The spine; is a vital structure that determines posture, provides mobility, and forms a bridge between the nervous system and the body. Yoga is one of the most established, tried-and-true movement disciplines that support spine health.
As a yoga instructor, the first thing I do is pay attention to my students’ spine posture. I do not proceed to more advanced postures if the spine is not perfectly erect.
“In India, they decide by looking at people’s age and spinal health.” Maintaining the mobility of our spine affects many things, from our posture to our quality of life, from a pain-free body to feeling energetic.
In terms of spine health, yoga reduces stress on the spine and helps improve posture by providing flexibility, balance, and strength. Yoga also supports the natural curvatures of the spine and corrects muscle imbalances.
So, what should be done for a pain-free spine?
In addition to mobility, the spine also needs immobility, so we need to rest our spine. Healthy sleep is very important. Sleeping between 8-6 hours, that is, spending most of the night sleeping, is necessary and important for both our body and our spine to get enough rest.
It is important to strengthen our muscles for a healthy spine… It is necessary to do exercises that strengthen the abdominal muscles in the front of our body and strengthen the back muscles in the back.
Postural awareness is very important. In daily life, it is important to observe our posture when sitting, walking, or standing.
A healthy diet is vital for our spine health. You can include nutrients that are important for spine health, especially omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and calcium, in the right proportions in your diet.
One of the things we need to do is keep our spine as mobile as possible. Of course, some movements are good for our spine, and those that are not. We always need to approach our spine with comfortable positions and avoid challenging movements. This is where yoga poses come into play. Yoga, which improves physical and mental health, is an exercise intertwined with meditation. It is one of the most effective ways to get rid of disorders related to the muscular and skeletal system. Faster results can be achieved with yoga exercises performed consciously, without putting too much strain on the body. Correct posture habits can be gained, especially in the waist and neck areas that are actively used during the day, and the skeletal and muscular systems can be developed as much as the body allows. Meanwhile, the risks of injury are minimized.
Regularity is very important. Do yoga regularly. Sessions of 30-45 minutes, at least 3-4 times a week, are ideal. Be careful to breathe regularly and deeply during yoga poses.
Yoga Positions That Support Spine Health:
Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Cobra Position (Bhujangasana)
Child’s Position (Balasana)
A healthy spine does not only mean protection from back pain. It also greatly impacts our overall health and quality of life. Individuals with good spine health:
• Has a better posture
• Performs daily activities more easily
• Experiences less back, neck and waist pain
• Have a better sleep quality
• Copes with stress more easily
The spine forms the roof of the body, enables our movement, plays a role in our healthy breathing and good functioning of our heart, and carries and protects the nerves that bring orders from the brain to the muscles that enable our movement. It is very important to be healthy. For a healthy spine, we need to pay attention to two elements. The first is that we protect it and use it correctly, and the second is that we become aware of some spine diseases that we cannot prevent at an early stage.
Ayten Melis Gence
Instagram: @melispurelife
E-Mail: a.melisgence@gmail.com
