Yoga for jet lag

Are you a high flier who travels often? Well if your answered is yes, then you must have experienced a lot of fatigue and jet lag. Did you know yoga can help alleviate jet lag? Yes, you read that right. Jude Wu, managing director of the Hong Kong branch of U.S. non profit environmental organization Conservation International Foundation swears by yoga to beat jet lag and says, "There is a special yoga position that really helps. You lie on a bed with both legs up 90 degrees pelvis and back of your legs touching the headboard of the bed and head towards the tail of the bed, the posture before padachakrasan, with heel pointing up and toes towards face” this does the wonder to me.

There are few approaches that we vouch for:

1. The Surya Namaskaar or sun salutation will help you stretch the entire body and clear any muscle knots, lactic acid or stale blood which induces jet lag.

2. Yoga nidra or the famed yogic sleep is a state of deep meditation that can be as invigorating as four hours of rest when done for a mere 40 minutes!

3. Other postures you can use include Padachakrasan which is done by putting your legs up the wall that helps drain that fluid while re-circulating oxygenated blood through the body. Do this for 10 minutes after reaching your destination and you can see the difference for yourself.

4. Pavana muktasana series where we do Two-Knee Twist when you lie on your back with your knees hugged to the chest. Place your arms out to the side and press firmly through the shoulders. As you exhale, lower the knees to the right and turn your head and look to the left. Make sure your shoulder is on the ground and does not lift and if does, then move the knees away from the shoulder. Hold for a couple of minutes and then switch to the other side.

5. The other posture include padahastasan where from standing straight from tadasan bend forward and place palms on floor with upper body on lower body, stomach towards thighs chest towards knees nose towards shin.

6. The Lizard Pose can be done from the downward facing dog step when you place the right foot forward between the hands. Lower the left knee down and back as far as possible and press the left hip and glute forward and down. Place the hands or elbows to the ground on the inside of the right foot and hold for a couple of minutes and then switch sides.

7. The Pigeon Pose can also be done. Just bring the right knee behind the right wrist and place the right foot in front of the left hip. Extend the left leg straight back behind the left hip, keeping the hips aligned and allow them to relax toward the floor.

Stretching your body is a sure shot way of ensuring you can overcome jet lag and the best way to do it is through yoga. Happy Flying!

About the author: Grand Master Akshar is the founder of Akshar Power Yoga

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