Side Effects of Yoga Exercises: Yoga Precautions

Yoga is a science of healthy living that focuses on bringing harmony between body and mind. Yoga’s preventive aspects are quite efficacious. Yoga acts as a panacea in diseases like lifestyle-related disorders and psychosomatic disorders. Being a drugless therapy, it is cost-effective and safe and enhances the functional ability of the body. However, in many conditions, practicing yoga exercise brings negative results too. The system is also not completely free from side effects.

Side Effects of Yoga

Precaution is of utmost importance while doing yoga. If yoga practices or yoga exercises are not performed in a proper manner, there is a greater possibility of its side effects. Doing yoga unsystematically can aggravate the problems rather than showing its positive health benefits. So, it is recommended that yoga should always be practiced under the guidance of an experienced yoga instructor or therapist. If you want to get the fullest benefits of yoga, it is better to perform yogic practices in a sequence: Kriyas (cleansing process), Yogasanas, Pranayama, Bandha, and Meditation.  A peaceful milieu is advisable for yoga as it helps to bring positive results to the mind, body, and soul.

Yoga Precautions

Yoga always should be practiced empty stomach. It is suggested to practice yoga after 4-5 hours of meal. Light clothes should be used while performing yoga. Perform yogic practices in a relaxed mood. Overstretched and over-strained should not be a part of yoga. To perform yoga in a chronic condition, it is strictly advisable to consult yoga physicians. Right procedures should be followed for practicing yoga. Yoga doing in an improper fashion may lead to negative results. You are not in the race or competition with other people, so go slow with yoga to have its proper benefits.

If the person is experiencing constipation, it is advisable to empty your bowel by doing some standing stretching asanas like Tadasana, Hasttotanasana, and left-right stretch bending to evacuate your intestine.

Restrictions in Yoga

Practice of yoga may show reverse impacts when the person is drunk. Yoga is a refreshing technique modality where intake of beverages like alcohol, coffee, tea, smoking, gutka, pan masala, fried food, spicy food, soft drinks, etc. are discouraged as these may lead to stress and strain because of toxin production.  Asanas also shouldn’t be practiced in conditions like fractured bones and in diseases like ulcers, tuberculosis, and hernia.

Negative Effects of Yoga Exercises

Yogasanas should also be avoided by patients who are suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, or any other chronic diseases. Practicing yoga in conditions like chronic osteoporosis, blood pressure (H/L), spine problems, pregnancy, and ear problems may intensify or aggravate these conditions. Yogasanas shouldn’t be performed after heavy exercises. At least half an hour gap should be maintained after strenuous workouts for practicing yoga. Overstretching and strain in the neck, shoulders, spine, legs, and muscles are common as yoga injuries. Special precautions should be taken during pregnancy. Pregnant women should perform yoga only under the guidance of an experienced yoga therapist.

When Yoga should not be Done?

Though yoga is one of the best health care systems, but in some cases, practicing yoga should be avoided. Practicing yoga in such cases may lead to adverse reactions and can show negative results. Tadasana shouldn’t be practiced in chronic cardiac problems. Pregnant women should practice it under strict supervision. Trikonasana should be avoided in acute backache conditions. Padmasana may aggravate arthritis, slipped disk, and injuries. Pregnant women and persons who are suffering from peptic ulcer, hernia, arthritis, and cardiac problems should avoid this yoga. Utmost precautions should be taken by people who are experiencing high blood pressure, abdominal inflammation, ulcers, vertigo, and high myopia while performing Chakrasana. Adverse reactions may happen while performing Sirsasana with persons having high blood pressure, heart disease, and cervical spondylitis. Dhanurasana should be avoided by a person who is having an ulcer, appendicitis, colitis, hernia, and peptic ulcer.

Contra-indication in Yoga Practices

Performing yoga in some circumstances may show negative effects. Therefore, some yogasana shouldn’t be performed in severe disease conditions to maintain yoga safety. Gomukhasana should be avoided in conditions like piles and arthritis. Precautions should be taken who have piles, stiff joints, uric acid, ankle and knee injuries while performing vajrasana. Ardhamatsyendrasana shows contradictory effects in case of stiff spine, pregnancy, backache, arthritis, and abdominal problems. Contra-indications are also related to Pascimottanasana as this yoga should be avoided by people who experienced abdominal ulcers and abdominal inflammations. Ustrasana may also show an adverse reaction that is having high blood pressure, heart diseases, and hernia. Suptvajrasana shouldn’t be practiced by people who are having gastric problems. Precautions should also be taken in other yoga exercises like Sarvangasana, Utkatasana, Sasankasana, Mandukasana, Salabhasana, Bhujangasana, Halasana and Pavanmuktasana

Precautions for Yoga Kriyas (Shatkarma)

While performing Kunjal, drink water in a sitting posture. Lukewarm water should be preferred and performed the kriyas with empty bowel.  The cleansing process Kunjal should also not be practiced by heart disease and high blood pressure people.  Jalabasti (Yogic enema with water) should be done empty stomach. Jalabasti shouldn’t be practiced in case of rectal bleeding and diarrhea. Sutraneti (nasal cleansing with thread) should be avoided in case of nose bleeding.  While performing Jalaneti (nasal cleansing with water), precautions should be taken that water couldn’t enter the ear. Appropriate quantity of salt to be added during Jalaneti.  A person is having glaucoma and chronic eye disorders shouldn’t perform Trataka. Nauli (Rotating the stomach) may show adverse effects in the case of a person who is suffering from heart disease, hernia, hypertension, and gastric ulcer. Kapalabhati should be avoided by persons suffering from cardiac conditions, giddiness, high blood pressure, vertigo, and gastric ulcer.

Side Effects of Pranayama

Pranayama should be avoided by those people who are facing breathing problems. Chronic patients shouldn’t hold their breath during Pranayama. Pranayama should be practiced in a well-ventilated place. Empty stomach, evacuated bowel, and bladder are needed for performing pranayama. Practicing pranayama after a bath is beneficial as it facilitates uniform blood circulation throughout the body. During Pranayama, breathing should be slow and rhythmic. Retention of breath should be avoided in Nadisodhana Pranayama.  Suryabhedhana Pranayama shouldn’t be performed by people who are having high blood pressure.  People with low blood pressure should not practice Ujjai Pranayama. Precautions must be taken in case of hypertension and cardiac problems.  Persons suffering from colds, coughs, and having acute constipation should not perform Sitkari Pranayama. Sitali Pranayama shows adverse results when performed with cold, cough, and tonsillitis.  Bhastrika Pranayama shouldn’t be practiced when the person is having high blood pressure, heart disease, brain tumor, and ulcers.  If you have ear problems, Bhramari Pranayama should be avoided.