In the midst of all the uncertainty and panic due to COVID-19, its time to celebrate our silent heroes who bare all odds to ensure the health and wellbeing of their children. “Mothers have to juggle their work life, their homes and the lives of their children, often losing out on personal time. While the emotional journey has its highs and lows, getting back to their fitness journey, gaining back the stamina and energy can go a long way in their journey of bouncing back.
This self-care and holistic well-being are what yoga can bring into the life of mothers: No matter at what stage of motherhood she is in. Yoga cannot only help them get back to their fitness routine, but also strengthen their immune system, stamina and flexibility,” claims master yoga instructor Shraddha Iyer.
Variety is the spice of life, after all, so trying out a mother’s day yoga sequence with your mom this year might be just the type of TLC you both need for the most beautiful and memorable day spent together.
Yoga for all
After talking to a lot of experts, we have shortlisted the best ones for mothers of all ages and across each phase of parenting to stay fit amidst the lockdown. “Simple breathing exercises like pranayama, anulom vilom and kapalabhati can be practiced by all.
Surya namaskars are an all-round body practice. Even 10 minutes of these a day will give you an all over body workout. Along with this, bhujan asana is an important one too,” points out yoga expert, Ira Trivedi. To maintain youth and vigor, yoga instructor Shreshthi Golccha recommends asanas like matsyasana, simhasana and yoga nidra.
Shraddha Iyer |
For mothers working from home, here are certain asanas that can help relieve them of the stress and anxiety and be rejuvenated — pranayama, ustrasana, adho mukha swanasana, balasana, shavasana, bow pose.
“Yoga for pregnancy is specifically designed to ensure there is focus on specific muscles like the back, and other supporting parts of the body. Asanas that are high in intensity should ideally be avoided,” states Shraddha.
Every day is a must
Experts advise to perform yoga every single day. It might not be possible to give in one hour every single day but even 15 minutes of pranayama and meditation is enough to see the effect on the body through the entire day “While yoga is popularly practiced early in the morning, one can practice it whenever they find time.
What is important is to be relaxed, at ease, and be ready. One can start with the breathing exercises such as Pranayama and then gradually move on to the other asanas, ending with the savasana, to bring the body back to rest and rhythm,” suggests Shraddha.
Ira Trivedi |
The best time to do yoga is always in the morning, 30 minutes after you wake up. “And if not then can also be done in the evenings after a gap of 4 hours between the last meal,” says Shreshthi.
The benefits
Most women turn to yoga for its holistic approach to balance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being as yoga brings a sense of calm and balance to the minds of everyone who practices. Mothers in particular undergo a lot of stress and tension, not just for themselves but also for their children.
“This is a common law in nature. By practicing yoga, not only can women stay healthy in their bodies, they can also achieve a certain peace of mind,” affirms Ira.
Yoga helps you shed the extra pounds; cure the internal organs and immune the body to fight against odds. “Yoga is a scientific tool that tackles your sympathetic nervous system which is the cause of all the stress and shifts your body to parasympathetic system which basically leads to a calming and soothing effect on the body,” explains Shreshthi.
The dos and don’ts
Well, there might be a few newbies, so it is important to be cautious while performing asanas to avoid latter damage. Look for an open area with good ventilation to do yoga. “One should avoid doing asanas like ustrasana, dhanurasana and matsyasana in case of any knee injury. Take utmost caution before doing sarvangasana, kapalbhati in case of cardiac issues,” suggests Shreshthi.
The new mothers should not hurry to get back to square one because it is important to heal not just physically but also emotionally and mentally. “There is very little importance given to healing and slowing down.
The body and mind need to recover and reset. Guided meditation and relaxation along with gentle yoga practice is the best combination to get there,” explains Shraddha. “Do not overstretch, over breath or over do. Yoga is about a stable, non-violent practice. Some people think yoga is about touching their toes, but it is not. It is about complete restoration to the musculature,” concludes yoga expert Ira.
