Many of us have experienced the frustration of a stuffy nose or the annoying pressure in our sinuses that makes breathing feel like a struggle. Whether it’s seasonal allergies or just one of those days, nasal overload can really mess with your day-to-day. The root of nose blockage often lies in inflammation. On top of that, stress can make sinus pressure worse.
Surprisingly, yoga can offer you nasal relief and improve some of the annoying symptoms that accompany nose blockage. Practising certain yoga asanas for a blocked nose opens up your chest and airways, allowing for deeper, easier breaths. Plus, yoga helps reduce stress, which is often the silent culprit, making sinus issues worse.
In this blog, we’ll talk about some easy yet effective yoga asanas that can help clear nasal congestion and improve your breathing. So, get your mat out and decongest your nose blockage with yoga!
Table of Contents
- Can Yoga Cure A Blocked Nose?
- 6 Yoga Asanas For Nose Blockage
- How To Do Pranayama For A Blocked Nose? 4 Best Pranayam (Breathing Exercises) To Clear Sinusitis
- What Is The Fastest Way To Cure A Blocked Nose?
- Expert’s Advice
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
Can Yoga Cure A Blocked Nose?
While yoga can’t “cure” a blocked nose in the way medicine does, it can help relieve its symptoms and make it easier to breathe. Certain yoga poses, especially those that open the chest and promote deep breathing, can help clear nasal congestion and relieve sinus pressure. These poses help improve airflow and encourage relaxation, which can help reduce the inflammation and stress contributing to your blocked nose.
In the next section, you will learn the best yoga poses for nose blockage.
6 Yoga Asanas For Nose Blockage
Here are some yoga asanas for nasal blockage:
1. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog)
Adho Mukha Svanasana helps open the chest and improve blood circulation, easing nasal congestion. The inversion aspect of the pose also promotes sinus drainage, making it easier to breathe.
How to do it:
- Start on all fours and raise the buttocks in the air, creating a triangle with your body.
- Keep your spine and hands straight.
- Keep your heads between your hands.
- Tuck your tummy and inhale deeply. Hold this pose for 20 seconds.
- Relax and return to the original position. Repeat 5-6 times.
Also Read: 12 Yoga Exercises For Weight Loss That Can Revolutionise Your Fitness Journey!
2. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
This yoga pose can open up your chest and throat, which helps release tension in the upper body. Promoting deeper breathing also aids in clearing nasal passages and easing nose blockage.
How to do it:
- Start by lying on your back with your legs extended and feet together.
- Place your hands under your hips, palms facing down.
- Lift your chest upward.
- Arch your back, gently allowing the top of your head to touch the floor.
- Keep your elbows and legs grounded, and breathe deeply.
- Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Also Read: Yoga Positions For Beginners: 35 Poses To Ignite Your Practice
3. Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose)
This yoga pose for nose blockage helps clear nasal congestion by gently compressing the chest and stimulating the throat and sinus areas. It opens the airways, promoting better airflow and easing nasal blockage.
How to do it:
- Kneel on the floor with your feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands on your heels, with your fingers pointing toward your toes.
- Inhale, and as you exhale, drop your head forward toward your chest, rounding your spine.
- Gently press the crown of your head toward the floor while lifting your hips up.
- Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds.
4. Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Balasana is a great yoga pose for mental relaxation, which helps improve breathing and soothes a blocked nose by opening up the chest and airways.
How to do it:
- Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and knees apart.
- Lower your torso down towards the floor, resting your forehead on the mat.
- Stretch your arms forward or keep them by your sides.
- Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, focusing on deep breathing.
5. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
This yoga pose helps open the chest, clear nasal passages, and improve airflow by lifting the chest and expanding the lungs.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Press your feet into the floor as you lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Keep your thighs parallel and hold for 20-30 seconds, then lower your hips slowly.
6. Kapalbhati
Kapalbhati is a powerful breathing exercise that helps clear nasal passages, improve lung function, and rejuvenate the mind by expelling toxins and promoting better airflow.
How to do it:
1. Sit with your back straight.
2. Take in a deep breath in and then exhale sharply through your nose, pulling your belly button inward to your spine with each exhale.
3. Inhale naturally and repeat the sharp exhalations for 30-40 breaths.
How To Do Pranayama With A Blocked Nose? 4 Best Pranayam (Breathing Exercises) To Clear Sinusitis
If you have a blocked nose, you can still do Pranayama yoga exercises as normal. However, you may find these 4 Pranayama exercises most beneficial for your blocked nose:
| 1. Deep Breathing Through The Nose | This breathing exercise clears sinuses and nose blockage, promotes easy breathing, and reduces stress, which helps manage sinus inflammation. |
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| 2. Alternate Nostril Breathing | This balances the flow of energy and clears the nasal cavity of excess mucus and other secretions. |
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| 3. Bhramari Pranayama | This pranayama practice helps relieve nasal blockages by calming the mind and promoting better airflow through the nasal passages. |
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| 4. Ujjayi Breathing (Ocean Breath) | Ujjayi Breathing clears nasal congestion by creating a gentle and steady flow of air that soothes the throat and opens up the sinuses. |
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Also Read: Yoga for Sinusitis: Breathe Better with These Simple Pranayam & Yoga Techniques
What Is The Fastest Way To Cure A Blocked Nose?
There are many ways to cure a blocked nose apart from doing the yoga poses we shared above. Such as:
| 1. Steam |
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| 2. Saline Nasal Spray |
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| 3. Hydration |
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| 4. Ginger & Honey |
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| 5. Nasal Strips & Dilators |
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| 6. Warm Compress |
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| 7. Neti pot |
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Also read: Clean Your Lungs Naturally: 8 Lung Exercises For Smokers, Tips & Lifestyle Changes
Expert’s Advice
Yoga asanas for nose blockage work mainly by lowering the pressure at different points of the sinus. However, if your nasal blockage is stubborn, then simply doing yoga might not work as effectively. I suggest combining the regular practice of yoga for nose blockage with other nasal congestion remedies, such as steam inhalation or using a Neti pot. I also suggest integrating foods such as turmeric and ginger for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Doing yoga for nose blockage, as well as practising pranayams, can make a huge difference. Yoga opens up the chest and airways, helping you breathe easier and break off those congestions and the accompanying symptoms. So, the next time you are hit by a sinus infection or nasal blockage, use yoga and breathing exercises. Using other natural remedies like warm compresses, steam, saline sprays, etc., can increase the efficiency of the results.
FAQs
1. How often should I practice yoga to help my nose blockage?
Practice yoga every day at least once a day to solve and cure your nose blockage effectively.
2. How long can sinusitis last?
In the case of acute sinusitis, the infection may last for 7 to 10 days, while in the case of chronic sinusitis, the infection may last for more than 12 weeks.
3. What are the best yoga mudras for a blocked nose?
Some effective yoga mudras for a blocked nose include Prana Mudra, Gyan Mudra, and Vayu Mudra, which help improve airflow and reduce congestion.
References
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/fitness/5-yoga-poses-for-clearing-blocked-sinuses-in-winter/photostory/106323547.cms?picid=106323726
- https://www.onlymyhealth.com/yoga-for-blocked-nose-and-congestion-in-hindi-1649329225
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