How do I improve my mental alertness?

Simple asanas

In order to increase the concentration used in yoga postures inverted: the blood flow is directed to the head, providing the brain with adequate nutrition. The most famous pose for increasing intelligence is, of course, the headstand. But there are a couple of much more accessible invigorating postures that improve attention: dogs pose snout down the slope and with legs wide apart.

Prasarita padottanasana

The most stable and reasonable posture in yoga – the slope with the legs wide apart. Lengthening the spine, the posture removes the clamps in the lower back and improves the mood.

Depending on your fitness level, you can lean less (based on the hands) or deeper (hands clasped behind his back).

Adho mukha svanasana

Probably everyone heard about the dog’s pose. Simultaneously, slowing down the heartbeat and contributing to the influx of blood to the head, this position helps restore strength and relieve fatigue.

Ideally, you should reach the maximum extension of the spine, putting the feet completely on the floor and bending the lower back. But first, you can lift your heels and bend your knees, gradually pulling the coccyx all the way up.

Do not raise your head!

Shavasana

Another approach to improving efficiency is complete relaxation. For this there is no better posture than shavasana. Usually this pose ends the practice of yoga. But it can be carried out and independently to relieve fatigue and stress

The essence of the pose is complete relaxation. Lie on your back and listen to your breathing, throwing thoughts out of your head. It’s not so difficult to do if you focus on the sensations. Watch for the relaxation of all muscles: from the tips of the fingers and toes and from the top of the head to the center of the body. If it’s cold, cover with a rug.

Pranayama

To improve the performance of the brain, various breathing exercises are also excellent. Due to the regulation of breathing, biochemical processes involving oxygen, including the processing of fats and carbohydrates in ATP, necessary for active work, are improving.

Full breath of yogis

Do this exercise at the beginning of a new phase of work. By concentrating on breathing, you clear your thoughts and can fully surrender to the new project.

The technique of performing full breath of yogis:

• Sit in a comfortable pose, not crossing your legs or arms.
• Make a deep exhalation, as much as possible displacing air from the lungs with the help of abdominal muscles.
• Slowly and calmly let the air into the lungs, feeling as it fills the lower, middle and upper parts of the lungs.
• Exhale, paying attention to the movement of air through the lungs.
• Do a couple of regular breaths-exhalations to relax the abdomen and chest.

Exhalation should be twice as long as inhalation. Do 10-20 such breathing cycles.

Alternating breathing with different nostrils

Another breathing exercise that helps focus is alternating breathing. It includes the following stages:

• Exhale through the left nostril with the closed (fingers) right – twice.
• Breathe through the right nostril with the closed left – twice.

You should start with six such cycles, gradually increasing to ten.

Mudras

For situations where there is no way to perform asana or retire for respiratory exercises, there is so-called finger yoga. Perhaps you noticed that fingers in difficult situations – during tense negotiations or expectations – themselves take this position.

A certain position of the fingers leads to a certain energy state of the soul and body. Take note of a couple of mudras for improving memory and attention. Even in the midst of the meeting, you can lay down your fingers in the following unattractive natural positions.

Mudra concentration

The tips of the fingers of both hands are connected so that the little fingers and thumbs form rings, and the remaining six fingers – the comb above it. This mudra helps to improve the connection of the left and right hemispheres, quickly find the lost idea or concentrate on a longer period of time.

Wise Knowledge

The thumb and index finger of the hand form a ring, and the remaining fingers are straightened. The wisdom of knowledge helps to relieve mental stress.

Meditation

Meditation is the most difficult practice of yoga, which requires special concentration. It is necessary to completely concentrate and throw out all the turmoil from the head. Meditation allows you to harmonize the mind, saving you from too active thinking, which actually leads only to “clouding”.

Start practicing meditation for a short time: it’s difficult to stop touching scraps of thought at first even a couple of minutes. In order to be easier to concentrate, we can count in the reverse order. Gradually increase the origin.

Over time, when your concentration is at a sufficient level, give up the account and just listen to the breath. This practice will allow you to improve memory, attention and concentration, as well as calm nerves and teach you to highlight the main thing.

Yoga is the strength of the body, the stability of the mind and the clarity of thinking.