The cold and flu season is here. Whether you are at work, in the grocery store or sitting in church, there seem to be sick people everywhere. Sooner or later, it catches up to most of us and we catch a cold at some point in the winter. Yoga offers a natural alternative to cold symptom relief.
The asanas that will help depends on the symptoms you are experiencing. For example, if you have congestion in the nasal passages, inversions will help drain it. Some poses to try include shoulderstand, headstand and plow pose.
If you have a cough that restricts your breathing, backbends can help. These asanas work to relieve symptoms in the chest by expanding the lungs and enhancing lung capacity. This improves breathing and increases the oxygen in your body, which helps in healing. Some poses to try include bridge pose, cobra, upward facing dog, camel pose and bow pose.
Practice yoga to help relieve symptoms, but don’t push yourself or overdo it. If you aren’t feeling well enough to make it through even a short practice, are feeling very weak, or have a fever, skip it, take it easy for a day or so and then try again.
Keep the time limit short when practicing yoga with cold symptoms. Don’t try to make it through a 90 minute Bikram class or even a 60 minute Hatha class when you are sick. A shorter practice (even just 10 minutes) at home is better for your body than a long class at the studio, and you won’t spread germs.
Use a gentle form of yoga or create your own short practice at home with yoga music or other relaxing music. Focus on the asanas that will help your symptoms and add a few relaxation poses and corpse pose at the end.
Wear clothing and set the room temperature so you will be comfortable and not overheated. Drink water before and after your short practice to stay well hydrated. Don’t focus on the clock when you are sick. Focus on your body and stop if you are not feeling well, rather than trying to finish the practice.