Yoga postures and hair growth – two things I never imagined I’d see together.
So if you’re one of those people who haven’t heard of this before or are wondering what yoga postures have to do with hair growth, well, trust me it was very new to me as well.
I just found out about it and yes, doing yoga actually helps in hair growth!
Yoga is a practice followed by many people all around the world and can be helpful in curing multiple types of ailments or diseases just by regular and consistent practice.
This ancient practice has various types of asanas and I was for sure aware of that, but what I recently discovered is that some of these asanas can actually promote hair growth.
So if you want to know more about the asanas that you can try and how they work for hair growth, this read is perfect for you.
Top Yoga Postures to Help In Hair Growth
I am going to be adding in the English names of each of these asanas as well, for those who find it hard to read the original names. Yes, you’re welcome!
Balayam Mudra
Also known as: Rubbing nails
This one’s very well-known for hair growth and is a common practice followed in the Indian culture.
It is simple to practice and yet highly effective. All you need to do is rub your nails together for around 5 minutes at a time, once or even twice a day, every day to stimulate hair growth.
It is important to do this only on an empty stomach for the best results.
How this practice works for hair growth is that the nerve endings found at the tips of the fingernails and right below the fingernail are connected to the hair follicles in the scalp.
This helps stimulate blood flow in the body directing it towards the scalp, in turn promoting hair growth, preventing hair fall and premature greying of hair.
How to do it: Join your hands together and then bend your fingers inwards to form the shape of a heart. Then begin to rub your nails together, in back and forth movements. It is important to only maintain a medium pace and do not go too slow or too fast.
Shirshasana
Also known as: A head stand
Okay let me be honest here; I honestly think I may never be able to do this one! But, if you are more flexible and lighter than I am, then Shirshasana one is perfect for you to try.
When you stand on your head, your blood immediately rushes towards the head. This increased blood flow will help activate and rejuvenate the dormant hair follicles towards hair growth.
How to do it: You can start off by kneeling down for a few seconds and prepare your body for the headstand.
Then join your hands together and firmly lock your fingers within each other and slowly bending your head forward towards the ground, supporting your head with your interlocked fingers, begin to raise your legs off the ground until you are completely upside down, with your legs stable and up straight.
Try to maintain this posture for a few minutes, slowly inhaling and exhaling deeply.
Caution: Children, pregnant women and people with the eye condition glaucoma (as it increases the eye pressure), shouldn’t do this exercise.
Sarvangasana
Also known as: A shoulder stand
So if you’re finding the head stand too hard, maybe this one can be easier to try out, as it follows the same principle of helping your blood flow easily towards the scalp.
How to do it: For this one, you can lie flat on your back for a few minutes and prepare your body for the shoulder stand. Then slowly keep raising your legs upwards until they are straight up, while your whole body only rests on your shoulders. Then, gently support your back with the help of your hands and hold that position firm for a few minutes, slowly inhaling and exhaling deeply.
Padahastasana
Also known as: The standing forward bend pose
The basis of this posture is bending your head to reach below the level of your heart.
This will increase the blood flow towards the scalp and rejuvenate the hair follicles, increasing hair growth.
How to do it: Stand up straight with your legs together and then inhale deeply while raising your hands above your head. Then, slowly while exhaling, bend forward completely, until your hands reach the floor level. Then, wrap your hands around your heels and breathe normally, hold this posture for a few minutes.
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Also known as: The downward facing dog pose
I’m sure it is safe to say that this one is relatively easy to perform.
Following the same principle of increasing the blood flow to the head, this asana is also known to improve hair strength over time.
How to do it: Stand upright with your legs next to each other. Then, raising your hands straight up over your head, bend forwards, slowly moving your feet backwards, until your palms have touched the floor and your body forms the shape of an inverted ‘V’. Hold this position for a few minutes.
Ustrasana
Also known as: The back bending camel pose
This asana helps stretch out the entire body and promotes better blood flow to the whole body, which also means it will automatically improve the blood circulation in the scalp.
How to do it: Kneel down for a few seconds and prepare your body for the posture you are going to attain. Then gently arch your back backwards and grab your heels with your hands. Keep your chest upwards and maintain this position for a few minutes.
Vajrasana
Also known as: The diamond pose
This asana should be done after your meal in order to facilitate proper digestion, because when food doesn’t get digested properly, there won’t be sufficient supply of nutrients to the hair cells and this can cause hair fall.
This asana also helps reduce stress in the body by relaxing the body and calming it down.
How to do it: Begin with kneeling down with your feet in the shape of a ‘V’ and then slowly sit down in that posture, with your hands placed downwards on your lap. Try to keep your thighs as close to each other. Sit in this posture for 4 to 5 minutes.
Shashank Asana
Also known as: The rabbit pose
This asana can help promote better blood circulation in the entire body, help digestion and reduce stress in the body.
How to do it: Sit in the Vajrasana (refer above), then place your palms over the floor and slowly bend forward pushing your hands further away from your body while making place for your head to lay on the floor. Hold this position for a few minutes, inhaling and exhaling normally.
Pavanamuktasana
Also known as: The relieving of wind pose
This asana helps to promote better digestion and gut health, in turn supplying sufficient nutrients to the scalp, for the hair to grow.
How to do it: Lie down on your back and gently begin with lifting your leg and bending your knee towards your chest, pressing down on your stomach. Hold this position for a few minutes and then gently release and repeat with the other leg.
Matsyasana
Also known as: The fish pose
This asana helps in promoting better digestion by stretching out the stomach, which means better supply of nutrients to the scalp for hair growth.
When the head is tilted backwards, the blood rushes towards the head, in turn increasing blood flow to the head and scalp, stimulating better hair growth.
How to do it: Sit in Padmasana or lotus position (where you bend the right knee and leg and set it over your left thigh, keeping your foot as close as possible to your stomach while the bended left knee and left is crossed over the right one placed over your right thigh, again keeping your foot as close as possible to your stomach).
Then slowly arch your back backwards and tilt your head downwards towards the floor, resting the crown of your head on the floor.
Support your body with your elbows and lower arm touching the floor, while you place your palms on your feet. Hold this position for a few minutes, breathing in and out normally.
Dhyana
Also known as: Meditation
This one’s widely practiced by many, because it helps relieve stress.
When a person is stressed out, the hair follicles automatically get pushed into the telogen or “resting” phase of hair and thereby no new strands will grow out of the hair follicle over time.
Therefore, practicing Dhyana can help relieve stress and maintain the body’s natural hair growth cycle.
How to do it: Sit in the Padmasana posture (refer above on how to do it) and concentrate on your breathing focusing on each breath you inhale and exhale.
Breathe in and out slowly and continue this practice for 5 to 10 minutes, minimum.
Prasarita Padottanasana
Also known as: Legs apart standing forward bend
This asana helps relieve stress and promotes better blood flow to the scalp, in turn promoting hair growth.
How to do it: Keep your feet apart from each other and raise your hands from the sides above your head and bring it down to the ground, by arching your back forwards.
Gently place your hands on the floor and breathe in and out 8 to 10 times, before coming back up.
The final takeaway
The key to achieving results in yoga is patience because yoga works as a union of your body, your mind, and your spirit in order to bring out the best possible results.
Another thing to keep in mind while practicing yoga is speed/pace. You cannot be in a rush to complete the exercises, for any given reason.
Take your time and maintain a medium to slow pace for the entire time.
Well, you now know it all, so go ahead and try them out and get one step closer to stopping your hair fall sooner!
Also Read:
Best hair growth products for men
