Allergies and colds can congest your sinuses, as thickened sinus membranes block the drainage of mucus. Yoga advocates note its emphasis on conscious breathing and postures designed to stimulate blood flow to the head, aiding the restoration of clear and healthy airways.
Types
Standing poses, forward bends and breathing exercises help address sinus congestion, a broad consensus of yoga practitioners agree. Blue Lotus Ayurveda, a yoga therapy center in Asheville, North Carolina, recommends, as well as any standing pose or forward bend, in particular the headstand, the shoulder stand, the plow and downward-facing dog. YogaWiz.com and Blue Lotus Ayurveda also recommend the fish posture.
Features
Canadian health writer Angela Pirisi, in "Yoga Journal," describes the benefits of uttanasana, the standing-forward bend, performed after snugly wrapping the forehead and back of the head with a 4-inch wide elastic bandage, with the free end tucked in. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and rest your forearms on a chair seat. Maintain the position for 2 to 5 minutes.
Effects
The discomfort caused by sinus problems can be addressed by the lion pose or simhasana, according to YogaWiz.com and J. Donald Walters in "The Art and Science of Raja Yoga." This whimsical pose starts by kneeling on the floor and crossing the front of the right ankle over the back of the left, "Yoga Journal" notes. Press your palms against your knees and spread your fingers like the claws of a lion. Take a deep inhale through the nose and at the same time open your mouth and stretch your tongue out, curling the tip down toward the chin, and open your eyes wide. Exhale the breath out of your mouth making the "ha" sound passing over the throat, also known as ujjayi breathing or "conqueror's breath." You can even roar two or three times.
Considerations
The sukhasana or easy pose, a simple cross-legged sitting posture, can be adopted while working on pranayama or regulated breathing to address sinus congestion. Inhale letting your abdomen fill with air, recommends YogaWiz.com. Exhale letting your belly deflate like a balloon. Continue breathing into your belly, adding an inflation of your chest area by letting your rib cage open up. Try to breathe in waves moving up and down your body.
Expert Insight
Humming sounds like those made while chanting can help improve the ventilation of the sinuses, writes board-certified internist Timothy McCall, the medical editor of "Yoga Journal," in his book "Yoga as Medicine." The vibrations in the nasal cavities may open respiration, he writes. He recommends chanting "om" while holding the "m" for longer than usual and focusing on the vibration in the nose and palate. Vasanthi Bhat and Rajiv Jaswa, writing on yoga and health site IndoLink, also advocate shashankasana, or the pose of the moon, a posture that resembles child's pose, for sinus problems.
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