How to increase your height? These 5 yoga asanas can help

Who doesn’t want a good height? It’s true that a person’s height depends on genetic as well as non-genetic factors such as environmental conditions and nutrition, but being physically active also contributes to a good height. In fact, you can try certain yoga asanas to increase height even after puberty by practicing them regularly.

Yes, yoga can help get those few inches because yoga poses help stretch your body and back, which ultimately improves your posture. To help you, Health Shots got in touch with Grand Master Akshar, yoga master, spiritual guru, and lifestyle coach.

How yoga can help increase height

Akshar says, “The practice of yoga is known to increase your growth hormone. And this can happen both in the case of adults as well as children in a natural way. With the help of these specific sets of asanas, yoga then activates these growth hormones which allows you to gain an extra inch or even a few centimeters at the most. Practicing specific yoga asanas is definitely one way to fire up these hormones and get them working for you.”

Here are yoga poses that can help increase height:

1. Samasthithi/Tadasana

Stand straight and tall with your toes and heels together. Engage your abdominal muscles and keep both shoulders relaxed. Stay and hold in this position for 5-8 breaths. Focus on balancing your body weight on both feet equally. This asana can be of immense help to keep your posture tall and strong.

Benefits of this pose:

• Improves posture
• Improves balance
• Calms the mind
• Strengthens lower body

2. Vrikshasana

Stand in Samasthithi and from there lift your right leg up. Bring the foot up to place it on the left inner thigh. Now find balance while you shift your body weight to your left leg. Try to keep the right foot as close as possible to your groin or upper thigh. If you need to, hold your ankle/foot with your palm for support. You can then start holding Pranam Mudra at your heart chakra. Focus your eyes forward. Repeat the same with the other leg.

Benefits of this pose:

• Improves posture
• Improves balance
• Strengthens lower body
• Calms the mind
• Stretches the body

3. Padahasthasana

Starting in Samasthithi, bend your upper body down from the hips slowly exhaling. Stretch your arms down with your palms or fingertips and bring your nose to your knees. Palms can be placed on either side of the feet. Feel comfortable bending your knees initially. With increased practice, you should try to straighten your knees and bring your chest to your thighs

Benefits of this pose:

• Improves flexibility of the back, and hamstrings
• Improves blood circulation
• Helps to increase height
• Calms the mind
• Strengthens lower body

4. Chakrasana

This is a backbend so make sure you are properly warmed up. Start on your back, as you fold your legs so that you place your feet down firmly on the mat. Turn your arms at the shoulders and place your palms on the floor below your ears. Now, breathe in and simultaneously lift your body up. Keep your neck relaxed and let your head drop back.

Benefits of this pose:

• Improves flexibility of the spine
• Stretches hips
• Improves blood circulation
• Helps to stretch the thoracic area
• Calms the mind
• Energizes the body

5. Dhanurasana

Lie down on your belly; bend your knees and keep them at a parallel distance. Now hold your ankles with your palms and use a firm grip. Lift up your legs and arms as high as possible. Look up and hold the asana for a while.

Benefits of this pose:

• Improves flexibility of the spine
• Stretches hips
• Improves blood circulation
• Helps to stretch the thoracic area
• Calms the mind
• Energizes the body

Pranayama or deep breathing exercises can also be helpful to increase height

Apart from postures, pranayama or deep breathing exercises that are taught during yoga can help to increase height in kids and adults. Pranayama is an effective way to relax the body completely. This is another significant factor that stimulates the growth hormone. When the body is fully relaxed, the growth hormone is enhanced. Therefore, try to incorporate Pranayama exercises and meditation techniques as important components if you are looking to increase your height.

“Some of these asanas in particular will aid in strengthening the back and spine as well. When you work on the spine, the most obvious difference is that it enhances your posture. Therefore, these asanas will make you stand taller, and immediately let you look significantly taller too. Yoga practices also increase blood circulation and release toxins from the digestive system,” said Akshar.