Dementia: Try These Yoga Asanas If You Have Or Are At Risk Of Having Dementia

A set of symptoms that substantially impair memory, reasoning, and social skills are referred to be dementia when they significantly interfere with day-to-day functioning. Although there isn't one particular illness that causes dementia, many illnesses can. 

Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, but it can have many different causes. Memory loss alone does not necessarily indicate dementia, despite the fact that it is frequently one of the first symptoms of the illness.

Numerous studies have examined the potential advantages of breathing exercises and meditation for the health of the brain and nervous system. For those with dementia, yoga can significantly enhance their overall mood, cognition, and memory. Continue reading as we discuss what yoga asanas have shown to improve dementia symptoms as well as lower risk. 

Here are yoga asanas that can help prevent and treat dementia: 

1. Vajrasana

• Kneel on the floor
• Point your feet in a straight line with your legs 
• As the same time, cinch your knees and ankles together
• Your big toes should connect and the bottoms of your feet should be facing upward
• As you recline on your legs, breathe out
• Your calves will support your thighs, and your heels will support your buttocks
• Once you're comfortable, place your hands on your thighs and slightly move your pelvis backward and forth
• Slowly inhale and exhale while you arrange your spine so that you are sitting up straight
• Push your tailbone toward the floor while lifting your body up using only your head as a lever
• Your chin should be parallel to the floor as you straighten your head to look forward
• Put your arms at your sides and place your hands, palms down, on your thighs

2. Paschimottanasana 

• Sit straight in your legs straight in front of you
• In this position, your feet's soles should be facing front
• Slowly bring your torso closer to your legs and as far as possible
• You can use your hands to hold your feet, this may increase how far you can reach
• In this position, your stomach and chest are supposed to be touching your thighs
• Your face can be facing the front or towards the legs, whichever may be comfortable
• Hold this position for 10-20 seconds and sit back up
• You can repeat it a few times based on your convenience

3. Vrikshasana

• Stand straight
• Raise your arms the hold them straight toward the ceiling
• Now lift either one of your legs and place your feet on the other thigh
• You can rest your right foot on the left knee on the side or anywhere from that to the thigh
• Ideally, your foot should be as far up on your thigh as it can get
• Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat 4-5 times minimum

4. Shirshasana

• Kneel down and grip onto your elbows
• After that, lower the arms to the floor directly beneath the shoulders
• Maintaining the position of the elbows, bring your hands together and interlace your fingers to create a triangle with your arms
• Keep your elbows from flaring out
• With the hands clasped behind the head, place it on the ground
• Straighten your knees, point your hips upward, and curl your toes
• Approaching your shoulders is the first step
• The right knee should be brought into your chest, followed by the opposite knee
• Your back will become straight as a result
• Lift your legs to the heavens as you take a breath
• While maintaining your feet a little in front of you, straighten your legs upward
• Bring your attention to a stable point, ideally one that is at eye level
• Take slow, smooth breaths and maintain the position for however long is comfortable

5. Siddhasana 

• Sit on the floor with your legs folded
• Unlike how you may usually sit, one of your feet needs to be placed over the other and not under your folder legs
• At this point, you are required to place your arms straight resting on your knees
• You can fold your index finger and thumb, touching each other
• You can also rest your hand as you wish on your knees
• You are encouraged to take deep and slow breaths

These yoga poses not only work effectively for people with dementia or people prone to dementia, but also provide various benefits to our overall mental health and cognition. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.