Five Yoga for Anti Ageing

Though it’s true that age is just a number, sometimes this number going up each year can make you feel stressed, mentally, as well as physically! With stiff limbs, body pain and fine lines beginning to appear, it is time to consider the fact that maybe that number is beginning to affect your life. 

Practicing anti aging yoga asanas is a way to keep your body healthy and fit, to keep it flexible and in shape, and to keep those fine lines and wrinkles away.

1. Breathing Exercise: 

1. Breathe at a relaxed pace. Breath deeply, taking in air to fill in your lungs and expand your body. 
2. As you exhale, breathe the air out of your body and stretch your muscles in.
3. Work on this first and the rest of the exercises will just get simpler and simpler.

2. Warm-Ups: 

1. Stand with your feet together, toes forward and knees a little bent. 
2. Relax your arms at your sides, palms facing inward.
3. Lift up your chest and roll your shoulders back and down again. 
4. Face ahead and breathe deeply for some time.
5. Inhale and raise your arms to your sides, palms facing up and make them go over your head.
6. Exhale, bend forward using your hips, trying to keep your knees as straight as possible without getting hurt, extend your arms in front and make them reach down to touch your toes or the floor.
7.  Hold the position for 15 seconds.
8. Inhale and rise back up, bringing your arms over your head.
9. Exhale and lower your arms to the sides.
10. Repeat this 2-3 times.
    This is great to warm up your joints and muscles. It doesn’t matter what routine you follow, this is an ideal warm up and you should never skip the warm up!

3. Standing Posture:

1. Stand on the floor with your feet joined together, or if it seems difficult, then keep your feet at hip-width distance and hands on the sides, with the palms facing inwards towards your legs.
2. Keep the soles of your feet firmly on the ground and shift your body weight forward, backwards and sideways and then come back to the centre.
3. Your ankles, hips and shoulders should be in a perfect line and move your chin a little up to make it in the same line too.
4. Don’t stress your muscles. Just make sure your body weight is balanced all over. If you feel you’re slouching, straighten up without over-stressing.

4. The Warrior Pose:

1. Stand up straight with your feet wide apart, facing forward, your right foot pointing to the side and the left foot slightly turned in.
2. Exhale and bend your right knee.
3. Inhale and simultaneously raise your arms towards the sides, fingers pointing straight out.
4. Turn your head towards the right and hold on for 15-20 seconds.
5. Repeat. This will help strengthen and stretch your legs, abs, arms and tummy.

5. Calming the muscles and nerves:

1. One of the main reasons why we get wrinkles is the stress, both in our minds as well as in our muscles and nerves.
2. Get your palms together and rub them vigorously to warm them up.
3. Now close your eyes and put your palms on your eyes to cover them.
4. Breathe in deeply through the nose and hold your breath as long as you comfortably can. Exhale slowly.
5. This will help relax your eyes and breathing slowly will help calm down the tense and stretched muscles.