Yoga is a way of life and a close friend is flying day after tomorrow. She asked for a few yogic tips to allay her flight fears. Here are some quick yoga tips that you can easily do from the comfort of your flight seat.
Few yoga Handy tips for flight seats
Sinus and ear infections– You should try Jalneti one week prior to your flight to keep ear infections and sinuses at bay. If you are a frequent flyer you must make it a habit to do this on a daily basis to keep the sinus and nose passage clean.
Karnarandhradouti is recommended to be done before you board the flight keeps the ears wax-free. Accumulated wax is one of the major causes of ear infections. In flight the compressed cabin space and close proximity to other passengers doubles your chances of ear infections.
Pressure change in ears– During ascents and descents of the flight, the outside pressure changes rapidly compared to the internal pressure. Hence we experience ear-pop phenomenon. For pressure change in ears pinch your nostrils with your thumb and index fingers and exhale with your mouth closed.
Hydrate your system well– Drink ample of water and/or fresh fruit juices.
Digestion and bloating problem- Flight food is generally processed and pre-packed. Try to drink ample of water and opt for fresh fruits.
Air pressure in the cabin and tightly squeezed chairs–Blood clots– Any form of prolonged sitting can trigger the problems. Air travel ups the risk not only due to cramped sitting but dry air in flight as well. These conditions make blood thicker and you run the risk of developing clots. These clots in the legs can cause pain and swelling, but if they break and travel towards lungs or heart it can cause life threating emergency.
Simple Yogic-Sukshma vyayama or stretching exercises that can be done from your flight seat to avoid mishaps.
- Lift your legs above the seat with knees bent. Move them up while inhaling and while exhaling bring your legs down. You can do this with alternate or both legs together. Repeat 10 times
- Point your toes in and out
- Stretch your legs in front beneath the seat ahead and relax
- Lift your hands over your head keeping palms parallel to each other. Interlock your hands in Garudasana pose (eagle pose) while sitting down.
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Sitting Down Garudasana
- Lift and drop your shoulders, rotate your shoulders. Cross your shoulders in front and then back.
- Sit straight and try to stretch your neck keeping your elbows stretched down. Stretches your spine and now your can do intercostal breathing or Yogendra Pranayama II. You can also do clavicular breathing or Yogendra Pranayama III and abdominal breathing or Yogendra Pranayama IV
- Look up and Rotate your neck from left to right and then from right to left, very slowly and smoothly without jerks. Turn your head to right. Repeat the same on left side. You can slowly rotate your head.
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Neck Rotations and Exercises
- Eye exercises-Roll your eyes from left to right and then right to left. Now look up and centre. Repeat the same while looking down and centre. Look at a near object e.g.-you can look at your palms and then try to focus your gaze on clouds at a distance. This helps to relax the optics nerves.
- Every 40 minutes (if on a very long flight) take a walk in the aisle when you get up to empty your bladder
Try out these small space or confined space handy yoga tips and experience the difference. Feel relaxed and refreshed once you land.