This is a guide for all those who are looking to practice yoga for hair loss and have those locks become longer and thicker with every passing day with the added bonus of feeling great about yourself.
Yoga For Hair Loss | How is it Supposed to Help Me?
Reading this might seem like we are trying to fool you —
but we are not.
Research has proven through the years just how many benefits yoga can have, so it comes as no surprise that yoga can also help your hair become longer and thicker.
There are two main ways in which yoga helps protect you from hair loss:
- Stress relief
- Increased blood flow through the scalp
Stress Relief Yoga For Hair Loss
Stress has become so abundant in our daily lives that most do not even know what it is like to live stress-free lives. But stress also has a tendency to influence our general wellbeing, including our hair, and that is why stress is considered a cause of hair loss.
Stress influences our hormone levels and our immune systems and this, in turn, damages our hair follicles causing hair loss. Additionally, stress also slows down hair growth. Your body becomes so focused on handling your stress levels that it neglects your hair, which is why there are various yoga for hair loss poses for you to try.
Increased Blood Flow Through The Scalp
Blood is essential to our survival and our hair. If your hair does not receive the nutrients that it needs then it will not grow and it will eventually cause hair loss. Upside-down poses in yoga enhance blood flow to the scalp, delivering all those essential nutrients that your follicles require to be healthy and for strong thick hair to grow.
There are many medications available on the market to help with blood flow through the scalp but yoga is just better, cheaper and much healthier for you than medications and the additional benefits are endless, such as yoga for hair loss.
Poses That Aid in Hair Growth
The poses that are mentioned below are for beginners and can even be used by experts. Each individual has their own tempo of doing yoga. During your session, we encourage you to be conscious of your breathing, ensure deep breaths, and to be conscious of your body and your own limits. Each pose is chosen as it has proven to be excellent yoga for hair loss positions.
Pose 1 | Standing Forward Bend | Uttasana
This pose is fantastic! Not only can you do it almost anywhere but it stretches out your back and legs. This pose also encourages blood flow to the scalp as it involves you bending forward and placing your palms on the ground. The perfect first pose for yoga for hair loss. Here are the steps on how the pose should be performed.
- Stand up straight with your feet in line with your shoulder and your arms relaxed by your side.
- Bend down from your hips and allow your arms to go down your legs. Keep your knees soft or slightly bent.
- Depending on your own flexibility, touch your knees, then move down to your toes and then place your palms on the floor in front of you.
- Relax into this position for a few breaths and then come back up to the standing position.
Tip: Move only as far as your body allows and allow your muscles to stretch without causing strain.
Pose 2 | Downward-Facing Dog | Adho Mukha Svanasana
Do not judge this yoga for hair loss pose by its interesting name for this pose is popular in all yoga circles. It is perfect for beginners and it is practised even by experts due to its increase in blood flow that passes through the body and the scalp and for its general strengthening and relaxing duo properties.
- Stand on all fours (hands and feet) on a mat. Ensure your weight is balanced and that your feet are hip-width apart as well as your hands.
- Push yourself up so that your body makes an upside-down V.
- Imagine your spine growing longer as you lean into the pose and all your stress flowing from your fingertips.
- Allow your pelvis to tilt inward. You will feel your hamstrings stretching when you do this.
Pose 3 | Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend | Prasarita Padottanasan
This pose is similar to the first yoga for hair loss pose but instead of standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, you stand with your legs far apart and then move down with your palms to the floor. This pose is once again excellent for bringing that blood flow to your scalp and nourishing those follicles with all that they need.
- Stand wide-legged but ensure that you are comfortable, with your feet facing forward.
- Bent down from your hips while reaching with your hands to the floor. Try to put your palms flat on the floor. If you can’t then that is okay, just relax into the position as far as you can. For those that are more advanced, use a yoga block or if possible, put your head on the ground for stability.
- Hold this position for 10 breaths and then inhale as you return to an upright position.
Pose 4 | The Rabbit Pose | Sasangasana
This position is ideal as it relieves stress and it allows blood flow to your scalp without you having to bend upside down. This pose is what yoga for hair loss is all about.
- Kneel on the floor or on a yoga mat with the top of your feet touching the floor.
- Bend forward from your hips, bring your head towards the floor and place your head on the ground in front of your knees. If you are not able to bend that far then just go as far as you can. Use a yoga block to place your head on for stability and to allow yourself to gradually get more flexible for this pose. (The Child’s Pose below is similar but it will allow you to gain the flexibility for this pose should you be unable to do it yet).
- Link your hands behind your back and bring your arms up into the air. This will open your chest and relieve some tension from your shoulders.
- Rock your body back and forth gently. This should feel like a massage on the scalp and will help with that blood flow. Do this three times and then return to an upright position.
Pose 5 | The Child’s Pose | Balasana
This is again a very common pose in Yoga and one that is performed whether you are a beginner or an expert because this pose is ideal for the general wellbeing of your body and fantastic for your scalp, so it is part of our yoga for hair loss guide.
- Keel on the floor with your legs shoulder width apart. Exhale as you bend forward from the hips and allow your torso to lay on your thighs.
- Stretch your arms in front of you with your palms down and on the ground. As you are doing this, imagine your arms stretching even further and your pelvis stretching back.
- Take deep breaths and allow the stress to flow out from you.
Our Final Thoughts For Yoga For Hair Loss
Having healthy hair and gorgeous locks can change the way you feel about yourself but yoga for hair loss does so much more than that as it will allow you the opportunity to feel better about your body and general well-being as well as offer you the opportunity to live with a little less stress.
Doing these poses several times a week will hopefully allow you to see the changes arise over time as your sense of well-being improves and some healthier appealing hair.
Interested in learning more? Check out the website of the Yoga Alliance.
