Lotus Pose (Padmasana) Benefits: Physical & Mental Health
When you perform different types of yoga poses every day, you are likely to get a lot of health benefits. Many health care professionals advise people to perform yoga and asana poses every day to develop better functioning of the mind and the body. But there are many who find it difficult to decide which type of asana to perform. There are several healthcare professionals who advise people to perform poses like the lotus position, commonly known as the padmasana.
This article will help you to get meaningful insights regarding what the lotus position is all about, the types of health benefits that you may derive from practicing the padmasana pose regularly, how to be in this pose, and other essential details.
The lotus position or the padmasana: What is this all about?
The padmasana, or the lotus position, is a form of yoga pose that is known for its immense health benefits since ancient times. Apart from improving the overall physiological functioning, padmasana can also be beneficial for improving your mental health and the functioning.
The term ‘lotus’ means ‘padma’, and since the yoga pose requires you to sit in a way that resembles the shape of an open lotus, it is termed as ‘padmasana’. For being in a pose like padmasana, a person needs to sit in a position in which the legs are crossed and the feet remain placed on the opposite thighs.
Performing the lotus position: How to make padmasana easier?
Though the lotus position apparently looks simple to perform, if you are a beginner and have not done yoga before, then being in the lotus position may be a bit difficult for you. But there is nothing to worry about, the pose will eventually get better with gradual practice.
When you keep practising being in the padmasana for a couple of days, then there will be a chance that the risk of the legs getting locked while performing the position will be reduced. Moreover, if you keep exercising each day by being in the lotus position, you are likely to become more flexible with gradual practice. Other than the physical flexibility, performing padmasana requires a great deal of mindfulness as well. This pose also involves deep meditation to calm the mind so that the mind and the body remain in proper sync with each other.
Health benefits of being in the Padmasana pose:
If you practise being in the padmasana or the lotus position each day, you are more likely to get a lot of health benefits. The benefits usually involve the wellness of both the mind and the body. Some of the most common health benefits of being in the padmasana pose include the following:
1. You develop a healthy spine and posture:
When you practise sitting in the lotus position each day, the overall posture of your body improves. The back becomes straight, and you are less likely to slouch. When you sit in an upright and erect position in the padmasana, you develop a straight spine. Being in the lotus position helps in the strengthening of the muscles in the back and can also help to reduce problems related to the spine.
2. Padmasana helps in better digestion:
Many health care professionals opine that when you start practising to sit in the padmasana, you will have a better digestive system, and being in this position at least once each day can help to take good care of the digestive organs. When you sit in a tall and straight posture while being in the padmasana, it results in improved functioning of the digestive organs. This will not only help you with better digestion, but will also promote better metabolism and absorption in the body.
3. Padmasana can help stimulate energy centers:
There are certain energy centers in the body, which according to yogic philosophy are known as ‘chakras’. When you sit in a calm and composed posture of the lotus position, it is often said that the posture helps in activating these energy centers. The lotus position helps in activating some of the most important chakras, such as the root chakra, or the Muladhara, and the crown chakra, or the Sahasrara. In activating the chakras, the lotus position helps you to develop a sense of balance and well-being.
4. Padmasana can increase your energy levels:
When you are in a padmasana posture, for at least around 30 minutes a day, it is said that your energy levels will increase and you are more likely to feel energetic, which is important for you to perform all your physiological processes properly. Moreover, if you have enough energy, it would be beneficial for you to work effectively throughout the day.
5. Padmasana helps the mind to calm down:
Being in the lotus position may help increase your energy levels, but this is a unique position in yoga that aids in calming the mind. When the mind becomes calm, there will be more chances that the person who performs the lotus position each day will have better focus, memory, and concentration abilities.
Besides, the padmasana is a posture that is meant for meditation itself. Since the early days, when people used to meditate, they would often choose the lotus position for better mindfulness. The sitting position makes you calmer due to a controlled breathing pattern. So, it is often claimed by experts that being in the lotus position can be beneficial for reducing the risks of developing various types of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, high levels of stress, and so on, because the lotus position can aid in achieving better mental clarity.
6. Padmasana helps control blood pressure levels:
It is often claimed by several healthcare experts that if you practise being in the lotus position each day, then you are most likely to develop healthy cardiac functioning. This is because, when you are in a lotus position, you are calm, composed, and you develop a healthy and controlled breathing pattern. So, this helps in controlling your blood pressure levels and keeping your pulse rates within an optimum range. So, cardiac patients must practise the lotus position each day to reduce the worsening of conditions like hypertension and to promote better cardiovascular health.
7. Padmasana is beneficial for the nervous system:
When you perform the lotus position each day, you will effectively develop a balancing effect on the nervous system. Apart from increasing a sense of calmness in your mind, the padmasana can also help in building a harmony of the mind and body by regulating the healthy functioning of the nervous system.
Health benefits of the lotus position for women:
People are generally advised to perform the padmasana or the lotus position to develop a healthy sync between the mind and the body. Moreover, this yoga position will be beneficial for self-reflection and inner awareness. You tend to connect much deeper within yourself when you are in the meditative pose of the padmasana.
Apart from providing these types of health benefits, being in the lotus position for at least 30 to 45 minutes each day can be particularly beneficial for women. Padmasana can be beneficial for women who usually experience various types of menstrual discomforts, such as cramps, period pain, and so on. These conditions are cured when you practise padmasana daily by stretching and opening the pelvic region. When the muscles stretch and relax, you may get relief from the intense cramps.
Besides, the lotus position can also help in successful labour and childbirth. Many pregnant women are therefore often advised to perform the lotus position with caution and safety measures. This is said because when you perform the lotus position each day, gradually the stretches help your hip region and thus strengthen the pelvic muscles, which is quite beneficial for better labour and during delivery.
Conclusion:
Yoga experts and many healthcare professionals usually advise people to perform the lotus position or the padmasana, because this unique position is beneficial for providing a lot of health benefits. Performing the lotus position can positively impact both your physical and mental health. People perform the lotus position to not only improve their overall physiological functioning, but also to make their minds calm and focused. Moreover, when you are in the lotus position, it can make your muscles more stretchy, which will make you more physically flexible.
As a final word, while performing the lotus position, take necessary advice from an expert or a trainer to avoid muscle locking and other side effects.
