- 5/7/2017
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- Dr. Pradeep Bandwal
Infertility is a common problem now-a-days. Yoga can be an effective adjuvant approach to overcome general problem of infertility. Yoga and meditation can help both the sexes experiencing the challenges of infertility. The practice of meditation and relaxation can help increase the clarity of the mind, maintain healthy body chemistry, and give patients the patience to undergo the rigors of infertility treatments. Yoga is a scientific system of altering the brain and body chemistry to support a heightened state of sensitivity and clarity.
Infertility patients have more levels of stress and depression in compare to patients having dangerous chronic diseases. Yoga promotes and improves fertility. There are a few specific yoga practices that can be used for it. Yoga enhance fertility by stimulating hormone levels and improving blood and nutrients supply to reproductive organs like ovaries, Fallopian tubes, uterus in woman and testes and prostate in man.
In Aged infertile patients yoga exercises can slow down the aging of organs and tissues like eggs and sperms .
Yoga Poses For Fertility :
A. “Viparita Karani” /Legs up the Wall Pose
Legs Up the Wall is a rejuvenating inverted pose that brings relief to the legs, feet, spine, and nervous system.
Some yoga traditions also recommend Viparita Karani as an important post-coital pose for women to increase the possibility of conception.
Method: Place a folded towel underneath your tailbone while you rest your legs on the wall. Your tailbone should tilt toward the ceiling so that the pubic bone is pointing upward. Your shoulders, arms, and head should be resting on the floor. Once you are in the correct pelvic position, allow the legs to relax by bending the knees allowing the abdominal and pelvic floor to relax completely. Breath slowly using your abdominal muscles. You can stay in this position for at least 20 minutes. Do not practice this pose if you are menstruating.
B. Savasana / Relaxation Pose
This pose is the most relaxing of all the yoga poses. You should always start and end your practice with this pose. If you do not have time for other poses, just do this one. This pose will help you reduce stress and find a way to connect your mind with your body. Forming this connection as often as possible adds a tremendous healing power to your body. If you have to choose only one pose to practice to reduce your stress levels and increase the chances of conception, this is the one. Practice it every day for at least 20 minutes. This yoga for fertility pose is indicated for both partners.
Method: Lie on the floor and relax. Relax your body and let your jaw become loose. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing pattern. Inhale a long and slow breath, followed by an equally long and slow exhalation. Feel you abdomen lifting during the inhalation and visualize healing and soothing energy of white, pink or orange color fill your pelvic organs. During exhalation, feel you abdomen going down and imagine all the blocks that prevent you from getting pregnant going away. Continue this practice for 5 to ten breaths, and then allow your breath to assume its own natural rhythm. If your mind wonders and you start to think about things that make you tense or worried, simple acknowledge your thoughts and then send them away in your next exhale breathe. To come out of this yoga pose, bend one knee and roll over to your side. Stay there for a couple of breaths before getting up slowly.
C. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana / Supported Bridge Pose
This yoga for fertility pose brings stimulating energy and increased blood supply to your pelvic organs. Like for many yoga poses, do not do this pose if you are menstruating.
Method: Start in a sitting position and slowly roll down vertebra by vertebra until you lie on your back. Bend your knees gently one by one and make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Make sure your face if looking at the ceiling. Place your arms out to the side. Make sure that your tailbone is tilted toward your navel and make sure you are not straining your back. Move your feet toward your buttocks. Slowly push your buttocks off the floor into a bridge pose. Hold your hands behind your back or place a pillow or a blanket underneath your tailbone to prop you up. Start breathing with your belly gently. Stay in this pose as long as it feels comfortable. To come out of this pose, lower your hips to the floor, roll carefully to one side, using your arms to help you slowly come to a sitting position.
D. Virasana / Hero Pose
There are many grounding yoga poses, but this one is very simple to execute. It also energizes your lower body and brings power to your mind by increasing focus and concentration. It empowers you and releases any fears that may create mental blocks.
Method: Sit on your knees. Lift your buttocks slightly so that you can move your feet apart, placing them just on either side of your buttocks. Keep your knees together. Place the palms of your hands on you lap. Stretch your torso up and look straight ahead. Continue breathing slowly and stay in this pose as long as you want.
E. Upavista Konasana / Wide Angle Pose
All yoga poses are design to reduce stress and this pose will definitely help you increase relaxation and brings positive energy to the uterus.
Method: Sit on the floor with your legs wide apart. Do not stretch your legs too much, just find a comfortable position. Make sure you are feeling relaxed. Focus on releasing tension from your legs. Lean forward and go as far as you can. If you are not very flexible you can support yourself with a pillow or a chair. Close your eyes and breath gently with your belly. Stay in this position as long as it feels comfortable. Make sure that your neck and spine are long and straight. Come up a little if you feel like you are stooping forward with your shoulders. Close your eyes, breathe gently, and relax for as long as it feels comfortable
F. Bhujangasana / Cobra Pose
There are many yoga poses that bring energy and vitality to your reproductive organs, but this one is very effecting in increasing blood flow as well.
Method: Lie face down with your feet together and your toes pointing behind you. Place your hands flat on the floor close to your body and beside your rib cage. As you inhale, gently push off your hands, lifting your head and chest off the ground and tilt your head back. Feel your chest moving forward as well as upward, this will help you from straining the lower back. Go as far as it feels comfortable. Exhale and gently move your head toward the floor with your forehead almost touching it. Lift yourself up to a sitting position going through a kneeling position. Do not forget to breath.
G. Baddha Konasana / Butterfly Pose
Butterfly pose is very similar to lotus pose except that you put your feet together and then pull them in as close to your body as you can while keeping your back straight. Then you rest your hands on your feet and breath deeply. You should close your eyes and then focus on your internal organs that are in the pelvic area. Visualize the blood flowing in this area and then relax the muscles there as well.
H. Padmasana / The Lotus Pose
Although you will not be able to do this your first try, with practice you will be able to easily do a lotus pose. The lotus pose centers the body, aids the abdominal muscles and reproductive areas.
Method: Start by sitting down cross-legged as you normally would. Then slowly lift the right leg, bending at the hip not the knee. Place the right foot lightly in the bend of your left arm and the right knee in the bend of your right arm. Relax and slowly put the right foot over the left thigh with the right knee touching the floor. Repeat the sequence with the left leg. Let your index and thumb fingers of each hand touch and rest each arm on your legs.
I. Salamba Sirsasana / The Supported Headstand
This fertility yoga pose is not for beginners and should not be performed if you have a heart condition, are on your period, have neck or back problems, are pregnant, have high or low blood pressure, or have a headache. If you trying this yoga pose for fertility for the first time, do not hold this pose for more than a few seconds.
Method: Get a floor mat and lay down in child’s pose. Keep your forearms on the floor and clasp your hands together, placing your head between your hands. Take a deep breath in and pull your legs off the ground, closer to your head. Breath outwards and pull your legs upwards, heels pointing up, using your thighs to stretch. Stretch your legs until they are completely straight against the wall. Do not bend your knees. Hold this pose for 10 seconds if you can. To come back down, do this pose in reverse and finish with the child’s pose.
J. Balasana / Child's Pose
Child's pose helps to rejuvenate your body and thus can help you to relax and hopefully increase your chances of getting pregnant.
Method: For child's pose get down on your hands and knees and then lean forward stretching your arms and hands above your head against the floor. Wiggle your buttocks to help loosen the muscles in your lower back. Rest your forehead against the floor. If this too uncomfortable, you can also bring your arms back down and rest your forehead against them instead.