Mom-to-be Deepika Padukone shares simple 5-minute workout with Viparita Karani?yoga pose

Mommie-to-be Deepika Padukone has always been a fitness enthusiast and is still inspiring all to stay fit as she glides through her pregnancy. While celebrating self-care month during a campaign for her brand 82¡ãE she shared that, "I love a good workout. I don¡¯t work out to ¡®look good¡¯ but to ¡®feel fit¡¯. Exercise has been part of my lifestyle for as long as I can remember." on her Instagram. However, like all of us, she also leads a very busy life and when she cannot fit in a workout, she practices this 5-minute routine of 'Viparita Karani'. Keep reading to learn more about this pose along with an easy step-by-step guide to incorporate into your daily routine.

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What is Viparita Karani?

Deepika Padukone speaks about the yoga pose in her long Instagram post. She writes, "In Sanskrit, 'viparita' means 'inverted' while 'karani' means 'in action'."

In practice, the asana is an active inversion position, also called restful inversion. Since it involves lying up with your legs against the wall, it is popularly known as the 'Legs-Up-The-Wall' pose.

Also Read: Practise these 10-minute yoga stretches every day to boost immunity

7 benefits of Viparita Karani

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Lying in this position benefits not only your physical health but is also very good for your mental health. This ancient posture offers a ton of benefits depending upon when you choose to practice it. If you start your day with this asana, it will boost your immune system and support your lymphatic and glymphatic systems by promoting the flow of oxygenated blood to the upper body. This pose also aids in lymphatic drainage and opens the hips and hamstrings.

On the other hand, if you wind down with this posture at the end of your day it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and enhances digestion providing a better quality sleep. This posture is also great for relaxing the legs which improves your sleep.

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If you are pregnant like Deepika, this pose will prove a life-savior which will greatly improve your pregnancy journey. By practicing this asana you can relieve aching muscles, joints, swollen ankles and feet. Since this pose helps in alleviating retention it is especially beneficial in reducing pressure on the lower back and relieving heaviness and fatigue in the legs and hips.

How to practice Viparita Karani

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To practice this pose, start by lying down on a flat surface and position yourself in such a way that your tailbone points at the base of the wall. Then move your hips close to the wall and shimmy your legs against the wall so that your body forms an L shape. Hold the pose as long as you want and practice deep breathing. You can also make adjustments to the pose according to what feels most relaxing to you and add a pillow under your head or a towel at the base of your back for maximum comfort.

Whether you are looking for a pose to stretch your muscles after a workout or trying to relieve your leg pain after a tiring day, this pose can do it all! Just like Deepika, you can make lying in this posture a daily habit and indulge in some self-care.

Also Read: Practise these 6 easy yoga stretches and kick period cramps to the curb

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