Case Studies - Circulatory Conditions

There are many different heart conditions, by adapting your practice to accommodate your needs you can still practice some if not all aspects of yoga.  Depending on your particular condition you might need to avoid staying for long periods in inverted postures (with you head below your heart); or holding a posture for a long period were exerted effort is needed.

When processing yoga for heart conditions you can watch your breath, to have a good indicator of the level of exertion you are experiencing.  So when practicing postures, if you try to co-ordinate your movement with your breath length you become more aware of the level of work you are doing.  In some situations it may be relevant to take a breath or two between movements.

Everyone is individual and you will need to listen to your own body, we can then work to adapt your practice in order for you to experience yoga suitable for you.

Yoga for heart conditions encompasses breathing techniques and meditation, for some people it may be appropriate to focus more on these aspects, rather than gentle posture work.  With regular practice meditation has a relaxing effect and has been shown to reduce high blood pressure.

With any health condition you should check with your doctor if you have any doubts about undertaken yoga.  Explain to your doctor what is involved in the yoga you plan to practice, particularly how physical the practice is and level of exertion required.  They will then be able to advise you on whether they think yoga would be suitable for you.

Doctors often recommend yoga for health because of the calming and de-stressing effects, it also helps improve physical fitness as it can be a gentle form of exercise, if the level of practice is adapted to individual needs.