I am 50 female suffering from knee and elbow joint pain. i do some basic yoga exercises. but i want to know what specific asanas i should do to improve the knee and elbow muscles? can i do pranayama after my dinner before going to bed to get good sleep?

(November 22, 2011)

Yoga For Knee Pain

Yoga for knee pain is an age old remedy. When doing any yoga pose it is first essential to determine the cause of knee pain and elbow pain. It is always recommended that you first do a proper medical check up to ascertain if doing any of the poses may aggravate an existing condition.

Some basic yoga poses for knee pain include the Tadasana or the Mountain pose. You could do this pose in the following way

Stand straight and making sure that you are not leaning on anything so that your back is straight and
Place your hands at the side along your body with the palms facing inward.
Relax your body as you slowly inhale and exhale. This needs to be done for a few minutes.

The Makrasana or the Fish pose is also useful in giving relief from knee pain. The Veerasana or the Hero pose can also be done. The Trikonasana or the Triangle pose is also useful as is the Bhujangasana or the Cobra pose. It is important to remember that practicing Parnayama just after dinner is not recommended even though you can practice Pranayama for sleep related problems. It is important that there is at least a break of 4 hours after you eat in order to practice parnayama. This can help in inducing a state of peacefulness which will help in relaxing both the mind and the body.

Submitted by A V on November 22, 2011 at 11:09

Which Yoga Asanas Other Than Pranayama Are Good In Getting Good Sleep

Yoga has been found to have a whole host of benefits for a person’s mind and body. When one practices yoga on a regular basis it will help in relaxing their mind and body as well as in releasing toxins from their bodies. Yoga also helps in increasing the blood flow as well as the supply of oxygen to one’s brain. Thus for those who are suffering from insomnia and other sleep related disorders doing yoga can help in encouraging a peaceful sleeping pattern. Some of the basic yoga asanas for sleep include the downward facing Dog pose or the Adho Mukha Svanasana. The Bala asana or the Child’s pose is also useful in relaxing one’s body and mind and thus inducing a peaceful state which helps in getting a good night’s sleep. The Viparita Karani or the Legs-up-the-Wall Pose is also considered to be very beneficial and can be done on a regular basis to ensure that one sleeps well. The Shava asana or the Corpse pose is usually done at the end of most yoga sessions and helps the person in attaining some peace and stillness in their mind and body. The Seated Forward Bend or the Paschimottanasana can also be practiced to help in relaxing the mind. These poses in yoga are considered to be natural sleep aids.

Submitted by C D on November 22, 2011 at 11:05