Boost your immunity this winter with these eight effective yoga asanas that promote warmth, support digestion, and strengthen your body’s defenses.
Winter is a time when many people unexpectedly catch a cold or the flu. One minute you may feel fine and the next you’re sneezing profusely. But many people don’t realize that this is one of the body’s ways of telling you it needs to be more active. Just like you need regular exercise to keep your muscles strong, your immune system also benefits from daily exercise. There’s no need for intense training or hours at the gym. Simple, gentle yoga asanas can improve blood flow, increase lung capacity, reduce inflammation, and help your body fight infections more effectively.
8 yoga poses for your immune system
Dr. Gagan Tiwari, Ayurvedic doctor at Kailash Health Village, shares yoga poses to boost your immunity and keep you warm during winters.
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Surya Namaskar: Sun Salutation
Surya Namaskar is one of the most powerful full-body sequences for warming the body, integrating forward and back bends with synchronized breathing, activating muscle tissue and increasing blood circulation. “Doing 8 to 12 rounds daily increases your heart rate, increases your breathing capacity, and activates your digestive fire, all of which are very important for winter health,” Dr. Gagan Tiwari, an Ayurvedic physician at Kailash Health Village, tells Healthshot. These rhythmic movements prepare the body for deeper asanas and eliminate the sluggishness that is common in cold weather.
2. Uttan Mantare
This pose deeply stimulates the abdominal organs and supports digestion and metabolism, which are closely related to immunity. It also improves the flexibility of your spine and hips, reducing stiffness caused by the cold.
3. Ustrasana (camel pose)
Respiratory diseases worsen in winter due to the dry and cold air. Ustrasana expands the lungs, chest and throat, thereby increasing oxygen supply and boosting immunity. “This backbend stimulates the thymus gland, an endocrine gland that helps regulate the immune system,” says the Ayurvedic doctor. This eliminates the tendency to round or close your chest during cold weather, resulting in better posture and deeper breathing.
4. Trikonasana (triangle pose)
This standing asana improves balance, strengthens the core, and aids digestion. “Ayurveda directly links digestion to immunity, which is why trikonasana is so effective in winter, when your metabolism is naturally slow,” says the doctor. This pose stretches and tightens your legs, hips, and spine, which tend to stiffen during the colder months.
5. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
Balancing postures such as tree pose have a grounding effect on the nervous system. A balanced and regulated nervous system supports a stronger immune system and better hormonal balance. “Practicing Vrikshasana daily improves concentration, reduces anxiety, and increases stamina. All of these are extremely helpful during the winter months, when we tend to be physically and mentally sluggish,” says the expert.
6. Proverb (of Cobra)
Bhujangasana is especially useful in winter when the flexibility of the spine increases, the lungs open, and circulation to the thoracic cavity improves. “The stimulation of the abdominal organs by this asana helps with metabolism and digestion, which are very important processes for maintaining immunity,” says Dr. Tiwari. Practicing Cobra Pose regularly can help relieve stiffness and maintain mobility during the winter months, when work is generally reduced.
7. Fundamentals (Pbrid Barge)
Bridge pose increases flow to the upper body and balances the endocrine system. Good circulation helps build internal warmth and energy. “Sethu Bandasana also reduces stress, which is one of the factors that weakens the immune system.Especially in the winter when daylight hours are shortened and many people are affected,” says the doctor.
8. Pranayama
Breathing is very important to boost your immunity during the cold season.
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The main practices are:
- Kapalbhati: Asanas have an excellent effect of clearing the respiratory tract and improve metabolic activity.
- Anulom Vilom: Balances both hemispheres of the brain, reduces stress and increases oxygen supply. “Just 15 minutes of pranayama a day can make a huge difference to your overall winter health by increasing your breathing power and mental clarity,” say experts.
- Bhastrika: Generates internal heat, increases lung capacity and helps the immune system.
