Sick & not feeling well- Thinking of doing Yoga? What does expert say on doing Yoga when Sick?

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Your immune system can fail at any time of the year and you may experience symptoms of illness, especially in winter.

Nasal congestion, sore throat, fever and nasal congestion are common in cold weather. Should You Do Yoga When You’re Sick? Can You Participate in Yoga When You’re Suffering from a Cold?

Some yoga experts suggest that you should follow your yoga routine even if you are ill. However, the practice should be slightly different. But, do yoga alone so that your partner or you yog-friends don’t get sick because of you. So, do your yoga session at home, especially if you are sneezing and coughing.

If you are very ill, it is better to take rest than to practice yoga postures.

How to practice yoga when you are sick?

1. Move slowly and gently

Gentle movements help you to recover. So, do not rush while performing yoga. In addition, support your yoga postures with blankets, pillows and blocks, so that you can hold them without excess effort.

2. Incorporate heat

You should take it easy when your body is fighting any illness. If you are down with a fever, a sweaty yoga session at the studio might worsen things. So, it’s better to practice at home when you are not feeling well. Plus, try other options to heat your body like hot showers, soup, warm broths and vitamin-rich foods.

3. Be compassionate

Your body is ailing. So, proceed with compassion and kindness regardless of your yoga posture. Do not try uncomfortable and unsafe poses. You and your mat will not go anywhere. You can practice any posture once you overcome the illness.

4. Perform Isvara Pranidhana

Getting sick reminds us that we are human. It is a gift of free time in which you should practice Ishvara Pranidhana. Surrender yourself to the Divine and trust him to guide your life. You can practice it with the help of meditation, prayer and mantras.

What yoga postures are best when you are not feeling well?

Yoga is a natural immunity booster. It promotes lymph circulation, which picks up viruses and bacteria from your body and filters them throughout the lymph nodes. So, yoga repairs your weak immune system and ensures the protection of your body. Here are some yoga asanas that can be practiced when you are not well.

1. Alternate Nostril Breathing

The pranayama exercise is extremely helpful in calming the mind & body and clearing the sinuses.

• Form Vishnu Mudra using your right hand by curling your middle and index fingers.
• Use your left hand’s thumb to close your right nostril. Then, use your ring and fifth finger to close your left nostril.
• Block the right nostril and exhale through the left one. Then, inhale using the left, block it and exhale through the right. Inhale through right, close it and exhale through left.
• Continue the process and inhale/exhale using alternate nostrils at least 10 times.

2. Cat Pose

When you are ill, you spend most of your time in bed. So, you must try this yoga asana to warm up your spine and circulate the blood and other fluids in your body. It makes you feel better.

• Begin by using both your hands and feet to support your body. Keep your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees.
• Inhale, move your belly towards the ground.
• Exhale, move your navel up and continue to move back and forth while breathing slowly.

3. Downward-facing dog pose

The downward-facing dog might not feel good to you if you are suffering from a headache or sinus. So, try this posture only if do not have any such problems. If you feel uncomfortable, do not perform it.

• Use both your hands and legs to support your body.
• Stretch your sitting bones towards the sky to create a V shape using your body.
• Relax your neck and head. You can bend your knees if needed.
• Hold this position for a few deep breaths.

Thank You 🙏

• Health-related benefits and adverse events associated with yoga classes among participants that are healthy, in poor health, or with chronic diseases
• Benefits, barriers and determinants of practicing yoga: A cross sectional study from Kathmandu, Nepal
• Yoga – a laborious way to well-being: patients’ experiences of yoga as a treatment for hypertension in primary care
• Voluntarily induced vomiting – A yoga technique to enhance pulmonary functions in healthy humans
• Yoga for palliative care

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