Yoga and Your Heart Health
Decades of research has established beyond a doubt that for most people, exercise can help prevent heart disease. By exercising regularly, you may
Improve your blood pressure
Lower your cholesterol
Cut your risk for diabetes
Lower your chances of developing heart blockages, or atherosclerosis
Enhance your heart’s reaction to stress
Reduce your body weight
But What About Yoga?
Yoga is a mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation or relaxation. There are so many different forms of yoga that it’s hard to make broad statements about its effects.
Some forms of yoga are energetic, others are more strength and balance focused, and still other forms of yoga are quiet and meditative. But most include a focus on the breath and calming the mind.
To be clear, there is less research available on yoga and heart health when compared to exercise. A recent academic review of over 1400 studies found only 32 that were suitable for including in an analysis. But overall, the physical benefits of yoga appear very similar to what we see with exercise.
How does yoga fit into your lifestyle if you already have heart issues?
First, check with your doctor. Heart disease can include so many different conditions, from very minor to life threatening. It’s impossible to generalize.
Some forms of yoga may be safer than others for people with heart conditions. For example:
Most people can enjoy a restorative yoga practice with little chance of harm.
Likewise, Yin yoga usually puts very little stress on the heart. But different teachers may define “Yin” and “Restorative” yoga differently, so be sure you know what you’re signing up for.
More vigorous practices like headstand and other inversions or power yoga may not be a good idea if you’re dealing with problems like carotid artery disease, heart failure, or angina.
If you’ve recently had open heart surgery, you may need to take it easy for a few months to allow your chest to heal. Check with your cardiac rehabilitation specialist before signing up for a class.
Certain forceful pranayama breathing techniques and breath holds might be off limits if you have heart rhythm problems or a heart muscle condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Hot yoga can cause dehydration and low blood pressure, so if you’re on blood pressure medications or suffer from low blood pressure or POTS, this might not be right for you.
If you have heart valve issues, check with your doctor. There are a wide range of valve conditions. In some cases, such as with mild tricuspid regurgitation (usually considered a normal variant) there may not be a problem, but some conditions like aortic stenosis could make a strong yoga practice more risky.
In many cases, you can modify or skip poses that aren’t right for you, but it’s always best to play it safe.
Yoga should leave you feeling uplifted, relaxed, and renewed. If you find yourself struggling, check in with your doctor and be sure that you’re on the right path.
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