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Headstand Yoga: A Strict No For Blood Pressure Patients

Why Headstand is not advisable for blood pressure patient?

Yoga poses such as Sirshasana (the Headstand), known as the King of all asanas (poses) have a number benefits on the body and mind. All our activities – physical and mental – are governed by our brain, the seat of knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, and will power. The Headstand helps increases the flow of blood to the brain, thus revitalizing the whole body and the mind. In the process, it also regenerates the nervous system, promotes a feeling of well-being and equilibrium and helps increase concentration and memory.

Why Headstand is not advisable for blood pressure patients

Inversions are not meant for all, particularly, those suffering from High Blood Pressure, cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, detached retina, hernias, thrombosis, cervical spondylitis, kidney problems and arteriosclerosis. Likewise, people suffering from neck injuries should seek medical advice as well as counsel from an experienced yoga instructor before taking up the practice of Headstands. Finally, like all other inversions, the headstand is inadvisable for women during menstruation. This is because Sirshasana (the Headstand) inverts the body’s pattern of blood pressure, thus increasing it in the region of the head and dropping it in and around the feet. In doing the Headstand the blood pressure at the top of your head rises to 150/110 mm Hg, from 100/60 mm Hg in a standing position. In the Headstand the blood pressure in the region of your feet will drop to 40/0 mm Hg from around 210/170 mm Hg in a standing position. However, at heart level your blood pressure tends to remain constant at 120/80 mm Hg.

Here are some very important instances when and why one should not do the Headstand:

• The single most important case for not doing to the Headstand is if you are suffering from High Blood Pressure or Cardiac Problems.
• Another category of people who must avoid the Headstand are those with weak eye blood vessels or any sort of eye problems such as glaucoma or high myopia.
• Even during menstruation and pregnancy women had best avoid the headstand.

If, for any reason, you choose to ignore your health conditions and proceed with the Headstand you will be putting your health at risk. Yoga like all other health sciences is a very precise science and even while the Headstand is very, very healthy for many people, the same pose may not be good for others. There are a number of health conditions, such as High Blood Pressure, in which you had best avoid doing the Headstand.

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