stomach organs goes down. When you breathe out all the way, it helps your body get rid of waste gases and tells your nervous system to relax. When breathing and moving are in sync, the body naturally goes into a state that helps heal and digest food more quickly.
