Does yoga lower blood pressure?

High blood pressure puts you at risk for metabolic cardiovascular disease. A natural and safe method to control high blood pressure is to practice yoga. When practicing yoga to lower blood pressure, it will help the patient's body calm the sympathetic nervous system and slow the heart rate.

Blood pressure is the pressure that blood exerts on the artery walls as it travels through the circulatory system. Blood pressure can fluctuate throughout the day, rising with exertion or stress, and falling when the body is at rest. Most doctors agree that a blood pressure reading below 120/80 is ideal for an adult, and a person is diagnosed with hypertension when these numbers reach 140/90. The first number is systolic blood pressure, the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart beats or contracts. The latter number measures diastolic blood pressure, or the pressure remaining in the arteries between beats, when the heart relaxes.
Patients with high blood pressure are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Nearly 1 in 3 Americans has high blood pressure, according to figures released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), equivalent to about 75 million adults. Currently, the definition of high blood pressure has changed, and this number is likely to increase even more in the future. It is estimated that up to half of all Americans are now at high risk for this disease.
To lower high blood pressure, drugs are often prescribed to patients by doctors. However, there are a few things people should do to help lower their blood pressure, including:
Follow a healthy diet. Maintain a healthy weight. Limit alcohol and stimulants. Reduce stress. Exercise regularly. Quit smoking if you are still smoking. In particular, another natural and safe method to control hypertension is yoga. Yoga can actually help maintain a healthy weight and reduce stress and anxiety. Note that, some standing postures, back bends and inversions should be avoided when practicing blood pressure-lowering yoga. The most important thing is to consult a doctor before starting to practice yoga. Talk to your yoga class instructor to make sure the poses in class are safe for you.
Yoga, when practiced on a regular basis, can reduce the risk of secondary hypertension while also addressing its underlying causes. When practicing yoga to lower blood pressure, it will be able to calm the sympathetic nervous system and slow the heart rate, and at the same time help the muscles in the body enter a state of deep rest.
Pranayama is also beneficial. Studies show that conscious breathing quickly lowers blood pressure. Practicing pranayama while lying down encourages the breath to arise rhythmically from a relaxed state, without the need for any force. If you choose to sit, keep your spine straight and chest up, while keeping your head down in jalandhara bandha, so as not to strain your heart.
While performing yoga poses, such as forward bends, where the head is supported provides comfort for the neck, face and diaphragm. Correct any standing position where the arms are normally extended overhead (such as virabhadrasana I) by placing the hands on the hips. In trikonasana (triangle pose), look down at the floor instead of at the ceiling to keep blood pressure from rising. Stay away from poses that compress the front of the diaphragm, such as dhanurasana (bow pose) and mayurasana (peacock pose), which can raise blood pressure.

Yoga poses that involve breathing in a certain pattern can control blood pressure as well as reduce stress. It will also enhance the function of your heart. Here are some yoga poses that are effective in reducing blood pressure..
Face down with help Start with your hands in combination with your knees and place two or three blankets (folded vertically) below your chest. yours. Press the weight evenly through your hands as you extend and lift your arms over the inner edges. Release your shoulder blades away from your neck toward your hips, straighten your legs, and lift your pelvis up. Separate your feet hip-width apart, then lift your pelvis away from your wrists and keep your legs steady. Press the front of your thigh away from your torso toward the back and lengthen your calves down to your heels. Extend your arms while you move your shoulder blades away from your neck toward your pelvis.
Drop the back of your neck so your head can rest on the support. If your head is uncomfortable with support, put on an extra towel. You also don't have to bend your elbows to touch the blanket. If you feel pressure in your neck or your head is caught in the blanket, lower your pillow.
When you are able to balance the action of your arms and torso with the rest; Relaxing in the head and neck, you should be able to hold this position for a few minutes without feeling too hard. As you bend over, separate and bend your knees, sit on your heels, and then drop your head to the floor in balasana.
Utanasana Separate your feet as wide as the narrow edge on a yoga mat. Align the outer heels and toes on the edge of the mat, placing a suitable shape on the highest part of your foot and in line with your big toes. Depending on your body proportions and hamstring flexibility, you may need more or less support. Stack a few blocks, if necessary place blocks or a folded blanket over a chair to support your head.
Lean forward, straighten your legs and place the top of your head on the support. Hold your ankles and spread your elbows apart. Move your shoulder blades away from your neck, but let the back of your head face the floor. Even though your head is resting on the support, keep most of your weight centered on your feet, balancing your weight evenly between the front, back, inner, and outer edges of your feet. Firmly lift your thighs and press toward the back of your legs without putting pressure on your head. The back of the neck should be long and the chest should be wide. Breathe normally, holding the pose for as long as you like, up to three minutes. Place your hands on your hips, inhale, and then slowly stand up.
Chain pose People practicing this pose need to sit on two folded blankets and straighten their legs in front of them, hip-width apart. Place the pad vertically over the top of your foot, with a folded blanket on the pad closer to your foot. Lift the sides of your body up. If you feel yourself slipping, put extra towels behind your back. Extend forward, then use your hands to hold the outer edges of your feet. Stretch your belly over the pad and rest your forehead against the blanket.
If you can't reach your feet, keep a belt around your feet. If your head doesn't reach the blanket, replace it with a padded chair. Straighten your legs and press your thighbones toward the floor as much as you can without letting your heels lift. Relax your forehead and straighten your elbows as you release your shoulders away from your neck. Extend through the back of the heel and move your back ribs toward the front ribs down to the support. Keep the nape of the neck soft and relax the facial features. Hold for two minutes and then return to normal position.
Halasana Try this pose using a blanket, support, and chair for support. If you feel discomfort, just get out of the pose and rest for a few minutes. Arrange three folded blankets at the end of your mat. The smooth folded edges of the blanket should align with the edge of the mat. Lie down with your shoulders, upper back, and neck resting on the stacked shields, your head on the blanket, and your pelvis against the support.
Raise your arms above your head and hold the legs of the chair. Push the chair away from you until the arms are straight. Reach your arms behind your sides and place your palms on the support. Rotate the upper arms outward and open the chest. Press your hands into the bar, bend your knees toward your chest, lift your pelvis off the bar, and bring your feet up, toes resting on the edge of the chair. Separate your feet as wide as the seat, toes bent under. Clasp your hands behind your back, straighten your arms, and curl into the front outer edge of your shoulders. Press your wrists into the bar and lift the sides of your chest off the floor. Relax your throat and let the back of your neck elongate.
Press your toes down, lift your front thighs away from your head and straighten them. Place the back of your hand on the floor next to your head, elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your legs active but head and neck still, face completely relaxed. To bend over, bend your knees and then slowly roll your upper, middle, and then lower back to the floor, keeping your head down. Lie on your back before rolling to your side to sit up.
Badminton Pose Sit in front of a pad and tie your thighs together with a belt. Bend your knees and your feet on the floor, your torso on the support. Using your feet on the floor, slide off the bar until your shoulders touch the floor and are level with your head. Then straighten your legs, placing your heels on the floor.
Roll the outer edge of your shoulders down and open your chest as you straighten your arms along the pad. Point your upper arms outward and your palms toward the ceiling. If your lower back hurts or feels oppressive, elevate your feet on a support and lengthen your sacrum and glutes toward your heels.
In summary, exercise is one of the methods to reduce high blood pressure. However, choosing which exercise, with how much time and intensity to ensure safety is not easy. However, scientists have partly demonstrated the ability to balance blood pressure in people who regularly practice yoga. Therefore, if you have or are at risk of high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about a gentle yoga practice.

References: Artofliving.org, Healthline.com, Yogainternational.com