10 Yoga Poses to Reduce Bloating

In case you’ve ever felt such as you’re about to pop after having fun with a big meal, you’re not alone. Bloating after consuming is widespread — in line with the Cleveland Clinic, it occurs to 10 to 25 p.c of us — and with all the large, wealthy meals that come round Thanksgiving and the vacations, it’s no surprise so many people are strolling round bloating throughout the festive season. The excellent news? Bloating isn’t essentially inevitable. Some mild exercise can truly allow you to scale back bloating after consuming, even after an enormous, holiday-style meal, and yoga is one type of train we advocate to do it.

“Yoga is beneficial for digestion and managing bloating,” yoga teacher Bayu Prihandito of Life Architekture tells SheKnows. Seems, all of the bending and stretching that feels so good in your tight muscle tissue additionally does wonders in your abdomen and intestines. “Many yoga poses gently compress, twist, and stretch the stomach, stimulating the digestive organs and selling motility — the pure motion of meals and waste via the intestine,” Kate Lombardo, an authorized yoga teacher, wellness educator, and co-founder of YogaRenew, tells SheKnows.

And it’s not simply the bodily motion. The mindful breathing side of yoga and particularly deep stomach respiratory “performs an essential function in stimulating the intestine,” Prihandito says. Plus, yoga’s skill to calm the nervous system helps to scale back stress and improve the gut-brain connection “can considerably influence digestion,” Lombardo provides.

We requested to 5 yoga instructors about the very best yoga poses that can assist you beat the bloat and really feel higher after an enormous meal, and you may strive all of them out under. Simply bear in mind to attend about an hour after a heavy meal earlier than you begin stretching, and preserve the yoga on the sunshine and mild facet. “It’s about being light and affected person together with your physique, not forcing it,” Prihandito says. Lombardo recommends beginning with gentler poses like Little one’s Pose and Legs-Up-the-Wall (see under!) then steadily progressing to extra energetic poses as you are feeling a little bit higher. And in case you’re experiencing chronic or painful bloating, be sure to speak to your physician.

Knees-to-Chest

Why it really works: The Sanskrit title for this pose, Pawanamuktasana, truly interprets to wind-relieving pose — wind which means, sure, gasoline — so knees-to-chest is certainly a sensible choice for aiding digestion. Prihandito says this easy pose will “gently compress your stomach, stimulating digestion and serving to to ease any discomfort.”

The best way to do it: Lie flat in your again and draw your knees as much as your chest. Wrap your arms round your legs and hug them into your chest, holding the pose for a number of seconds and gently swaying facet to facet if desired.

Supine Twist

Why it really works: Along with offering light compression, the rotation in supine twist is useful for alleviating digestion. “Basically, twists throughout a yoga session are notably efficient, as they therapeutic massage the interior organs and assist launch trapped gasoline,” Prihandito says.

The best way to do it: Lie flat in your again together with your legs straight. Draw your proper knee up and hug it into your chest. Then, use your left hand to drape your knee throughout your physique to your reverse facet, permitting your backbone to twist with it. Maintain your left hand in your knee or thigh as you prolong your proper arm out to the correct and twist your head in direction of it, ensuring your proper shoulder blade stays glued to the bottom. It’s OK in case your proper knee doesn’t contact the bottom; you’ll be able to place a block or a pillow underneath it for additional help, or simply let it grasp. Maintain right here for a number of seconds, then swap sides.

Little one’s Pose

Why it really works: In youngster’s pose, you’ll mimic the identical posture as knees-to-chest, however you’re in your knees as a substitute of your again, says yoga instructor and writer Deborah Charnes. Professional tip: Charnes says she usually locations her fists on the decrease sides of her stomach whereas holding this pose. “With the load of my torso pushing towards them, it massages my intestines,” she tells SheKnows. Lombardo can also be a fan of this pose for digestion, saying, “This light compression stimulates circulation via the intestine and might have a relaxing impact on an unsettled abdomen.”

The best way to do it: Begin in your fingers and knees. Slowly shift your butt again in direction of your ankles, bringing your ft collectively till your toes contact and permitting your arms to straighten whereas preserving your palms flat on the bottom. Decrease your brow between your arms, touching it to the bottom if potential. You may convey your knees shut collectively or preserve them wider than your torso. Chill out into the pose and maintain for so long as you need.

Savasana

Why it really works: Charnes extremely recommends this pose, which faucets into some parts of Reiki (aka power therapeutic). By putting your fingers in your stomach on this stress-free pose, you’ll be able to assist your physique relax and commit power to digestion. “I can at all times hear or really feel my digestive observe settling into place at any time when I do that,” Charnes explains.

The best way to do it: Lie flat in your again together with your legs straight and your fingers mendacity palms-up at your sides. Shut your eyes and permit your complete physique to chill out. If desired, place each fingers in your stomach, “wherever you are feeling bloating or gasoline,” and preserve them there for a number of minutes, Charnes says.

