They say that it’s not how you start but how you finish, and while that may be true for a lot of things, we believe that for your health and wellbeing, it’s always important to start your day the right way. This is where the Supta Baddha Konasana can greatly help!
Before you get into the thick of your daily activities, you need a moment right after waking up to take a breather and get your mind and body ready for what’s to come. Performing a Supta Baddha Konasana right then and there gives you a better chance of ending your day on a high note and sleeping easy afterward.
Want to know more about this yoga pose? Read on!
What Is Supta Baddha Konasana?
Supta Baddha Konasana is actually considered a restorative yoga pose and it is also commonly known as the Reclined Goddess Pose, Reclining Bound Angle Pose, or the Reclined Cobbler’s Pose. In Sanskrit, it is made up of the words “supta,” which means “reclining,” “baddha,” which stands for “bound,” “kona,” meaning “angle,” and “asana,” which means “posture” or “pose.”
This yoga pose is meant for body correction and for sleeping. It is designed to induce relaxation and calmness for whoever performs it. The beauty of the Supta Baddha Konasana is that it’s both good for waking up in the morning and for sleeping at night.
You can perform it immediately after waking up or before sleeping at night. It’s also a perfect routine to fall back to sleep should you wake up in the middle of your slumber.
And, we know what you’re thinking, what if you don’t sleep conventional hours? The answer is, Supta Baddha Konasana should be effective to perform any time of the day.
This pose essentially helps you to open up both your thighs and hips. This, in turn, enables you to perform other poses rather easily. One thing that you need to take note of, though, is to have an ample amount of time (about three hours) between your last meal and performing the poses before sleeping.
This is an added and indirect bonus since this practice also helps prevent hyperacidity as it encourages you to not sleep while you’re still full.
What Are the Benefits of Supta Baddha Konasana?
We already know about the many benefits of yoga but the Supta Baddha Konasana has got a ton of specific benefits for your mind and body that some yoga poses do not cover.
The Supta Baddha Konasana is beneficial for activating your ovaries and is good for the prostate, urinary bladder, and kidneys. Regular practice of this pose also promotes good blood circulation and, in turn, a healthy heart.
Your pelvic region, thighs, and knees should also benefit from the stretch that this pose requires. Muscle tension is naturally alleviated and it just gives you a good boost of energy you need throughout your day.
Having said all of that, it’s obvious that this pose is good not just for the reproductive system but also for the digestive system.
It helps alleviate menstrual disorders and ease the symptoms of menopause, irritable bowel movement, and infertility, among others. That’s because your hip flexors are effectively opened up with this pose.
People even attest that it helps alleviate chronic headaches. And, most of all, it induces sleep so it effectively helps those who are suffering from insomnia. With all these issues alleviated, stress should then be relieved.
There are even claims that the Supta Baddha Konasana helps those who suffer from bad moods or depression. But, of course, that could just be the overall effect of practicing yoga regularly.
Added Precautions To Consider
If you’re pregnant, be sure to only practice the Supta Baddha Konasana under the strict supervision of your yoga instructor. Also, don’t practice this pose, or any yoga pose even, should you be experiencing any form of injury at the moment.
Here’s How To Perform Supta Baddha Konasana
Let’s take a look at the steps of how to perform a Supta Baddha Konasana effectively:
- The first thing that you have to do is to lie on your yoga mat facing the ceiling with your chest flat on the ground.
- Make sure to keep your spine straight and, at the same time, relax your shoulders and not ensure they are not lifted. Make sure that there’s no tension in your neck either.
- Bend your knees and bring your feet together while still remaining on the mat. Then, slowly bring your heels nearer to your pelvis with your hands lying next to your hips and with your palms pressed onto the mat.
- Exhale to contract your abdominal muscle and your tailbone, moving closer to your pubic bone. Observe that as you stretch, there’s no pain in your lower back. Discontinue the pose if there’s any.
- Bring stability to your spine as well as your pelvic tilts by performing the pose slowly. Hold the posture for about 20 seconds for maximum effect.
- Inhale quickly but exhale slowly and let your knees open, for a good stretch of your inner thighs and pelvic muscles. Make sure to not arch your spine forcefully. Shoulders should be relaxed and not too close to your neck. Breathe slowly and keep this posture for about 30 seconds.
- Exhale to slowly exit the pose. Hold your knees tightly together and rock from one side to the other for about 10 seconds.
- You may follow this pose with Gomukhasan, Malasana, and Padmasana if you want to.
Wrapping Up: The Ultimate Way To Start or End Your Day
Start making Supta Baddha Konasana a part of your day, every day! There’s no doubt that this yoga pose will add a little bit of a boost to your energy to face all the challenges that will come your way.
We know that things can sometimes get a bit overwhelming, so who says that we can’t take a few minutes to take a breather? Think things through and calm your body before ramping up again. Practice this pose and all the other elements of yoga along with some natural health practices to strengthen yourself.
Want to get into the yoga craze? Why not visit zudayoga.com and get yourself started? The quest for a better and healthier you starts today!
