Dangers of Practicing Yoga Pose Headstand

The Headstand is called the King of all yoga poses because of the tremendous benefits it has for the body and the mind.

All our physical and mental activities are governed by the brain which is the seat of intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, discrimination and power. Headstand increases the blood flow to the brain and it revitalises the entire body and the mind and also regenerates the nervous system.

Practice of yoga pose headstand provides the feeling of equilibrium and well-being and it increases memory and concentration.

The Headstand inverts the pattern of blood pressure in the body – increasing it in the head and dropping it in the feet:

The blood pressure at the top of the head increases from 100/60 mm Hg in a standing position to 150/110 mm Hg in the Headstand.

The blood pressure of the feet in a standing position will be about 210/170 mm Hg and it will drop to 40/0 mm Hg in the Headstand.

The blood pressure will remain the same at 120/80 mm Hg at heart level.

However like every other science, yoga is also a precise science. The same yoga pose can be beneficial for some people however it can be dangerous for others if precautions are not taken or previous health conditions are not taken into consideration while performing this pose.

There are a few yoga schools which encourage beginners to do this headstand pose from day one without checking their medical history which is quite dangerous.

Following are the conditions when Yoga pose headstand should never be performed.

(1) If you are suffering from high blood pressure, Yoga pose headstand should never be performed.

(2) If you are having weak eye blood vessels or previous eye operation.

(3) During menstruation and pregnancy it is best to avoid this pose.

(4) If you have a neck injury.

Please remember on many occasions GPs (Doctors) are also not aware of the contraindication of various yoga poses and they may say that yoga is safe based on their perception which is not exactly the case.

By ignoring your conditions you put your health at risk.
http://www.subodhgupta.com/yogaarticle/precautions-headstand.html

Issued in public interest by Subodh Gupta, a celebrity personal yoga trainer in London. Subodh Gupta is author of numerous books on Yoga and weight loss.

He has been interviewed by various TV channels and his views and articles appear regularly in magazines and newspapers in India and the UK.

http://www.yoga-london.org.uk