Health Benefits of Shavasana

Shavasana or Savasana is pronounced as shuh-vahs-ah-nah. Its name derives from Sanskrit, where “shava” or “sava” means corpse, while “asana” means pose or posture. It is an essential restorative asana performed at the end of a yoga session.

Shavasana requires you to maintain a relaxing posture with your body lying flat on the floor or mat and facing upwards. It involves concentrating on every part of the body while breathing deeply. The asana appears easy but is challenging because the art of relaxation is tougher than it seems.

The corpse pose is performed at the end of a yoga session after you’ve done twisting, balancing, and bending poses. Continuing to lie on the floor without any movement at this point is what makes the pose difficult.

Many people tend to sleep when they lie down. However, you can enjoy corpse pose benefits only when you are conscious and alert mentally while your body relaxes physically. Being alert ensures that you release stress and worries and enter a relaxed state of mind.

Along with knowing Shavasana’s meaning, it is essential to know the Savasana procedure. Here are the steps to follow this super easy yoga pose.

• Lay down in a supine position (your back on the floor and your face upwards). Make sure there is no disturbance in the place you lie down.

• Gently close your eyes.

• Maintain a comfortable distance between your feet and keep your face parallel to the ceiling.

• Keep your arms next to your body, with your palms open and facing upwards.

• With your eyes closed, focus on every part of your body, starting from the toes. Breathe slowly and deeply to bring your body to a state of deep relaxation.

• Continue breathing deeply as you shift your attention to other parts of the body, moving to the top of your head.

• If your mind wanders, bring it back to draw attention to your body.

• Remember not to doze off.

• Your body will begin to feel relaxed after around ten to twelve minutes. Once you’re done, roll to one side and then sit up.

• Open your eyes slowly as you start focusing on the outwards.

Shavasana is the concluding asana of a yoga session. Although it appears simple, it has profound importance.

• It calms the nervous system, reduces stress, and allows the body to relax completely.

• The pose promotes mindfulness, helping you get a deeper sense of your thoughts and sensations.

• It enables the muscles to release tension and aids in better sleep, allowing the body to recover completely.

• Shavasana also improves mental clarity by cultivating a sense of inner peace.

• It connects physical practice and meditation, fostering holistic harmony of mind, body, and spirit.

• In a nutshell, Savasana benefits enhance overall well-being.

Savasana relieves the body of any mental and physical stress built up during workouts

When you engage in any form of physical activity, be it a HIIT class, sun salutations, or cycling, your body is affected. You begin to sweat, your heart beats faster, and your lungs breathe more heavily.

Doing Savasana or meditation after a workout brings the body back to homeostasis or a balanced state. It regulates the hormones. Besides, as you exercise, your organs perform in overdrive. But Savasana, as a meditative and restorative practice, brings your organs back to function regularly, thus facilitating recovery.

Concluding a yoga session with Savasana can help you make exercise a habit

Becoming regular with exercise is a challenge for many. It is common to come up with excuses to miss the gym. Savasana and its benefits can help you to develop the habit of exercising regularly.

Humans function on a reward system, either consciously or subconsciously. Savasana serves as a reward for working hard. Knowing that you’ll get around twenty minutes to remain in a relaxing position on the park bench could incentivise you to work out.

Savasana helps to build resilience

Surprisingly, Savasana is a difficult yoga pose. It is challenging to lie down, relax, breathe, and mute the chatter in the mind. One of the Savasana benefits is building resilience as you discipline the mind and body to relax and unwind after rigorous activity.

When you can take that rest, you are less likely to get shaken by external events. You are resilient in untoward situations with strong inner confidence. While practising Savasana, you learn to release life’s little worries and tension. Over time, you develop the skill to react mindfully when the going gets tough.

Savasana supports in managing insomnia

Corpse pose, or Savasana, can aid in improving sleep quality. It is also known as yogic Nidra, a form of deep yogic sleep. You must practice Savasana regularly if you have trouble initiating or maintaining sleep or both. The yogic asana calms the body and mind to help sleep better.

Savasana can prolong your post-workout high

Everyone experiences a natural high after exercising. Savasana can help you keep your post-workout high for longer. As you enjoy the rest and slow down the body, you can feel relaxed even in the next part of your day. The relaxing pose adds feel-good neurochemicals to the body in abundance to help keep your mood good.

Like health insurance tax benefits allow you to avail tax deductions apart from the coverage offered by the plan, Savasana gives you a high even after the workout.

Savasana improves mental health and overall well-being

Another corpse pose benefit is that it lets you focus on your breathing and brings your body to relax. This increases your overall mindfulness, thus improving memory and concentration. This asana also helps to reduce blood pressure by relaxing the body and lowering the heart rate.

Other Savasana yoga benefits

It can help in improving physical and emotional well-being by deeply refreshing thoughts when the body remains physically still.

It can aid in decreasing headaches. When you relax in a position with support from the ground, the body can concentrate on deep breathing. This increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, thus reducing headaches.

The asana can open the airways by relaxing the diaphragm and aiding the breath to flow freely.

Learning the Shavasana procedure's benefits and contraindications is vital before beginning to practice it after yoga sessions.

Anyone and everyone can practice Shavasana because it is entirely safe. You can practice it at your convenience unless your doctor advises you not to lie on your back.

Pregnant women must practice a side-lying Savasana. Additionally, people with neck, shoulder or lower back issues can place a pillow under their bellies or knees.

The area where you perform Savasana should be clean and properly ventilated. There shouldn’t be any distractions.

Remember to take it slow and build up steadily if you're a beginner. Start with a 10-minute session before you gradually increase the frequency and duration.

Shavasana, or corpse pose, looks similar to a dead body. Generally, it is performed at the end of a yoga session. This asana provides deep healing, enhances self-awareness, and improves overall well-being.

Moreover, Shavasana benefits the nervous system by activating the parasympathetic senses. It relaxes your mind and body completely, which is as essential as exercise and a healthy diet.

While incorporating Shavasana and other yogasanas in your daily practice is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, preparing for any health emergencies or major medical expenditures is necessary by buying a health insurance plan.

Just like Shavasana helps you relax your mind and body, a medical insurance plan helps you rest in peace regarding your health expenses and ensures the best treatment for you and your family.

With a trusted insurer like Tata AIG, you can protect your finances by purchasing a health insurance plan that fulfills your medical requirements. Additionally, you can enjoy health insurance tax benefits of up to 50,000 and save taxes!

Can Shavasana improve sleep quality?

Yes. Some yoga experts and practitioners have enjoyed better sleep quality with Savasana. It is one of the Savasana yoga benefits as it promotes relaxation and provides rest to the body.

Who should avoid Shavasana?

Everyone can perform Shavasana. But, if you suffer from severe acidity, pain or injury in the spine, hips, or back of thighs and are advised to avoid laying on the back, you should consult a doctor before doing Shavasana.

What is the recommended duration for performing Shavasana?

Depending on your ability to keep your body in a still position, you should practice Shavasana for five to twenty minutes after a yoga session ends.

Is Shavasana a difficult pose?

Yes. Today’s fast-paced world makes it difficult for people to stay in a resting position, even for a short while. Thus, it is tough to master Savasana, the most calming pose, especially after performing twisting and bending exercises throughout the yoga session.