Seated Twist

Why it really works: One other light twisting transfer, seated twist might help with bloating as a result of it “massages your inside organs and helps create motion via the intestines,” says Alex Artymiak, lead teacher for ISSA Yoga & Wellness Academy. 

The best way to do it: Sit on the ground with each legs stretched out in entrance of you. Bend your left knee and cross it over your physique, putting your left foot on the surface of your proper knee. Bend your proper knee, opening the knee to the correct facet, and sliding your proper foot to relaxation by your left hip. Inhale to raise your chest, and as you exhale, hook your proper elbow round your left knee. Place your left fingertips behind you and twist to the left. Be sure that to twist out of your intestine, not together with your neck, and maintain for a number of seconds, persevering with to maintain your backbone tall. Repeat on the opposite facet.

Comfortable Child

Why it really works: A variation on knees-to-chest, Comfortable Child “is an efficient pose for serving to to alleviate gasoline and bloating,” Artymiak says, though he warns that “in case you’re feeling extraordinarily gassy, you may need to do that pose if you find yourself by your self.” It’ll allow you to relieve extra air in your stomach, so sure, some flatulence is prone to occur. (It’s regular!)

The best way to do it: Lie in your again and draw your knees into your chest. Raise and flex your ft in order that your shins perpendicular to your chest, with the soles of your ft going through the sky. Maintain onto your outer shins or outer ft together with your fingers and gently draw your knees all the way down to your armpits. From right here, you’ll be able to maintain for a number of seconds or gently rock facet to facet to therapeutic massage the decrease a part of your again.

Seated Ahead Fold

Why it really works: “Any pose the place you’re folded over your thighs will probably be useful for elimination,” says Sarah Ezrin, a yoga instructor and writer. Be sure that to switch this ahead fold as wanted; you might select to bend your knees to be able to press your thighs into your stomach, which will even reduce any pressure in your again. “You can even roll a blanket and place it in between [your thighs and belly] for extra stress,” Ezrin says.

The best way to do it: Sit on the ground together with your legs straight out in entrance of you. Inhale and attain your arms as much as the ceiling, stretching your digestive system lengthy, then exhale as you fold your torso over your legs. Bend your legs if wanted. From right here, you’ll be able to both seize your ft, shins, or knees, or relaxation your fingers outdoors of your ft. You can even use a strap round your ft.

Massive Toe Pose II, Supine Variation

Why it really works: “This pose stretches the kidney meridian, enhancing power circulate and serving to the physique course of and filter fluids successfully,” Lombardo explains. It is a tougher pose, so bear in mind to switch with a strap as wanted.

The best way to do it: Begin mendacity flat in your again together with your legs straight. Pull your proper knee to your chest and hook your index and center fingers round your massive toe. In case your legs are tighter, modify by grabbing your ankle or shin, or by looping a strap round your foot as a substitute. Stretch your proper leg up till it’s straight or nearly straight, then drop it out to the correct, preserving it straight all of the whereas and persevering with to carry on to your massive toe (or your modified pose). Maintain for a number of seconds, then repeat on the opposite facet.

Legs-Up-the-Wall

Why it really works: Inversions, or poses the place your head is under your coronary heart, “use gravity to advertise circulation,” Lombardo says, which supplies “a pure anti-inflammatory impact on bloated or sluggish organs.” Legs-up-the-wall is a well-liked inversion as a result of it’s light, accessible, and ultra-relaxing. In case you’re a extra skilled practitioner, Lombardo additionally recommends a supported headstand.

The best way to do it: Place your mat perpendicular to a wall and lie down together with your tailbone as near the wall as you will get it. Raise and straighten your legs so your heels are resting towards the wall whereas your torso and head lie flat on the mat. (It might be simpler to begin together with your tailbone barely farther from the wall, putting your ft up, then sliding nearer.) Lie right here for so long as is comfy. You can even modify this pose by preserving your tailbone and torso farther from the wall, or bending your legs and putting them on the seat of a chair as a substitute of the wall.

Bridge Pose

Why it really works: Deep backbends like bridge pose or wheel pose (the tougher variation) are nice for digestion as a result of they work to “create area within the stomach,” Lombardo says. This enables your digestive organs “to maneuver freely and performance optimally.”

The best way to do it: Lie flat in your again on the mat together with your knees bend and your ankles hips-width aside. Your ankles must be simply far sufficient out of your butt that you simply’re capable of brush them together with your fingertips. Drive via your heels to raise your butt and hips. Deliver your fingers collectively underneath your again, working your shoulders back and forth to get them there and arching your torso barely within the course of.

Earlier than you go, take a look at these free yoga practices to strive at dwelling: