If you have an irregular heart rhythm due to atrial fibrillation (AFib), it’s not hard to remember to try gentle yoga.
“The heart rhythm in the body is controlled by the communication between the heart and the brain,” says Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy. His study of yoga and AFib was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Yoga, he says, has a calming effect that can help prevent the speeding up or slowing down of the heartbeat that is common with atrial fibrillation.
Breathe calmly
Before hitting the mats, choose the yoga style that suits you. Andrew Tanner, main ambassador for the Yoga Alliance and a teacher for 13 years, warns people with heart problems to avoid strenuous yoga and power yoga.
“Some yoga is not relaxing at all,” he says. “You should look into gentle yoga instead.”
You can start with the Iyengar or Hatha types. You will focus on body alignment and balance through meditation and breath control exercises that are in sync with your movements. But if these don’t help, check out other styles that might be better for you.
If you have AFib, Tanner suggests three breathing exercises, or pranayama. You can practice this yourself.
Ocean sounding breath (Ujjayi). This will help slow and control your breathing. Put your tongue behind your upper teeth. Slightly tense your neck muscles to slow the flow of air as much as possible as you breathe in and out through your nose. You should hear it as you walk through it.
Alternating nostril breathing (Nadi Shodhanaor). Think of this as a way to reset your breath. Follow these steps:
- Place your right thumb on your right nostril to block air as you inhale through your left.
- Then block the left nostril with your right ring finger while removing your thumb and exhaling through the right nostril.
- Keep the left side closed as you inhale through the right.
- Close on the right and exhale on the left.
- Do 10 to 12 sets of two.
“It gives the mind something to do while you breathe,” says Tanner.
Three-part breathing (Dorgha Pranayama). As with the ujjayi method, slow your breathing and then focus on the three parts of your upper body. You will feel your lower abdomen contract, and then your chest, rib cage, and the top of your collarbone will expand.
“It essentially massages your entire upper body,” says Tanner.
Take a pose
When you feel ready, you can try some of the more physical aspects of yoga. It will take some time and consistent practice to see the benefits. Lakkireddy says that after 3 months of yoga, people in his study showed improvement at least twice a week.
However, Tanner cautions that many poses can be too strenuous and risky if you have heart disease. Talk to your doctor first and always practice yoga with an experienced and certified instructor.
If your doctor gives you the OK, try these two simple poses that you can do at home.
Cat and cow. Follow these steps:
- Stand on all fours with your hands just below your shoulders and your knees just below your hips, toes bent down.
- Inhale as you raise your head and arch your back like a cow’s, with your belly swinging downward.
- Then exhale, arching your back like a cat, pulling your stomach into your ribs, and lowering your chin towards your chest.
- Repeat 7 to 10 times.
Stand up the wall. That’s how it’s done:
- Lie on your back
- Use your feet up the wall so your legs are pressed against it.
- Hold the position for 2 to 5 minutes.
More than just short-term relief
It can feel great when you’re in the poses and practicing the breathing exercises. But it also improves your life in the long run.
“Yoga can certainly bring long-term benefits to people with atrial fibrillation,” said David Meyerson, MD, cardiologist at Johns Hopkins.
“Anyone can do it – not just for athletes,” he says. “And it reduces anxiety, improves depression, and improves blood pressure control. People who do yoga are less likely to overeat and have better weight management. ”All of these things help keep your AFib in check.
“Yoga seems to work well,” says Myerson.
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