Mounika Raghavan
One of the common hair problems is unnatural hair whitening or premature graying. Losing natural hair color before 30 is no less than a nightmare! The changing lifestyle and genetic problems are responsible for hair graying before age. Not only that our hair has started looking like dried grass. Hair problems are not limited to premature graying either. Hair fall, breakage, etc., follow one another. Yoga asanas have become a favored solution. Yoga postures for hair growth, hair fall, breakage etc. have taken a strong hold in our fitness routines.
Here we give you 13 yoga asanas in detail that will give you a head full of healthy black hair.
Poses In Yoga For White Hair Prevention
1. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
- Kneel down on the ground keeping your knees at least 6 inches apart.
- Use both your hands to reach backwards and grab the right ankle with your right hand and left ankle with your left hand while looking towards the ceiling.
- Keeping your thighs straight, push your abdomen in forward motion.
- Hold this position for a few breaths, release your hands and return to starting position.
If you are suffering from high or low blood pressure, migraine or any back and neck injury, avoid this asana.
2. Halasana (Plough Pose)
- Lie down on the floor with your back and place your hands by your side, palms facing downwards.
- Slowly lift your legs keeping it at a right angle to the floor, bend it backwards over your head such that your toes are touching the ground beyond your head and press your chin against your throat.
- To retain this posture for long, support your back with your elbows on the ground.
- Breathe normally as long as you hold this posture, return to your original position and repeat again.
3. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
- Stand with your legs about 3 feet apart.
- Now raise both your hands keeping your hands in a straight line with your shoulders.
- Bending towards the right side, touch the toes of your right leg with the fingers of your right hand. Alternatively, some yoga schools may also teach you to touch the toes of your right leg with the fingers of your left hand.
- Raise the left hand towards the ceiling and look up towards your left hand.
- Hold position for a minute.
- Repeat the same with the left side.
4. Apanasana (Knees To Chest Pose)
- Lie flat on the floor on a yoga mat.
- Now fold legs at your knees and bring them close to your chest.
- Hold your knee caps with both palms. As you hold knees with your palms, your fingers should be facing the feet.
- Now inhale straightening your arms and taking legs away from you. As you exhale bring legs close to you.
- Continue with this breathing and knee movement pattern for a minute or two as per your convenience.
- When done, move legs away from your body and do a side twist with folded knees; once to your right and then to your left.
- Then straighten your legs keeping hands by your side with palms facing downwards to do aSavasana. Keep your breathing normal.
5. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
- Lie flat on the ground with your belly, legs kept together with toes pointing outwards and keeping hands on either side of your chest with palms facing the floor.
- Pressing on both palms, raise your forehead and look upwards. Inhale allowing the weight to rest on your chest.
- Extending your arms further, straighten your elbows and lift your chest and rest on your abdomen.
- Maintain for some more time and exhale as you release from this posture.
6. Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Sit on the fours with the knees and palms on the ground.
- While exhaling, lift your knees off the floor and pull yourself backwards stretching your arms and supporting your legs on your toes.
- Now pull your hips upwards towards the ceiling so that your body is in the shape of an inverted V and if required, support with palms and feet.
- Let your head hang downwards and stretch your arms further.
7. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
- Lie down flat on the mat keeping hands beside your thighs with palms facing downwards.
- Now slide hands beneath your buttocks.
- Take a deep breath and lift your chest and head. Drop your head back and look at the wall behind you. Your buttocks should be on the floor.
- Rest your torso on your elbows and the crown of your head.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds as per your comfort level.
- To release from this posture. First, straighten your head carefully.
8. Pavanmuktasan (Wind Releasing Pose)
Constipation is also another reason for bad hair. This asana is meant to normalize your bowel movements. Easy to do, it is greatly helpful for your overall health too.
- Lie flat on the ground with palms beside your thighs.
- Now fold your right leg at the knees.
- Clasp the knee with both your arms.
- Life the leg and bring it close to your chest still clasping knee with hand.
- Exhale to raise your head and shoulders and bring your nose close to the knee as much as possible.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds.
- Repeat with left leg in the same way. You can also try with both legs.
The other asanas that will work positively for your hair are headstand and shoulder stand. Any asanas performed with head against gravity improves blood flow to the scalp that perks up hair health. Here are some pranayamas that will improve the condition of your hair and help to maintain its original black colour for longer years.
9. Rubbing Nails
- Fold the fingers of both your palms and bring them together.
- Rub the surface of fingernails of both hands vigorously leaving out the thumbs.
- Practice this every day for at least three times.
This asana strengthens the nerves of your fingernails that are connected to your scalp; thereby rubbing them stimulates blood flow to prevent pre-mature graying of hair and increasing hair growth.
Other than these, there are also some pranayama techniques that stop your hair from getting grey before time.
10. Sukhasana
- Keep a folded blanket on the floor and stretch your legs in front of you.
- Fold both legs from your knees keeping your feet beneath the opposite knee and sit with your spine straight.
- Keep your eyes open and breathe normally for 5-10 minutes.
11. Kapalbhati (Fire Of Breath)
- Sit in padmasana with both legs crossed.
- Exhale forcefully through your nose maintaining a rhythm.
- The inhalation happens effortlessly in between your exhalation.
- Start with 3 minutes and then gradually increase the time.
This asana increases blood flow to your scalp that prevents premature graying of hair.
12. Bhastrika Pranayama
- Seated comfortably on a yoga mat in Padmasana or Vajrasana. Keep your hands on your knees. Breathe normally and feel relaxed.
- Inhale deeply through your nostrils with full force till your lungs are filled with air.
- Exhale forcefully through nostrils making a hissing sound till you have breathed out all the air emptying your lungs.
- Remember that in Bhastrika Pranayama, your abdomen should not contract or blow up. Use your chest.
- Repeat for another 10-15 times.
13. Bhramari Pranayama
- Sit on a yoga mat or a soft blanket. Breathe and straighten your spine. Relax.
- Breathe in deeply filling your lungs with enough air.
- With both the thumbs, close your ears.
- Close your eyes and using the middle fingers, press your eyes lightly.
- Press either sides of your forehead with the index fingers.
- With the remaining fingers, press the sides of the bridge of your nose.
- Exhale through your nose, making a humming sound while chanting OM mentally. Inhaling will happen automatically.
- Perform this exercise either 11 or 21 times as per your comfort level.
Along with yoga, also have healthy and nutritious food that will boost hair health. Hope these videos will help you gorgeous girls out there to flaunt your healthy and shiny hair. Let us know!