5 Yoga Poses for Post-Diwali Detox and Relaxation

Here are a few easy and effective yoga poses you can try at home for post-Diwali detox.

Diwali preparations have begun, and this includes deep cleaning your rooms, houses, and offices. There is no doubt that this is no easy task. Having fun and enjoying the festival along with the Diwali preparations becomes challenging, and often, our bodies may be pushed beyond their capacity.

Post-Diwali fatigue and laziness is a thing that forces us to rest and relax. Proper rest is important, otherwise going back to work and a normal routine becomes difficult. Yoga can be effective in helping you relax, detox, and get rid of fatigue. Try these easy yoga poses at home.

These yoga poses will help the muscles relax, release tension, and stretch the over-used muscles.

1. Cobra Pose 

This stretches your abdomen, chest, and shoulders. It strengthens your spine and soothes sciatica. It helps the muscle groups: hamstrings, gluteus maximus, deltoids, triceps, and serratus anterior. It also helps manage stress.

Follow the steps:

• Lie on your stomach and place your hands under your shoulders with your fingers facing forward

• Draw your arms to your chest, and your elbows should not go out to the side

• Press into your hands and slowly lift your head, chest, and shoulders

• Lift part-way, halfway, or all the way up

• Slightly bend your elbows

• Let your head drop back to deepen the pose

• Release back down to your mat and breathe out

• Bring your arms by your side and rest your head

• Slowly move your hips from side to side to release tension

2. Warrior Pose 

The warrior pose is another traditional pose practised by people with various medical conditions, but it also helps in strengthening the arms, legs, core, and lower back as well. You can:

• Stand up with your legs 4 to 5 feet apart

• Place your right foot at a 90-degree angle and your right toe should point out at an angle of 45 degrees

• Place your hands at shoulder level, parallel to the ground

• Bend your right knee and look toward your right

• Your hips should be square and the right thigh should be parallel to the ground

• Hold the pose for 10 to 15 seconds and release the posture

3. Downward Facing Dog Pose 

This is one of the traditional yoga poses in which you bend forward. It can be restful and rejuvenating. This pose can help relieve back pain and sciatica. It helps manage imbalances and improves strength.

The pose focuses on muscles like the hamstrings, deltoids, gluteus maximus, triceps, and quadriceps. You should:

• Get on all fours.

• Your hands should be aligned under your wrists and your knees under your hips.

• Press into your hands, tuck your toes, and lift up your knees.

• Move your sitting bones slowly up toward the ceiling.

• Slightly bend your knees and lengthen your spine and tailbone.

• Your heels should be slightly off the ground.

• Press firmly into your hands and distribute the weight on both sides of the body.

• Pay attention to the position of your hips and shoulders.

• Your head should be in line with your upper arms and your chin tucked in slightly.

• Hold this pose for at least 1 minute.

4. Bridge Pose

The bridge pose helps regulate blood pressure. It calms the brain and alleviates stress. It is beneficial in managing mild depression and is good for abdominal organs, lungs, menstrual pain, fatigue, headache, and anxiety as well.

• Lie on your back, place your hands at your sides, bend your knees, and your feet should be flat on the floor close to your butt.

• Press into your feet while you lift your hips and torso to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

• Hold the pose for up to 30 seconds, then lower your hips to the floor.

5. Camel Pose

The camel pose helps the front body stretch out, and the parts involved include the chest, abdomen, and quadriceps. It helps flush out toxins from the body and promotes skin rejuvenation. Practise the pose like this:

Bend forwards to your knees and place your legs hip-width apart. Keep your hips over your knees, squeeze your thighs toward each other, and inhale while you engage your belly. Then reach your tailbone toward your knees and create a space between your lower vertebrae.

Inhale again while you lift your sternum and draw your elbows back, toward each other, behind you. Let the ribcage expand. The chest should be raised, the core engaged, and the chin tucked in. Press the heels of your hands into the heels of your feet while you drape your fingers over the soles. Lift your shoulders and let the trapezius muscles between the shoulder blades rise up and cushion the cervical spine. Extend the head and neck backward.