Yoga for COVID Patients: Try 5 Top Poses to Strengthen Your Lungs

In the last 2 years, the pandemic has affected about 400 million people worldwide [1]. The number of active cases rises and dips with time, but new variants may yet emerge. While vaccination has helped in reducing the severity of coronavirus symptoms, it doesn’t eliminate the chance of you being affected by COVID-19. So, it is crucial to strengthen your lungs for better recovery after an infection. While you need to take proper care of your diet, it is equally important to practice certain poses of yoga for covid patients. 

Doing these asanas of yoga for COVID patients is beneficial as it helps open up your chest, helping in better oxygen flow. These poses will also help activate your lymphatic system and stimulate your thymus gland [2]. 

Here is a glimpse of simple poses of yoga for COVID patients that act as an immune booster and a recovery tool. 

Additional read: Importance of Yoga

Do a seated spinal twist pose to boost your immunity

This pose of yoga for COVID positive individuals boosts digestion and improves spinal flexibility.

Follow these steps to complete it with ease.

• Step 1: Sit comfortably on the ground keeping your neck and back in straight alignment
• Step 2: Stretch your legs and ensure that your chin is parallel to the ground
• Step 3: Take your right heel close to the right hip when you fold your knees
• Step 4: Make sure to wrap your leg with your left arm
• Step 5: Extend the right arm behind you and inhale slowly
• Step 6: Exhale and return to original position
• Step 7: Repeat the whole procedure on left side

Ease your stress with the butterfly pose

When you practice this pose regularly, you loosen the muscles of your inner thighs, lower back and hips. Doing this improves lymphatic circulation in your body. You feel energized and less stressed too! Complete this simple pose in the following way.

• Step 1: Fold your knees and sit on the mat by joining your heels together
• Step 2: Bring the heels closer to your thighs and keep your fingers interlocked
• Step 3: Allow your knees to fall sideways
• Step 4: Maintain this pose and try fluttering your knees up and down
• Step 5: Make sure your back is straight throughout and you don’t slouch! 

Work on your upper respiratory muscles with the cobra pose

This pose works by stretching your chest, shoulders and abdomen. While it helps strengthen your spine, it is a highly therapeutic pose for asthma. You may execute the pose by following these steps. 

• Step 1: Lie down on your belly and make sure that you keep your legs together
• Step 2: Keep your toes pointed outward and your palms near your chest
• Step 3: Make sure that your elbows do not touch the ground
• Step 4: Inhale and lift your chest, head and abdomen slowly
• Step 5: Make sure your body takes the shape of an arch
• Step 6: Exhale and return to your original position

Improve respiration by practicing alternate nostril breathing 

Anulom vilom is one of the most effective poses of yoga for COVID patients. While it improves your focus and heart health, this pose is known to lower your stress and fatigue. Known as the alternate nostril breathing technique, it is easy to do. 

• Step 1: Just sit down by keeping your legs folded inwards
• Step 2: Ensure that you keep your back and neck straight while your chin is an upright position
• Step 3: Use your thumb and ring finger to cover one nostril while you exhale or inhale with the other
• Step 4: When you inhale from the right, block the left side
• Step 5: Similarly, exhale from left while you block the right one
• Step 6: Repeat the whole process on other side

Additional read: How to Increase Lung Capacity

Practice bhramari yoga for COVID recovery

One of the best poses for relieving stress and hypertension, this asana helps improve your sleep [3]. Doing this creates positive vibrations in your head. Follow the simple steps to complete the pose. 

• Step 1: Place your hands on the head
• Step 2: Keep your index fingers on your eyelids
• Step 3: Place the ring fingers on your upper lip
• Step 4: Keep your middle fingers on the nose
• Step 5: Place the little fingers on your chin
• Step 6: Inhale deeply and slowly
• Step 7: Make a humming sound as you exhale

There are different immunity types that help in defending your body against infections. If you want to boost your immunity, practicing these simple yoga asanas will help a long way for your speedy recovery after the infection. Take care to eat a well-balanced and nutritious diet so that you can gain back your lost strength soon. For advice on post-COVID recovery, you may contact top specialists on Bajaj Finserv Health. Book an online doctor consultation and address your concerns from the comfort of your home. Take care of yourself to stay safe from infection.