Browsed by
Category: Iyengar Yoga

Managing Migraine Symptoms through Yoga Therapy (Part 2 – Migraine)

Managing Migraine Symptoms through Yoga Therapy (Part 2 – Migraine)

Comments 1 comment

In our previous post, we covered the root cause, potential triggers, and some lifestyle changes for migraines. In this post, we plan to cover the management of migraine symptoms – primarily the headache. The poses suggested in this post are known to alleviate the symptoms if done correctly under the guidance of an experienced Yoga therapist. All the poses are based on Iyengar Yoga. As mentioned in the earlier post, migraine is a secondary manifestation of the primary disorder, which…

Read More Read More

The link between Breath and Nervous System – Foundation of Pranayama

The link between Breath and Nervous System – Foundation of Pranayama

Comments 0 Comment

In this post, we will discuss the link between the breath and mind – which forms the foundation of Pranayama, the fourth limb of Ashtang Yoga (Ashtang means 8 limbs in Sanskrit) as formulated by the Lord Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra. There are different schools of thought in defining the mind. According to Yogic texts, the mind is the awareness of consciousness. The consciousness is itself is an unexplored subject when it comes to neuroscience. Hence, for simplicity, we…

Read More Read More

Adho Mukha Virasana Insomnia Yoga Chikitsa Neuroscience
Yoga Therapy for Insomnia – Based on Neuroscience Understanding

Yoga Therapy for Insomnia – Based on Neuroscience Understanding

Comments 0 Comment

This is the next post in the series on sleep disorders. So far, we covered the importance of sleep, neuroscience brain waves, sleep stages, healthy sleep habits, and types and causes of Insomnia. In this post let’s see how Yoga (Yogasana and Pranayama) can be used as a therapy for insomnia. Please note that this information is not a health or medical advice. Always consult a qualified medical professional or qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about…

Read More Read More

Brain Waves – A Neuroscience Measure of State of Mind

Brain Waves – A Neuroscience Measure of State of Mind

Comments 0 Comment

In our previous post, we covered the Neuroscience perspective of the importance of sleep, and what happens when we sleep. Before we discuss the next topics on sleep i.e. the stages of sleep and how Yoga helps in improving quality sleep, it is important to understand the neuroscience of brain waves – a measurable indicator of the state of mind. Our brain has approximately 80 to 100 billion neurons, which communicate with each other by transmitting electrical impulses through neural…

Read More Read More

Baroreflex – The Secret Behind Inverted Yoga Poses like Sirsasana

Baroreflex – The Secret Behind Inverted Yoga Poses like Sirsasana

Comments 0 Comment

It is a popular belief that the secret behind inverted Yoga poses (like Sirsasana and Sarvangasana) is the increase the blood supply to the brain that promotes relaxation and calmness. But it is not true. Then, what makes inversions so effective for mental health? It’s a body-mind Neuroscience reflex called “Baroreflex”. Let’s look at it from a neuroscience perspective. Cerebral Blood Flow (CBF) is a measure of the blood supply to the brain in a given period of time. In…

Read More Read More

Yoga – An excellent example of Neuroscience Biofeedback

Yoga – An excellent example of Neuroscience Biofeedback

Comments 0 Comment

Neuroscience has slowly started to believe in body and mind connection, which was formulated and practiced in India in the form of Yoga over thousands of years. Biofeedback is a modern medical science term coined to encapsulate the fact that the brain changes its function based on what the body is doing. And, this makes it is possible to influence (or control) various physiological and psychological functions that normally are involuntary. So far, Yogic wisdom of thousands of years (of…

Read More Read More

Understanding Autonomic Nervous System from Neuroscience Perspective

Understanding Autonomic Nervous System from Neuroscience Perspective

Comments 1 comment

It is important to know the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) to understand the real effect of Yoga for healthy living. There is no other system of the human body where Yoga has a direct influence than the Autonomic Nervous System and hence it is of great relevance to the understanding of the effects of Yoga practice on the body, mind, and emotions. The autonomic nervous system is a part of the human nervous system that acts largely unconsciously and behaves…

Read More Read More

Why 20 Minutes of Cooling Down is Important in Yoga Practice?

Why 20 Minutes of Cooling Down is Important in Yoga Practice?

Comments 0 Comment

Let’s understand why the Yogic wisdom of “cooling down” is important from the lenses of modern Neuroscience. In any stressful situation during your normal daily routine (including fear, worry, and anxiety) or even a planned activity that challenges the body (like Sports, Exercise or an active Yogasana practice), the Hypothalamus (the control center for the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)) is aroused. To prepare the body for the threatening or challenging situation, the Hypothalamus directs the Adrenal Medullae to release a…

Read More Read More

How can I Alleviate Jet Lag and How Iyengar Yoga helps?

How can I Alleviate Jet Lag and How Iyengar Yoga helps?

Comments 0 Comment

Jet lag is a condition that results from changes to the body’s internal clock called ‘Circadian Rhythms’. This is caused by rapid travel across different time zones. The circadian rhythm influences the biological, physiological and behavioral processes in our typical 24-hour cycle. These processes include the sleep-wake cycle, eating habits, core body temperature, brain wave activity, hormone production, and other important body functions. When you travel across time zones, the rhythm gets disturbed which causes sleep disturbances, cognitive discomfort, fatigue,…

Read More Read More

Do you know we humans have a second brain – The Enteric Nervous System

Do you know we humans have a second brain – The Enteric Nervous System

Comments 1 comment

Medically known as ‘Enteric Nervous System’, our so-called second brain is a part of the Autonomic Nervous System. It consists of sheaths of 100 million neurons embedded in the walls of our digestive tract (alimentary canal) from the esophagus to the anus. It has its own reflexes and senses, and can behave independently of the brain for the process of digestion and excretion. The business of digestion is delegated to this nervous system in our gut. It controls the involuntary…

Read More Read More