Top 10 Excellent Benefits of Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)

Surya Namaskar meaning

Surya Namaskar consists of two words: Surya and Namaskar. Surya means Sun, and Namaskar means salutation or worship. Thus, it is the salutation to the Sun god.  Sun salutation is one of the finest yoga modules for the overall development of the body, mind, and soul. Practising this dynamic yoga exercise, which comprises 12 yoga postures, helps in the concerned practitioner’s health’s physical, mental, spiritual, and social domains. This outstanding practice revitalises the whole body and is an excellent source for extracting the maximum benefits from subsequent asanas, pranayama, and meditation. It fresh and refreshes all body organs and systems through stretching, toning, compressing, harmonising, and synchronising the body-mind complex. It can be practised at any time of the day. It helps to restore vitality and is an excellent antidote for stress & depression, thus significantly helping to overcome emotional disturbances. Sun salutation is a single yoga exercise that impacts all body organ systems. The central systems of the body from this excellent module are the digestive system, excretory system, circulatory system, respiratory system, endocrine system, nervous system, and skeleton system.

Best benefits of sun salutation

1. Enhances skin beauty:  One can perform San salutation for beauty, healthy and glowing skin. Surya Namaskar is an effective means of having beautiful skin and a fair complexion. The practice enables the elimination of a sufficient amount of waste products through the skin as it makes the person sweat profusely, which ensures the removal of accumulated toxins through the skin, thus preventing pimples and boils. The module results in increased perspiration, thereby releasing toxins. This is an excellent method of acquiring a fresh and fair complexion.
2. Prevents hair fall: Many Yoga postures in Surya Namaskar increase blood circulation to the scalp region. Yoga exercises like Parvatasana (mountain pose) and Padhastasana (the forward bending pose) enhance blood supply to the head region, thus giving massage to the scalp, which is beneficial in preventing hair fall and greying of hair.
3. Weight Loss: Sun salutation is an effective tool to shed extra calories. It is helpful to reduce tummy fat and is suitable for a flat stomach. All the yoga poses of this module facilitate adequate stretching, twisting, and compressing of the entire body, thus proving beneficial for a weight loss regime. This is a beautiful practice for those longing for weight loss and has been a part of power yoga, too.
4. Improves digestion: This practice alternately stretches and compresses the body organs, including the stomach. It imparts better massage to the digestive system and encourages it to work efficiently. Regularly practising this module helps remove and prevent many diseases and disorders of the alimentary canal. It stimulates peristalsis of the intestines and removes waste products from the body.
5. Smooth kidney functions: The practice gently massages the kidneys, increases their blood supply, and speeds up blood circulation throughout the body. Regular exercise encourages the kidneys to work efficiently, producing blood filtration through these organs.
6. Good for the heart: The practice increases the heartbeat and the working of the whole circulatory system. Removing waste products from the body is good and ensures efficient human heart function. All the body’s cells and tissues receive fresh oxygen and nutrients that lead to the health and vitality of the body. It encourages the lymphatic system to work more prominently, thus helping combat germs, bacteria, and illness.
7. Improves lung function: The practice of this module helps in the optimum utilisation of the lungs and the respiratory system. It appropriately expands and contracts the air sacs or alveoli of the lungs, preventing the building up of germs and many respiratory system diseases. The lungs are wholly emptied from impure air, and the brain gets fresh oxygen, which gives the person energy and vigour.
8. Corrects hormonal imbalance: Surya Namaskar harmonises the different endocrine glands, thus helping to remove any irregularities of such glands, further improving their blood flow.
9. Tones the nerves and nervous system: It gently stretches, massages, and stimulates the entire body’s nerves. The better health of the nerves determines the efficient working of organs and muscles of the body system. Surya Namaskar tones up all these muscles and nerves and awakens the brain centres.
10. Helps in muscle loosening: It invigorates all body muscles and offers intense stretching to the whole body. The expansion and contraction of powers help redirect impure blood to the kidneys and the lungs. This is the best module for loosening muscles and removing stiffness from the body, and it is considered the best possible exercise for healthy living.